LOKN4U
13 September – 27 October, 2001

Exhibition

Opening reception: Thursday, September 13, 6-8PM

For her first solo show in New York, Amy O'Neill brings together two new large-scale installations – Break A Record Paradice City Space Wars and Smoking-Basement Bar. These works are tailored re-creations of midway carnival games and domestic American culture.
Used to create specific atmospheres in their original form, these popular expressions of display have been turned into sculptures. Their presentation in a gallery space makes them look like distorted props detached from a larger set. By freezing the functionality of her installations, O'Neill directs the attention-grabbing quality of their physicality to emphasize discreet alterations: war-related inflatable toys given as prizes, amassed targets difficult to miss, or a cloud of smoke emerging at the first sign of a visitor approaching. The viewer is left wandering amongst scenarios which mimic reality but never behave exactly as they should.
A series of recent Slum Paintings will also be on view. The paintings are made of slum toys which are ordinarily given away at carnival games where the player is guaranteed to win a prize.

Artist Bio

Amy O'Neill has completed numerous projects in solo and group shows in Europe and in the United States (Forde/Geneva, Le Consortium/Dijon). Her last New York project was the screening of the film she made with Michelle Hines, Fire in the Hole, at the Anthology Film Archives. An introduction to her work by Bob Nickas can be found in January 2001 issue of Artforum.