![]() ![]() ![]() With her handwoven coverlet Security Blanket (Drums of War), Smith has evoked the politics of textiles. A limited edition print of the song sheet accompanies the show. Donning a replicated Civil War-era uniform and carrying a handcrafted flag, haversack, and rifle-all deposited in the gallery after the event-the artist mounted Hobby Horse and sang a lullaby, set to the time-honored battle hymn “When Johnny Comes Marching Home.” However, Smith replaced the original lyrics, which are celebratory, with her own, which speak of living in divided times of cultural impasse. The performance staged by Smith at the exhibition’s opening further engaged this duality. Standing more than nine feet tall, the oversized object lays bare the militaristic spirit of this old-fashioned plaything and probes equestrian statuary’s commemoration of bloodshed. Todd Johnson Todd Johnson Source: FinePix S3ProĪllison Smith’s Artpace project continues to examine how political meaning can reside within aesthetic forms and to employ history to comment on current events.įeatured is Hobby Horse, a performance-based sculpture of the traditional child’s toy, complete with horsehair, glass eyes, and handmade bridle. ![]() Security Blanket (Drums of War), 20061126 Todd Johnson 71 x 51 inches 71 x 51 inches Wool and linen overshot,Hand woven by Leigh Alexander of Charleston,SC. ![]()
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