Biomythography

Biomythography: Secret Poetry & Hidden Angers

Curated by Chris Christion and Jessica Wimbley

August 13- October 16, 2015| Opening Reception: Saturday, August 29, 6-8 PM with Performance, White Out History by artist Thinh Nguyen
 

California Lutheran University
William Rolland Gallery of Fine Art
160 Overton Court
Thousand Oaks, CA 91360

“I am a reflection of my mother’s secret poetry and hidden angers.”

-Audre Lorde , Zami: A New Spelling of My Name

Biomythography, defined by Audre Lorde in her seminal piece Zami: A New Spelling of My Name as “combining elements of history, biography and myth” has been known to shape theories of intersectionality and highlight the idea of internal, external, and multiple selves.  The exhibition “Biomythography: Secret Poetry and Hidden Angers” is the first in a series of exhibitions that seek to investigate biomythography as a visual arts practice.

Nietzsche’s Critical Historical philosophy asserts that for modernity to exist history must be analyzed, evaluated, reimagined, and improved upon. Biomythography as Ted Warburton defines is; “the weaving together of myth, history and biography in epic narrative form, a style of composition that represents all the ways in which we perceive the world.”  Lorde further investigates this notion in her own writing, stating:

         “ When the strongest words I have to offer come out of me sounding like words I remember from my mother’s mouth, then I either have to reassess the meaning of everything I say now, or re-examine the worth of her old words.” (31)

Thusly, implementing Biomythography as a studio practice provides a challenge to Critical historical practices.  Multi - mediated and interdisciplinary platforms are used to investigate, further define, and express the complexities of experiences with which we define ourselves in a contemporary world. This exhibition seeks to provide alternate perspectives to the historical bias of self-representation within the space of the gallery.

Biomythography: Secret Poetry and Hidden Angers is a mixed media exhibition featuring video, performance, installation, sculpture, photography and 2d mixed media works.

The artists in this exhibition investigate themes of representation using elements of institutional display, naming, and identifying of objects. They consciously or unconsciously invoke the literary form of Biomythography by fragmenting chronology, uniformity, and narrative.  Their works juxtapose historical facts, life experience, pop culture, and mythology; challenging, forming and informing, art history, display, anthropology, identity, and ritual as well as personal, universal, and institutional perspectives and histories.

Artists Include:

Zenia Baltagi, Crystal Z. Campbell ,Chris Christion, Kenyatta A.C. Hinkle, Abdul Mazid, Dan Taulapapa McMullin, Thinh Nguyen, Juliana Paciulli, Glynnis Reed, Rachelle Rojany, Yoshie Sakai, Monica Sandoval,and Jessica Wimbley.