New York based artist Martha Colburn's fast-paced, hand-made, 16mm film animation, 'Myth Labs', 2008, is on view in gallery three at James Cohan, New York, but just for a few days longer.
Martha Colburn, 'Myth Labs', 2008, still.
Colburn uses hand-drawn images, magazine cut-outs and historical illustrations to create a modern-day parable about the excesses of our society. Set to a syncopated jazz drum beat, the hand-animated film compares the conquest of America by the Pilgrim settlers to the ravaging of contemporary society by Methamphetamine drug addiction; the fanaticism of religious zealots is equated with the compulsion of addicts. Colburn is a fascinating multimedia artist, whose work over the last 20+ years has included collaborations with many artists, musicians and filmmakers. Her artistic statement sheds some light on her collage-like practice:
'In my work I utilize the language and materials of filmmaking to comment on popular culture, consumerism, politics and sexuality. My work addresses contemporary topics to express my personal anxieties and passions. Through a collage of live action (paint-on-glass) animations, found footage and documentary filmmaking techniques, my films are a disturbing and at times humorous take on popular and political culture.
'Complimenting my films, I create elaborately layered collages, paintings, and installations that incorporate transparencies, recordings, and live performances. As my conceptual process grows, so follows advances in my already detailed and labor-intensive animating process. Technically, I am expanding my technique into working with multi-plane glass animation which represents a physical manifestation of my conceptually layered ideas.
'Currently I am working on films that combine art historical representations and current depictions of politics to challenge our notions of truth and fantasy. As a descendent of some of America's earliest settlers (ministers, farmers and wagon train members), I have an awareness of the repository of the guilt-haunted twisted history of the American soul. My current work draws from this perspective and personal experience to address issues such as Methamphetamine use, environmental catastrophes, and man's relationship to nature'.
More upcoming exhibitions of Colburn's work, below:
1-3 Oct 2008
ISSUE Project Room at the (OA) Can Factory in Brooklyn
A still from Martha Colburn's new animation 'Myth Labs' screening on October 3rd, presented by Marie Losier, as part of the Women's Experimental Screening Series. All screenings begin at 8 pm. Admission is $10.
10 Oct 2008
Solo show at Suzie Q Projects in Zurich opening Oct. 10th 2008
14 Oct 2008
Light Industry, Brookyn, NY
Tribute to Bruce Conner.
23 Oct 2008
Live film performance with live music at Museum of Contemporary Art and Design, NY.
For more information, visit the artist's site.
MARTHA COLBURN (+ XU ZHEN AND FOLKERT DE JONG)
To 4 Oct 2008
James Cohan Gallery
533 West 26th Street
New York NY 10001
T: +1 212 714 9500
)
)
)