exhabitations — Jeremiah Barber

Departure
Cement, parabolic mirror, ladder and custom armature
26”x40”x72”

Exhabitations
An exhibition about the Persistence of Vision
CUE Art Foundation
Manhattan NY
2017

Exhabitations is a series of sculptures and a performance for the CUE Art Foundation, NY. These works investigate the phenomenon known as “persistence of vision”—the ability for the brain to connect still images that leave an impression on our retina after an image has appeared, and the foundational biological reason why we can perceive cinematic images. Rendered in black, white and blue, the works in this series offer stark, high contrast views of the artists’ body illuminated and suspended by traditional cinematic hardware such as C-stands and Lowell lamps. Body parts are cast in cement, replicated through rice paper, or painted on silk.

The performance element of Exhabitations occurred as a single night event in the gallery in absolute darkness and could not be documented: it’s real location is the retina of the viewers. I enter in complete darkness with a rice paper replica of my body and form a bridge position on the ground with the body above me. I then leap horizontally in the air while triggering a camera flash mechanism. The audience sees my body in the air with a white replica floating above it, the image stays within their vision as they hear me fall. I repeat the action until I cannot any longer.

Above:
Departure
Cement, parabolic mirror, ladder and custom armature
26”x40”x72”

Muscle
Cement, steel, cinema lamp and custom armature
52'“x24”x20”

Void Action
Hand painted silk, C-stand, fans, cinema light
48”x72”x120”