Vik Muniz
dal 31/3/2004 al 1/5/2004
Segnalato da
31/3/2004
Vik Muniz
Rena Bransten Gallery, San Francisco
Rebus, an exhibition of new photographic works by Vik Muniz. Besides the Rebus series, there will also be works available from his Monad series. The term 'rebus' refers to the representation of a word or phrase by pictures that suggest its parts. In his new work, Muniz uses tiny plastic toys like soldiers, jacks, guns, cars, whistles, cowboys, Indians, and creepy-crawlers, that have certain associations, to compose an historical face or object or scene that itself has layers of meaning. Each of the five pictures in the series refers to a historical photograph with its own story.
Rebus
During the month of April, Rena Bransten Gallery will present Rebus, an
exhibition of new photographic works by Vik Muniz. Besides the Rebus series,
there will also be works available from his Monad series.
The term "rebus" refers to the representation of a word or phrase by pictures
that suggest its parts. In his new work, Muniz uses tiny plastic toys like
soldiers, jacks, guns, cars, whistles, cowboys, Indians, and creepy-crawlers,
that have certain associations, to compose an historical face or object or scene
that itself has layers of meaning. Each of the five pictures in the series
refers to a historical photograph with its own story. For example, Mr. Muniz
recreates a photo of Alice Liddell, based on one by Lewis Carroll. Lewis
Carroll's photography has been the subject of much debate as critics have
alleged an obsession and voyeuristic relationship to children; that the subject
of this photograph is Alice from Alice in Wonderland provides even more iconic
power. With Mr. Muniz' recreation the vividly colored joyousness of the toys
accentuate the ambiguity of the subject matter.
In the Monad series, layers of insects considered to be garden pests, for
instance, form a single white rose bloom. Blue and gray war toys shaded by red,
green, and black guns, canons, and helmets form a young soldier's face and
torso. The white grounds under the toys in both pictures are convincing
substitutes for both substance and highlights.
Viewing these Muniz appropriations, our minds easily bind the elements of his
photographs to the original images. It is this evolving linkage of new
representation-to old-to original that has fascinated Muniz throughout his
career. Now that technology allows one to alter the sacred reality of the
photograph, artists are at greater liberty to explore ways of tweaking that
reality and raising the question of whose version is more real?
April 1 through May 1, 2004
Reception: Thursday, April 8, 5:30 – 7:30pm
Gallery hours are Tuesday through Friday 10:30 to 5:30, Saturdays 11 to 5.
Images are available upon request. For additional information, please visit our
website.
Rena Bransten Gallery
77 Geary Street
San Francisco