Annie Bielski: The Hardest Part Is Just Gettin’ Here
@ Paris London Hong Kong
1709 W Chicago Ave, Chicago, IL 60642
Opening Saturday, January 7th, from 4PM - 7PM
On view through Saturday, February 18th
Organized by Betsy O’Brien
If a talk show host wanders the woods alone, without an audience, does she exist?
PLHK is pleased to present The Hardest Part Is Just Gettin’ Here, a solo exhibition with Annie Bielski. This exhibition marks Bielski’s first solo show and the premiere of her video work, as well as the inaugural exhibition in the new space at 1709 W. Chicago Ave.
The video central to the The Hardest Part Is Just Gettin’ Here features Bielski performing as an alleged talk show host whose supposed guests have last minute cancelled their appearances on her show. As she wanders around various locations, including the woods of upstate New York and the palm-tree lined streets of a retirement community in Florida, she spews self-help suggestions and tangential anecdotes, while interpreting common signs found in each location to bear greater meaning. Shot and edited entirely on a smartphone, the work examines the performance of self, the individual’s access to audience, and the anxiety of our contemporary moment.
The Hardest Part Is Just Gettin’ Here also features additional video and sculpture, including an edition of 10 t-shirts stemmed from the world of Bielski’s talk show character.
Annie Bielski (b. 1990 Toledo, OH) is a painter, writer, and performer. She has performed at September Gallery (Hudson), Allen & Eldridge (NYC), The Museum of Modern Art (NYC), Basilica Hudson, The Half Moon (Hudson), and elsewhere. She has collaborated with musician Jenny Hval and performed in her band across the US and Europe, performances of which have received critical acclaim from The New York Times and MTV.com. Her paintings have been exhibited in NYC, Hudson, Philadelphia, Chicago, and Mexico City, and have been mentioned in Hyperallergic, Artnews, iD, Vice (Mexico), and New City (Chicago). She received a BFA with an emphasis in Painting and Drawing from The School of the Art Institute of Chicago in 2012. She lives and works in Hudson, NY, where she regularly organizes and hosts experimental comedy shows.
anniebielski.com
Official Website
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Tags: annie bielski, Betsy O'Brien, Chicago, Paris London Hong Kong, The Hardest Part Is Just Gettin’ Here, West Town
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