|
|
| |
|
  
Alternative Idenitities
May 15 - June 27, 2009 |
| |
|
Featured Artists: Dr Anna Freud Banana, Robinson Crusoe, Big Dada, Circle T, The Clown, Nancy Normal, The Scientist, Countess Renee Snork-Snoutberger, MW Snertling
Alter ego: 1. An intimate and trusted friend. 2. A person's second or alternative personality.
Persona: 1. An aspect of the personality as shown to or perceived by others. 2. A character assumed by an author, performer, etc. in his or her writing work, etc. 3. A character in a fictional work.
Identity: 1. Being a specific or specified person or personality. 2. The state of being the same in substance, nature or qualities as another. 3. Sameness. 4. Sharing characteristics with another person, or issue, or ideology.
Throughout history, artists and writers have often used pseudonyms or "pen names" to disguise their identity or to mislead or mystify the public. Women used false identities to present their work as if they were men to avoid discrimination. Writers used pen names to distance themselves from work they produced purely for commercial purposes. Artists and writers have either had compelling psychological motivations for using pseudonyms for political, social or personal reasons. Other artists have used false names to parody, satirize, or comment on living persons or to protect themselves from libel.
These nine British Columbia artists share a common reality: they have all used alternative identities to produce work, or created those identities through their art. The exhibition explores the commonality and diversity of the artists’ approaches and offers a showcase of their expression of ideas through performance art, sculpture and 2D artwork.
Image credits (L to R): Taurus and the Clown, 2003, carved basswood; Big Dada World Art Post; Katzwoman to the Rescue, 2008, mixed media.
|
