The Myth of Perfection: Alexandra P. Spaulding & Amanda Wachob

The Myth of Perfection
Alexandra P. Spaulding & Amanda Wachob
February 24 – April 1, 2017
Opening reception: Friday, February 24th 6 - 9pm

BT&C gallery announces The Myth of Perfection featuring work by Alexandra P. Spaulding and Amanda Wachob. The exhibition opens on Friday, February 24th with a reception from 6-9pm and will run through April 1st, 2017. Gallery hours are Fridays 12-7pm and select Saturdays 12-4pm (during exhibitions), or, anytime, by appointment (716-604-6183).

Artists Alexandra P. Spaulding and Amanda Wachob both create conceptual work using non-traditional media. Presented in The Myth of Perfection are extremely personal work by both artists— work which is not immediately perceived as autobiographical. Included are wall-hung sculpture constructed with neon and mirrors by Spaulding paired with a video piece and two-dimensional work (prints on fabric and paper) by Wachob.

The exhibition shares its title with Spaulding’s commanding 6-foot neon and mirror text-based sculpture. Her recent text pieces are executed with lengths of white neon that she then paints black and mounts on a mirror, the aesthetic result is the light we see is the mirror’s reflection. We cannot help but see ourselves in Spaulding’s work—you cannot avoid your own image as you gaze at her constructed one. Spaulding is fixated on the history of Minimalism, a “boys club” which she finds difficult to accept. Though Spaulding finds inspiration in the Minimalist aesthetic, she sees little room for the female in what art history defines as a male dominated visual language. It’s not incidental that this language takes perfection as its ultimate goal.

A recent series of banners by Amanda Wachob is also included in The Myth of Perfection. These banners (pigment prints on satin) present manipulated digital images that involve tattoo work (also executed by Wachob herself), either on physical skin or other surfaces. Each banner is connected to a personal story—a brief anecdote, or an entire relationship, the details of which are not accessible to the viewer. The banners can be considered as flags, allowing us to explore the metaphor of a "red flag"; we sense a warning, even though everything appears normal on the surface. Wachob explains:
A flag is a signaling device; it is a way to communicate purpose and intention. Sometimes, it can be an immediate indication of friend . . . or foe. This body of work is a visual diary, full of comrades and adversaries.
These works are at once deeply personal and universally accessible. The idea of tattooing and general body modification is in line with Spaulding’s statement of the “myth of perfection.” What is perfection? Why should we strive towards the hegemonic ideal?

ABOUT THE ARTISTS
Alexandra P. Spaulding is sculptor whose work explores light, sound and reflection including aural immersive installations. Born in Buffalo in 1979, Spaulding returned to the United States in 2012 after living in the UK for nearly a decade, and currently lives and works in Buffalo. She received her BFA from The Tisch School of the Arts at New York University, and her MFA and PhD from The Glasgow School of Art. Since 2005, Spaulding has focused her practice on enhancing her own understanding of the ineffable and, more specifically, how a combination of sound/noise music, light, and architectural spaces when combined can generate ineffable experiences. She has exhibited locally, with notable installations at The Castellani Art Museum and Hallwalls Contemporary Arts Center, as well as internationally and her work is held in various private collections around the world.

Amanda Wachob is a Brooklyn-based artist who is internationally know for her innovative and conceptual work with the tattoo medium. Her canvases include fruit, leather, linen, and skin. She has done projects with The Metropolitan Museum of Art, the New Museum, the Museum of Arts and Design, and is currently working on a project with The Whitney Museum of American Art. Publications of her work included the books Forever Blue and Bodies of Subversion: A Secret History of Women and Tattoo and she has been a contributor on NPR and the BBC. Pioneering the watercolor tattoo movement and actively bridging the gap between tattooing and fine art, Wachob was recently named one of “The 50 Most Creative People in the World” by AdAge and Conde Nast.

ABOUT BT&C GALLERY
Established in 2013, Body of Trade and Commerce (BT&C) Gallery is a commercial art gallery that builds the career of artists based in Buffalo and beyond, and fosters a base of emerging and seasoned collectors. BT&C Gallery opened at 1250 Niagara St, Buffalo in June 2014.

BT&C is open Fridays 12-7pm and select Saturdays 12-4pm (during exhibitions), as well as anytime by appointment.

For more information, please contact Anna Kaplan, Gallery Director at (716) 604-6183 or anna@btandcgallery.com. Visit www.btandcgallery.com and follow BT&C on Instagram (@btandcgallery) and Facebook.