A Kind of Pain consists of single-channel video projection accompanied by sculpture. The installation explores the spiritual and ethical ambiguities of harvesting fish for food, while celebrating the animals as humankind’s evolutionary ancestors and investigating the crossover between the natural world and urban society. The installation’s sculptural component explores the relationship between desire and perspective with a fishing lure that hangs from the ceiling, suspended at eye level. A Kind of Pain challenges our perspectives on our ecosystem, examining what and who constitutes prey.
A Kind of Pain is on view at The Shed, New York, as a part of Open Call program from June 19 through August 25, 2019.
“Open Call is The Shed’s large-scale commissioning program dedicated to developing and presenting new works from artists based in New York City who have not yet received major institutional support. Panels of leaders in a wide range of disciplines—from the visual arts to digital media to theater and dance—reviewed more than 900 proposals for Open Call. They selected 52 emerging artists and collectives to receive support, space, and resources to develop their trailblazing projects at The Shed.
Organized by Tamara McCaw, Chief Civic Program Officer, Emma Enderby, Senior Curator, and Solana Chehtman, Director of Civic Programs, with Jesse Firestone, Open Call Assistant, and Alessandra Gomez, Curatorial and Program Assistant”
Soundtrack composed by Chuck Bettis
A Kind of Pain, 2019. Walnut log, resin, automotive paint, stainless steel, HD single-channel video, sound. Photo: Lily Wan.
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
Special thanks to Aaron Suggs; Andy Barrett; Larry Orra; Lesley Ann Ferguson, Michael Mount; Chuck Bettis; Art Domantay, Yaddo; Robert Rising a.k.a. Black Lumberjack (NYCitySlab); Rich a.k.a. Big Rich, Tracy, and Josh Price (Ohio Fish Rescue); Greg Wittstock a.k.a. The Pond Guy & The Aquascape team; Dave Hale (Something Fishy); Brennan O’Connor; Amanda O’Connor; Noah Sparkes; Haoyan of America; Miho Nishimura; Koichi Kaizuka; Toshiya Fukuyama; Naoko Fukuyama; Kiyotaka Naito; Mitsunori Isa (Isa Koi Farm); Futoshi Mano (Dainichi Koi Farm); Kouzou Namekata (Nakamichi Suisan Co, Ltd); Shinichiro and Shinsuke Kobayashi (Ship TAISEIMARU); Mr. Nampu (Ship ITOMARU); Kenji Fukuyama; Hisako Komiya; Alec Strasser; Alexandra Limpert; Philip Suggs; Matthew Thomas; Roberto Flores; Orwayne Pryce; Eduardo Errera; Nana Hiramatsu; Azumi Hasegawa; Virginia Overton; Allison Freeman Weisberg (Recess); Gee Wesley (Recess); Jessica Lynne; Jasper Patch; Keiko Horie (Cape Town Resort); and Snack Chiaki.
