ATWATER CROSSING CURATOR IN RESIDENCE: GAPE presents New Paragraph
New Paragraph is a curatorial collective, helmed by artists Emily
Marchand, Elyse Reardon-Jung, Eric Vrymoed, and Sam Widaman. As artists
working in the Los Angeles area we feed on the vibrant culture and
conversations surrounding the art world. Yet frequently the artistic
community can seem small and suffocating, overly fixated on parsing out
trivia that can stymie the free exchange of ideas. That is why New
Paragraph has hit the return key! Rather than drop the conversation
altogether we want to introduce familiar concepts in a new light by
showing new work from emerging artists on subjects that are as relevant
as they are entertaining.
New Paragraph is proud to present its first exhibit ‘Gape’, a
site-specific show at Atwater Crossing. Bringing together young talent
from across Los Angeles, ‘Gape’ promises to be as titillating as it is
timely.
Jay Erker, Sean C. Flaherty, EJ Hill, Emily Marchand,
Pat Patricio, Marissa Magdalena, and Elyse Reardon-Jung explore concepts of sexiness and
eroticism as both a performance and a commodity. The ways in which women
and men are acculturated to define, respond to and in turn perform the
erotic presents a quagmire of misaligned priorities and dubious values.
Curators' Statements
"Jay
Erker's work was in the bar area. Her work deals with ideas around
celebrity, camouflage, and embellishments often used to create an
illusion of the ideal. Here, she attempts to over-inflate that
idealization that is often internalized and overlooked. We chose this
work for the sexy show because we feel that our own personal ideas of
sexiness are often watered down by the cultural norm leaving us
unfulfilled with what is available. New paragraph was interested in
breaking down these norms and roles by creating a dialogue that
hopefully speaks to a more realistic and accessible way of representing
what is considered "sexy."
Elyse Reardon-Jung's seductive video installation uses prosthetics
of sexualized body parts such as nipples and noses that are then
displaced on various parts of her body. The nose-clitoris is perhaps the
most mesmerizing component of the video, leaving the viewer
simultaneously stimulated and confused while trying to figure out the
scene laid out before them.
Pat Patricio's sexy bubble bath was meant to confuse and entice the
viewer. It was both intimate and seductive leaving passersby desiring to
scrub him or pour him a glass of wine. After the bath, Pat emerged in a
skimpy, silk robe and joined the rest of the party.
EJ Hill, Devon Kenny, and Jonathan Apgar's band Sexual proved to be a
gritty, sultry introduction to their first performance ever. Devon's
low howl, EJ's dirty bass and Apgar's driving beats were reminiscent of a
Hendrix-era club, smoky and sweaty, leaving everyone in a frenzy.
Sean C Flaherty's Phantom of the Opera projection overtook the room
through the dramatic color palette, and the slow, pointed gesture of the
touch. As the tension builds, the viewer is left unfulfilled as a
climax is never reached.
Emily Marchand's Pink Box is an attempt to expose what is publicly
available as sexy audio-erotica and display just how un-sexy and unfulfilled common ideas of sex acts can be. By slowing down and
speeding up the voices, she isolates or mashes together hasty moments in
compromising sexual positions. While the booth takes on the feel of an
exposed shower, the viewer is also protected by the plexi walls from
onlookers hearing the content of what they are experiencing allowing
them to have a fairly private moment within the space.
Breasts being natural diptychs, Marissa Magdalena created a series
of pasties displayed on a group of performers. Each set, custom made by
Magdalena represented a self-portrait of each of the wearers. In a
overly red-lit hallway leading up to the main exhibition gallery these
women negotiated the space where incoming viewers had to walk by. It was
a complicated viewing experience because the audience wanted to look at
the sculptures but not objectify the women wearing them. This was
precisely the outcome Marissa was hoping for which ultimately lead to a
further discussion about women as objects.
As a curatorial group, we were interested in how each of the
aggressive works could both permeate the other work around it as well as
maintain its own identity. The sounds coming from Emily Marchand's Pink
Box garbled into the audience, Elyse Reardon Jung's flowing fabric
threatened to touch the Pink Box, Pat Patricio's manly bubble bath scent
and steamy hot water pervaded the entire room, and Sean C Flaherty's
projection encompassed all of the work in the space, like the contents
in the video, almost reaching a hand out into the space."
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| Sean C. Flaherty |
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| Elyse Reardon-Jung |
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| Elyse Reardon-Jung |
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| Elyse Reardon-Jung |
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| Pat Patricio |
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| Pat Patricio |
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| Pat Patricio |
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| Marissa Magdalena |
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| Emily Marchand |
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| Jay Erker |
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| Jay Erker |
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| Jay Erker |
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| Jay Erker |
