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Artist: Jennifer Steinkamp
Title: Eye Catching
Date: 2003
Dimensions: 20 x 14 feet and 20 x 14 feet and 20 x 14 feet
Equipment: 3 Projectors Sanyo PLC-XP46/L 4100 lumen, 3 PC computers.
Photo credit: Muammer Yanmaz and Robert Wedemeyer, courtesy ACME, Los Angeles, greengrassi, London, and the Istanbul Modern.
Exhibition History:
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- The 8th Istanbul Biennial, Poetic Justice, The Istanbul Foundation for Culture and Art, Istanbul, Turkey, September 20 - November 16, 2003, Curator: Dan Cameron.
- MUSAC, Museo de Arte Contemporaneo de Castilla y Leon, Spain, December 17, 2004 curator Agustin Perez Rubio..
- MUSAC, Museo de Arte Contemporaneo de Castilla y Leon, Spain, April 8, 2005 - ?, curator Agustin Perez Rubio.
- Istanbul Modern, Istanbul, Turkey, Video Programii, curated by Rosa Martinez, April 16 - July 30, 2005.
- Jennifer Steinkamp, San Jose Museum of Art, San Jose, CA, curated by JoAnne Northrup, July 1 - October 1, 2006.
- Kemper Museum of Contemporary Art, Kansas City, Missouri, curated by JoAnne Northrup, Elizabeth Dunbar February 16 - May 13, 2007.
- Orbigo 07, Asocciacion VII Centenario del Mercado de los Jueves de Benavides de Orbigo, Leon, Spain, 2007.
- Time Present Time Past, Istanbul Modern, Istanbul, Turkey, curated by David Elliot and Rosa Martinez, September 6 - December 2, 2007.
- Jennifer Steinkamp, Albright-Knox Gallery, Buffalo, New York, curated by JoAnne Northrup and Holly Hughes, March 14 - June 29, 2008.
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Description: Eye Catching was created for the historic Yerebatan Cistern. Three computer animated trees were projected on the walls of the cistern which respond to two ancient Medusa Heads that are used as column supports in the cistern. Curiously, one is placed upside down, while the other is on her side. Animated enchanted trees sway while their branches move like Medusa's serpentine hair. The installation is meant to be a celebration of the power of female sexuality and Medusa's beauty.
Part of the collections:
Istanbul Modern, Istanbul, Turkey
MUSAC, Museo de Arte Contemporaneo de Castilla y Leon, Spain.
Poetic Justice
My work has dealt with the issue of poetic justice in varying degrees for quite along time. My earliest works involved a poetic response to feminist politics and the injustices I experienced around me. I set out to create a sensual space within architecture from a very female point of view. A few years ago, the American "justice" system run by radical conservatives put their candidate in the presidential office; since then, my work has contained messages of peace and commentary on war. I created a work titled "Jimmy Carter" named after the former US president who is a great humanitarian and brave human being. The US with its ridiculous corporatised media is controlling the thoughts of the populous by not giving a clear picture of the world situation; and in addition it is very difficult to make any criticism of US policies without being labeled unpatriotic. As a result, I named my art after Jimmy Carter who stands for peace and progress throughout the world. This was a way to criticize US policies while remaining patriotic.
Eye Catching was made in response to its context; there are two Medusa heads at the Yerbatan Cistern. I researched the incredible story of Medusa, realizing there is a very feminist psychological interpretation of the tale. Medusa is an extraordinarily beautiful woman, she was raped by a sea god, then through jealousy she was transformed by the Goddess Athena into an incredible monster with serpentine hair and a gaze that would turn men to stone. One interpretation could be that this is the ultimate extension of the power of female sexuality (stone as erection) , and the fear and paranoia this can invoke in men. I created the serpentine trees to add to the enchanted environment of the cistern, as if Medusa's sensuality transformed the environment and everything around her. One of the trees is old, no leaves, as if it was dead and brought back to life.
Quicktime Movie
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