Exhibited by Bitforms Gallery, “Entwined” is Marshmallow Lasers Feast’s first solo US show. Showcasing digital natural landscapes, the pieces seek to show the artist’s vision of the connection between humans and the natural landscapes around us. At the entrance of the gallery space, a screen shows Breath Cycles. Depicting a pair of lungs inhaling and exhaling, the shape fluctuates between human lungs and the twisting shapes of tree trunks and branches.
Each of the digital videos features visuals of forests, trees, and vegetation, pulsing visually and audibly to a beat. The trunks of the trees are large and awe inspiring, the screens all encompassing to the eyes. Made from tiny moving dots of color, the digital rainforests and branches are in a constant state of minuscule movement, keeping the digital format from feeling stagnant and sterile. Screen sizes ranging from an entire wall to a foot diameter circle, the effect is captivating. Each piece of work is a portal to another world.
The exhibit explores the connections and similarities to functions of the human cardiovascular system to those of plants, and how our inner workings are very similar interlocked. Using the simple action of breath, the lightly pulsating and rhythmic qualities of the digital art pieces guides the viewer to breath along with the beat, and unconscious connection between human life and the vegetation around us.
The connection that you emphasize between the function of the human body and the function of nature is compelling, particularly where you note that the pulsating quality of the videos mimics the beat of our heart or the breaths we take through our lungs. I also enjoy your interpretation of each work being a portal into another world. With this in mind, it could be beneficial to elaborate on how the artist transformed the gallery space. You mention there being large screens of various sizes, but I wonder if the darkness of the gallery, or the curtains at the front, could relate to your idea of the work being otherworldly.
ReplyDeleteYou do a good job painting a picture of the work in this review. I personally remember not enjoying this show, but I think you do a good job of explaining what the work is meant to express without overselling them. I agree with the previous comment about maybe also describing how they existed in the gallery since it was a pretty unconventional gallery experience, which felt like it played a big role in my experience seeing the work. I’m also still curious about what your specific opinion was on the work, so maybe infusing a bit more of your point of view would also be nice.
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