Ellen Harvey
dal 15/11/2001 al 22/12/2001
Segnalato da
15/11/2001
Ellen Harvey
De Chiara Gallery, New York
I See Myself in You. What is a self-portrait and what is it for? A shameless piece of self-promotion? A searing glimpse into the artist’s soul? Or just a really cheap model? I See Myself in You is a series of faked double self-portraits, paintings based on polaroids taken of recreations of photographs of the artist as a child. Each photograph was recreated twice using adult friends chosen for their resemblance to the self displayed in the original.The Twins inserts the viewer into the process of self-portraiture.
I see myself in you
What is a self-portrait and what is it
for? A shameless piece of
self-promotion? A searing glimpse into
the artist’s soul? Or just a really
cheap model?
I See Myself in You is a series of faked
double self-portraits, paintings based
on polaroids taken of recreations of
photographs of the artist as a child.
Each photograph was recreated twice
using adult friends chosen for their
resemblance to the self displayed in the
original. The poses in the photographs
chosen are impossibly melodramatic,
early internalizations of the romantic
self-presentation that photography
learned from painting. They flaunt the
inevitable inauthenticity of
self-expression. If the only way to
show yourself is to be an "other" then
perhaps the only way to represent
yourself is to show another.
The Twins inserts the viewer into the
process of self-portraiture. The viewer
enters the room and is placed between
two video projections -- one of the
artist’s almost motionless face and the
other of a hand drawing a face on a
piece of paper over 30 minutes. Only
very gradually does it become apparent
the drawing is a self-portrait -- the
artist’s stillness imposed by her dual
function as model and artist.
Ellen Harvey lives and works in
Brooklyn, NY. She is a graduate of the
Whitney Independent Study Program and
was a participant in the PS1 Museum’s
National Studio program last year.
Recent exhibitions include Art
Transplant: British Artists in New York
at the British Consulate, Strangers /
Étrangers at the PS1 Museum's Clocktower
Gallery, In/SITE/Out at Apex Art, Serial
Number at Gale Gates et al. and the 2000
Kwangju Biennale, Her most recent public
art projects include 100 Free Portraits
and the New York Beautification project
(www.nybeautification.org). This is her
second solo exhibition at De Chiara
gallery.
Opening Reception: Friday, November 16, 2001 6-8 p.m
Gallery hours: Tuesday - Saturday 11:00--6:00 pm
Image
Matty and Celia as Ellen, aged 10 with
her canary, 2001
2 panels 33" x 39" each, oil on panel
Laurie De Chiara
De Chiara Gallery
New York
t.212.967.6007
f.212.967.1604