contemporary art

Geist Magazine Review of Distant Operator

A well-written and insightful review of Distant Operator by Evan Paul Laudenslager for Geist Magazine. I think the greatest experience of this show has been to have access to writer's perspective of what they seeing. I feel very close to this work, it can be difficult to talk about it. Reading these points of view is a rare and challenging thing. Thank you.

:: on the left, Aleut, on the right, White Lepiota ::

" A success of the work is an emphasis on variety of process. Dages has worked mainly in printmaking, photography, and book arts. These processes clearly influence the narrative display of the work, and reaching connections between pieces both aesthetically and in process is intuitive and enjoyable for the eye. The materiality of her pieces correlates to her love of books: bone, ink, lead, and thread all feature prominently. Even these objects reach a higher significance under Distant Operator’sthemes; the mortal utility of bone, the toxic allure of lead, or the permanence of ink. These executions are fluid and varied, charcoal rubbings and darkroom prints made without cameras and using only photographic chemicals become visually interchangeable while staying theoretically disparate. "

Read More HERE

- "MARIANNE DAGES EXPLORES MYTH, TRANSLATION IN DISTANT OPERATOR AT NAPOLEON GALLERY" by Evan Paul Laudenslager, Geist Magazine

:: handmade paper, carbon, gouache ::

Marianne Dages, Distant Operator: January 9 - January 25th @ Napoleon

Yesterday was the opening for my first solo exhibition, Distant Operator, at Napoleon Gallery in Philadelphia. Thank you so much to everyone who came for the opening and who came today! While I was gallery sitting, I took some images of the installation for those of you who are out of town, or those who would like a sneak peak. 

You can also read a wonderful and insightful essay written by book artist and linguist Sarah Hulsey on the work HERE.

The gallery will be open on weekends from 2-6 until January 25th or by appointment.
You can reach me at mdages at gmail dot com if you have any questions.

:: right side of the gallery ::

:: Sea Exercises ::

 :: Fragmented I ::

And details of the Distant Operator wall...







Show is up...

The show is up, Distant Operator opens tomorrow, at Napoleon Gallery. Thank you so much to everyone who helped make this happen, I hope to see you tomorrow night.

Opening Reception
Friday, January 9th
6pm – 10pm

NAPOLEON

319 N 11th Street, 2nd Floor
Philadelphia, PA

Exhibition Dates: 1.9.2015 – 1.30.2015
Gallery Hours: Saturdays and Sundays 2pm – 6pm or by appointment



Distant Operator

This month, I'm preparing for my first solo exhibition as a member of Napoleon Gallery in Philadelphia. I hope to see you, if you can make it, January 9th for the opening.


"Chance, repetition, and hidden names. In this series of works on paper and object assemblage, the artist acts as distant operator, finding the connection between esoteric myth and private thought."

Opening Reception
Second Friday, January 9th
6pm – 10pm

NAPOLEON

319 N 11th Street, 2L

Philadelphia, PA

Exhibition Dates: 1.9.2015 – 1.30.2015
Saturdays and Sundays 2pm – 6pm or by appointment


Recent Dreams


Recent Dreams:

Two blond women in a narrow walkway space outside of an office building. Beautiful late afternoon winter light. One is nude, sitting atop a stuffed gray goose that is being dragged around the space by the other. They say to me, "We make art in sad places." "We are making difficult art."

Standing next to an old and frail William Burroughs, we are reading a book together that looks like an oversized dictionary. I am holding his wrist as he moves his hand across the words on the page. He is wearing a suit and hat. A piece of text about dusty and decayed wooden window shutters. Maybe the first time I can remember looking at words and reading them in a dream.

Start Over

A selection of images from Start Over, a collaboration between Huldra Press and Justin Staller, which we will be debuting at the Philalalia small press poetry and art book fair at Tyler School of Art in Philadelphia, PA tomorrow.

