INTIMACY
September 23, 2004 — October 24, 2004
INTIMACY
CURATED BY DAVID GIBSON
SANDRA BERMUDEZ, CHINA BLUE, KIM CONNERTON, ANNETTE CYR,
JEN DENIKE, CARLA GANNIS, ELIZABETH HENDLER, AMY JENKINS,
JENNIFER KARADY, ALEXIS KARL, NORMA MARKLEY, LEEMOUR PELLI,
GAE SAVANNAH, RAVEN SCHLOSSBERG, ROXANNE WOLANCZYK
SEPTEMBER 23-OCTOBER 24, 2004
RECEPTION: THURSDAY, SEPT 23, 8-11 PM
Music by Walter Baker
BROOKLYN FIRE PROOF, INC.
101 Richardson Street, Top Floor, Brooklyn, NY 11211
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This exhibition brings together a group of artists whose work is characterized by a willingness to confront extremely personal issues and the social forces which actively demean them. it can easily be said that every artist places themselves in an intimate situation. Isolated with their art, far from the vicissitudes of social life, the artist finds a new truth. Yet how does that truth express itself in the larger world?
Cumulatively the quality of intimacy as it serves the artist, and as the artist’s themes in turn serve society becomes as important as the need for it. The use of the term itself has many variables, depending on usage, it can infer commonality, vulnerability, and knowledge.
An emotionally charged art is often the product of forces around it which either apply normative concerns, pressuring the artist to repress the intimate concern, or to focus solely upon matters of craft. However, their adverse reaction becomes the fruit of discovery: narratives develop and symbols emerge, which dramatize the need for intimacy.
Intimacy itself is rarely the focus in art criticism, since it is not superficially topical, nor does it have a specific historical reference. But it does have something to do with the dynamics of contemporary emotional life, and the ways in which we have become accustomed to repressing or generalizing our responses to issues that relate directly back to the inner life of emotionsˆour repository for reactions to experience.
There are very few avenues in contemporary life for people to talk about their emotions, since it‚s generally assumed that families are dysfunctional and that we address our problems either directly, via therapy; or indirectly, by allowing a vast number of media sources, such as NPR Radio, Oprah Winfrey, and various TV dramas and sit-coms, to aid us in running the gamut of our emotions.
After Party from 11 PM – 2 AM at M Shanghai Bistro & Den, 129 Havemeyer (between grand + s. 1st street), Williamsburg, Brooklyn 11211 ph: 718 384 9300 – half price appetizers from 11 PM – 11:45 PM; happy hour from 12 AM midnight – 2 AM; and DJ downstairs
For map & directions, please log onto http://www.mshanghaiden.com/map.html
Extended Gallery Hours: Friday, Saturday and Sunday 1 – 6 PM, or call 718 302 4702 for appointment