The Extravaganza Awaits | Kathy Rodriguez

ARTIST STATEMENT FOR THE EXTRAVAGANZA AWAITS

Gallery of Visual Arts, The University of Montana, Missoula, MT (April-May 2008)

My current series of paintings, which evolved into installation, is based in notions of spectacle, consumption of information, and self-gratifying selection. These ideas are subtly entwined in the subject matter, design, and content of the work. I lighten their heaviness with humor and treat them with a carnivalesque aesthetic, appropriate to the absurdity that I see characteristic of them. Painting places the issues in a narrative context, but the story remains open-ended to allow the viewer to bring personal associations to the work. I specifically selected images of friends and family unfamiliar to the viewer and a lexicon of personal symbols to maintain mystery, which should bring the viewer back to the series again and again. Installation helps the viewer physically interact with the work, giving more time to make associations, consume information, behave with the characters, and eventually witness their own behaviors. I hope for the viewer’s recognition of complicity not only with the work itself, but with the ideas contained in the work, because I believe these ideas are general and, though important, sometimes overlooked.

This show is dedicated to my Granny, Patricia S. DiGeorge, and to my truly amazing family.

Special Thanks
M.F.A. Committee: James Bailey, Cathryn Mallory, and Mike Monsos
Brad Allen
Matthew Kirscht
Kendall Mingey
David Rodriguez and Elizabeth Joan Kelly
Lisa Jarrett
Rebecca Weed
Whitney Polich, Kayla Romberger, and Kaeli Casati
Jace Laasko, Don Earl, and Adam Carroll
The Department of Art at UM

Gallery Entrance

Traditional Gallery Entrance to The Extravaganza Awaits, to draw the viewer in via a recognizable gallery space and exhibition design. "Entrance Music" played on a loop in this area.

Entrance Music by David Rodriguez and Elizabeth Joan Kelly

The Extravanganza Awaits

Turning the corner from the gallery entrance towards The Extravaganza Awaits

Entrance Music by David Rodriguez and Elizabeth Joan Kelly

Puzzle Table Room

The first "room" in the Extravaganza houses one of the series' main characters, Giraffe Guy, who invites the viewer to play with puzzle pieces that can be rearranged among the tables. "Puzzle Table Music" played on a loop in this room, building on the Entrance soundtrack. The viewer engages in creating the narrative by playing with the work.

Puzzle Table Music by David Rodriguez and Elizabeth Joan Kelly

Coming to the Table

In this "room," across from the puzzle tables, elements of paintings break the picture plane and become soft and hard sculptures. As the viewer interacts they become more integrated in the story. "Coming to the Table" music played on a loop in this room, further complicating the layers of sound throughout the installation.

Coming to the Table Music by David Rodriguez and Elizabeth Joan Kelly

Storage Room

A hidden camera filmed viewers in the Coming to the Table Room with a 30 second delay, so as they moved into the storage room, the "subconscious" of the installation, they saw a record of themselves interacting with the work. This was meant to show that the viewer is now entrenched in the story and has identity within it. "Storage Room Music" played on a loop in this room, completing the layers of sound with eerie overtones.

Storage Room Music by David Rodriguez and Elizabeth Joan Kelly

Elephant

An inflatable elephant lights up and grows and deflates as the viewer passes by.

Exiting

Exeunt

As viewers exit, they find an assortment of costumes - the "skins" of the characters

from the paintings. Were they left by the characters? Was it a dream? Either way,

the viewer can put on this skin and reenter the show as a part of the painting, now that

there's proof they were there and a part of it (shown by the delayed video).

Exit