Lynn Schirmer

Here are some shots of my show at Form/Space Atelier.

Form/Space is essentially a made-over giant entryway complete with grand staircase.  I’m glad Paul has some mountain goat proclivities because hanging work here is not to be attempted by the height phobic.

Gallery View

The only way to hang The Frenchman (on the right) on concrete was with bindery clips.  I’ve seen many hanging systems for paper over the years.  I especially like using magnets, but they would not hold this time. Framing the massive piece would have blown my art show budget for the year, it is 54 by 116 inches. The painting to the left is not a small work either.

Gallery View

"The 4 Corners (Corrupted Over Time)" Pastel on drafting film, embroidery thread, 2009

This is my favorite piece, though the subtle grey is difficult to capture in a photograph.  In studio I had drawn the dark black lines behind the film overlay directly on the wall.  In the gallery, I used a beautiful black embroidery thread to create the lines.

Detail: The 4 Corners (Corrupted Over Time) Pastel on drafting film, colored paper, embroidery thread.

"And Then He Asked" oil on linen, canvas, board, embroidery thread, 2009

Earlier this summer I had the idea of creating multiple “help” messages in multiple mediums, some quick and temporary, some permanent, as if I had casually drawn or written the word help in many instances over many years. The idea did not last through a production phase and so I ended up with this one being incorporated into a grouping of other small works.

"Black Thumb", oil on canvas, embroidery thread, 2009

The rest of the small works on various support materials refer to memories and impacts associated with certain body parts, my own and my friend Su’s, as well as her death.

"Program the Artist"

In a small exercise, I invited viewers to recite a series of words or string of characters to me, or as I termed it, to “program me” on opening night.  I moved around a lot as a child, and my friends and I would send each other letters.  I have an entire box full of them. I collected about 30 envelopes from these letters, selected a dozen or so from different time periods, and wrote on the back of each a “code phrase” that had particular associations for me.  Once the viewer read the code phrase, I would speak as required or evidence a change in outward behavior. Regardless of the personal associations for me, which I was not overt about, I hoped to broach the idea of quantifying the effect of a powerful mnemonic.

"Tween" oil on canvas, 2009

This is a new piece I created for the show.

Detail: "Tween", oil on canvas, 2009

"Headless" oil on canvas, 89" x 68", 2009

I began this painting on the back wall of my studio in the summer of ’08.  I was resolved to finally finish and frame it after all of that time.

"Little Handmaiden", Pastel on drafting film, 2009

For more about this piece, see this post: First Thursday May: Parts

There is a thread of meaning running through all of these seemingly disparate works.  The show title hints at it, but otherwise I chose this time not to be overly explicit.  It’s a bit of a relief.

“Program” remains up through October 4, please come and sign the guest book.