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22/2/2007

Valie Export

Klemens Gasser and Tanja Grunert, New York

Dead People Don't Scream

Valie Export examines the cultural spectrum, combining forces from societal realms with those of power at a universal level. The diverse collection is characterized by a subversive use of various strands of her work, including sculptures, photography, film and sound installations. The hollow armor heads offer a unique and striking visual appeal. The absence of faces, or of any such form of individuality, serves to articulate a prevalence of anonymity, of conformity, but most importantly, of the seemingly soulless nature of contemporary society. In addition to these sculptures, the viewer is confronted with flashing images of chipped heads and mutilated bodies that are generated by projectile installations. These stand in stark contrast to the figures being displayed, and simultaneously serve to bolster the overriding themes of aggression and violence. Valie Export communicates the repetitive and monotonous modes of living that are characteristic of modernity via sound installations that reiterate fragments of spoken sentences and continuously reverberate within the exhibition space.

From the outset of her artistic career, Valie Exportchose to channel her artistic vision through the use of performance, film, video, and photography. She has been particularly interested in human cognition, its implications for our understandings of reality, and the linguistic influences that continue to inform our perceptions.

Throughout her artistic lifespan, Valie Export has explored different mediums, such as video experiments, documentaries, conceptual photography, performance, drawings, and sculptures to establish a unique artistic identity as well as to gain an understanding of the parameters specific to each. Her interest in societal issues manifests itself in the prevalence of feminist themes, which serve to characterize as well as vitalize her work. During the `60's, she often utilized depictions of her own body and morphology for various performances and installations. Thus, she offers the viewer an interactive experience in which the work, the artist, and the audience are not only inextricably linked, but also constitute the key ingredients for artistic creation.

Opening: Friday, February 23, 6:00PM - 8:00PM

Klemens Gasser & Tanja Grunert Inc.
524 West 19th Street - New York
Free admission

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