Naotaka Hiro
May 10 - June 7, 2008 | Opening Reception May 10, 6-8pm
The Box gallery is pleased to present an exhibition which includes two new video pieces by Naotaka Hiro and a new collaboration with Sid M. Duenas. The first new video is the third in a series of pieces that involve a human skull. In this particular piece the video is a documentation of a performance Hiro did in which the skull hung from the ceiling with a wire and Hiro built onto the skull using sticky rice, attempting to make a sphere. The video shows the quick movements of a disjointed male nude, with the frame of the video disconnecting the body from the feet and his own head.
The second video piece also dissects the body; placing plastic toy body parts into a non-descript landscape. In this case the body parts in the video are objects, not attached to a human figure. The body parts that remain are disturbing and the viewers contemplates their own bodies’ relationship to landscape. This piece will include two video projections running side by side.
The third piece, To and From, that is collaboration with Sid M. Duenas, is a video in which these two artists explore the relationship of their personal and political cultures. With Hiro being of Japanese decent and Duenas being of Saipanese decent, decided to travel to Saipan and explore the very location of conflicts between these two countries.
Along with the opening there will be two special events. There will be a screening of the complete version in four parts, of Hiro and Duena’s collaborative piece To and From on May 24th at 7pm.
Naotaka Hiro has also invited Jonathan M. Hall to do a Screening/Lecture on Japanese Experimental Cinema that will be held on June 6, 2008 from 7-9pm.
by ARTslant: read here
