Publications
The Chatter of Culture
Lorna Brown / Robyn Laba / David Zink Yi
Lisa Robertson
Edited by Melanie O’Brian
Designed by Jeff Khonsary
5.5” x 8.5 “ / 52 pp / 12 B&W images / 9 colour images
ISBN 978-0-921394-56-3
A nod to Theodor Adorno’s discussions of the culture industry, leisure, and the “chatter of culture,” this publication brings together works that approach the anatomy of world-weariness. The works simultaneously reveal cultural overload to be curiosity-crushing as well as breeding grounds for new ideas. It has long been argued that (successful) art sustains curiosity and speculation rather than answers questions or provides conclusions, as scientific information intends to do. The publication assembles the documentation of two exhibitions held at Artspeak in 2007 that included the work of Lorna Brown, Robyn Laba, and David Zink Yi with a new poem by Lisa Robertson, About 1836 (an essay on boredom). Robertson was invited to write in consort with the themes of the exhibitions. The works represented here centre around investigations into cultural chatter, edging towards an articulation of a subjective yet social phenomenon.
Lorna Brown is a Vancouver artist, curator, and educator. Since 1984, her work has been shown in exhibitions at Dazibao, Montreal; Presentation House Gallery, North Vancouver; Contemporary Art Gallery, Vancouver; Gallery 44, Toronto; Canadian Museum of Contemporary Photography, Ottawa; Tapei Fine Arts Museum; and Artspeak, Vancouver, among others. Her recent independent curatorial projects include Set and Group Search: Art In The Library.
Robyn Laba is a Vancouver based artist. Since receiving her BA in Art History and Studio Art from the University of British Columbia in 1998, she has had solo exhibitions at the Or Gallery, Vancouver and her work has been included in group exhibitions at the Vancouver Art Gallery and Charles H. Scott Gallery, Vancouver.
Lisa Robertson is a poet currently based in California. Recent books include Occasional Work and Seven Walks From The Office For Soft Architecture: Essays , Toronto (Coach House Books, 2006), The Men, Toronto (Bookthug, 2006); Occasional Works and Seven Walks from the Office for Soft Architecture, Astoria (Clearcut Press, 2003); Doubt, Vancouver (Artspeak, 2002); The Weather, Vancouver (New Star Books, 2001); Soft Architecture: A Manifesto, Vancouver and Montreal (Artspeak and Dazibao). She teaches at the California College of the Arts.
David Zink Yi lives and works in Berlin. His work has been shown internationally, including solo exhibitions at Museum Ludwig, Cologne; Kunstlerhaus Bremen; Johann König, Berlin; Hauser & Wirth, Zurich; and in group exhibitions at Bronx Museum of Art; Kunsthalle Dusseldorf Rheinlande und Westfalen; CCA Wattis Institute; Kunstverein Dusseldorf Rheinlande und Westfalen; Kunsthalle Mannheim; and Manifesta 5, among others.
Price $17.00
