September 29, 2012 - January 2, 2013
Fairy Tales, Monsters and the Genetic Imagination is an exhibition of works by contemporary artists who are inspired by the fantastic stories and characters of myths, fairy tales and science fiction in which the boundaries between human and animal are blurred.
Whether in mythology, fairy tales, or science fiction, these stories and their wondrous characters are often thought of as children's entertainment. But as the artists in this exhibition demonstrate, while the novelty of invented creatures makes them delightful or frightening, they also have a serious dimension; they can cause us to reconsider our notions of what it means to be human. This takes on a new immediacy today, when scientists are able to conceive new species by mixing and matching existing genetic material.
For the artists in this exhibition, the hybrid body- whether imagined or potentially real-
expresses hidden desires, ancient fears, the
intrigue of transformation and the wonderful
irrationality of life's paradoxes. Fairy Tales,
Monsters and the Genetic Imagination includes
approximately 60 paintings, photographs,
sculptures and video works by contemporary
artists from Canada and around the world,
including David Altmejd, the Chapman
Brothers, Trenton Doyle Hancock, Patricia
Piccinini and Cindy Sherman.
Read the gallery guide before you see the exhibition.
From The Frist Center for Visual Arts in Nashville, Tennessee, curator Mark Scala speaks about the Fairy Tales, Monsters and the Genetic Imagination exhibition.
Image credit:
Patricia Piccinini, The Long Awaited, 2008. Silicone, fiberglass, human hair, leather, plywood, fabric. Collection of Penny Clive.
This exhibition is organized by The Frist Center For Visual Arts, Nashville, Tennessee
