 |
Email PageCecelia Condit: Curated by Mary Lucier & Jim Pirtle: Curated by The Art Guys
September 4, 2008- October 11, 2008
Reception: September 4, 6:00 pm - 8:00 pm
Cecelia Condit, Jim Pirtle
CUE Art Foundation
511 W 25th StWith symbolic language and fairy tale fables, Cecelia Condit dexterously employs the fantastic to confront life’s stark realities. Yet, the tales Condit conjures in her video works are nowhere near aligned with our modern-day, sanitized stories of lands far, far away. Disturbing psychological spheres, rooted in reality but marred by the surreal, serve as the backgrounds for her narratives, constantly veering between beauty and violence, humor and tragedy, fantasy and the mundane. Their intricacies mirror the predominantly female characters’ complex relationships with other women, men, nature and even themselves. The stories are often narrated by the artist and include songs and music. Her voice gives an incredibly haunting delivery, coupling masterfully with the impressive cinematic quality of the often collaged imagery. Condit’s exhibition at CUE Art Foundation, her first solo show in New York, will debut her newest video, Annie Lloyd (top, left), an intimate look at the last few years of the life of the artist’s mother. Reflecting upon their shared past, a new mutual affection develops and the inalienable bonds a mother and daughter share are explored. Also on view are six of Condit’s other video works, ranging from 1981 to present and covering subjects such as childhood self-discovery, suburban living, child abuse and ageism. Much like the elements that compose the videos, the viewer’s emotional responses will run the gamut from captivation to repulsion, humor to sorrow, but in the end will leave them feeling touched to their core.
Societal paraphernalia like high heels, records made by one-hit wonders and vintage clothing not only make up the ephemera of our popular culture, but serve as the building blocks for the artwork of Jim Pirtle. He has inherited and collected a wide range of materials, resulting in an amalgamation akin to the ready-mades of Marcel Duchamp and Claes Oldenburg, but with a touch of sentimentality for the past that these objects connotate. On view at CUE Art Foundation, Pirtle’s first solo show in New York, will be a smaller version of Pirtle’s infamous work, the studio/bar/music venue/ performance space/living area, notsuoH (Houston spelled backwards). Transported across the country, Pirtle will bring with him an assortment of works and performance documentation from throughout his career. Portraits paintings of friends on polyester shirts, wallpaper, a collage of photographs taped to the floor, antique auditorium seats and faded accounting ledgers to name only a few. They will all be arranged in the haphazard, welcoming style in which they are found at their home in Texas. For the duration of the exhibition viewers will be welcomed into the space and interact with the objects, just as visitors to notsuoH. The show will not only be a nod to the life and work of Pirtle, but to the past we all share and our innate desire to create something of our own.
Books and DVDs related to artists in this show
| ||||||||||||||||||||||
CUE Art Foundation was last updated: 2009-01-06
Update general information with the Gallery Editor.
Update shows with the Exhibition Manager.
Update inventory with the Inventory Manager.
Update general information with the Gallery Editor.
Update shows with the Exhibition Manager.
Update inventory with the Inventory Manager.
|
© 2005-2008 chelseaartgalleries.com | Terms of Use | Privacy Policy
| Site Map |
