|
BLACK FISHLETS September 27 - October 18, 2001
Mots & Tableaux Gallery  |
 
 
 
|
|
|
BLACK FISHLETS transports the viewer to an August afternoon along the Rio Solimoes in
Brazil. The Ticuna children spend the day playing along the river, jumping into the water,
perching on rafts and paddling in small boats. The life of these indigenous people centers
around the Amazon River. The river also serves as the connection to the outside, bringing
news and modern items. The large format paper creates a graphic impression, while the application of colored ink and the use of a wedged stretcher impart a painting-like quality. The high humidity is omnipresent and the rainforest on the horizon is immersed in diffuse light. The small black bodies leap into the water in every conceivable position, and their compact depiction makes them leap out of picture. The Amazon harbors an unrivaled density of aquatic life, and the turbid water conceals great numbers of black fishes of various sizes and potential threat. The artist has recreated this habitat in the form of a 3 meter-long dark green banner that serves as the centerpiece of the installation. The black fishes appear to be suspended in the transparent material and create the impression of swimming through the gallery rooms. The third component is the small curtains with black insects that appear to flitter through the air. Insects, from the smallest to the largest specimens, define the space above the water and are therefore integral parts in the cycle of life. |
||