MY EXISTENTIAL JOURNEY OF ART: ART EXHIBIT

ART EXHIBIT:  RELOCATIONS

On Friday, September 9, 2011, I visited an exhibition of paintings, photography, a video installation and an interactive installation, collectively presented under the title “Relocations,” at the Green Hill Center for North Carolina Art at the Cultural Arts Center, Greensboro.

My initial reactions center on two points: (1) the distinctive formats/media used to represent the theme of “relocation” and (2) the distinct, sometimes dissonant representations or conceptualizations of “the modern city” relative to the subjectivity of the viewer. It is noteworthy that these pieces represent global perspectives and artistic renderings ranging from the American South, to New York City, to Asia and beyond. In this regard, one person’s modern city, such as Fuquay-Varina (NC) as depicted in the works of Rachel Herrick, might be considered a countryside location according to the perceptions and perspectives of a viewer who identifies more intimately with New York (as shown in the photography by Jean-Christian Rostagni) or to a viewer familiar with the colorful and crowded cities of Asia, as represented in the brightly hued paintings of Keiko Genka. Overall, my response to this exhibition centers on making meaning relative to how human beings use, sometimes abuse and ultimately interact with their environments to construct communities and, ultimately, how these humanly constructed communities impact individual and collective identities or, on the other hand, possibly provoke a sense of alienation from a particular communal identity.

I isolate three artists for the purpose of illustrating my focus on the viewer’s subjectivity regarding her perception and interpretation of the following questions: What is the modern or urban city? How do I create personal identity and construct community identity in terms of my own location?

           

Rachel Herrick’s city, Fuquay Varina, North Carolina, is represented conceptually with traditional (almost iconic) buildings that represent small businesses seemingly typical of the American South that I, personally, associate with small towns: from a mattress store to a small convenience store that sells slushies. Interestingly, the titles of Herrick’s pieces, along with the actual wording incorporated within each piece, provide additional conceptual stimulation for the individual viewer in terms of analysis and interpretation of Herrick’s work.

           

Keiko Genka’s paintings depict very bustling and colorful modern cities that seem to represent Asia’s commercial/consumer progress. The bright acrylics are truly eye-catching. While very appealing visually, I interpret this brightness as also symbolizing a kind of contrived abundance within cities that are so highly populated and lacking in open spaces.

           

Rostagni’s photography captures the uniqueness of New York City as the (in my view) epitome of the modern city, an identity that cannot be obscured or lessened by the demise of the Twin Towers on September 11, 2011, the subject of one of his pieces.