Laura Parnes, Sue de Beer, Patty Chang, FF Alumns in MIMIC, Opening December 1, 2001 at Gale Gates.

GAle GAtes et al. presents the fifth installment of the Emerging Curator Series

MIMIC
Organized by Robert Boyd. Nominated by Dan Cameron, Senior Curator, The New Museum of Contemporary Art

Yasser Aggour, Sue de Beer + Laura Parnes, Robert Boyd, Patty Chang, Jody Culkin, Tana Hargest, Liselot van der Heijden, Laurie Hogin, Elke Lehmann, Rachel Lowther, Walter Martin + Paloma Muñoz, Francesco Simeti, Miguel Ventura, Michael Waugh

November 28, 2001 - January 12, 2002
Reception: December 1, 2001 6-9pm

Gallery Hours: Wed-Sat, 12-6, and by appt.
Location: 37 Main St., DUMBO Brooklyn, NY 11201
Info: contact Sharon Unterman at 718.522.4596.
Website: http://www.mimeticart.com

Mimic presents the work of 16 innovative artists in an exhibition about the sardonic appeal of mimicry in art. Mimicry dislodges the expected order. Through mimicry, the artists in this exhibition forge links between contemporary culture and its shadow. Tourism, matrimony, pedagogy - these institutions become wedded with their darker counterparts - colonialism, fascism, indoctrination. The resultant work, infused with the aesthetic appeal of power and the subversive nature of humor, exposes the psychological undercurrents that run through the art world and that underpin the larger consumer economy as well. Yet far from being political propagandists, the artists in Mimic engage in a dialogue that asks viewers to consider for themselves how culture is constructed. Although the works in the exhibition overlay many different areas of visual interest and intent, they can be umbrellaed under three major categories: Performative mimicry, mimicry and animals, and mimicry and media.

Performative mimicry pertains to works in which artists play-out different fantasy scenarios using a form of disguise or drag. Photos by Sue de Beer + Laura Parnes mimic a problematic mother/daughter relationship in their humorous sequel to Paul McCarthy and Mike Kelly's "Heidi." As part of a large-scale installation, Miguel Ventura creates a childlike playhouse for newly-blonde mexican youths as a means of disseminating a "new language" for a "new master race." Photographs by Yasser Aggour mimic preconceptions of Arab-Americans through depictions of the artist dressed both as a criminal and a tourist. Robert Boyd's photos parody bridal portraits as the artist dons a gown which is part traditional bridal wear and part Klan-like attire. Patty Chang's performance video mimics a low-budget porno scenario in which the artist, decked out in wig and news-anchorwoman attire, screams "Give it to me baby!" as her assistant shoves helium and water-filled balloons into her mouth. Michael Waugh's sound installation incorporates performed sound-bites from the TV series The Incredible Hulk to mimic gender representations on TV.

Mimicry and animals includes works in which artists employ animal imagery as a form of social satire. Laurie Hogin imitates 17th century Flemish portraiture through paintings of snarling white monkeys, all of which are titled after fashionable 21st century neighborhoods. Sculptures by Rachel Lowther both mock and fetishize the alpha-male through frolicking gazelle forms with corresponding erections. Elke Lehmann's parrot-like sculpture parodies interactivity as viewers' utterances are repeated back to them in a distorted manner. Jody Culkin's interactive cd-rom mixes bunny and clown imagery in a piece which satirizes dualistic conceptions of good and evil through simple graphic representations.

Mimicry and media incorporates works in which artists mimic various elements of popular media culture. Tana Hargest's expanded edition of her interactive trade-show booth mimics corporate structures of the pharmaceutical and entertainment industries to illustrate racist constructs within consumer culture. Walter Martin + Paloma Muñoz exhibit products that mimic Disney's pre-existing product line. Through a dark use of parody, Liselot van der Heijden's video installation examines how Hollywood Westerns transform a genocidal history into heroic fiction. Francesco Simeti creates a wall work which imitates bucolic 18th century print-room wallpaper by blending the original pictorial vignettes with contemporary media imagery from political protests.

Robert Boyd is an artist who lives and works in Brooklyn, NY. His previous curatorial projects include "Contact," Jack Tilton Gallery, NYC, 1999 and "The Theater of Cruelty," Cristinerose Gallery, NYC, 1998.

This exhibition is made possible with the generous support of the Andy Warhol Foundation for the Visual Arts and the Lily Auchincloss Foundation, Inc. Additional assistance for this exhibition was provided by The Mexican Cultural Institute of New York and the New Museum of Contemporary Art.

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