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Acid Migration of Culture

Ligorano Reese

1994 00:08:50 United StatesColorStereo4:3Video
Tags:
Installation, Politics

Description

Acid Migration of Culture occupied the main windows of the Donnell Library, the branch of the New York Public Library directly across from the Museum of Modern Art. The piece concerns the hot topic of censorship in the arts with statements from over fifty artists, critics, politicians, and religious leaders. 

The frame in this case is a 45-foot long photo mural that shows the open pages of a dictionary. The words defined on these two pages cover the entire alphabet:  terms such as ‘art,’ ‘blasphemy,’ ‘civilization,’ ‘diversity,’ ‘family values,’ ‘freedom,’ ‘representation.’ 

Set into each page like portholes or wormholes are two video monitors, without sound, that present a range of opinions in scrolling text, accompanied by a photo identifying each speaker as well as intermittent images, such as flames over landmark legal texts and once-banned books spinning across the screen.  At the center where the pages meet are the doors to the library.

– Jason Weiss, “The Book Talks Back:  the video books of Ligorano/Reese” Felix magazine

Nora Ligorano and Marshall Reese have dedicated themselves to the art of collaboration since they first met in Baltimore. Their earliest collaborations began in video art and performance. Over three decades the artists have created hardware and software art, limited edition multiples, videos, sculptures and installations using a range of materials, traditional and digital processes.

In 2008, they began installing temporary public monuments during the political conventions, a series called melted away. These sculptures of words carved in ice are filmed, photographed and streamed as they melt away and disappear. They have presented 7 sculptures in 10 different cities at the conventions in 2008, 2012, and 2016. Ligorano Reese are currently developing an exhibition of new work, including video on the climate crisis.

Articles about their work have been published in the New York Times, Art Forum, Art In America, the Huffington Post, and seen on television and other media. They have received awards and grants including 3 NYFA fellowships as well as a NEA fellowship, two Jerome Foundation Fellowships, a Puffin grant and a number of artists residencies. They are represented by Catharine Clark Gallery and show edition work with Jim Kempner Fine Art.