January - March 2018: Frank Egloff & "The State of the Union"

 
 

Frank Egloff

1988-2018

There are four pieces in the exhibit: a triptych entitled Rituals of Intimidation / Structural Composition / a room in Argentina references Argentina in the 1980s, a period marked by state terrorism (Guerra sucia) perpetrated by the then military junta government. 

Dated 1988, charcoal on paper / mixed media, they were shown at the ICA in Boston Now / Works on Paper.

The fourth work re #angelababy (2016) references Angela Yeung Wing, an Instagram celebrity and model, regarded by her followers as perhaps the Kim Kardashian of China.

Egloff’s work has been widely exhibited in major museums including The Museum of Fine Arts, Boston; ICA, Boston; deCordova Sculpture Park and Museum, Lincoln; and MIT List Visual Arts Center, Cambridge, MA.

 
 
 
 

The State of the Union

The images in this group exhibition reveal a different view of the State of the Union. I have selected works from seven artists which illustrate my view—the things I thought were overlooked in the President’s recent address: the threat of nuclear war—the Doomsday Clock has been moved closer to midnight, the most since the Cold War days. Endemic gun violence—we are no longer safe in our churches, in our schools, at a concert. The battle for equal pay and harrassment in the workplace that women face. The criminal just system in need of overhaul—the for profit prison system. Bullying is the new modus operandi, collaboration a sign of weakness…we are divided.

Kevin Burbriski started a project, American Roads, with the inauguration of George W. Bush, exploring patriotic images that were used to resonate, not divide.

Caleb Cole’s Lest You Forget WWII uniform jacket is lined with vintage photographs where the soldier’s image has been removed leaving an empty silhouette—loss, the cost of war.

Harold Edgerton’s Atomic Bomb, before 1952, at a test site in Nevada, captures the powerful destruction of the bomb—a skull like fireball appears, vaporizing the steel support tower and turning desert sand beneath to glass.

Hidden Agendas, photographs by Judy Haberl, reveal what women keep hidden in their purses: we are living in a society where courageous women are no longer willing to keep things hidden, the “Me too” phenomenon has brought to the forefront the sexual harassment and abuse that women face in the workplace.

Two images by Charles “Teenie” Harris from the 1950’s no longer seem like documents of a past long gone but apropos for today.

Steve Locke’s Family Pictures, remind us that it wasn’t that long ago that men and women were lynched and the happenings were often recorded and celebrated.

Daniel Ranalli’s color photograms show that often our first experience with guns is through play as a child, bright colors make the toys more attractive.

These are my views. I hope you will visit the exhibition and share your views as well. —Arlette Kayafas