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Laurie Simmons
Events
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Published: May 20 2009

"Blue Woman/Blue Water", 1983 © Laurie Simmons

Laurie Simmons creates photographic works of a world that she constructed with toys, ventriloquism dolls, and objets. She investigates the "artificial" by accentuated light and exaggerated color; 'Hitchcock's spacing, coloration and lighting is ideal,' says the artist. The photographs are made in series, and the next series starts only when the previous one completes, like a novel. Simmons was considered a feminist in New York in the 70's along with Cindy Sherman, but in fact it should be said that she works on a more fundamental matter such as the existence of human being, transcending gender. "I pursue the maximum realism in the given situation. But the result is distorted realism." ("A woman who sings the code - A dialogue between Laurie Simmons and Cindy Sherman" a quote from P.9, "LAURIE SIMMONS", PARCO publishing, 1987.) Within Simmons's photograph, the border dividing fiction and reality dissolves, and there we find dolls that respirates and humans standing still like mannequins. This exhibition could be called a retrospective, introducing the works from the 70's to the new works from 2008, showing 8 of Simmon's series of photographs. We will display 22 works, such as "Early Color Interiors" 1978-79, with day dreaming house wife-like vintage dolls placed in "the" 70's interior decoration; "The Boxes (Ardis Vinklers)" 2005, that seems like dolls playing realism theatre in a box that looks like a stage set; and "Sitting Rose" 2008, a new work with a blown up rose objet with sleek human legs. Laurie Simmons was born in Long Island, NY in 1949. She graduated from Tyler School of Art, Philadelphia with B.F.A. in 1971. Lives and works in NY. Her works are collected in many museums such as Metropolitan Museum of Art, Los Angeles Museum of Contemporary Art, Philadelphia Museum of Art, Walker Art Center, The Contemporary Arts Museum Houston, and Musee d'Art Contemporain Montreal. Her activities extend to collaboration with firms such as Chanel and The Gap. Between 2005-06 she produced a film work "The Music of Regret" that featured Meryl Streep as the only human protagonist. * The text was provided by Tomio Koyama Gallery.

Last Updated on May 23 2009
 

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