October 13 - November 12
Andrew Kreps Gallery is pleased to present Robert Melee's In Between False
Comforts, the artist's fourth solo exhibition at the gallery. For this
exhibition Melee builds upon his previous investigations of the suburban home,
yet by limiting himself to grayscale, has yielded a room full of objects that
are simultaneously psychological and nostalgic.
For In Between False Comforts Melee has covered the floor in his
signature èmarbleizedî wood paneling and hung three of his plaster and enamel
coated curtain paintings, all in black, white, and gray. Melee describes "marbleization"
as an effect in which the artist simultaneously channels Martha Stewart and
Jackson Pollack. Melee has also created large grayscale versions of his bottle
cap paintings: bottle caps nailed to wood panels in a grid, then coated repeatedly
in plaster, and finally covered in high-gloss enamel paint. Masquerading as
minimalism and op-art, these works play with the boundaries between painting
and sculpture.
Works reflecting the artist's continued interest in human behavior have also been included in the show. Throughout his career Melee has shot over thirty short videos, always focusing on the human body, which is often transformed or in drag. Recently, he created a dance performance with a group of five dancers at Judson Church, and in 2005 curated a two-night event at The Kitchen where he invited nine performers to perform for eight minutes each, on a stage Melee designed. The event also included a live "marbleization" of Melee's mother.
The figures that Melee has created for In Between False Comforts
add a hauntingly grotesque presence to the installation. By coating mannequins
in canvas, then plaster and enamel paint these figures become imposing, featureless
masses. The figures are spread throughout the space, in various positions
and scales (child and adult), creating a silent dialogue between Melee's invented
characters.
The exhibition will be on view from October 13th ‘ November 12th, 2005. A reception, which will feature a performance by Julie Atlas Muz, will be held for the artist at the gallery on October 13th from 6 - 8 PM at 558 West 21st St., New York City. For information call 212-741-8849. Robert Melee's Stage Works and Substitutions will be on view at Sutton Lane Gallery in London from October 18th - November 18th, 2005.
