You Always Move In Reverse
29 Jun - 31 Jul 2007
You Always Move In Reverse
Leo Koenig Inc is delighted to announce the opening of a group exhibition entitled “ You Always Move in Reverse,” curated by Bjarne Melgaard.
The title of the show is taken from a piece by artist Jason Dodge which consists of a 2 kg. silver cube being thrown through a window, with glass zzzzzzzwrtyuand silver laying where they fall for the entire duration of the exhibition. The window will be simply repaired with tape. Although the idea of rebellion and teenage angst is instantly brought to mind, the intent of the piece, as with many of Mr. Dodge’s works, is to initiate a personal narrative in the mind of the viewer, setting up the evidence of an event, focusing on absence of the individual who has left behind the detritus of his/her actions.
Bjarne Melgaard has stated in previous conversations regarding this exhibition that “In our society today, we have this enormous focus on the teenage rebellion thing.” This exhibition attempts to counter this focus on adolescence. With Jason Dodge’s piece for instance, “it is not like he is rebellious and breaks something, but he tries to fix something that does not need to be fixed. This is like becoming older where you try to fix something that does not need (or cannot) be fixed.” He has also said that as you grow older, there is a shift in focus from being looked at, absorbing the effects of the gaze, to a point where you are actually initiating the gaze. Melgaard takes this further by suggesting that the works initiate their own “gaze” upon the viewer. With this statement, Melgaard is suggesting the dialogue that develops from the act of looking at an artwork becomes interactive only after a certain time in ones’ development. The ideas that have evolved in Melgaard’s arena of thinking are about art as an ongoing crisis, the disappearance of the child in our culture, and how adolescence seemingly dictates our current discourse on art. There is an exploration of an abstract realism, with objects functioning simply as objects, and not maquettes of a piece.
This exhibition is also a rumination on the passage of time, maturing, and the experience of shifting from a place where we are being observed to become one who observes instead. We also move from a place of appreciation of skill and ability, and hopefully to a discovery that is perhaps more intimate and reflective.
Leo Koenig Inc. would like to thank the following galleries for their assistance and support in the coordination of this exhibition: Feature Gallery, NYC, Greengrassi, London, Casey Kaplan Gallery, NYC, and Galleria Raucci/Santa Maria, Napoli, Italy. For further information or visuals, please contact the gallery by phone or email.
Leo Koenig Inc is delighted to announce the opening of a group exhibition entitled “ You Always Move in Reverse,” curated by Bjarne Melgaard.
The title of the show is taken from a piece by artist Jason Dodge which consists of a 2 kg. silver cube being thrown through a window, with glass zzzzzzzwrtyuand silver laying where they fall for the entire duration of the exhibition. The window will be simply repaired with tape. Although the idea of rebellion and teenage angst is instantly brought to mind, the intent of the piece, as with many of Mr. Dodge’s works, is to initiate a personal narrative in the mind of the viewer, setting up the evidence of an event, focusing on absence of the individual who has left behind the detritus of his/her actions.
Bjarne Melgaard has stated in previous conversations regarding this exhibition that “In our society today, we have this enormous focus on the teenage rebellion thing.” This exhibition attempts to counter this focus on adolescence. With Jason Dodge’s piece for instance, “it is not like he is rebellious and breaks something, but he tries to fix something that does not need to be fixed. This is like becoming older where you try to fix something that does not need (or cannot) be fixed.” He has also said that as you grow older, there is a shift in focus from being looked at, absorbing the effects of the gaze, to a point where you are actually initiating the gaze. Melgaard takes this further by suggesting that the works initiate their own “gaze” upon the viewer. With this statement, Melgaard is suggesting the dialogue that develops from the act of looking at an artwork becomes interactive only after a certain time in ones’ development. The ideas that have evolved in Melgaard’s arena of thinking are about art as an ongoing crisis, the disappearance of the child in our culture, and how adolescence seemingly dictates our current discourse on art. There is an exploration of an abstract realism, with objects functioning simply as objects, and not maquettes of a piece.
This exhibition is also a rumination on the passage of time, maturing, and the experience of shifting from a place where we are being observed to become one who observes instead. We also move from a place of appreciation of skill and ability, and hopefully to a discovery that is perhaps more intimate and reflective.
Leo Koenig Inc. would like to thank the following galleries for their assistance and support in the coordination of this exhibition: Feature Gallery, NYC, Greengrassi, London, Casey Kaplan Gallery, NYC, and Galleria Raucci/Santa Maria, Napoli, Italy. For further information or visuals, please contact the gallery by phone or email.