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| LIFE
SUPPORT: Works by Gabriel Barredo, Jose Legaspi, Dates May 29 – July 3, 2004 Babilonia 1808, the international contemporary art program of the Babilonia Wilner Foundation (BWF), is proud to present works from the collections of Malou Babilonia, David Pollard, and David Wilner through the exhibition, LIFE SUPPORT: Works by Gabriel Barredo, Jose Legaspi, Kevin Nierman, Manuel Ocampo, and Kenji Yanobe. The exhibition begins Saturday, May 29 with an opening reception held on Saturday, June 5, from 6-8 pm at 1808 Fifth Street in Berkeley. The title and concept for this exhibition, “Life Support” was inspired by the personal art collection practice of Malou Babilonia, founder and president of BWF. Early on in the organization of this show, Babilonia expressed an interest in transferring specific collection pieces “from the dark corners of the attic, basement, or storage compartment” to the public realm again, so that they might “breathe.” Motivated by a recent shift in her interest and eye for certain kinds of art—moving away from, for instance, works, which principally address global issues, and toward ones investigating more personal subjects—Babilonia felt it was time to “bring these [older] works into the light” as a way to mark this new direction in her relationship with art. For years, the pieces included in this exhibition have served as a kind of foundation or “support” for the collector’s views on art, and, perhaps, figuratively as “support” for this aspect of her life in general. In technological terms, a “life support” system sustains people in situations where they otherwise would not survive: astronauts need “life support” systems to operate in space, and those with critical organ failures may be kept alive through such systems. From a more literal approach, the term initially implies strength, as in, support for life; conversely and contextually, the term also implies weakness, as a “life support” system assumes a subject’s incapacity to sustain its own life. Several works included in this exhibition nod to a popular form of “life support,” namely religion, and specifically, Christianity. All point to this institution and practice, which may be the largest worldwide provider of this particular brand of “life support,” with a cutting sense of humor and wit. Gabriel Barredo’s mesmerizing, “Mindscape,” sculpture, transforms discarded objects and trash into a dazzling, surrealist-cum-Catholic pastiche of cast Christs-on-a-stick, truncated body parts, and bits of gaudy jewelry, while Manuel Ocampo’s monochromatic canvas, “El Demonyo Vive…,” offers insight to the many moods of Christ. There is: Contemplative Christ, Dreamy Christ, Dizzy Christ, Bored Christ, just to name a few. Jose Legaspi’s eerie portrait of a devilish yet devout Catholic woman, “Tightrope,” takes a raw look at one of the Sheppard’s flock: knees bloodied from constant prayer, a purse-size statue of the Virgin Mary clutched beneath one arm, and an intensely vacant expression on a face decorated with an Ash Wednesday cross, budding horns, and mini-fangs. These pieces not only satirize Christianity, but also question the reliability of religion as the primary system for “life support.” Kenji Yanobe’s work, all of which were acquired from the inaugural Babilonia 1808 show, “Atom Boy Returns to Save the World?,” speaks to yet another facet of the show’s theme. Here, the artist combines survival and safety with science fiction, to create a kind of distopia made from one part anime, one part Jetsons, and one part Hollywood. In “Atom Suit Project: Pripyat River Chernobyl,” a photograph catches the stereotypical and picturesque, “sun setting over village” scene, only the romance is punctured by a figure on the right, dressed completely in a canary-yellow-colored “life support” suit. Atom Boy, this lone character, who appears throughout the series amidst various post-apocalyptic surroundings, sits and enjoys this Hollywood ending to his day. The vibrant yellow suit in this series serves as a visual reminder and warning against a not-too-distant yet possible future shaped by neglect—environmental, cultural, and otherwise. Lastly, Kevin Nierman’s elegant trio of ceramic “Totems,” sits neither with the religious themed works of Barredo, Legaspi, and Ocampo, nor with the Yanobe-defined un-fun-world. Its title, “Totems,” regards one of the oldest systems of “life support:” the family. These forms stand tall and seem proud in their individuality, but it is the grouping of the vessels together that brings this piece strength. The delicate lines of the forms are countered by the weight and surprising sturdiness of each piece. Nierman’s “Totems” honor a “life support” system of ancestors and family members, that everyone has, be it by blood or friendship. Babilonia 1808’s mission includes promoting dialogue and cultural exchange between communities, while challenging audiences with thought-provoking contemporary art. Babilonia 1808 offers visitors the opportunity to experience diverse local, national, and international art in a casual, non-institutional environment. The Babilonia Wilner Foundation seeks to highlight Berkeley and the greater East Bay as a growing center for presenting provocative and internationally recognized contemporary art. |