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Carl Baratta and Laura Mackin
"Hurt to Death" and "April of '92 and Other Months," Contemporary Art Workshop, through Sat 24.
Blending an assortment of imagery, Carl Baratta’s work struggles to connect a surplus of loose connections. Starting with a backdrop of Asian landscapes, he adds a variety of fantasy- and science fiction–inspired figures in different poses. The individual works give little clues to his mysterious narratives, but as a whole, they add up to little significance. In fact, moving from one to the next only furthers the pervasive use of Chewbacca, mythology and magic in today’s artwork.
In the adjoining gallery, Laura Mackin has used found photos and videos as her source material. She has appropriated a video from the Salvation Army and recycled it as art. By doing so, Mackin has added a quiet, meditative beauty to the simple video of a man recording his own backyard. Making it her own, she has collaged elements of the narrative together to create digital photos with an assortment of Photoshop effects. These are not as successful as the video, because Mackin is at her best when she doesn’t overmanipulate imagery. In a collection of photos from eBay that reveal mirror reflections of their sellers’ homes, curious snapshots taken from odd angles present delightful musings on the popular practice of selling one’s used items online. As a whole, the collected imagery in her show becomes reminiscent of Found magazine, as it is filled with simple, everyday curiosities.—John McKinnon
