"Display" showcases photographic work from Zoe Leonard. Six photos of suits of armor between 30-50 inches tall, originally taken at the Musée de l’Armée and the Worcester Art Museum in the 1990s, attract attention amid the gallery’s largely empty white walls and high ceilings. Attached to the walls with only l-pins and sheets of plexiglass, there is an undeniable sparseness to the show which brings both the content of what is displayed and the act of displaying to the forefront.
While a knight in armor may convey a sense of masculine heroism, empty suits as seen in
Display I (1990/2025) seem more like shells; masculinity becomes a performance. In the premeditated poses of the armor – hunched forward, embarrassed shoulders, and empty crotches – there is a comedic aspect to these photographs which further undercuts ideas of valor. What remains then, in addition to performance, is the implication of violence.
Leonard has previously used photography to question the act of looking, and how something is made to be seen. She continues to do so here, confronting the seemingly neutral museum vitrine and institutions which house these suits of armor. To display this armor is to uphold the violence it implies, and to place that violence in an untouchable space, in the realm of ‘history.’
Leonard’s photographs then shine a light on the ‘normal’, forcing us to question the violence present in all aspects of society.
This article does a great job breaking down the physical display of the gallery and how it implies deeper, conceptual themes. Bringing terms like "masculine violence" into the discussion, the article further contextualizes itself into modern day relevance. The synthesis of the "performance" or masculine heroism is clear and properly explained. Although the critique is very effective, I find that the last paragraph could use more polishing in word choice or explanation. For example, the effects of a display case and how it applies to the theme is still somewhat confusing and can be further pushed and applied to modern era themes hinted at. Overall, great work!
ReplyDeleteI think the writing is well structured, where you start with an overview of the exhibition, focus on one specific piece, and later connect it with the artist’s way of working. Having a detailed description not only of the work but on the display of the exhibition itself allows the reader to be placed into the scene, sharing details that may have been missed if just viewing the exhibition through online pictures. I think it may be helpful if there is a more detailed description of the work itself (Display I) in the second paragraph so that the reader gets a direct sense of what work is being talked about. Overall, the writing is concise and captures the scene of the exhibition and the artist very well.
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