[Exhibition curatorship]
“The Roosevelt’s Picnic”
Curated: Yujin Song
Style: Object/ installation/ photography
Keywords: Ephemeral / Teddy Bear & Pig skin / ambivalence
Paula Blower works with ephemeral materials such as pig’s skin. She likes to experiment to contrast the image of the material she uses and objects she creates with them. The Teddy Bears that she created represent contradictory natures combined in one body: a cute looking doll in deadly pork skin. Depending on how far you look from it, you will feel the ambivalence between the object and material.
The ephemeral material and the ambivalence in viewing the object from different distances, provides a metaphor to everything in our world: a beautiful facade with darkness never too far behind. Superficial charm from far away and uncomfortable truth up close.
The exhibition “Roosevelt’s PIcnic” is all about the irony of cuteness, acting as a reminder of the superficial surface and the story behind. When you enter the space, you will hear the song “Teddy Bear’s Picnic”. The melody is bright and pleasant, contrasts with the lyrics and its sense of gloom. You see Teddy Bears sitting here and there. They look just cute and harmless in a distance, meanwhile you will see raw dead pork skin up close.
In a corner of the space, the big Teddy Bear sits on a pillow looking welcoming. You can sit next to him and have a silent conversation. If you feel lost for words around the inanimate guests then the dialogue on the wall will guide your imagination towards the story of the Teddy Bear.
This exhibition also shows the amount of work that goes into making the Teddy Bear. It takes enormous amount of manual labor and time to handle with pig skin as a material. The creation of Teddy bear is a very intimate craftsmanship.
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