Lot Essay
IN KAREN KILIMNIK'S UNIVERSE, INSTALLATION ART ACTS AS A STAGE SCENE IN AN INTIMATE DRAMA OF FEMININITY AND WHIMSICAL MYSTERY. CREATED IN 1992, THE YEAR PRIOR TO HER BREAKOUT DEBUT IN THE WHITNEY BIENNIAL, PARIS OPERA RATS, THROUGH SIMPLE BUT LOADED ELEMENTS HAVE
IMPARTED HER CHARACTERISTIC TRANSCENDENCE OF THE MUNDANE. THE PINK TUTUS, SATIN BALLET SLIPPERS AND MICE ARE FAMILIAR TROPES IN BALLET, SPECIFICALLY THROUGH WHAT CAN BE INTERPRETED AS A CORNUCOPIA OF DISCOVERY, THE NUTCRACKER. AS A FORERUNNER OF THE "SCATTER GENERATION" OF ARTISTS WORKING IN NEW YORK CITY (INCLUDING JESSICA STOCKHOLDER AND CADY NOLAND) KILIMNIK REALISES THE POTENTIAL IN DECONSTRUCTED INSTALLATIONS. BY INCORPORATING ONLY A FEW ELEMENTS WHAT IS PRIMARILY A GATHERING OF OBJECTS BECOMES SOMETHING THEATRICAL. THE BALLET THEME HAS CONTINUED TO BE EXPLORED BY KILIMNIK IN HER LATER PAINTINGS AND DRAWINGS, AS IT CONJURES A PARALLEL FAIRYTALE WORLD, AN ESCAPIST COUNTERPOINT TO THE STARKNESS OF EXISTENCE. IN THIS PIECE, THE TENSION IS FULLY MOUNTED, AS THE GRANDIOSE BEAUTY OF THE BALLET IS CONTRASTED WITH WHAT MAY BE LURKING UNDER THE SURFACE. ALSO TOYING WITH THE NOTION OF THEATRICAL STAGING AS AN ALLEGORY FOR ART PRACTICE, KILIMNIK HAS ALWAYS CHALLENGED HER AUDIENCE TO ENTER INTO HER INTRICATE AND VARIED PLAY. THROUGH CAREFULLY CONCEIVED SET PIECES, THE MOOD AND WONDER ARE SO CAREFULLY CHANGED THAT THE ITEMS IN HER INSTALLATION BECOME ANIMATED AND SEEMINGLY QUICKEN TO ACTION.
IMPARTED HER CHARACTERISTIC TRANSCENDENCE OF THE MUNDANE. THE PINK TUTUS, SATIN BALLET SLIPPERS AND MICE ARE FAMILIAR TROPES IN BALLET, SPECIFICALLY THROUGH WHAT CAN BE INTERPRETED AS A CORNUCOPIA OF DISCOVERY, THE NUTCRACKER. AS A FORERUNNER OF THE "SCATTER GENERATION" OF ARTISTS WORKING IN NEW YORK CITY (INCLUDING JESSICA STOCKHOLDER AND CADY NOLAND) KILIMNIK REALISES THE POTENTIAL IN DECONSTRUCTED INSTALLATIONS. BY INCORPORATING ONLY A FEW ELEMENTS WHAT IS PRIMARILY A GATHERING OF OBJECTS BECOMES SOMETHING THEATRICAL. THE BALLET THEME HAS CONTINUED TO BE EXPLORED BY KILIMNIK IN HER LATER PAINTINGS AND DRAWINGS, AS IT CONJURES A PARALLEL FAIRYTALE WORLD, AN ESCAPIST COUNTERPOINT TO THE STARKNESS OF EXISTENCE. IN THIS PIECE, THE TENSION IS FULLY MOUNTED, AS THE GRANDIOSE BEAUTY OF THE BALLET IS CONTRASTED WITH WHAT MAY BE LURKING UNDER THE SURFACE. ALSO TOYING WITH THE NOTION OF THEATRICAL STAGING AS AN ALLEGORY FOR ART PRACTICE, KILIMNIK HAS ALWAYS CHALLENGED HER AUDIENCE TO ENTER INTO HER INTRICATE AND VARIED PLAY. THROUGH CAREFULLY CONCEIVED SET PIECES, THE MOOD AND WONDER ARE SO CAREFULLY CHANGED THAT THE ITEMS IN HER INSTALLATION BECOME ANIMATED AND SEEMINGLY QUICKEN TO ACTION.