For almost two weeks, I've been meaning to write about Women's Work at Civilian Art Projects. In honor of Women's History Month, the gallery featured two shows (four women artists): sometime yesterday, or maybe the day before, new work from Noelle K. Tan, and Women's Work. According to the press release,
"...the artists intervene upon seemingly insignificant material such as discarded motion picture film, cosmetic advertisements, and ordinary paper to create captivating, whirling forms and sculptures. Though formally and conceptually distinct, each project comments on change, the passage of time, and what is preserved versus left behind."
I found Women's Work particularly intriguing in this respect. The pieces all have repetitive elements and patterned forms which do seem to create a meditative state. As the title indicates, the all-female cast seem to add significant connotations to the work, as well.
Lynn Cazabon's ink jet prints using film strips to create line and form, are especially appealing. The connotations of the film strips, the scenes and actors they hold, combined with the swirling lines and the formation of a larger composition, force the viewer to focus on reconciling the two somehow. Discard 5 [see right] by far, was the group favorite, because simply put, it was the most dynamic of her pieces (and a very affordable $1,500 I might add).
Hadieh Shafie's boxes contain thousands paper strips rolled into scrolls, all repeating one single word for love in Farsi, 'eshghe'. In these pieces, there is that element of repetition that is so mentally challenging. Immediately, I imagine the artist placing each scroll one by one into the boxes, over and over, the end so far away. With the show's title in mind, the grueling process of creating these pieces seems a metaphor for the sort of endless, repetitive labor endured by women historically.
And finally, my personal favorite of the group, Tory Wright, showed Duratrans light box using advertisements and fragrance campaign posters from department stores. The artist states,
“by cutting away imagery pulled from luxury item advertising I reveal a new conversation with broad references to the female form. Gucci links, William Morris, art nouveau, tears and textiles intertwine as they overtake the seduction of these advertisements within a consumer culture. Ultimately commenting upon the American lust for material gratification.”
Again, the patterned structure of these pieces forces the viewer to consider the elements' force as a whole, which can be pretty mentally taxing. The intertwining lines, rushing towards the center, as in Obsession [left], do seem to reflect the consumption and breaking down of the images into something other than they are. The image itself, or that which it represents is powerless and overtaken completely.
I attended with two non-art people. As we left, they both expressed interest in going to another show soon, which means I'm not alone. It made a real impact. Isn't that what all the visual arts people are trying to do these days? - bring in newbies and "non-art" people in general? I'd have to say Civilian scored more than a few points in that department (I was with a tough crowd).
I make it a practice not to gush, so this is a rare moment. It's so easy to not be blown away. It can be hard to find work that is so great and placed so effectively, that you're having a fun night just because you're in the room with it. This was one of those shows. (And no, I didn't have a drink in hand.)
Women's Work and sometime yesterday, or maybe the day before run March 20 - April 24 at Civilian Art Projects, 406 7th Street NW, Third Floor, Washington, DC, Hours: 12-6pm Wed-Sat
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