#Ad Minolti

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Ad Minolti - Tres Brujas, 2020

[contemporaryartdaily]

“A Cat May Look On A Queen” at The Green Gallery

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Self Evaluation

My initial idea considered the use (and abuse) of colour and shapes in a way not unlike Mary Ellen Bute and her film ‘Tarantella’. I liked how she used lines and shapes, “Kinetic Abstractions” of differing colours to mimic the audio. In my own line of research, I began looking into Wassily Kandinsky as he uses similar shapes and colours to Bute but for paintings. Kandinsky however listens to music while painting and is very well known for letting the music carry the line. I discovered that I really appreciated this idea of fluidity and spontaneity. On top of these ideas, I wanted the viewer to feel uncomfortable in a way that horror films encourage.

After being paired up this idea of horror-inspired line, colour and shape work grew into a theme of masculine Vs feminine as I had to consider the thoughts of someone else. Luckily this was quite easy as we were both very excited about each other’s ideas. My partner had some amazing ideas for audio that I wouldn’t have been able to do had I been alone so my ideas of a creepy audio were well received as hers were so similar. Her intention was to have a creepy, eery audio at the beginning of the film before merging into something more tranquil and serene.

For our footage we decided to split it into two sections and each edit a different section so that the first section (my section) was differently edited to the second meaning the idea of two separate themes was obvious. My section had the more eery audio and was to be based around femininity so I used the motif of a rose. While they are cliché, which we like, Roses are also symbols of the vagina and womanhood so I found this quite fitting for the piece. I began by peeling off a petal at a time from the rose and documenting it each time so that I could create a stop motion animation, I did this to echo how a woman can be torn apart and tarnished in society but what is left behind, the petals, remain beautiful alone (something I think women need to be reminded of more). After this I used different layering techniques to create my collage-like section that was quite choppy and chaotic to go along with the feeling of unease that we intended to emulate. Also, to convey this feeling I added some sound effects to the film of heavy breathing and a crunching sound. My partner’s editing technique was very different. She only used one layering style so that you could see a frame around the footage on top, of the footage playing below. Her editing was gentler and more delicate to juxtapose the masculine theme.

In my opinion we have been successful in conveying an emotion of discomfort and feeling of unease in our film. I believe our collaborative efforts blended well as we taught each other various things along the way that I am sure I will be using again. After taking inspiration from artists like Ad Minolti and Jemima Stehli I believe our ideas on gender roles and stereotypes within society are clearly and cleverly displayed.

[micaramel]

Artists: Georgina Valverde, Ruth Root, Ad Minolti, Cassie McQuater, Dreamfeel, Llaura McGee, Katy Kirbach, Anna Anthropy, Nathalie du Pasquier, Antonio Adams

Venue: The Green Gallery, Milwaukee

Exhibition Title: A Cat May Look On A Queen

Date: March 7 – April 25, 2020

Curated By: Eric Ruschman

Note: Video games, playable as part of the installation, can be found here: Black Room by Cassie McQuater, CURTAIN by Llaura McGee/DREAMFEEL, Gay Cats Go To The Weird Weird Woods by Anna Anthrop.

Click here to view slideshow

Full gallery of images, press release and link available after the jump.

Images:

Images courtesy of The Green Gallery, Milwaukee

Press Release:

The title for the show is derived from the proverbial saying “a cat may look at a king,” which was passed down for quite some time via word of mouth before first being published in a collection of known English language proverbs via John Heywood in 1546 (directly: A cat maie looke on a kyng). Roughly, it is a phrase used to argue that a person with perceived “low status” still has rights, importance, and agency.

It wasn’t my initial intent to have cats lurking around the edges of this entire exhibition; but, with Ad Minoliti’s happily snoozing feline in their large painting Dollhouse (Amiel), Antonio Adams’ multiple mirrored cat effigies of deceased celebrities and historical figures, and Anna Anthropy’s playable Gay Cats Go To The Weird Weird Woods video game, cats do become more than just a suggestion or a recurrent image. I know I’m always looking for an excuse to find a way to talk about cats as either a metaphor or a lesson on companionship. So, perhaps my subconscious was just at work.

I first stumbled upon the thought of this title while reading Haruki Murakami’s “1Q84” a few years back. I have a quote written down in my notes, “A cat can gaze upon a king, as the proverb goes, and after a dry martini or a sazerac cocktail or two, we’re all cats.” I guess I had meant to look up this aforementioned proverb, and, well, several years later here we are.

I like this title and this proverb because I’m still not really sure what it means. Or, at least, I’m not sold on the idea that it means what we seem to have collectively agreed that it means. A sneaking suspicion I have is that it could just be nonsense. And although I enjoy the conceit that nonsense would be dispensed as opposition to authority, it seems all too possible that this tool can be (as has been) coopted.

But maybe after a sazerac cocktail or two…

  Link: “A Cat May Look On A Queen” at The Green Gallery

from Contemporary Art Daily https://bit.ly/2WsceEJ

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MFA AP Community in the Brooklyn Rail

In this month's Brooklyn Rail Ernesto Pujol (AP faculty) critiques "The Cult of Creative Failure," Anthony Hawley (AP 14) reviews Ad Minolti, Hovey Brock (AP 15) writes about Amanda Ross-Ho and Peter Saul's "Fake News," and Allison Hewitt Ward (AP staff) discusses Kara Walker's hit show at Sikkema Jenkins.