IN THE SPIRIT OF WALSER

“We don’t need to see anything out of the ordinary. We already see so much.”

Moyra Davey, January 6 – February 1, 2012

Reception for the artist, Friday, January 13th, 5 – 7 pm

The Donald Young Gallery is pleased to present a series of exhibitions bringing together the work of contemporary artists and the writings of the Swiss author, Robert Walser (1878-1956). Each month a contemporary artist will present work inspired by Walser’s writings to be exhibited together with archival material including first edition books by Walser, facsimiles of his microscripts and photographs of the author. Participating artists include Peter Fischli and David Weiss (December), Moyra Davey (January), Thomas Schütte (February), Rosemarie Trockel (March), Tacita Dean and Mark Wallinger (April) and Rodney Graham and Josiah McElheny (Summer 2012).

Moyra Davey’s contribution to the series opened on January 6, 2012 with a group of new photographs and a video. Comprised of photography, writing and video, Moyra Davey’s practice encompasses varied philosophies and processes of communication. “Subway Writers II” (2011), is a selection of twenty-five c-prints the artist folded and sent to the gallery in the mail. Unfolded and bearing the marks of their journey with tape, labels and postage, the images hang delicately in gridded formation. The photographs mark Davey’s return to the figure, finding subject with underground riders caught in the act of writing. “Les Goddesses” (2011) is Davey’s sixty-one minute film that weaves a narrative between the 18th century writer and activist Mary Wollstonecraft and her daughters with reflections from Davey’s own personal history giving entry to the artist’s personal interior and cerebral space. Together, the video and photographs exemplify the artist’s subliminal sensibility and refined sense of engagement.

Moyra Davey has exhibited internationally at museums and institutions including: The Art Institute of Chicago; The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York; Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum, New York; Tate Modern, London; Museum of Contemporary Art, Los Angeles; Canada Art Bank Collection and The Fogg Art Museum, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA. The artist lives and works in New York.

A symposium on Robert Walser will be held at the Goethe Institut on February 26, 2012 and the gallery will publish a book with contributions from the participating artists. The exhibition is in collaboration with Christine Burgin, New York and the Robert Walser Center, Bern and Konrad Aeschbacher, Erlach. Sincere thanks to Bernhardt Design (www.bernhardtdesign.com). If you would like more information please contact Emily Letourneau or Robyn Farrell at 312-322-3600 or at gallery@donaldyoung.com.

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Tags: Donald Young Gallery, Michigan Ave, Moyra Davey, Rober Walser