Veils of a Bog

Sep 14 — Oct 20, 2018
Field:

Exhibition

Description:

Veils of a Bog was a collaborative installation between Vanessa Brown and Michelle Helene Mackenzie. The titular work consisted of three steel mobiles that supported sheer textiles, ribbons, organic materials, and fragmented photographs of Byzantine sculptures of women. Slowly rotating under a dim tungsten glow in the darkened gallery space, the sculptures were accompanied by Mackenzie’s multi-channel sound composition Post Meridiem (2018) that collaged field recordings of frogs, crickets, and birds with a low frequency drone. Together, Brown’s material practice in sculpture and Mackenzie’s soundscape explored the bog as a place of meditation and regeneration. 

Curated by Pablo de Ocampo.

Documents:

In a long, brown-walled gallery space, with warm yellowy light, iridescent varying pieces of sheer fabric, with pearly tones hang in an array of strips and sizes diagonally through the space like shrouds.
In a long, brown-walled gallery space, with warm yellowy light, iridescent varying pieces of sheer fabric, with pearly tones hang in an array of strips and sizes through the space like shrouds. The foremost piece is rectangular, with long vertical edges, with narrow strips suspended from its top overlapping the front, and others hanging off the bottom, resting just above the floor. A few circles hang high amongst the shrouds, one hollow and outline seen in shadow on the right wall.
In a dark, warm brown room, skeletal metal hangs suspended with one long vertical piece and three horizontal pieces across. From the top crossing arm, a wooden hoop is looped, and a long sheer piece of fabric hangs behind the rest. On the middle arms, curled bits of metal sit like pencil shavings and blue iridescent fabric hangs, with many thin long strips off its end. Three images on paper hang off the bottom arm, with twigs wrapped at one end.
In a brown walled gallery space hangs, suspended like a sail on a thin, tiered metal frame, long rectangular pieces of blue iridescent fabric. A few smaller, white, wispy textile pieces hang in balance. Two circular shell-like pieces are suspended near its top.
In a brown walled gallery space hangs, suspended like a sail on a thin tiered metal frame, long rectangular pieces of blue iridescent fabric. A few smaller white, wispy, textile pieces hang in balance. Two circular shell-like pieces are suspended near its top. A photo hangs near the bottom.
In a brown-walled gallery space, on a long vertical wire, hang shimmering fabrics from three crossing, horizontal, metal masts, like sails of white and shades of blue. On the top right, a peach colored circle hangs. A sliver of thin sheer fabric hangs from every level.
On a thin metal rod against a brown background in a warm light, there are two photos hanging from metal clips. One includes a desk lit with candlelight, the other is seen only from behind. Gauzy light-speckled fabric hangs behind on the left side.
In warm light, a photo of abstract detail hangs suspended by a chain attached to thin metal rods. Behind is a sheer white, tulle-like fabric, and the backside of another photo is attached to the end of the rod.
A photo of a sculpture by a window hangs in front of a fanned piece of dark green material. Behind iridescent pieces of fabric hang against a dark brown background in warm light.
Thin pieces like long strands of grass are attached to a metal rod raised slightly upwards on a diagonal, against a brown shadowy background.

Related People

Captions:

Western Front is a non-profit artist-run centre in Vancouver.

We acknowledge the xʷməθkʷəy̓əm (Musqueam), Skwxwú7mesh (Squamish), and səl̓ílwətaʔɬ (Tsleil-Waututh) Nations as traditional owners of the land upon which Western Front stands.

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