Dwelling

"Escape" by Heather Boaz

Dwelling, a new art exhibition located at Columbia’s C33 gallery, is a new look into the ways that we process different aspects of space, memory, and home. The show looks to play on the places that we seek refuge in, both physically and mentally. It looks at the places that we dwell in the most, and forces you to put yourself inside of the artwork to invoke different emotions. Thirteen artists have put their work together to show the sequence of emotions going through the interior and exterior of the places in which we dwell, and also uses the relationships between people and places to draw the audience in.

The show begins in the exterior sections, and takes a look at the material concepts of home and the space around the home. One of the most noticeable pieces is “Escape” by Heather Boaz. It features a window frame, with a long chain of bed sheets knotted together hanging from it. The title of the work allows the audience to create their own narrative for the piece, but with all the same feeling of needing to escape their dwellings.

The other piece that Boaz shows in the collection is one of the most simple, but also one of the most striking. “Defense” shows a doorknob being held back by a wooden chair. While the piece is simplistic, it conjures a different image and narrative to everyone who looks at it; a definite feat for something so minimal.

Just about all of the pieces in Dwelling lack the image of a person in the artwork. This gives the audience plenty of opportunities to fit themselves into the scenarios and works presented. “Memory Archive” by Anna Katherine Peters is a perfect example of this. The wall of Polaroid photographs focuses on specific places in and around a home, with never a human in sight. The spectator is about to fit themselves into the pictures perfectly, without being overwhelmed with senses. Many objects appear in the photographs, but all with a specific purpose; to let the viewer conjure up their own assumptions and memories of the space, even if they’re not familiar with the atmosphere.

"Memory Archive" by Anna Katherine Peters

The interior and exterior sides of the exhibition are connected by the largest piece of artwork. “Corrugated Roof” by Ginny Huo has three large pieces of paper folded accordion-style hanging from the ceiling, giving the appearance of a narrative between the emotional and physical sides of the exhibition.

Dwelling feels quite emotional when you walk in. The lighting is dim, and the placards are somewhat hard to read because of it. You have to get up close and personal with the pieces in order to completely understand some of them. One video even had headphones, which let you fully experience the sound of a suburban neighborhood, a definite dwelling for most who look at it.

Altogether, Dwelling is an interesting look at the places in which we dwell in, both mentally and physically. It is open until October 19, and definitely should be looked at if you’re in the area.