As seen on the cover of "Off the Wall," in the 7days in LA of the New
Times and listed in Flaunt magazine...
don't miss
LAURA ASHFORD: MAGIC CHICKS
Fetishistic paintings and installation of magic women portrayed on
television
Cherry is pleased to present Magic Chicks by artist Laura Ashford. The
exhibition runs from April 14 through May 20, 2001. The opening
reception is Saturday, April 14 from 7:00 - 10:00PM.
Presented like a modern day Pantheon to TV deities, Magic Chicks offers
twenty-eight fetishistic oil paintings hung in linear filmstrip fashion
around the gallery. Laura Ashfords heavily varnished paintings depict
women from popular television series from 1964 - 2001, who for one
reason or another are endowed with magical powers. Some of the women
represented from earlier years are Samantha from Bewitched, both
Catwomen from Batman, Jeannie from I Dream of Jeannie, Isis, Wonder
Woman and even Sister Bertrille from The Flying Nun. The current
heroines are the likes of Xena, Buffy, the sisters from Charmed and Dark
Angel.
In this modern day temple installation, a theme song soundtrack resounds
as if in place of a cherubic choir and traditional alter flowers welcome
the viewer. The floor is lined with carpet and the gallery window bears
a double spiral time logo aluding to stained glass and designating the
years of "magic chicks" from 1964 until 1980 and then the resurgence
from 1994 until the present.
The time spiral logo articulates Ashfords theoretical investigation for
this exhibition. From 1964 until 1980, the American television audience
enjoyed many now iconographic "magic chicks". During the time period of
1980 until 1993, there was a black hole for the magic/fantastical
female character. In recent years (1994 until the present), America has
been given once again a new batch of modern day witches, warriors and
powerful sci-fi women. Many cultural and social questions are raised
from this disjointed timeline and from the display of a rarely
considered lineage of female heroines. Ashfords installation allows
room to ponder these questions, as well as provides a setting for
reverence, memory and consciousness on a mass and personal scale.
Laura Ashford lives and works in Los Angeles. Ashford received her BFA
from CalArts. She is a painter and also works as a high end visual
effects artist at Rhythm and Hues.
Announcing the fifth show of its second season, Cherry continues to
present emerging and mid-career artists and provide freedom for them to
consume the space and transform it to suit their expression.
The gallery is located at 2411 Glencoe Avenue at the corner of South
Venice Boulevard, five blocks east of Lincoln Boulevard. Hours are
Saturdays and Sundays 1-4 PM or by appointment.
For more information contact Mary Leigh Cherry
310.880.2790 or maryleigh@....
