22. April – 24. Juni 2012
Melanie Smith
Opening 22. April 2012, 11 a.m.

Melanie Smith, based in Mexico-City since 1989, deals with a wide range of issues of perception. Within her work visual contents of Western modernity are developed, analysed and brought into context with Latin American culture.
Within the video Xilitla Melanie Smith focuses the sculpture park Las Pozas de Xilitla, which was built by the English artist James Edwards in the 20th century. In Midst of the Mexican tropical rain forest a surrealistic landscape of architecture and concrete sculptures was constructed, which should imitate orchids amongst others. Smiths at first sight documentary like video work is enhanced into surreal when man-sized mirrors are carried through the image.

The paintings of Melanie Smith bring surfaces and process-related situations into focus. The pictures oscillate considering their perception constantly at the border between an almost appearance and the mere visual reality of the image. Picture by picture one imagine oneself at the beginning of something new. Acuminated moments of a physical experience – literally as well as in the sense of a visual representation – will be effected within the exhibition. Also socio-politically motivated works, like Bulto, are characteristic for Melanie Smith and will be shown. The exhibition is the first institutional solo show of Melanie Smith in Germany and especially new developed video works, paintings and installations will be partly shown.