Mar 13th 2010

Nina Bovasso: Kijkshop

@ He said, She said

216 N Harvey Ave, Oak Park, IL 60302

Opening Saturday, March 13th, from 6PM - 8PM

On view through Thursday, April 15th

Nina Bovasso will exhibit a special project entitled Kijkshop that consists of a large grouping of small paintings of analog sound systems that were created over the past ten years. The artist describes the work as follows:

“Presented with the mystery surrounding ancient objects and their meaning, I think in a great many instances, we have no idea what these things meant or how they functioned in peoples lives or rituals: daily, religious or otherwise. To look at many contemporary objects, at face value, mute and nonfunctioning as we know them to be, what meaning would primitive–or future–man ascribe to these? The idea of (analog) broadcast however, has moved into the arcane. The notion of the shared experience in time and space, is disappearing too–progressively toward global omnipresence and unending options with more possibilities for private ownership.

“As I am a fan of broadcast radio, I started this series about 10 years ago creating a transistor radio as painting from memory. The desire to make such a thing to place on a wall is in part inspired by objects such as an intercom–an intercom specifically has a communication function, but in general I am fascinated by objects that sit on a wall that have their own integrity–in function, material and form. Like an intercom–or a Christmas wreath–or a Frank Stella. Some of these paintings of handheld objects I have made considering creating a faux copy of the object, and some I have made considering them paintings.

Kijkshop is the name of a chain store in the Netherlands with the concept of everything being behind glass with a number, which you then copy and bring to the clerk at the counter to obtain the item you wish to purchase. The literal translation is look shop.”

Nina Bovasso was born and raised in NYC. Her colorful works on paper echo an urban cacophony where pattern and regiment have gone amok. Inspired by textiles, utopian idealism and a 60’s pop sensibility, the obviousness towards the hand-made emphasize human touch and the tactile world. Creating several different bodies of work simultaneously in various mediums, the underlying theme of potential and inertia have consistently played an important role in Bovasso’s working process.

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