Christian French
Buried Treasures
July 15 - September 3, 2006.
Contact: Dino Martini, 206+728.1980
|
According to Seattle artist Christian French, "Art (and artists) in Seattle are often hidden in plain sight."
French's new project "Buried Treasures" is a playful and conceptually stimulating meditation on this notion.
This installation presents materials created for and resulting from French's ongoing project of burying his
own artwork and creating "treasure maps" that "loosely" record the location of the hidden works. Incorporating
practices as diverse as drawing, ceramics, photography, found objects and sculpture, Buried Treasures
focuses on distinctions between art and action, presence and absence, object and representation. "With the
original artworks hidden (and inaccessible)," explains French, "the map becomes the artwork; becoming, in
effect, a stand-in for itself." Reflecting a childlike fascination for pirate tales of booty, plunder,
shipwrecks, adventure and discovery, plus a keen sense of the conceptual issues and historical references
in the work (Acconci, Smithson, etc.), French’s installation is a must for those who still enjoy tall tales
and thoughtful artwork.
CoCA serves the Pacific Northwest as a catalyst and forum for the advancement, development, and understanding of contemporary art. CoCA provides opportunities for the art audience in this region to view new and experimental artwork firsthand in exhibitions which show the work of international, national and local artists.
|
Untitled (Shillshole), various media (object and photograph), 2006.
