Juror's Statement: This show invited artists to entertain imaginative
possibilities ranging from the lewd to the sublime.
The peeper's an abject, pathetic figure; yet the theme
of voyeurism can be expanded to encompass a more
general human condition - our intrinsic, never fully
escapable loneliness; a sense of limits and partial
knowledge; an ache for wholeness and transcendence.
I was interested to see the varied, inventive ways in
which EBSQ+ artists responded to the show's theme. Some
played off of its more traditional meanings; others
provided their own singular, oblique "takes". The work
submitted was at such a high level, across the board,
that any selection invariably felt arbitrary and
reflective of little more than one particular viewer's
sensibilities on a particular Monday morning. An
intriguing, daring exhibit could be created around a
narrow definition of voyeurism - drawing inspiration
from the seedy world of triple X video booths, peep
shows and "adult" lounges. Some of the submissions
rose to this challenge. My interpretation of the
prospectus, however, indicated a wider definition -
voyeurism as metaphor - and my selection reflects
this.
I responded to the psychological intensity of Amie
Gillingham's "Confessions of a Spuffy Addict", which
creates a powerful rapport between the foregrounded
figure and the televised scene - with her hand
outstretched, she seems to be drawing its energy into
herself (vamping the vampire show, so to speak). The
TV couple looks removed and impersonal; all the drama
is taking place in the viewer's psyche.
In "Jeepers Creepers PEEPERS!! (Giant Urban Freak
Head)" Robyn Henzel turns voyeurism inside out:
instead of us looking in at a forbidden scene, our own
space is intruded on by a strange gaze, belonging to
an urban monster/goddess who has burgeoned out of the
city's anomie, and whose presence transforms it.
Nervousness, anxiety, fear and violence are present,
yet the colors create a sense of joy and potential.
Finally, I was drawn to Linda O'Neill's beautiful,
enigmatic digital illustration, "From the Shadows,"
with its suggestion of mystery and transcendence. Is
the watcher here a sinister intruder or a messenger
angel?
For the juror's mentions, I selected four artworks
which reflect the variety of styles, genres and
thematic approaches which characterised the show in
general. The Matisse-like simplicity of Cindy
Agathocleous' "Watching", the candor of Lori Rase
Hall's "Waiting," the encounter with the exposed
psyche which awaits the viewer of Windi Rosson's
"Peeper," and the totemic power of Jen Thario's
"Effigy" represent strikingly different, memorable
interpretations of the word "voyeurism."
Thank you all for allowing me to be your viewer/voyeur
for this show. |
