Surveillance at Affirmation Arts

A special edition of Vicious Vitamins will be released for "Surveillance", an exhibition curated by Rachel D.Vancelette and featuring a group of seven exciting New York-based emerging artists.

Affirmation Arts: 523 West, 37th Street - New-York, New-York 10018

Date: April 9 to May 16, 2009

Picture: Shin il Kim, Active Anesthesia – The full of square2007 (Courtesy Galleria Ricardo Crespi)

March 20, 2009: New York, NY: Affirmation Arts is pleased to announce Surveillance, a group show curated by Rachel D. Vancelette, featuring artists: Yasmine Chatila, Tomory Dodge, Jeffrey Gibson, Charles Harlan, Shin il Kim, Caitlin Maloney, and Angelo Plessas.

“Surveillance” is defined as ”close or vigilant watch over someone or something,”’ and derives, by way of the French veiller, from the Latin term vigilare, meaning “to keep watch.” Artists have historically been the gatekeepers of society’s public accounts, and today they continue to mirror our daily lives. Whether it is through the Internet, virtual social networking, photography, painting, or multimedia-based technologies, artists are always interrupting and interpreting the reality of today’s information age.

Surveillance presents the diverse studio practices of seven artists who remind us all that they are indeed keeping watch over this explosive and public exchange of information. In recent years the continual bombardment of virtual information has radically transformed the world, and these artists are among those who are constantly redefining its boundaries and content. The necessity and proliferation of surveillance techniques have become a large part of our everyday lives. Whether or not our society at large is conscious of these invasions and observations, it is clear that this diverse group of artists is engaging and addressing these critical issues.

In an age where the excess of information has produced false, invasive, and voyeuristic avenues in both the private and public domain, these artists remind us of the daily observation, private moments, intimate encounters, and public cyberworld of virtual activities. Multiple conceptual vocabularies of art are coming full circle with the use of new technologies and materials. These artists are employing both traditional and nontraditional techniques, evoking a transformative intervention while providing a gateway for the viewer’s engagement.