FASCINATIONS WITH CAST SHADOWS: ARTISTIC AND CURATORIAL PERSPECTIVES RE-VISITED
JUNE, 2011
FASCINATIONS WITH CAST SHADOWS: ARTISTIC AND CURATORIAL PERSPECTIVES RE-VISITED
(MAS Curating degree show, ZHdK)
White Space, Zurich, Switzerland
Participants:
Marina Coelho | Juan Gonzalez-Martinez | Vivian Landau, Caroline Lommaert | Mara-Luisa Müller | Isin Önol | Véronique Ribordy | Nico Ruffo | Silvia Simoncelli
website of the event
ABSTRACT
This research aims to investigate the diverse aspects of the use of cast shadow as a medium in current art practice. It aims to provide an introduction to the recent artistic and curatorial practices within the subject area of the research. In addition to that, it attempts to offer an innovative approach to the use of shadow as a medium, with close consideration of its involvement in an artwork as a political gesture. It examines the impact of western ideology in contemporary notions of truth and their verbal, and other, manifestations in metaphors of light. It proposes the idea that light does not necessarily unveil the truth but can also be used to manipulate the truth in certain cases. In accordance with this understanding, it argues that the use of shadow in art practice would by necessity deal with the aspect of the misuse of the language surrounding shadow. It claims that the increasing fascination with the artistic and curatorial involvement with shadow, does not simply come from the developments of light technologies or the obscure characteristics of shadow, but rather emerges as a reaction to the existing conceptions of the notion of truth. From this point of view, this research analyses the work of a number of artists and curators, exploring their dedication to transmit information and challenge notions of truth through cast shadow. It mainly focuses on the work of the artists Shilpa Gupta, Rafael Lozano-Hemmer and Eulalia Valdosera, comparing and contrasting their approaches in the use of shadow in relation to the notions of public involvement, politics, playfulness and interactivity. It also aims to analyse the curatorial approaches to the presentation of artwork that deals primarily with shadows. Providing an overview of some recent exhibitions within this framework, the research mainly focuses on three large-scaled exhibitions organized directly on the theme of shadow, entitled: Shadow Play, In Praise of Shadows and Shadow Dance, analysing the curatorial motives behind these exhibitions. As a contrast to these approaches, it also looks at the 2009 Lyon Biennale, curated by Hou Hanrou, titled Spectacle of Everyday, which was an exhibition that did not explicitly focus on shadows but staged a number of artists dealing with the theme.
