April 3 - May 3, 2015
A curated exhibition by Rosalind Breen MFA 16 PT, Kate Aitchison MFA 16 PR, and Maggie Hazen MFA 16 SC
Curatorial Statement: Marco Polo imagined answering that the more one was lost in the unfamiliar quarters of distant cities, the more one understood the other cities he had crossed to arrive there. --ltalo Calvino
Shifting individual realities author a vast collective array of perceptions, illuminating phenomena which are not easily understood limbos which push and pull between the portal of the nether and the elysian. In turn, islands are created, simulated and governed: destinations of new beginnings and imagined freedoms, paradises found in fictions and abject isolations. Today, the computer screen has become a window into an infinite stream of information which bridges the past, present and future, morphing into metaphorical wormholes or hypothetical vistas, distorting our perception of reality-instilling desires about how we wish it to be. With the flick of a finger one can Wiki ancient Sumerian texts about origin like the ''Epic of Gilgamesh'' and a mere second later read about new technologies aimed at terraforming Mars- access to the universe is in our pockets.
This exhibition is a compilation of works that create complex scenarios using the knowledge and narratives of the past in conjunction with the uncertainty of the future to spark a dialogue about this new digital era. In 15-Day Persona Dressing Exercise by Zoe Schlackter, Pink Zoe exists and interacts with others through an altered sense of physical space by using shaded lenses to confuse the viewer. Additionally, the work of Jon Merritt whose patterns are produced in partnership with the machine, speak to the break down of how complex structures function alongside utopian ideals.
These works occupy intellectual terrain reaching from ancient history to modern space exploration and discovery commenting on the balance between utopian and dystopian desires. By identifying trends, recognizing our limitations and depicting polarities we can navigate the limbo between what-is-desired and what might manifest. The range of works in this show converge to form a commentary ranging from how we wish the world to be to what we fear the world could become.
