Sunday January 18th, 2009 at 4:00pm
Gallery Talk with artists Richard Dupont and Grimanesa Amoros

Both artists currently have installations on exhibit at HVCCA on view through January 18th, 2009. The event will open with a brief talk and introduction by HVCCA President/Co-Founder Dr. Livia Straus followed by presentations by the artists.  LINK: http://www.hvcca.org/emails/2009/email_JanuaryEvents.html

FREE with museum admission

Dupont’s new installation “Between Stations” at HVCCA will consist of two new large scale figurative sculptures situated contextually within the space of the museum, and intended to engage the viewer in a “conversation” that is both spatial and philosophical. Originating from a laser scan of Dupont’;s own body, these sculptural doppelgangers are adulterated versions of his original form, and have been distorted using digital technology before being cast in resin and hand finished. Standing just over life size and occupying ambulatory space, these static “performers” reveal themselves differently from various vantage points, alternatively massive and dematerializing, engaging the movement of the viewer. Raising philosophical questions about the humanist tradition in the age of body mapping and surveillance, the works are also self reflexive meditations on sculptural forms from the ancient past to the distant future. LINK: http://hvcca.org/dupont.html

“Rootless Algas” explores Amoros’ experience on the remote island of Flatey in Breidafjordur Bay, off the coast of Iceland. Her intent was to capture the essence of the surrounding area and the awe and isolation which she felt. The rocks on the shores of Flatey were covered with thick accumulations of a type of algae that she had never seen before. They hold on to each other like refugees, to facilitate ocean travel. Her fascination with the algae increased as she identified with them. LINK: http://hvcca.org/amoros.html

1701 Main Street, Peekskill NY 10566 | Tel: 914.788.0100 | Email: info@hvcca.org | www.hvcca.org

ROOTLESS ALGAS
BY GRIMANESA AMORÓS

LONG-TERM INSTALLATION
Opening September 13th – 14th, 2008, Artist Reception Sunday September 14th at 4pm
(Multimedia Installation) Video edited by: Grimanesa Amorós and Cooper Miller, Music by: Hilmar Örn Hilmarson,
Lighting by: Grimanesa Amorós and Steve Dubay
Special Performance Sunday September 14th, 2008 at 4:30pm
The Sea Mare – Tableaux Vivant Nouveau
Opening performance for Grimanesa Amorós’ Rootless Algas presented by Pálina Jónsdóttir

Hudson Valley Center for Contemporary Art
1701 Main Street Peekskill, NY 10566 Tel: 914.788.0100 Email: info@hvcca.org www.hvcca.org
ARTIST STATEMENT
In this work I am exploring my experience on Flatey, Iceland. When we arrived, we greatly increased the population of the remote island. A key part of this trip was trying to overcome our feelings of isolation and foreignness by exploring the island’s natural habitat.
The rocks on the shores of Flatey were covered with thick and textured algae like I had never seen before. The colors and the immensity of these piles were overwhelming. They were aesthetically beautiful, yet I couldn’t explore the shores nor go swimming without stepping in and around the vegetation. This limitation enhanced my internal sensation of being confined; yet, like the algae, I cannot be connected to any one place. The work intends to express certain feelings of isolation and attempts to convey characteristics of the actual experience, rather than explorations or descriptions. Icelandic composer Hilmar Örn Hilmarsson created the soundtrack for this project.
Grimanesa Amorós is an interdisciplinary artist with diverse interests in the fields of social history, scientific research and critical theory, which have greatly influenced her work. She often makes use of sculpture, video, lighting and sound to create works that illuminate our notions of personal identity and community. Amorós utilizes her art as an agent for empowerment to involve viewers from all different backgrounds and communities. Born in Lima, she lives and works in New York City and Peru.
ABOUT THE PERFORMANCE
On May 27th of 2008, the celebrated beastologist, Professor Rosengarten, found a LIVING ancient sea beast on the banks of the Hudson River at Peekskill, New York. After thorough examination of the beast, experts believe it to be the very last example of a rare species known as Sea Mare–which was thought to have become extinct somewhere towards the end of the Pagan Era. The phenomenal living Sea Mare will have its first public appearance at the HVCCA on Sunday September 14th, 2008 at 4:30pm.

Pálina Jónsdóttir began her performance career at the early age of 9 at the National Theater in Reykjavik and throughout the years her work has pushed the boundaries of artistic disciplines creating inventive progressive theatre.

For more information about the artist please contact Hiroka Kitamura email: hiroka@grimanesaamoros.com

For more information about the exhibition please contact Hudson Valley Center for Contemporary Art, Jessica Rogers. Email: jessicarogers@hvcca.org or Tel: 914.788.0100

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Bolstered by the community’s embracement of the first two phases of Substancial, the opportunity emerged to explore the initial concept and intentions of the piece in further detail. Substancial Phase 4 reflects the origins of the hudson river Health Center as a grassroots project and ties into the later emergence of the concept of the health center as a network of service providers which originates from the the flagship Health Center in Peekskill NY. Since the Health Center’s inception in 1975, 14 additional facilities have been created in different counties throughout NY State. Substancial Phase 4 incorporates this idea of the relationship between potentiality and movement with it’s dense accumulation of lanterns which convey a sense of potential energy and expanding mass in an explosion of light and form along the length of the façade of the health center.

Substancial is a permanent site-specific installation displayed across the façade windows of the Hudson River Community Health Center (HRH), focusing on the Center’s relationship with the diverse community of Peekskill, New York.
In my research, I learned of the group of four women who founded HRH in the 1960s and that they are still active in the community 40 years later. Their time and dedication inspired me to create this project about them. I admire their determination and accomplishments and feel it as a motivation for my own work. My overwhelming impulse in approaching this project was to honor the legacy of these women and to help draw attention to the important organization that has emerged from their efforts.
Drawing upon interviews conducted with some of the founding mothers, I have chosen certain ideas and phrases that HRH embodies. Some of the words were translated into Spanish to acknowledge the multicultural community in which the Center participates. I have displayed these words across the glowing surfaces of paper lanterns, which flow through a visual river, made of a water-like plastic sheeting. The colors and shapes of this work are, like the words, drawn from the existing character of HRH. The installation echoes the orb lights already visible through the window and the bright hues used in the organization’s public literature. The work was recently extended to the second floor without compromising visibility by painting the ceiling with a unique UV activated paint.
This work will serve to illuminate the words and images of HRH in people’s minds, as in their eyes, enhancing the life of the organization and its important role in the community.