Sensory overload is a routine fact of life; sometimes there is just too much to look at in too little time, or the message of a piece is overpowered by theatrics. But Paul Chan manages to frame complex philosophical metaphors and political activism in the guise of animation, film and projections. In the Carpenter Center's display of Chan's "Three Easy Pieces," the artist explores both the philosophical and historical worlds in just three works. It is a mind-bending journey, mixing subtle and obvious cues that force the viewers to examine their personal perceptions of the contemporary world.
Originally from Hong Kong, Chan was educated and currently lives in the United States. He received a B.F.A. from the Art Institute of Chicago in video and digital art and an M.F.A. from Bard College in film, video and new media. Currently based out of New York, Chan is internationally famous for his projection and animation pieces. His solo exhibitions over the last three years have been displayed everywhere from the Centre Pompidou in Paris to the Museum of Modern Art in New York.
The three pieces are based on the same principle of video and projection, but that is where the similarities end.
"Happiness (Finally) After 35,000 Years of Civilization -- After Henry Darger and Charles Fourier" (2000-2003) is a 17-minute animated video that portrays the rise and fall of a utopian society. While the philosophical background needed to understand the piece could not be considered general knowledge, visitors can still draw their own interpretations. The death of the utopia begins to clearly unfold when the land's inhabitants begin to defecate uncontrollably and mounds of feces suddenly swarm the green, lush forest. Chan's commentary on the real world's inability to create a lasting, ideal society is shocking and powerful.
"Baghdad in No Particular Order" (2003) is intriguing because of the context in which the video was taken. Chan traveled to Iraq from December 2002 to January 2003 as a part of the Nobel Peace Prize-nominated group Voices in the Wilderness. He began by taking footage merely as an exploration of everyday life in the capital. But three months later, in March 2003, the United States invaded the country.
What was once a more benign account of normal people has been transformed into a record of a land before the effects of war. As a result of historical circumstances, the video achieves much more than its initial intent. Shown in the United States, it explores Americans' self-perceptions as part of an invading nation.
In the film, it is startling to see a young woman turning the pages of a scrapbook covered with trading card-sized images of Britney Spears or a group of women in hejabs loudly singing the lyrics of English pop songs to the camera. As a result, the viewer is forced to recognize the changes resulting from the occupation and to look at the historical importance of the invasion.
The last work, entitled "5th Light" (2007), is a triangular projection of objects floating up and down over the floor. The unique shapes and discombobulating images that come from both the top and bottom give the sense of a world with selective gravity. No one knows why or how a silhouetted object goes one way or another.
A sense of futility and sadness overwhelms the peace. It is not a joyful falling, but a confusing one. The Twin Towers took much more than lives that day; optimism and confidence came crashing down with them. Chan offers a more subtle but no less powerful view of ongoing history, making the viewer think about the changes that took place in just seven short years.
Even though video installations have a pretentious reputation, the power of Chan's work cannot be denied. Philosophical basis aside, the three pieces really are accessible because of their use of diverse kinds of imagery. It is impossible to view them and to not also look into their personal meaning, since we are all members of this utopia-seeking, warring, post-Sept. 11 world.
--At the Main Gallery, through Jan. 4
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