Margaret Realica - Elements

Sculptor Margaret Realica, known for her fusion of the mechanical and the nostalgic, had a showing at the Frame of her most recent work from the 2nd-29th of October. The eight most recent pieces contained elements of transparent photographs, metallic components,gears and electrical wires. Her use of warm nostalgic imagery juxtaposed, with the hard mechanics lets each piece stand on its own. They have a bold presence and a certain level of sophistication within each piece.

Realica's process entails the reconstruction of objects as a method of deconstructing concepts. “To see the interaction between the two,” Realica explains, “the affect of one upon the other [is to see] the images of one transforming within the other.” The transformation is evident and enticing to the eye. The colors are rich and soothing with subtle textual elements existing within the photographs. The mechanical components are non functional but still important to the body of the art work. Without those elements her work would be feel complete.

Noise Can Be Hostile: Seven, Eight, Seven, Five (REVISITED)

In July and August of 2009, Montserrat College of Art graduate (2009) Anthony Montuori created an evocative, minimal visual landscape with 27 used speakers pressed upon the glass, inspired by the ambiguous, yet often dueling definitions of public and private spaces by calling our attention to the glass that separates the street from the gallery. The audible mash-up included bits of classical music, stand-up comedy, readings of theory, sounds of people coughing and clearing their throats, and tracks from post-mod DJ Girl Talk. Visitors were able to hear a murmer of the audio through the glass, but had crystal clear reception when picking up the telephone that had been installed outside the gallery.

For Noise Can Be Hostile: Seven, Eight, Seven, Five (Revisted), Montuori collaborated with artist Daniel Phillips to remix the space once again. Montuori and Phillips documented themselves with still photographs adding debris from Philliips' current installation Tear Down These Walls (on view in the 301 Gallery) and rewiring the audio element of the original Frame 301 piece. In their final rendition, the phone installed outside exists as the only way to receive the sounds from inside the Frame and and stop-motion video of the work the artists did was also installed within the storefront space. The messages of both artists were strengthened by their collaboration, which highlighted their mutual concern for issues of conceptual and spatial appropriation and use.

"Working with Daniel and Anthony was a rewarding experience" said Amber Hakim, a work study for the 301 Gallery. "Helping create this whole new environment changes your understanding of space, while it may have looked off putting at first glance you start to notice all the little quirks and different elements that were amongst the debris. The sound aspects of the installation were a total spin on what we normally would hear through a telephone."