POST #5."HOME HERE" GALLERY EXHIBITION ESSAY
・‥…━━━━━━━☆ HOME HERE EXHIBITION ☆━━━━━━━…‥・
“HOME HERE” is an art exhibition, curated by Lucy Rovetto, presents the artworks of multiple artist; Laia Cabrera, Nicole DeMaio, Isabelle Duverger, Jaz Graf, Katelyn Halpern, Jin Jung, Pat Lay, Tina Maneca, Cheryl R. Riley, Jennifer Roberts. Additionally mixed with the artworks of these artist there is paints made by Ward Mount.These artists bring in multiple mediums the answer to the question, “what brings you comfort?”. Each artist represented their own, unique, and some of them, personal perspectives around “comfort” and what makes them “feel like home”. Each artist brings to the light how comfort is found from different perspectives and circumstances. Comfort can be achieved in an empowering, healing, weird, and even self-destructive way.
An artwork which exemplifies what I am trying to convey by comfort can be achieved with self-destructive methos is “COMFORT IS ACTION” by Tina Maneca. In “COMFORT IS ACTION" we are presented with a nursery that appears to be normal, but taking a closer look at it, is noticeable the art pieces had been made partially with mini seal top bags, commonly used for the distribution of drugs. At first glance, the artpiece looks as if it wants to convey that comfort is nostalgia or even a mother’s love. However, when we discover the presence of drug bags our alarms go on, as these two elements, innocence and drugs use, should not go together, but Tina anyways mix them. Creating an uncomfortable but powerful aura for this artwork. From my perspective as a person who have unfortunately witnessed the deterioration of close people due to drugs, this artwork shows the corruption of a life, of a person you may have known or close to you, and your perspective about them changes the moment you discover their darkness (in this case, substance use). Even if they change and leave drugs, those empty bags will be forever sewn the memories you have of them. I feel that Tina’s artwork in this exhibition showcases a perfect example of what the book “The Art of Activism” meant in this quote “The first rule of Guerrilla Warfare is to know the terrain and use it to your advantage.”, Tina found this drug bags and decided to use it to create awareness and transform it in something beautiful but powerful.
Another artwork that caught my attention was the “Appropriation Bag” by Cheryl Riley. This piece is a paper shopping bag with prints of magazines ads. The ads are black women, outside showing mostlyvintage/retro ads and the inside shows modern art of black women. Taking this minority group (black women) and using them as decoration in a shopping bag showcase how many times people had used others culture as an accessory, as a trend, as fashion without conscience. Taking what is not originally yours just for aesthetic purposes. This bag brings awareness to the topic about using cultural elements without either caring about their backstory or the people it originally belongs, even despising that same people group. As a Latin American, I could make a list about how many times the “American” media had made elements from my culture as mere accessory or seen as exotic. Objecting myself, my lifestyle, culture, etc., and whitewashing it to create their own. Quick example: last year many foreigners started using tubis, a hair tool that is supposed to be used to protect your silk fresh as a “boho chic” summer beach hat and selling it also on exorbitant prices. I think also, this piece reflects the effects of gentrification. A bag probably from an expensive store which probably the people they are taking their culture elements as mere fashion would not be able to afford, taking and pushing away the people from their own culture.
In conclusion, the “HOME HERE” exhibition gives not only shows how the feeling of comfort could be represented in many people's lives, and what uncomfortable can be seen and empowering. Being the fuel for bigger things rather than just sitting and accepting the uncomfortableness in our lives and using it to fuel to speak out what is making us feel in such feelings. At the end, each artwork is very open to interpretation, so anybody could relate to them, probably nobody will have the same perspective over the same artwork. I feel a good way to summarize this exhibition in a few words is by this quote by Dra. Maura Reilly from the article “Towards a Curatorial Activism”: “...that give voice to those who have been historically silenced or omitted from the ‘master narrative’.” Giving voice to women artist, each one coming from different backgrounds which their voices as minorities had been silenced and, in this exhibition, they challenge one of the most (from my perspective) dangerous types of comfort; being comfortable by staying silent.
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