MOMMYHOOD
CHIRE REGANS (VANTABLACK), PABLO CASTOLDI, LAURA MARSH, JULIO GONZALEZ and DAVID ROHN + DANILO DE LA TORRE
Feb 18, — Apr 10, 2024
Dot Fiftyone Gallery is pleased to present "Mommyhood," an exhibition featuring new works by Chire Regans (VantaBlack), Pablo Castoldi, Julio Gonzalez, Laura Marsh, and a video installation by David Rohn and Danilo de la Torre.
After the legendary founders of Rome, Romulus and Remus were traditionally believed to be the sons of Rhea Silvia, the daughter of Numitor, the king of Alba Longa. Deposed by his younger brother Amulius, Numitor forced Rhea to become a Vestal Virgin, vowing chastity to prevent her from giving birth to potential claimants to the throne. Despite this, Rhea bore twins, Romulus and Remus, fathered by the war god Mars. Amulius ordered the infantsto drown in the Tiber River, but the trough they were placed in floated down the river and came to rest at the future site of Rome, near the sacred fig tree Ficus ruminalis. There, a she-wolf and a woodpecker—both sacred to Mars—nursed and fed them until discovered by the herdsman Faustulus.
Mommyhood is a group show of artists exploring the concept of a common alignment, a profound emptiness that we can identify, responding to the moment when the maternal essence descends upon loved ones, whether they are family, friends, or even a state.
The driving force behind the quest for divine beauty is love, and much like the act of giving birth, it is a miracle that we come to understand, transcending traditional boundaries.
VantaBlack presents a complex central installation hanging from the gallery ceiling—braids, plumes, knots, forming suspended totems reminiscent of their mother's hairstyles. The color and virtual specialty are demarcated in medallion forms, representing headdresses—a synthesis of privacy and sacred fantasies. Pablo Castoldi portrays a woman with a joyfully playing child in large-format drawings, emphasizing the state of grace in the presence of nothing but happiness. In another graphite drawing, a monumental, smiling baby transforms the observer into the nurturing mother; true roles are inherent and spontaneous. Laura Marsh introduces a textile intervention of a written letter to U.S. President Joe Biden where ink becomes fabric, then print, defining times and tribes. The state as parenthood and support. Julio Gonzalez features his work, "Contacto." This urban performance, documented in video, captures a physical interaction through a kiss between the artist and a cholita transgender from the Alto district of La Paz, Bolivia. In this piece, Gonzalez challenges deeply ingrained societal typologies in Bolivia, questioning not only local norms regarding gender but also traditional conceptions of race, beauty, and love.
In the video room of the gallery, David Rohn and Danilo de la Torre offer a sneak peek of an ongoing documentary film that delves into the queer culture of South Beach, paying homage to one of Miami's pioneering drag queens: Henrietta Robinson. Henrietta, a trailblazer, comprehended and supported the generations that fought for and established LGBTQ rights. Her story positions her as a symbol of Gay and later Trans Liberation. The video contributes to understanding how she persevered, overcame challenges, and triumphed by embracing her uniqueness—elegantly transcending any sense of bitterness or cynicism.
"Mommmyhood" is an exhibition that reflects upon an excessively monetized world, emphasizing that an unconditional action is the sole provider of sustenance for the human experience.