Manifest Destiny
Lizzetta LeFalle-Collins || [ CURATORIAL STATEMENT ] use compass to view walls
Curatorial statement
Berlin's new Moeller Fine Art shows Mildred Howard's work in a three person show entitled Manifest Destiny, the nineteenth century doctrine used to justify the territorial expansion of the United States as God's will. The show includes two other artists, Tom Molloy from Ireland and Simon Norfolk from England/Nigeria. Moeller Fine Art specializes in 20th and 21st century art--Surrealism, Dada, Post-War and Contemporary art. Working in different media, the artists consider America's imperialistic agendas while addressing issues that include democracy, freedom, religion and race. In this gallery that boasts stellar Surrealist and Dada artists such as Marcel Duchamp, Mildred is showing works from her 2007 show at Paule Anglim Gallery in San Francisco, CA. Important pieces such as Meret--her fabricated fur chessboard with chess pieces resourced from silver-topped crystal salt and pepper shakers--is a nod to Meret Oppenheim's surrealist masterpiece fur-lined tea cup and spoon from 1936. Mildred's work is often a commentary on cultural or political issues that affect the disenfranchised, whether the focus is on political stupidity as in Which Came First, a piece that OD-CAP featured as she searched for just the right chicken head to crown the dome of the US Capitol Building. By the way, the rest of the chicken didn't go to waste but made a delicious meal of chicken and dumplings. With six works in this show, Mildred includes The History of the United States with a Few Missing Part, Volume: I& II, two books riddled with bullet holes that deal with misinformation due to the absence of information in American history. One book is opened to pages that discuss the Louisiana Purchase, discrimination against Native Americans and Haiti's rebellion led by Toussaint L'Ouverture. The other book reveals contradictions in the text on the Statue of Liberty that welcomes immigrants to the US. Mildred also includes humorous pieces such as Black, White and Red All Over consisting of three long handle cast-iron pans that seem to grow out of piano stools. Duchamp's Bicycle Wheel, (original 1913) inspired the work, but her pans actually simulate paint cans and their handles the paint as it pours into the stools. Kiss the Cake is a self-effacing portrait. Her hands hold a rolling pin that has rolled up dough in the shapes of her own lips and chin. It refers to the more common term, "kiss the cook" a reward to a woman for a well-cooked meal. The show runs through November 7, 2009.
Moeller Fine Art opened in April of this year and is run by Stephanie Moeller, the daughter of Achim Moeller who began his gallery business in London in 1972, but relocated to New York in 1984. Mildred's work was included in Moeller Fine Art's selection at art forum berlin this past September and she also has a solo show planned at the Moeller in the spring of 2010.
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Berlin's new Moeller Fine Art shows Mildred Howard's work in a three person show entitled Manifest Destiny, the nineteenth century doctrine used to justify the territorial expansion of the United States as God's will. The show includes two other artists, Tom Molloy from Ireland and Simon Norfolk from England/Nigeria. Moeller Fine Art specializes in 20th and 21st century art--Surrealism, Dada, Post-War and Contemporary art. Working in different media, the artists consider America's imperialistic agendas while addressing issues that include democracy, freedom, religion and race. In this gallery that boasts stellar Surrealist and Dada artists such as Marcel Duchamp, Mildred is showing works from her 2007 show at Paule Anglim Gallery in San Francisco, CA. Important pieces such as Meret--her fabricated fur chessboard with chess pieces resourced from silver-topped crystal salt and pepper shakers--is a nod to Meret Oppenheim's surrealist masterpiece fur-lined tea cup and spoon from 1936. Mildred's work is often a commentary on cultural or political issues that affect the disenfranchised, whether the focus is on political stupidity as in Which Came First, a piece that OD-CAP featured as she searched for just the right chicken head to crown the dome of the US Capitol Building. By the way, the rest of the chicken didn't go to waste but made a delicious meal of chicken and dumplings. With six works in this show, Mildred includes The History of the United States with a Few Missing Part, Volume: I& II, two books riddled with bullet holes that deal with misinformation due to the absence of information in American history. One book is opened to pages that discuss the Louisiana Purchase, discrimination against Native Americans and Haiti's rebellion led by Toussaint L'Ouverture. The other book reveals contradictions in the text on the Statue of Liberty that welcomes immigrants to the US. Mildred also includes humorous pieces such as Black, White and Red All Over consisting of three long handle cast-iron pans that seem to grow out of piano stools. Duchamp's Bicycle Wheel, (original 1913) inspired the work, but her pans actually simulate paint cans and their handles the paint as it pours into the stools. Kiss the Cake is a self-effacing portrait. Her hands hold a rolling pin that has rolled up dough in the shapes of her own lips and chin. It refers to the more common term, "kiss the cook" a reward to a woman for a well-cooked meal. The show runs through November 7, 2009.
Moeller Fine Art opened in April of this year and is run by Stephanie Moeller, the daughter of Achim Moeller who began his gallery business in London in 1972, but relocated to New York in 1984. Mildred's work was included in Moeller Fine Art's selection at art forum berlin this past September and she also has a solo show planned at the Moeller in the spring of 2010.
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