Former Models: An Exhibition was a group show in the gallery of BRIC House that, under the direction of David Levine, was conceived as both an independent exhibition and as a scenic element for WOW, an experimental opera loosely focused on themes of surface, veneer and reproduction, stemming from the legendary Milli Vanilli lip-syncing scandal. This exhibition takes its title from a video work by Benjamin Pearson which navigates themes of just-in-time production, planned obsolescence, and the desperate striving of the artist-creator by reimagining the tragic story of Rob Pilatus, half of the pop music duo Milli Vanilli. Pearson's video was presented in the exhibition. Former Models: An Exhibition is curated by post-pop art duo and group-exhibition-cum-music-video-set producers Merkx&Gwynne, and marks their first time as set designers within the framework of a theatrical production.
In revisiting the very small body of material that comprises Milli Vanilli’s music video career, one quickly notices the recurring motif of the love triangle. The 1989 video for Girl I’m Gonna Miss You depicts a narrative in which Fab’s art dealer girlfriend offers Rob an exhibition after an intimate studio visit. The gallery is hung with several paintings in a generic 1980s neo-expressionist style and at the opening reception the centerpiece of the show is unveiled behind muslin cloth. The image revealed is a portrait of the gallerist in the artist’s shirt, half-naked in bed.
The large paintings in this exhibition what freshly commissioned reinterpretations of those in the Girl I'm Going to Miss You video. Portraiture is a central concern. The gallerist picture is recreated three times by artists Cy Amundson, Peter LaBier, and Paul Jacobsen. Additional paintings are based on stills from the video, or make direct reference to aspects of the band. Other works in the exhibition stand as imperfect pairs; manipulated in various ways to elicit uniqueness, yet not clones.
Artists: Cy Amundson, Paul Bergeron, Sean Joseph Patrick Carney, Barb Choit, Tania Cross, Ben Dowell, Amanda Beroza Friedman, Nathan Gwynne, Dmitri Hertz, Timothy Hull, Paul Jacobsen, Elizabeth Jaeger, Kristen Jensen, Peter LaBier, Megan Marrin, Rebecca Naegele, Benjamin Pearson, Ankeen Rose, Nickolaus Typaldos, Michael Welsh (list in formation)
About Merkx&Gwynne
Andrea Merkx and Nathan Gwynne have worked together since 2008, initially as bandmates in a rock band, then expanding into DIY music video production. In 2012 the partnership was formalized as Merkx&Gwynne, producers and performers of mythological pop fantasy that blurs the realms of art exhibition and set design. Working within the larger collaborative framework of an experimental opera production at the invitation of director David Levine, this visual art exhibition is conceived as both synthetic compliment and scenic backdrop for WOW, a mirror of production and reproduction in embodied form.
Venue Information:
The 3,000 square-foot Gallery in BRIC House has soaring 18-foot ceilings that permit major exhibitions focusing on emerging and mid-career artists and curators.
Beginning Nov. 1, 2022, attendees of any BRIC House programming will no longer have to show proof of vaccination or a negative test to enter the building. Masks are encouraged but not required in all BRIC operated spaces. If you have questions regarding this protocol, please email Safety@bricartsmedia.org