:: do-si-do ::

The structure of the book is referred to as a "do-si-do" or back to back binding. There cover is a long strip that connects the two sides of the book, two separate "stories" connected by an interest in cut-up writing.
:: dreams ::

My side of the book is a collection of dreams I've recorded over the years.


:: typewriter strip poems ::

Justin's side is a collection of cut-up poems that were written using typewriter ribbon from correspondence between himself and his grandfather.

:: typewriter type ::

The two sides are connected together through the typewriter aesthetic, in part a reference to the work of William S. Burroughs, who's own work was so deeply influenced by dreams and the cut-up writing technique.

:: dreams and the backs of wood type ::

My dream portion is illustrated with the backs of wood type. There is something very appealing to me about the idea of printing the back of letters, the part that can't be read. It is like the feeling people describe not being able to read in their dreams.

:: wood shape and handset metal type ::

:: ribbon ::

Justin's portions are illustrated within the text itself, using the actual typewriter ribbon as image. The ribbon is repeated through the cover, which itself wraps around, joins, and contains the two books.

:: on with this epic ::

Start Over will be available for viewing and sale tomorrow, Saturday September 27th at Philalalia. Following the fair, it will be available online. Edition of 40, letterpress printed, hand painted, and silkscreened.




Equivalents

 :: Marianne Dages, 2014 ::

:: Marianne Dages, 2014 ::

These prints were made with earth collected in Penland, North Carolina during a short residency. The earth, a mix of mica, sand, and soil, was arranged on a letterpress printing plates and exposed to light to create a raised surface to accept ink. The plates were then printed, the resulting images reminiscent of the stars.

Happenings

A few things that happened, are happening, or will be happening soon...

- If you are in Philadelphia, this Thursday September 4th is the opening reception for my two-person exhibition with Emily Cucalon at the Parkway Central Library. 


- Last week, I wrote a guest post for Fieldwork, an artwork by John Rogers and Amy Tavern that is experienced through an interactive map tracing their journey through Iceland. After exploring the map, I wrote a short piece about the connection I felt with the artists and what we collected to remember our time in Iceland. which can be read HERE.


- Next week I will be in North Carolina, for a one-week retreat/residency, generously hosted by Penland School of Crafts for former students of their Core Fellowship Program. My home base will be the letterpress studio where I plan to work on a short book and some experimental printing techniques.


- I will have a book, Oculus Song, in the Picture Books exhibit at Duke University's Power Plant Gallery, a juried exhibition of self-published and handmade photo books. The show will run mid-September through November.


- Last but not least, I will have a table at the first annual Philalalia, small press poetry and art fair on Saturday September 26 at Tyler School of Art in Philadelphia, where Justin Staller and I will be debuting our collaborative book "Start Over"



Oracles

I've been working on a project titled "Oracles" that combines digital stills with experimental writing pieces. The project emerged from an interest in the concept of "creative utterance", the ability to create by speaking specific words. The source text of all these pieces is the Egyptian Book of the Dead. To create these poems, this source text is run through translation software in dozens of languages to intentionally mistranslate them. Through this process spontaneous new content emerges. The results are unexpectedly lyrical and strikingly visual and the original text is completely transformed. The texts are then edited into short poems.

I would like to make these into an artist's book and video installation. Sight and sound shimmering in and out of focus. Interpreting the oracles.



Cataract

horses
come into sight 
as the stars 
come down 

it seems strange
this empty sky
an insomnia
of whiteness

a cataract
of gold
drawn
from the well


 

Reason





:: Marianne Dages, Reason, letterpress, lead, cord, fur, silk, found image, 2014 ::

Reason

In this life
there is no reason
but the heads of dolphins
diving, diving
burn the tree
to its bones
heap its wood
and sign to me
-
wood
wood
mouth
-
so we can remember
that there is no reason
but the heads of dolphins
diving
diving


:: Marianne Dages, Black Column, 2014, letterpress ::


:: detail of Black Column ::