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The Clark Art Institute, Williamstown, photo by Steinkamp

Lehmann Maupin, New York, photo by Robert Wedemeyer

Lehmann Maupin, New York, photo by Robert Wedemeyer

Artist:  Jennifer Steinkamp
Title:
Rapunzel
Date: 
2005 - 2014
Dimensions:
  variable, approx. 10 feet high.
Equipment:
5000+ lumen projectors, computers.
Photo Credit:
Robert Wedemeyer, courtesy ACME., Los Angeles, and Lehmann Maupin, NY
Exhibition History:

  1. Lehmann Maupin, New York, May 20 - June 24, 2005, exhibited 3, 9, 10, 12.
  2. ACME., Los Angeles, California, curated by Robert Gunderman and Randy Sommer, June 3 - July 2, 2005, exhibited 1, 5, 6, 11, 12.
  3. Frieze Art Fair, London, Lehmann Maupin, New York, October 21 - 24, 2005, exhibited 7.
  4. Galeria Soledad Lorenzo, Madrid Spain, March 23 - May 4, 2006, exhibited 6, 9.
  5. Jennifer Steinkamp, San Jose Museum of Art, CA, curated by JoAnne Northrup, July 1 - October 1, 2006, exhibited 3.
  6. ARCO, Madrid, Spain, Soledad Lorenzo, Madrid, February 15 - 19, 2007, exhibited 10.
  7. Locks Gallery, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania , March 2 - April 14, 2007. exhibited 10.
  8. Towada Art Center, Towada, Japan, April 20, 2008. exhibited 1.
  9. Paisajes. En torno a la Colección MUSAC: MUSAC OFF, Museo de la Siderurgia y la Minería de Sabero, Leon, Spain, curated by Rafael Doctor and Agustin Perez Rubio, August 1, 2008 - September 28, 2008, exhibited 9
  10. ShContemporary Shanghai, China, Lehmann Maupin, Sept. 10 - 13, 2008, exhibited 11.
  11. Existencies, MUSAC, Spain, curated by Rafael Doctor, September 21, 2007- January 6 2008, exhibited 9.
  12. 2008 Americans for the Arts Awards, October 6, 2008, New York, exhibited 9.
  13. Hong Kong International Art Fair, Lehmann Maupin, May 27 - 30, 2010, exhibited 9.
  14. Jennifer Steinkamp, Leeahn Gallery, Korea, curated by Haekyung Kim, June 4 - July 3, 2010, exhibited 5, 12, 13.
  15. KIAF 2010, Seoul, Korea, Leeahn Gallery, curated by Haekyung Kim, September 9 - 13, 2010, exhibited 1, 2, 7, 10.
  16. Jennifer Steinkamp, Crocker Art Museum, CA, curated by Diana Daniels, October, 2010 - present, exhibited 10.
  17. KIAF, Seoul, Korea, Leeahn Gallery, curated by Haekyung Kim, September 22 - 26, 2011, exhibited 7 and 8.
  18. Art Stage, Singapore, Leeahn Gallery, curated by Haekyung Kim, Korea, January 12 - 13, 2012, exhibited 7 and 8.
  19. Sovereign Art Foundation, Hong Kong, February 21, 2013, exhibited 13.
  20. Wall, Columbus College of Art & Design, Columbus, Ohio, curated by Michael Goodson, February 21 - April 4, 2013, exhibited 13.
  21. Love & Loyalty, Leeahn Gallery, Seoul, Korea, curated by Haekyung Kim, November 28, 2013- January 15, 2014, exhibited 15.
  22. Taking Their Place, Madison Museum of Contemporary Art, Madison, Wisconsin, curated by Leah Kolb, September 18 - January 3, 2016, exhibited 9.
  23. GOD SAVE THE QUEEN, MUSAC, Museo de Arte Contemporáneo de Castilla y León, León, Spain, curated by Koré Escobar, Sept. 19 - Dec. 16, 2015, exhibited 9.
  24. Blind Eye, The Clark Art Institute, Williamstown, Massachusetts, curated by Esther Bell, June 29 - October 8, 2018, exhibited 5.
  25. Still Alive, Mirat Gallery, Madrid, Spain, curated by Álvaro Talarewitz, April 1 - May 10, 2019, exhibited 6.

Description: Rapunzel associates addiction, beauty, hair and flowers. It's based on the Grimm brothers retelling of the fairytale. In short, Rapunzel whose mother while pregnant had cravings for rampion flowers. Rapunzel's mother longed for the beautiful, edible flower that grew in the garden of a neighboring witch. She sent her husband to steal the flower, after being caught trying to steal the flower, they were forced to exchange their newborn daughter for a supply of flowers. The witch placed Rapunzel high out of reach in a tower, Rapunzel grew her hair over 50 feet for witch access, prince rescues her, etc. This is a story of a child who was given up for an addiction, a common occurrence in contemporary life. The installation consists of gently swaying vines projected onto the walls of the gallery; creating an enchanted garden within the gallery that evokes the witch's garden. The computer-generated vines were created with an algorithm that simulated hair. I attached flowers to the long hair/vines, as the hair moved the flowers held on.

The installation consists of gently swaying vines projected filling a wall.  The playful movement of the vines is seemingly natural, yet tension is created between the physical space of the gallery and the invented landscape.

Rapunzel is a self-portrait, starting off as a playful way to think about hair simulations and diving deep into the fairy tale titled Rapunzel, the story about the young woman locked in a tower with really long hair. In the beginning of the story, the part people tend to forget, the darker part, the idea of giving up your child to an addiction, where Rapunzel's parents do this when they give their child over to their neighbor in exchange for the flower called rampion. Similarly, my parents gave up my brothers and sisters and me for their addictions to alcohol and gambling. I believe creating a self-portrait can give the viewer a chance to know the artist and perhaps connect a little deeper to the artistic intensions. I recently worked on a Merce Cunningham dance performance, I had some time to meet the dancers, get to know them. This completely changed my experience of watching their performances; I was more fascinated. As with dance, movement in animation is another way to connect with the viewer, your corporeal body and mind feel it.

Part of the collections:
Madison Museum of Contemporary Art, Madison, Wisconsin, 9.
Bonte Museum, Jeju, South Korea, 1.
Crocker Art Museum, Sacramento, California, 10.
MUSAC, Museo de Arte Contemporaneo de Castilla y Leon, Spain, 9.
Towada Art Center, Towada, Japan, 1.

Movie Installation Documentation

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