|
|
Mirror Image,
an exhibition that shows some of the ways in which artists have
explored ideas related to self-portraiture, will be on view this
summer at the Center for Curatorial Studies at Bard College from
June 23 to September 8. There will be an opening reception for Mirror
Image and Dave Muller: Connections on Sunday, June 23,
with free bus transportation from New York City available.
Many of the
works in Mirror Image, decidedly blur the line between straightforward
self-presentation and the assumption of a more-or-less fictional
persona. The exhibition explores this area of ambiguity, featuring
work in media ranging from photography and video to etching and
collage.
"Since the Renaissance,
artists have appeared in their own work in ways that go far beyond
straightforward self-portraiture," said Russell Ferguson, deputy
director of exhibitions and programs and chief curator at UCLA Hammer
Museum, who organized Mirror Image. "This exhibition is a
highly eclectic and very partial sampling of work that participates
in this long tradition."
Although the
artists' images shown in this exhibition are accurate reflections
of their appearances, they often assume alternate identities. Robert
Rauschenberg's monumental triple print, Autobiography (1968),
does not shy away from the mythic. While the central panel's spiral
of text gives a factual account of Rauschenberg's life and career,
the powerful images that surround it--most notably the iconic photograph
of the artist on rollerskates with a huge parachute flaring out
behind him--suggest a persona bigger than the merely personal.
Christian Marclay's
series of posters from 1994, False Advertising, takes self-presentation
in a more overtly fictional direction. Posing as different types
of musicians, Marclay presents himself in posters for apparently
real concerts. Nikki S. Lee also takes on different personae in
the course of her work, but she takes the performative element much
further. For the duration of a particular project, she fully inhabits
her role as a member of a particular group in society. In this exhibition
she appears as a yuppie and as a player in the world of hip-hop.
Among the
artists whose work is included in the exhibition are Mark Bradford,
Patty Chang, James Ensor, General Idea, Francisco Goya, Richard
Hawkins, Larry Johnson, Martin Kippenberger, Oskar Kokoschka,
and Gillian Wearing.
Works for
the exhibition are drawn from the Hammer Museum collection and
from the Marieluise Hessel Collection, on permanent loan to the
Center for Curatorial Studies, as well as the Center's permanent
collection. The exhibition was organized by the UCLA Hammer Museum,
Los Angeles. The LLWW Foundation has provided generous support
for Mirror Image. Additional support has been provided
by the Friends of the Center for Curatorial Studies.
|
|
