Zoë Strickland | Editor-in-Chief
On Jan. 17, artist Ryan Woodring came to the Cannon Gallery of Art for the reception of his installation, “Unveiling World Tour.” The installation has been up since Jan. 11 and will remain in the gallery until Feb. 9.
In his series of projected pieces, Woodring performs a digital magic trick — he alters pre-existing video clips from the various unveilings of the replication of the Triumphal Arch of Palmyra. The recreated arch was made into a 3D model and then sent around the world on an unveiling tour. In Woodring’s altered clips, rather than the cloth being lifted to reveal the recreated arch, it’s lifted to reveal nothing.
“Unlike most monument unveilings, the recreated Triumphal Arch is not aimed at permanence. It is meant to be disassembled and reassembled for the purpose of unveilings and digital dissemination,” says the artist’s statement. “Woodring’s act of removal looks to isolate the magic trick, allowing the fullness of the unveiling spectacle to circulate while making room for emptiness, hypocrisy and loss to be revealed.”
Woodring’s clips — the unveilings from New York City, London and Florence — are projected onto the walls of the Cannon Gallery.
“This is the first show we’ve ever had that is only projections and video,” noted Paula Booth, Director of the Cannon Gallery. In the past ten years, the gallery has featured five exhibits that use projection as a focal point.
Solely using projection in this exhibit may allow viewers to extract more meaning from the collection of pieces. “You can almost think of it as one artwork, like the gallery itself becomes the artwork. You can look at it really superficially, just watching the video and seeing what’s going on … it’s captivating just to watch. But then when you read his statement and realize that there’s many layers to what’s happening visually,” said Booth.
The next exhibition in the Cannon Gallery will open on Feb. 21 and will feature hanging relief sculptures by David George Andersen, the late Chief Preparator for the Hallie Ford Museum of Art, “I think it will be a slightly challenging exhibit for some folks. His work is commentary on politics, on religion, on all those things that make us uncomfortable to talk about,” said Booth.
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