in no strange land

Edouard Steinhauer

Curated by Donna Dennis

on view: March 25 –April 21, 2012
Opening reception: Saturday, March 31, 5–8pm

In this multi-media installation Edouard Steinhauer pays homage to James Hampton’s fantastic work ““The throne of the third heaven of the nations’ Millennium General Assembly” at the Smithsonian Institute in Washington. Steinhauer has constructed a model of the central throne in Hampton’s shrine, and as did Hampton, he covered the assembled objects that make up the throne in aluminum foil. But in Steinhauer’s sculpture the foil transforms these objects into capacitors and conductors of electricity, capable of holding a charge when charged with a power source like a battery. The objects then create an arc of lightning that emanates from the sculpture. 

Using a 4x5 analog film process Steinhauer has photographed the objects in complete darkness while they are being discharged; the light of the electricity they omit illuminates the image. Large prints of these images are displayed in the space.

The second work in the installation is a series of kinetic sculptures arranged as a celestial constellation within the installation. The sculptures are made from common household appliances and furniture and use an electric motor to rotate starship like forms in the space while casting shadows and sounds in the round. The sculptures are animated with triggers that turn on and off in seemingly random sequences while the sounds are atmospheric arrangements with low frequency beats produced with synthesizers and keyboards.

Edouard Steinhauer’s work has been shown at New Museum of Contemporary Art NYC, Black History Museum VA, Frost Art Museum FL, International Monetary Fund WA, Real Art Ways CT, Exit Art the First World NYC.         

DIRECTIONS:

Take 2, 3, or 4 trains to Franklin Avenue. Walk two blocks against the traffic on Franklin. Walk ¾ block to 558 St. Johns Place. FiveMyles is within easy walking distance from the Brooklyn Museum.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS:

This exhibition is in part supported by the New York State Council for the Arts, Public Funds from the New York City Dept. of Cultural Affairs in partnership with the City Council, the Brooklyn Community Foundation and by the Brooklyn Arts Council, JPMorgan/Chase.