Opening Reception Thursday, April 1, 5:30 - 7:30pm
Gallery Paule Anglim is pleased to present, Achivhírak (Place of the Birds), an exhibition of new work by Rigo 23.
The exhibition Achivhírak (Place of the Birds) brings together activities on a theme dear to the artist and key to his investigation and commentary. Rigo will present a series of found posters, each announcing a lost pet bird; sheets which have been keenly observed and collected by the artist over the last 15 years. The centuries-old human practice of loving and caring for caged birds (the devotion, attachment and, with each posted flyer, the expression of loss) registers first with the passerby on the street. As an artistic ensemble, the collection allows the realization and irony that these 'lost birds' are now free, as well. Rigo's work often slows down the process of knee-jerk response, so that we can observe the stages of our associations, of trained emotions, of cultural response.
The artist will also present a suite of "Lost Bird" letter-paper sized hand bills, which have been translated into the medium of needlepoint. These have been executed by the artist's mother in Madeira, her home and Rigo's birthplace. The delicate handiwork, a traditional craft of the Portuguese island, introduces other associations of domesticity (and patience, as it might be inferred, required for the return of bird to owner or the sailor to the island.)
With this imagery Rigo will show a series of drawings of unmanned airplanes used by the US (and allies) in Afghanistan and Pakistan. As topics in a broader discussion of man's fascination with birds and flight, and the history of flying toys and machines, Rigo's images of the drone jets provide a counterpoint to his investigation of lost pet birds.
Rigo has created installations for the most recent Lyon Biennale and the Shenzhen/Hong Kong Bi-city Biennale of Urbanism/Architecture winning the Public Choice Award for the latter. In 2009, he has completed a project for RARE, a program sponsored by a consortium of museums, linking Artists with UNESCO World Heritage Sites. The exhibition was co-organized by the Berkley Art Museum and the Museum of Contemporary Art San Diego.