Review

A review of Mary Ann Strandell: Indexes of Mediated Space

Mary Ann Strandell, "Pink Camp," lenticular print, 10" x 10", 2009. Image: courtesy of the artist

JRB Art at the Elms
Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
May 7 — 31, 2010

In her latest exhibition Mary Ann Strandell goes Baroque — but in a thoroughly post-modern way. At first glance, this sweet collection of decorative paintings would be perfect for your mother’s tea room (if she had a tea room). Elaborate Queen Anne chandeliers, statuettes of frisky couples in 17th-century dress, and delicate china patterns populate Strandell’s aesthetic vocabulary. These kitschy elements seem to be arbitrarily combined with sketches of waterfalls, dams, songbirds, and, strangely enough, modernist architecture. But be patient, spend a little time with her works, and you may discover Strandell’s wonderfully wicked side.

Mary Ann Strandell, "Weir," oil on canvas, 70" x 48", 2008-2010. Image: courtesy of the gallery

The work in Indexes of Mediated Space varies in medium: in addition to traditional oil on canvas paintings there is a video installation, and a whole slew of lenticular prints. Though in each work, regardless of what form it takes, Strandell follows a set formula: she layers her subject matter with pools of gradated pastel hues, chinoise decorative motifs, and Mondrian-esque squares of flashing color. In the ambiguous space of Weir, for instance, Strandell depicts a small statuette of a kissing couple amongst a watery blue surface with a large dam and a garland of fruit. Against the pale blue background, these objects almost float across each other, submerged as they are in a deep sea of cool color. They seem to float just below the surface of the picture plane, blurry and irretrievable.

After seeing several costumed figurines (such as the one pictured in Weir) on display at The Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art, Strandell was inspired to create this new series, which she titled Pop Baroque. With it, she sought to transpose the spirit of the French Salon to the viewer.

Objects with no apparent purpose but their strong visual appeal often appeared in the rooms in which aristocratic women would lead cultural and intellectual meetings with the greatest minds of the day. These ornamental pieces were certainly not the subject of discussion: they were visual signifiers of elegance, taste, and wealth. As such they soon became associated with the whole concept of the Salon. Various manifestations of the Salon have emerged since the late 17th century, but today’s salons are markedly different because they exist virtually. Strandell writes: "Site is no longer a locale as 'place' as it is also a hyper-space, experienced as a virtual memory system defined by Google and Steve Jobs."

Mary Ann Strandell, "Pallette( Estherhazy)," oil on canvas, 40" x 40", 2004-2010. Image: courtesy of the artist

The audience need not know the historical depth these works possess to enjoy them, though that context will certainly enrich the viewing experience. In that respect, Strandell’s works are truly decorative. But to Strandell, decoration has much richer connotations. Objects, even those made by machine, signify a time, a place, and a culture. History and context may be fluid concepts, but they are made real by the tangible. For that reason, Strandell’s images could be said to advocate for the ornamental. Therefore, as more of our society goes online, we must ask ourselves to consider the cultural costs of a virtual world, and what will be left behind to show for it.

Mary Ann Strandell, "Monkey Light," diptych, oil on canvas, 70" x 90", 2008-2010. Image: courtesy of the artist

Note:

Mary Ann Strandell's work will be featured by the Byron Cohen Gallery in Kansas City, Missouri, along with Liu Hong, Grant Miller, and others, June 4 through July 31, 2010.

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