Jennifer Romanick

Intro: Welcome to the Blaffer Gallery. Today we’re going to see two exhibits. Downstairs we have John Pylypchuk and upstairs we have Josephine Meckseper.

 

Both exhibits deal with human anxiety.

·        Pylypchuk talks about his own personal issues with anxiety, personal hurt, death of his parents

·        Meckseper talks about cultural anxiety in the forms of consumerism, war

 

Both exhibits have visual similarities as well, the use of text, but they use it in different ways.

·        Pylypchuk uses it for humor, quirkiness

·        Meckseper uses it as an antagonizing tool

 

 

PYLYPCHUK

EDUCATION

While at college in Manitoba, finance major, he was on suspension and found that the way to be reinstated was to go in to the art program.  He was doing oil painting but found that he wasn’t excelling at it. His teachers went on strike for several months and it was during that time that he built self-reliance and the Royal Art Lodge with 5 other students. Royal Art Lodge was a drawing intensive group.

Got Master’s Degree at UCLA

 

CORE

His work reflects the stages of his life, waves of comfort v. waves of hardship (“If something gets too easy then it has to be taken apart”, dismantled. CREATES OWN WAVES IN HIS LIFE). He grew up with older parents that put the fear of their deaths       in him. This could be the main contributing factor to his anxiety.  He said this work was therapeutic to him.

 

The exhibit is a culmination of the past 10 years of his life, that’s why it doesn’t have a title as the previous shows did. These paintings are scenes that reflect his daily life, boring, sad, domestic events that have been “tweaked” with humor and sarcasm. This is where the text plays a major role in making these scenes “talk” to us.

 

“To say something in its simplest way is success”

“Never use bunny rabbits, hearts, or puppies”

 

MATERIALS

His early work used found objects, he then transitioned to making new objects. He uses wood glue, watercolor ink, paint, fabric and wood. He found that mixing opposites creates cracks in the surfaces. His studio floor has a slight slope, he uses this to his advantage. He works on the floor and spins the “canvases”. His later work got more viscous as his craftsmanship skills grew. “The materials dictate the way a work progresses”. What do you think the artist meant by this? How important are materials? What does it mean to use a mixture of materials in the same piece?

 

 

PIECES

“I will stop fighting you when death stops fucking with me”

It was created after his mother died. He was fighting with his wife, unnecessarily. He realized why he was doing it and then created this piece.

What realization do you think he made?

Why does he use animals instead of people?

Why does he put them in this environment, the boxing ring?

 

“I will think deep through this trouble”

It was created after he left Winnipeg and moved to LA.

Why waves? Constant movement, up and down. Do you think the move was easy for him? Do you feel his anxiety?

 

Sculpture of 3 animals

The sculpture came before the painting, a pattern that developed through his career (later work has characters made out of paint). There is a re-occurrence of characters, not intentional. Compare this piece to bronze sculpture. Similarities? Differences? Why would he change materials? Again, how important are materials? Other works had a combination of materials in them. What does using one material mean?

 

 

JOSEPHINE MECKSEPER

German / American, self-proclaimed novice at politics. Her family was very political, has ties to the SS Regime. Her father was an artist. First solo exhibit in the US (has been in other collaborative exhibits). She feels that artists are able to work with contradictions. She develops her concept first, then chooses her media.

 

POLITICS/CONSUMERISM

What are your first reactions to this room? What themes do you see? (war, consumerism, politics)

What is the connection between Politics and Consumerism? Historically wars started because countries were trying to find new markets. Example: Spanish invasion of Mexico, gold.

 

Does it look “Americanized”? What elements make it so?

 

 

 

 

 

 

PIECES

Blue, 3D Model- talks about relations with Iran. She’s NOT trying to tell us how she thinks, subjective. An installation. Why did she choose feminine objects?

 

Mirrors- Why are they broken? What do they symbolize? Are they durable or delicate? Are they a reflection of our personal lives or our culture as a whole? Parts of our culture mirrored, broken society, mimic riots, protest and capitalism.

 

Video on laptop-Shot on Super 8 for a vintage feel. Why would the artist want that effect? Does it add more emotion? Is she comparing this war to Vietnam?

 

 

Display case / Time Capsule- Reflective quality, we see ourselves and become a part of the art.

Why do you think the objects are placed in here?

Does it make them more important? Trophies of the hunt, what is the “hunt”?

Stores do this to us to encourage us to buy their products? Why would the artist do this?

Fur is such a coveted object but doesn’t last forever. Does that add to its value?

The plastic toilet brush will last forever. Why do we not value it as much as the fur? Function? Material?

 

Black / White Flag- Why would she choose those colors?

 

HALLWAY

Is meant to mock a Presidential debate. Research was done to find the exact colors for the walls and carpet as was seen on the debates. What is she saying about the American electoral process?

Do you feel like you’re in a Presidential debate? Why is she creating these false stages for us?

 

VIDEO

0% Down- A piece constructed of car commercials from 2008. Diabolical.

The soundtrack is a menacing / militaristic punk song. Includes speech from WWII.

Overload of images.

Whole system breaks down.

Why did she choose cars? Oil dependency?

 

 

CONCLUSION

Is she successful in depicting our society as a consumer driven one? Is she right?

 

She said she wanted to “activate” us but not to “influence” us. Do you feel activated?