Review of graymatters
Rows of 8x10 mixed-inkjet-on-newsprint images of unclothed female
bodies, frontally rendered, cropped above the shoulders and below the
knees, endlessly, generically, reiteratively the same, seemingly
anonymous, differentiated in their serial mechanical reproduction only
by their individual titles and the distinct found-objects that head
their acephalous torsos. To date, more than twenty-five discrete
images comprise the in-progress series, "graymatters,"
a title that provides the first clues to understanding these works in
series. A common euphemism for the brain, gray matter
pluralized as graymatters suggests not only the
cephalic organ, but also that brains do indeed matter. And by
implication the found objects, as substitutes for faces, the normative
signifiers of identity, matter. Yet encased as they are in translucent
envelopes, the objects are also literally turned into gray
matter, as the translucency that purports to contain, if not
completely reveal, also obscures them. Thus this gray matter forces
the interested viewer to approach the facade of torsos in order to
decipher individual meaning. The title of the individual print helps
in this process. Upon inspection, the envelope surmounting one torso
holds a generic "ADMIT ONE" ticket. The title of this print,
"monogamy," reveals a pithy, wry witticism about the
nature of monogamy. Further looking indicates that sharp wit and
clever humor run throughout the epigrammatic titles of the series.
Another envelope holds a fragment of the GE logo. The title of this
print is "brightgirl." "temporary"
holds a common small yellow post-it sheet, the kind used for quick,
disposable, repositionable, temporary notes. The torso in the print,
"presentation is everything," has its envelope
carefully positioned and held with the black mounting corners typically
used to affix photographs in albums. "southern girl"
holds a pink Sweet'N Low package, while "everything is not
sugar, spice and nice" holds an Equal package. "of
course I trust you" holds a fragment of a legal form with an X
at the signature/date line. "eating a romance novel"
holds a fragment from a Prince angelhair pasta box.
While the individual prints are effective on their own, particularly in
their wry wit, epigrammatic humor, and disjunction between the generic
nature of the unidealized nude and the particularly pithy word or
phrase tied and titled to an objet trouvé, the group
as a whole offers a powerful insight into the complexly expressive
possibilities of female gray matters. The series
suggests the nature of uniqueness within conformity, individuality
within collectivity, difference within conventionality. As such it
intimates to all of us -- man or woman -- the distinctly human nature
of what it means to be an individual for whom
graymatters.
Robert Bambic - San Antonio, TX
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