Buffalo Rising Online

Oct 9th 2008, 10:33am By Sandra Williams Gordon

A question to be considered: What does 'being absent' mean? That question is explored at Artspace – Being Absent, opening Friday.

Being Absent, the third exhibition at Artspace brings things home. Brain child of Soyeon Jung and Joanna Gillespie, this invitational exhibition of 19 former UB MFA graduates, most of whom have been 'absent' from the city and scattered throughout the country, bring home their vision and the meaning of migration away and memory forward.

This video exhibition is a unique opportunity to view fresh, experienced emerging artistic talent of which Buffalo has a long history. (Think Sherman, Longo). For those who are familiar with the artist's work, it is a homecoming and an opportunity to view their continuing artistic development.

Rarely is a gallery situated for an entire video installation. But with Artspace, the venue itself becomes, in a sense, part of the installation, and invites you to explore, interact and sit on a comfortable couch to view the stories explored through video arts. "This is much more personal than any other experience that you would get anywhere else – in any other gallery in Buffalo," states Gillespie, Artspace resident and exhibition co-planner.

Once a part of Main Street that was absent of art, of community, Artspace is growing roots, reconnecting, bringing art to the community and community to art.

Roots and community have a special resonance with Soyeon Jung, curator and exhibiting artist of Being Absent, whose work relates to her memories of her home in Korea and her new home in Buffalo. She is experiencing settling down in a new home, but with memories from the past inhabiting that space.

Sarah Paul's site specific video piece can be seen from the front on Main Street on Saturdays from 6-8.

Dietmar Krumery's curiously humorous video installations of performance art that explores the dichotomy of identity and futility with our environment, should prove enticing.

Hans Gindlesberger, an Ohio native, who's photographic and video imagery explores/mines the landscape and psychological sense of place and belonging, aptly states, "I think everybody appreciates Buffalo more after they leave; even if they don't have great affection, they appreciate the experience of being here. So I think that there is a desire to come back and contribute again."

Of the 19 artists, 12 or more will be present at the opening. The opening night reception features a singular video screening of video shorts at 9PM, that are extra additions of the artists work. While these short videos will be rotating during the exhibition, this is the only time to see them all together.

This exhibition is free and open to the public.

Being Absent – opening reception, Friday, October 10th, 7 – 11PM. With special one night only video screening at 9PM.

The exhibition continues through November 15th.

Gallery hours for this event are as follows: Fridays and Saturdays, 12-4, with additional hours Saturday 6PM-8PM.

The exhibition will close on Saturday, November 15th with a Pecha Kucha event at Hallwalls Contemporary Art Center, 341 Delaware Avenue, beginning at 8PM.

To see the list of exhibiting artists, please visit the Artspace link below.

Artspace Buffalo Gallery
1219 Main Street
Buffalo, NY
716-803-6205
http://www.artspacebuffalo.org/current.html

This image above is a montage of photographs -- all self-portraits of the artists in Being Absent. Soyeon Jung asked each artist to photograph one of his or her own body parts. The body images will be displayed in the first section of the exhibition, with the video and sound installations shown in the main gallery space. This montage image is used on the back of Soyeon's postcard.