MMoCA Triennial

Photo courtesy of Doug Fath

Eduardo Villanueva’s art investigates objects and imagery from the visual world that are infused with nationalistic, political, religious, or social significance.  For example, Villanueva’s installation for the Wisconsin Triennial addresses the symbolism of the triumphal arch.  Specifically, Ilex Ita Sanctus plays with notions of sacred and profane space: “By activating a space that is usually overlooked in the gallery setting I can first bring attention to the space itself and secondly cause the viewer to reflect upon the act of entering a space.”

Want to learn more about this artist?  Click on the link to access Eduardo Villanueva’s website: www.eduardojvillanueva.com

Or, friend him on facebook: www.facebook.com/eduardojvillanueva

Laura Stewart is a filmmaker based in Bailey’s Harbor, WI. She speaks about studying with Viennese artist Peter Kogler, filmmaker Kurt Kren. Many of Stewart’s works focus on individuals on the fringes of society:

Chele Isaac’s installation There is no fixing the drift includes two video projections. One projection shows a woman wearing a nineteenth-century dress. She moves unnaturally against a backdrop of Victorian wallpaper and images of water.  The second projection, which depicts moving water, is aimed at the bottom of a fish tank. The wallpaper image starts against the vessel of water and then reemerges in the wall projection. Behind the viewer in the gallery space is a mannequin wearing the mourning dress shown in the projection. It is created using neoprene fabric.

Isaac’s three-part installation addresses the meditative possibilities of moving water. Through image and sound, inspired by the early foundations of cinema, the artist makes the viewer confront the elemental forms of moving images. Isaac’s protagonist—the lady in mourning dress walks the fine line between dance and hysteria, posing questions about society, femininity, and decorum. Using water as the troubling backdrop for the entire work, Isaac creates a fluid discourse about anguish, bereavement, despair, and reconciliation.

Check out a version of Isaac’s previous installation, Promiseland:

Kim Cridler’s installation for the Triennial consists of a large sculpted metal urn, as well as two other objects. Golden fish swim and fly in the mouth of the vessel. Adjacent, a shelf has been placed on the wall with two other small vases. According to Cridler, the large urn is based on a Greek situla, which comes from the Latin word for bucket. As simple as the object might seem, it was often used in funeral rituals. Cridler created this and the other objects by molding and then soldering individual pieces together.

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