Purging of the Past: Part 1

February 4 - March 10, 2012
Opening reception: Friday, February 3 from 5 to 7:30 pm 

Purging of the Past: Part 1 is a collaboration by Memphis-based artists and University of Memphis students Kia Lola and Veronica Birmingham.
The multimedia installation explores themes of violent behavior, sexual deviance, distortion of love, and abnormal sexuality. The work is influenced by Edward Kienholz's Roxys. At first glance, nothing seems to be unusual in Kienholz's landmark 1962 room-sized environment. However, when taking a closer look, viewers will discover seven distorted doll-like figures that inhabit the space; assembled from mannequins and flea-market junk they present lives of abuse and quiet despair. Lola and Birmingham's space will be fashioned after a small mobile home. It too will tell stories of abuse and first reveal its true nature when viewers take a closer look.

About ArtLab

AMUM's ArtLab is intended to be a space for new, experimental, unreviewed, non-mainstream, and otherwise under-represented work that demonstrates the potential to broaden boundaries for the understanding of expression and ideas.

Art exhibited in ArtLab will likely raise more questions than provide answers and may be intrinsically controversial. ArtLab is intended to provide a forum for work that is in progress. The activities in this gallery should stimulate dialogue in the community as well as generate new ideas and involvement among artist and Museum visitors.

Artists interested in showing their work in this space may download the ArtLab prospectus and submit a proposal for consideration to AMUM.