AC [Institute] Presents Lemeh42: Sightlines, April 16 - May 9, 2009

AC [ Direct ] I / II and AC [ Chapel ]
April 16 - May 9, 2009 / Opening: Thursday, April 16, 6-8pm
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Lemeh42: Sightlines
AC [Direct] I presents “Sightlines,” by two Italian multimedia artists who go under the collective name Lemeh42. A digital collage of video, animation and performance, their work explores classic narrative structures and eclectic storytelling—reformulating them into non-linear, spacio-temporial alter realities. Finding inspiration from science, art, figurative painting and avant-garde literature, the videos become surreal worlds with their own rules; rigid and mysterious at the same time.

Righteous Killing of a Beautiful Fly is based on a recorded performance at Lemeh42’s theater stage. Taking inspiration from the ancient Greek myth of Icarus, the work re-examines the traditional story as a profound metaphor and testament to contemporary life. In the piece a young man surrounded by feathers lies dead in his childhood room where all his unrealized memories and dreams exist forever, like him, in a perpetual state of stasis. Similar to the tragic Icarus, his ambitions are too great and too far for him to reach, destroying him in the end.

Also evolving from one of Lemeh42’s performances, Study on Human Form and Humanity #01 was filmed on location and then digitally collaged and edited. The title reflects the two aspects and processes of the work: a choreography of the positions and movements of a sleeping human body and the expression of “humanity” manifested through the written dreams that are transposed onto the body and conduct its individuals movements.

Working together since 2005, Lemeh 42 have been shown extensively in international exhibitions and have been the receipients of numerous awards such as their latest one, the ICEBERG Prize (Bologna, Italy) as well as being chosen to represent Italy at the BJCEM 2009 (Skopje, Macedonia). Their work has been repeatedly selected by major international videoart festivals including the Cyprus Short Film Festival, where they received the honor of “Best Experimental Editino” for their work Flor de la Alhambra and the New Media Art Biennale, (Madeira, Portugal) where they also were awarded first prize for their work Study on Human Form and Humanity #01.

For additional information about the artists please contact AC [Institute Direct Chapel] at [email protected].

About AC [Institute Direct Chapel]
AC’s mission is to advance the understanding of art through investigation, research and education. It is a lab and forum for experimentation and critical discussion. We support and develop projects that explore a performative exchange across visual, verbal and experiential disciplines. We encourage critical writing that challenges conventional expectations of meaning and objectivity as well as the boundaries between the rational and subjective. Art Currents is a non-profit 501©3. AC [Institute Direct Chapel 547 W. 27th St, 5th Floor, #519-529, New York, NY 10001 www.artcurrents.org email: [email protected] Gallery Hours: Wed, Fri. & Sat: 1-6pm, Thurs.: 1-8pm