Nov 15th 2013

Chicago is pleased to present Leap into the Void, an installation by Colombian artists Fernando Pareja and Leidy Chavez. Organized by curator Gilbert Vicario, the installation is centered on three-dimensional animation and is Pareja and Chavez’s U.S. premiere. Using a combination of pre-cinematic devices, haunting soundtracks, and a restrained minimalist sensibility, the artists create awe-inspiring kinetic vignettes that are drawn from lived experiences, yet connect on an emotional and universal level. Their work draws on Colombian history and its ongoing struggles with left- and right-wing political factions, violence, and the recent uprising by farmers demanding more government support.

“The installation is an investigation into how 19th century animation devices – such as the zoetrope and praxinoscope – can effectively be used in a contemporary context as a viable means of communicating a potent message. Pareja and Chavez’s interest in these antiquated technologies seem to come at an appropriate moment when the creative potential of digitally-based technologies seems tapped out and saturated. Sitting somewhere between a static photograph and a moving image, their three-dimensional zoetropes function on multiple perceptual levels incorporating sculpture, animation, sound and stroboscopic lights to achieve a fluid and seamless effect.”

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