Mary Ellen Strom: Future Memory, Upcoming Boston Exhibition

July 6- 29, 2006
Future Memory, an exhibition of video work by Mary Ellen Strom
@ The Judi Rotenberg Gallery
130 Newbury Street, Boston MA, 02116
www.judirotenberg.com

Opening Reception: Thursday, July 6, 6-8pm
Artist Talk: Saturday, July 8, 2pm
These events are always FREE and open to the public.

The judi rotenberg gallery is pleased to present new video work by Mary Ellen Strom. This is Strom's second solo exhibition at the gallery.

M.E. Strom's new collection of video projections continues her desire to represent the human body, its role in art history, and its relationship to the viewer. Strom seeks to challenge both the subject and the spectator, to re-assess their position, identification and gaze.

Strom restages master paintings and modern photographic images, working with contemporary women artists living in the Boston area. The artists include, Sheila Gallagher, Taylor Davis, Marley Tomic-Beard and Ann Carlson. Strom foregrounds the power and profound insightfulness of these individual artists by capturing the driving energy of their bodies in real time. The settings of the video projections are meticulously produced, rich, contemplative visual fields. The contemporary women artists literally inhabit these settings, bringing their own visions to the narrative. The lush, saturated color combined with the subtle movement of the models and sets, creates a visually sensuous experience.

The following are a few examples of the work that will be in Strom's exhibition:

In No. 7, Sheila Gallagher and Marley Tomic-Beard, 2006, after Botticelli's Anunciation, Strom begins to move away from the traditional picture plane. With this subtle departure, Strom is now creating a multi-dimensional experience for the viewer. A palpable energy is provoked between the two figures.

No., 8, Ann Carlson, 2006 interrogates Etienne Jules-Marey's early efficiency expert studies. These late 19th century photographs captured the body in time to further understand the body's production potential during the early industrial period. Strom's video activates the figure, capturing a meeting point between human gesture and mechanical movement.

Strom has exhibited nationally, including, ICA Boston, ICA, L.A., New Museum, NYC, MOMA, NYC, Walker Art Center, MN, and The Chicago Art Institute. She has also exhibited internationally from Spain, to England, to Germany. Strom has been the recipient of many prestigious awards and grants, including the Rockefeller Foundation, Multi-Arts Project Grant, The LEF Foundation Grant, and the National Endowment for the Arts. Strom is currently resides in Boston, and is a faculty member at SMFA, Boston.

For further information or press packets, please contact Kristen Dodge, [email protected], or call 617-437-1518.