Wolf Eyes

Periscope, Unit 120, Lee Bank Business Centre
Holloway Head, Birmingham B1 1HP

10-23 November 2005

Periscope presents wolf eyes, a solo exhibition by collaborative artists Casey & McAree

Casey & McAree’s installation at Periscope features a diversive juxtaposition of materials, referenceing art historical practices including Romanticism and Expressionism in an analysis of contemporary practice.

A life-size wolf stands on top of a seven-foot high rocky cliff. Constructed from carboard, hot-glue and tape, the work references lo-fi usage of everyday materials employed by artists such as Martin Kippenberger. The back of the wolf faces the visitor as they enter the room, alluding to Casper David Friedrich’s painting Traveller Looking over a Sea of Fog where the traveller is enthralled by a sublime view of nature.

Casey & McAree also present two paintings executed in a glossy abstract style valuing the material nature of paint, colour and texture. Reminiscent of over-stylized deKoonings, they are beautifully formed, and form a constant to the very construction of the crude sculptural element facing it. One of the paintings is installed on a wall covered in packing tape, resembling a cheap wood-laminating interior.

The final element within this installation is a sound piece, emanating from the wolf sculpture. A distorted sound of a human voice simulates the howls of a wolf and subsequently breaks down into a cough, a gesturethat ultimately sees art production parodying itself.

The juxtaposition of a traditional plinth structure examines issues of the formal presentation of an artwork within a gallery context. The use of the wolf is poignant in its symbolism as it is now listed as a threatened and endangered species. The installation raises questions of the value of one form of art production over another, the value of painted canvas, and traditional sculptural materials over the everyday materials.

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Preview was 10 November 6.00 to 8.30pm