IN MY HOUSE 5
Susan Plover presents a solo collage series for 'In My House 5'. Her works aren't actually physically installed but rather overlayed using photoshop onto a staged image of each room. This is to give the images a more intangible quality, and create a surreal effect. The viewer notices that the images don't sit quite right in the space and a conversation is provoked in their presentation. The series responds directly to the house, with Plover constructing these surreal collages in response to the rooms they are presented in. The exhibition consists of five rooms, in which reside a collage work, along with a short prose the artist has written to accompany each piece. Susan describes her process for this show;
"The call out for " In My House,"by curator Abi Miller has inspired me to create this new series of works. My Creative intention was to take an original approach to the concept of the history of rooms within a property .To this end, my narrative for each space was driven from a departure point of imagination,creating original fictional pieces depicting what may have happened in the rooms. Using a host of found fragments and borrowed images from my most treasured artists, I have created a deliberately surreal narrative for each room space. Within my practice I employ wordplay as a deliberate device and often layer pieces with dark humour.
"PARLOUR GAMES,"is a visually rich patterned piece, that on closer inspection has a rather dark and sinister narrative.The magician's gaze is revealed as somewhat inappropriate.
The music room riffs playfully upon "THE LAST POST," whilst hinting at the sadness of a Dear John letter announcing the end of a great love.The rich colour palette emphasises the drama of the piece.
The kitchen piece is titled, "DOMESTIC GODDESS,"featuring Dora May styled upon a washing machine plinth seen receiving a proposal of marriage in return for her prowess in culinary tasks.
"WHORE IN THE BEDROOM,"is a reaction to the old fashioned phrase suggesting a woman should be all things to a man.
It deliberately shows as a diptych,contrasting the well starched female to the naked figures caught enjoying sex!
Finally, the bathroom scene, "ALL WASHED UP", is based upon an image from photographer Gregory Crewdson, placed as if housed within a bathroom cabinet. My aim was to invite the viewer to voyeuristically gaze at the classic nude centre stage."
PARLOUR GAMES.
Dusty air.
Fumbled advances.
Lies.
Are you sitting comfortably?
Legerdemain.
Stoic.
LAST POST.
Blood red velvet.
The dragging cackle of lost voices.
78.
Broken black and white fingers.
Smudged ink on yellowed papers.
The metronome beats to a forgotten tune.
DOMESTIC GODDESS.
Clinically clean iced marble,
Dead roses.
Perfectly regimented domino tiles.
Freshly baked bread.
Copper lamps hanging like carrion crows.
Silence within the whisper
grey walls.
WHORE IN THE BEDROOM.
Crisp counted linen.
Tousled shag-pile.
Virginal billowing voile.
Locked top drawer.
Smeared lipstick mirrors snarl.
The slow tick of the bedside clock.
ALL WASHED UP.
Grey flesh reflected.
Leaning heavily on a cold clear panel.
Secret rituals.
Hair silently falling.
A razor invites escape.
The endless dripping of time.
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