News
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Steve Christensen
LUMA
312.915.6164
schris6@luc.edu
Who's Counting and Temporal State of Being on Display through October 28, 2012
CHICAGO, July 12, 2012 – Two works by filmmakers and video artists David and Hi-Jin Hodge, Who’s Counting and Temporal State of Being, are currently on display at the Loyola University Museum of Art (LUMA) through October 28, 2012. Consisting of photographs and video installation, the exhibition examines contemporary life by asking, “Just how much do we need in life?”
Who’s Counting began as a project to answer the question, “How many things does one need to survive in this life?” and resulted in the artists making the conscious effort to de-clutter their living space. The Hodges systematically counted and photographed all of their possessions in their small apartment in Stockholm, Sweden. Room by room, the artists examined their possessions, from teaspoons to pillowcases. Inspired by Hooked!: Buddhist Writings on Greed, Desire, and the Urge to Consume, an anthology edited by Stephanie Kaza, the Hodges created this photographic series about collecting material possessions as a temporary means of ameliorating anxiety. This collection of their findings now poses the question to the audience, “How many things do you own?” The number may surprise you.
Temporal State of Being works to reveal a second, often over-looked aspect of modern life: the ubiquity of the box. This work explores the idea that 21st-century life is lived to a surprising degree in the context of boxes of our own making. From the rooms in which we sleep, eat, or watch a movie (which are contained in a larger box we call “home”), to the car, garage, or office building—how does the “boxiness” of our civilized environment affect the way we see, feel, and experience the world?
David Hodge and Hi-Jin Kang Hodge are a husband and wife team of filmmakers and video artists. They have created video installations for exhibitions around the world. Their pieces typically blend editorial materials and innovative uses of technology to explore complex social questions. Above all, they create aesthetically appealing work that identifies foundational principles and expands on them through multiple viewpoints. Their work has been shown at many national and international venues, including the Nobel Museum in Stockholm, the Yerba Buena Center for the Arts in San Francisco, and the Centre Pompidou in Paris. Their multi-part video work, Closer by the Minute, is being presented as LUMA’s current online exhibition.
Image Credit: David Hodge and Hi-Jin Hodge, Who's Counting (Kitchen 258 Items), 2011, photo mounted aluminum, 48 x 32 in. Courtesy of the Artists
About LUMA
Opened in 2005, the Loyola University Museum of Art is dedicated to exploring, promoting, and understanding art and artistic expression that illuminates the enduring spiritual questions of all cultures and societies. As a museum with an interest in education and educational programming, LUMA reflects the University’s Jesuit mission and is dedicated to helping people of all creeds explore the roots of their faith and spiritual quests. Located at Loyola University Chicago’s Water Tower Campus, the museum occupies the first three floors of the University’s historic Lewis Towers on Chicago’s famous Michigan Avenue. For more information, visit the museum’s website at LUC.edu/luma.
Art illuminating the spirit!
-LUMA-
