* READING ROOM *
> colleen hennessey >
I propose to create a reading area consisting of an 8’ table on sawhorses with four chairs. In this area I will present several ongoing series of my work in book format. I work in series of photographs, drawings, and text that focus on daily life and the relationships between objects. My method is to observe patterns and systems within the environment, singling out phenomena for documentation over time. I equalize the man-made and natural worlds in my work, using the same methods to examine patterns in waiting lines at the US-Mexico border, Disney Land and K-Mart that I use to examine the growth patterns of bougainvillea. Scientific observation has become so professionalized that the average person doubts their own ability to discover the world around them. In my work I borrow methods of documentation, charting and analysis from the sciences, while taking a playful approach to documenting everyday phenomena. Following are brief descriptions of the books to be presented:
Los Angeles Water Dramas: Four sets of photographs documenting water flow and usage in Los Angeles: California Aqueduct, Controlled Water, Control Houses, Run-Off Water
Freeway Abnormalities: Film-still-like photographs of cars and drivers pulled over on the side of freeways, getting tickets, having car trouble, regrouping after an accident. Each photograph is a fragmentary clue to an implied narrative.
Waiting Lines: A series of drawings presenting aerial views of patterns created by queues at Disney Land, the US Mexico border, K-Mart and other locations.
Bougainvillea and Friends: Photographs documenting the intertwining growth patterns of bougainvillea with other plants, in March, the height of the bougainvillea season in Los Angeles.
Documentary-Bird Behavior: In this photographic series I took on the role of a naturalist to document birds in my backyard.
Nonnative Couples: Images of non-indigenous plants that have flourished and grown together in California.
A Few: Descriptions of extinct animals are paired with drawings of microorganisms, representing animals we’ve never seen.
Green and Others: Square photos in varying shades of green and other colors, documenting unattended growth in urban LA landscapes during the rainy season.
After the Sun Burns the Earth: Drawings from the perspective of a future alien archaeologist of the fortunate objects that have survived after the sun burns the earth: an electric can-opener, fuzzy dog toy, etcetera