On View Online: June 18 - July 31, 2020
The hand movements, referred to as "hands performance" within vogue femme performance, are based on a figure eight knot. In knot theory, the study of mathematical knots, a figure eight is the unique knot with a crossing number of four. While inspired by knots that appear in daily life, such as those in shoelaces and rope, a mathematical knot differs in that the ends are joined together so that it cannot be undone. Scholar bell hooks theorizes that imperialism, white supremacy, capitalism, and patriarchy all conjoin to create an apparatus of domination.
The artists in FIGURE 8 explore how hooks’ theory mirrors the structure of a figure-eight knot. As a way to think critically about the nature of how these systems of oppression connect and prevent us from being our best selves, the artists use the gesture of collage. Each artist in their own way interweaves various materials and artistic practices, including photography, sculpture, printmaking, painting, video, performance, and the written word to create works that attempt to unravel the systematic knot of oppression. Collectively the works in the exhibition act as a critical coil for a new understanding of the politics of difference.
Featured Artists: Becca Chacon, John James Hartford V, Oscar Lopez, Dani Melen, T Shell, Christian Tan, Christopher Williams, Zimo Zhao, and Xiang Zhou. (Click here for featured artists' bios and CVs).
Presented by Rashaad Newsome's Gesture of Collage as Practice course at the San Francisco Art Institute. Visit the virtual exhibition below, or follow this link.
