Dineo Seshee Bopape’s a love supreme (2005-6)
Homage is a video based show displaying a total of eight works through seven artists. The show highlights avant garde work that represent different aspects of the queer community. The galley had a very dim moody lighting, obviously this was to see the works clearly, but I also think the way the darkness was lit was intentional in creating a unique atmosphere. Two works played as the center pieces of the room.
Dineo Seshee Bopape’s a love supreme (2005-6) is the first work seen as you enter space. At first glance it is seen a streak of vertical abstract lines slowly being added through subtraction. You may leave this work to look at the rest of the gallery but the images are very striking and also confusing, leaving the work to wander in the back of your head as you continue to experience the rest of the show. As you leave the galley you will come across this work again, curious to discover what it really is.
The second central work is Kang Seung Lee’s The Heart of A Hand (2022). This work is a lengthy interrupted dance on a large screen. This piece is very grounding as you consistently interact with it visually and auditorily as you move through the space. It is quite a long video making it feel natural to experience it in small increments between other works. It was not until I had seen everything else that I actually sat down with the work, acting as a wonderful closing moment. These two works structure the whole show working as a base for six other works to play off of and it was this central flow that really made this show stick with me.
You have a few statements here that feel kind of contradictory. First you say, “the way the darkness was lit” which doesn't make sense since darkness is the absence of light. You should rethink that sentence. Then you say “added through subtraction” which is similarly an oxymoron and a confusing description of the piece. In the second paragraph you say “leave” or “leaving” three times within the last two sentences which sounds redundant. I think the whole first sentence where you say “You may leave the work” could be rethought, perhaps just saying “after stepping away from this piece” or something more straightforward. I think that this review would benefit from some analysis on the subject matter of the show, and how the works related to one another thematically.
ReplyDeleteHow did the dim lighting make the atmosphere unique? Explain how it impacted the
ReplyDeletevideo works, as it could have been well lit or each screen placed in a fully dark room.
Which work felt more like the end? The Heart of a Hand and a love supreme were
both described as such. Perhaps discussing the scale of the artwork would be helpful here. The large projections felt crucial. It may be helpful to specify how large is large. I enjoyed how you picked two main works to focus on, it helped me as a reader to ground myself into the exhibition.