Shorttage: January 2009

Tuesday, January 27, 2009

Breath You Are Alive, Brendan Meara at Review Studios

Brendan Meara's show at review studios seems a departure in some ways from the work of his I last saw at the Paragraph but still just as strong. The main wall was covered in a succesion of 21 photographs of a banana on the sidewalk, with the slapstick of the banana peel taken further by the inclusion of a photograph of conversation taken out of Vitio Acconci's Phaidon book.

Breathe you are alive seems a metitation on reflection on influence, and process. Light bulb Drawing, a colored pencil drawing of drawing directly contrasts the flickering lights of his Music Lamp, and Light Bulb Video. While the banana photos seem to me to talk about life's slip ups and of the humor inherent in reality. Sketches for Winter, water color and graphite works move with hessitance, filling in the gaps between the flickering light bulbs and music notes of the light bulb Video peice. The latter piece coming in at a perfect 7 minutes incorporates music controlling the light bulbs, creating the perfect head space to sit and reflect on being alive. Flickering and fading to the music the bulbs went black before lighting up again for another turn down winter pastures, and banana peels.

The Show be on view at Review Studios until February 13, 2009