One of the many great things about SPE is meeting people whose work inspires and enlightens.
Lori Hepner
A few years back I had the opportunity to see Stan Douglas's Monodramas at the Guggenheim in New York. At the time I was studying photography at the School of Visual Arts, my Junior year, and was working on a photographic project entitled Story Telling. I know, very original and unique right. It was a project in which I was plumbing the possibility for photographs to be structured as ambiguous open ended narratives that would invite viewer interaction/interpretation. Initially what drew my interest to Douglas's Monodramas was biased. I neglected to understand the conceptual complexity of Douglas's work and instead focused on his process of creating ambiguous narratives open for interpretation. How ever Douglas's work is far more complex than creating simple dramas.
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| Stan Douglas_Monodrama_1991_"Don't Call Me Gary" |
It has been slow going on the blogging front due to teaching two courses this semester. I am always amazed at just how much time teaching and all its prep work takes out of a day. How ever with the end of my courses approaching it has brought a bit more free time to look at other artist and their work.
Currently I am thoroughly enjoying the photographic works of Emma Wieslander. In "Looking at the Sun" I was struck by the simplicity and minimal quality of the work and it conceptual richness. Wieslander's work operates on a metaphysical level inviting contemplation of the act of photographing the sun and the significance of such an act as performance. The artist choice in using text is similar to Taryn Simons photographic project "An American Index of the Hidden and the Familiar". Both have successfully utilized text in a way that compliments, or anchors as Simon states, the content of their photographs away from ambiguity or absurd.
I am pleased to announce the inclusion of two of my photographs in Skie Mall curated by Anni Holm. It will be an honor and privilege to exhibit work along side these fellow international and local artist
"On May 15, 2010, in conjunction with the annual West Chicago Blooming Fest, the STUDIO, located at 203 Turner Court behind Main Street, will open its doors to the 4th biannual artXposium. This multimedia art experience, organized by People Made Visible, Inc. featuring regional, national and international artists who will display a variety of art work inspired by the inflight SkyMall catalog.
In addition to the SkieMall, artXposium events and exhibitions will take place in front of the 19th century CB&Q Depot, at the West Chicago City Museum and on Main Street. Saturday, May 15 the exhibition opens at 9am, with an artist reception from 6 to 9 pm which will feature a performance by Alison Rhoades along with food, drinks and a silent auction. (Full program available at artxposium.org.)
New to the program this year is a tent among Blooming Fest vendors hosting the West Chicago International Artist in Residency Program featuring Gitte Bog’s project: Fusion Foods.
Featured artists include: Claus Ankersen (DK), Lise Haller Baggesen (DK/NL/US), Tom Burtonwood (UK/US), Mario Contreras (US), Gemma Correll (UK), Diana Gabriel (US), Aron Gent (US), Richard Holland (US), Holly Holmes (US), Matt Logan (US), Mark Osterman (US), Sara Phalen (US), Grant Ray (US), Alison Rhoades (US), Andrew Rigsby (US), Steve Ruiz (US), Victor Yanez-Lazcano (US) and Matt Austin (US). This year's exhibition has been curated by Anni Holm.
artXposium Hours: Saturday 9am-9pm & Sunday 10am-2pm. This event is free and open to the public. (Suggested donation $2)."
Start Time: Saturday, May 15, 2010 at 9:00am
End Time: Sunday, May 16, 2010 at 2:00pm
Location: 203 Turner Court, West Chicago, IL 60185
The odd juxtaposition where nature reasserts itself in post-apocalyptic fashion resulting in chaos and destruction. The mundane safe unsuspecting ubiquitous places such as the office, or the interior of a car (chrysler) is turned upon its head. This technique is similar and in line with the reemergence of surrealist techniques such as depaysement or making strange through the juxtaposition of unlikely objects and events. Where the surrealist often failed to move beyond the ostranenie Patrick Bernatchez pushes forward, utilizing the surrealist technique as both a device for an uncanny investigation into site specific spaces, as well as the oft complicated relationship between nature and man. 
In the video stills from the short film “I feel cold today” a metaphoric richness comes through in the multi layered concept Bernatchez has put forth for the viewer in the staged set. We are presented with both the psychological affect of the ubiquitous layout of the office space, and its affect on the psychology of the worker. The office as the site of continual fluctuation between the tedium of work and the grand myth of the capitalistic system. The pale colors, cheap office furniture, the visual white screech of fluorescent lights. Buried beneath the snow one can see Bernatchez second punch, his environmental angle. How readily to we forget the destructive and power of mother nature to reassert itself into the man made world. Here, lest we forget, is the uncanny future and reality of our daily world. We hold mother nature off with cheap walls and pumped in heat and artificial light, but when given the chance she will take it all back. Are we witnessing a cubical workers fantasy, or a eco-political gesture lest we forget the awesome power just outside the walls of our cubicles and cars.
Unlike “I feel cold today” the process and production of Chrysalide is made more apparent. Through the obvious placement of the lights, and the semi commercial quality of the lighting Bernatchez ramps up the fetishistic quality that the car has become in society. The performative act of the two hoses pushing gallons upon gallons of water into the car only to sit back and watch is a kind of sacrilege that breaks down the relationship and aura we have to the automobile. This breaking down and then revealing recontexualizes the car as a claustrophobic and isolating structure. As we speed by the world outside the windows of the car, tuned into radio stations, texting, cell phone calls, all the while speeding past everything in a disconnected manner. Car as insulated fishbowl, so why not treat the inside of the car as such. And what better car model to use than a Chrysler.
