Exhibition dates: February 16 – March 31, 2018
with an opening reception February 16, 6 – 9 pm
Artist talk March 16, 6 – 8 pm
Lauren Kalman’s Icons of the Flesh is comprised of two series of work, Embodiers and Avatars, that visualize the body in ways that promote positive identification with anatomy and sexuality. Works in the Embodiers series are described as badges, collars, and buttons, rather than necklaces or brooches, allusions to wearable communication devices as seen in military use or in political movements. The Avatars series is comprised of miniature mask-like forms that reference larger wearable masks, pop-culture cartoons, and magic objects like voodoo dolls or icons. These are talismanic forms conjuring power through the abstracted representation of the human face. The symbols in Icons of the Flesh are signs of abstractions that point toward the body and prompt the viewer to question the complicated process of identity building.
