There will be a First Thursday opening reception this Thursday, May 3rd, from 6-8:30pm, for Heidi Schwegler‘s new body of work, The Known World–a suite of objects, images, and videos–at the Chambers@916 gallery. Here’s a little background for the show from her Artist Statement:
“For the past two years, Heidi Schwegler positioned herself as a tourist in China, Iceland, Argentinaand Southern California. In exploring each environment, she became sensitive to the notion of perceptual blindness, a phenomenon which makes it difficult to understand what one sees in an environment that is very disconnected from the familiar, which can feel very alienating. To ground herself, she sought patterns in the unnoticed and discarded objects that exist on the periphery, rather than the spectacle of tourist attractions. Objects and situations that are normally overlooked, like a discarded mattress or duct tape holding down a mannequin, became instantly evocative. These experiences ultimately became the springboard for this body of work, which speaks of what is known but no longer seen.” From (here)
We are extremely excited to see this show! Last October, Heidi Schwegler started off OCAC’s lunch-time talk series with an amazing presentation about her sabbatical and artist residencies. Most of her presentation covered her explorations and revelations about art and the everyday, and, while we did see some of the objects that she had made (which again were amazing!), there wasn’t enough time to talk about her whole body of work that came out of this period. Fortunately, we have that opportunity starting this Thursday! Don’t miss it!
The show will run through June 23, 2012.
Staying on this theme of the “everyday,” the library pick for this week is The Everyday edited by Stephen Johnstone. It would be an excellent book to check out to prepare for Schwegler’s show in order contextualize her work with respect to the ongoing collective discussion around the concept of the everyday that has been going on for well over half a century. Or, perhaps your interest might be peaked about it upon seeing The Known World.
According to the Publisher, this collection of essays, excerpts, and other writings tracks the “range of contemporary art engaged with the everyday and its antecedents in the work of Surrealists, Situationists, the Fluxus group, and conceptual and feminist artists of the 1960s and 1970s. This art shows a recognition of ordinary dignity or the accidentally miraculous, an engagement with a new kind of anthropology, an immersion in the pleasures of popular culture, or a meditation on what happens when nothing happens. The celebration of the everyday has oppositional and dissident overtones, offering a voice to the silenced and proposing possibilities for change “(from here).
Check it out!
This sounds amazing – I wish I could go as I know I’d enjoy every second of it. Heidi’s theme is so exciting!
She is absolutely amazing! I doubt this will be the last time you hear of her in the years to come. And, be sure to check out her website, there is a lot of incredible work posted there as well. Best, Kevin.
I wish I could hear her presentation and see the show. Will locate the book Everyday.
Hi Patricia! Definitely check out Johnstone’s book, The Everyday. It’s fascinating. It’s actually part of a series of books published by the MIT Press called “Documents of Art”. They are all good. If you like this one, you’ll probably like many of the others as well. Best, Kevin.
How interesting! My husband is taking a photography class and they had an additive concept to shoot: hidden in plain sight. Sounds as if this is what Heidi was focusing on!
Hello Kevin. Thank you for this post. And for liking my work. The term perceptual blindness appeals to me. I’m convinced that if we can celebrate the everyday when we find ourselves on unfamiliar territory – whether that’s a new city, another job or the first days of motherhood – we can stay afloat and remain alive to creative possibility and connection with others. I wish I could join you all at the exhibition. England is just too far away. I’m happy to be part of the online community you foster around interesting reads. I’m off to take a look at Stephen Johnstone’s The Everyday. Thanks for your awareness. Lou
Hi Lou! Thank you for such a thoughtful and kind comment! It’s so great to hear feedback from people when they enjoy a post we published. And, your thoughts about creative possibilities and creating connections with others are really interesting. I think you’re so right! Thank you again. Best, Kevin.
The Everyday is a great book! I have used several of the essays in my art-theory class.
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