In a cosmos of tiny details and everyday references Ellen Gallagher’s work is most impressive in her choice of material. Her exhibition includes large format works of collage and small, delicate drawings on paper. The drawings are mounted in glass boxes allowing the viewer to see the paper on both sides, slightly transparent with carved and cut out patterns. Gallagher’s collages looks like abstract patterns, often uniform in color, but constructed of small figurative elements. The figures always are simplified and stylized; they only suggest fragments of a person, as an eye or a hairdo. In a couple of her collage works the small dark paper pieces in blues and greens cover the surface completely. They look like unearthly, compact landscapes in motion. In the piece Greasy the collage pieces further appear on a white background, but the space has the same kind of movement, like an explosion coming from the figure in the left corner.
Gallagher has worked with the grid and with pop culture references prior in her work, however less evident here. Most present is the typed word, the letter cut out and sometimes even painted over, but still recognizable from magazine and newspaper print. Her work is elaborate and labor intense, which can almost look too constructed, nothing more than a beautiful surface. Where is that element that pulls us in, make us relate to the work? I believe it is within the choice of collage material, printed images and text we recognize from our daily life.
First sentence should be balances, third sentence should be frames. This is somewhat awkward < slightly transparent with carved patterns or patterns in cut out technique. > maybe; they are transparent and have carved patterns, and cut out patterns. < earlier in her work but that is not as present here. > in her earlier work she worked with grids and pop culture this is not evident in this exhibit. connect not contact. The typed text we see daily such as newspapers, books... < trampoline > I'm not sure what that is supposed to mean maybe instead of trampoline you could use clues, or even to say it allows us to enter Gallaher's world.
ReplyDeleteand the last sentence Gallagher is misspelled ...I misspelled it in my edits too!
ReplyDeleteI like your angle in focusing on her use of paper, but I feel that you could be more specific when describing the actual support--
ReplyDelete"What is present is the typed word, the letter cut out and sometimes even painted over, but still recognizable."
Are the pictures painted directly onto newspaper or typed paper, are there collage elements, does the artist print the words herself, etc.
Also, is there a theme to these words or letters? How does the text relate to the subjects?
"The drawings are mounted in glass boxes with frame so we can see the paper on both sides, slightly transparent with carved patterns or patterns in cut out technique."
ReplyDeleteThis sentence is a bit confusing! The glass is slightly transparent, or the paper is? And what is the difference between the carved patterns and patterns in cut out technique? Are you trying to explain what a carved pattern technique is?
Also, I think it is hard for the reader to understand if you are talking about one particular exhibition, or her entire body of work. If you are more direct I think it will strengthen your critique.