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34 - Art and Design: History, Practice and Theory
University of Cumbria
There’s Some on Her Palm and in the Crook of Her Arm
Solo work produced for the group exhibition Pist Protta visits Nomi's Kitchen
This exhibition was one of a number of events curated by Karina Nomi, involving engagement with Danish artists and publishers of the periodical Pist Prota, through the exhibition space Nomi’s Kitchen. Comprising eleven 30 minute solo exhibitions by artists from Glasgow & Denmark, taking place over one day only, the eccentric format encouraged experimental contributions from the artists and increased participation from a constantly changing audience.
There’s Some on Her Palm and in the Crook of Her Arm consists of a 30 minute long digital film and 3 other works; a digital photograph, a c-type print and floor based collage of digital print and oil paint on paper. Adoption of a gothic sensibility was crucial to the works as a filter through which emotions may be discussed openly in a contemporary art setting. It was also a personal and direct challenge to “the current ‘anti-intensity emotionology’, as Peter N Stearns has termed the protective withdrawal from authentic expression and display of profound affections.” (Gothic: Transmutations of Horror in Late Twentieth Century Art, Grünenberg, C. in The Gothic, Williams, G. (ed.), 2007, Whitechapel/MIT Press).
The large-scale digitally manipulated self-portrait operates as a manifestation of the artist’s doppelgänger. Developing the theme that runs throughout my practice of the relationship between artistic creativity and magical conjuring, the doppelgänger operated as the possible originator of the other works. The pseudo-magical tone is echoed in the floor piece (a magic circle tickled by a ghoulish hand) and the scratched diamond ‘talisman’ of the c-type print.
The atmosphere of the exhibition was set by the repetitious digital film (Darklight). The dark visual imagery of the piece degenerated over the 30 minute length of the exhibition from an image of a light flickering in a lift shaft to visual white-noise, as the sun set in the space.
