Christopher Rose and Terrence Hannum
March 23 - May 5, 2007
Take2 will present the work of two young American painters; New York based Christopher Rose, and Chicago's Terence Hannum. The majority of the work has been created specifically for this exhibition which represents the first time Rose and Hannum have been shown together.
It's equally as difficult to imagine presenting the work of two painters without beginning at the question of "why paint," as it is to imagine what new, or fruitful discussion could come from that interrogation. Take2 will present the work of two painters who are clearly engaged in the process of selecting their subject matter, material and method in a world where this conundrum is viewed as a given.
Take2 as a title, has multiple resonances. Formally, both artists are working from still images, often derived from film or video, which are then transferred a 3rd time to paint. Both artists revisit events that might be seen as spectacular phenomena: the accident and subsequent pile-up on a highway at rush hour, and the moment within a concert where a fan's camera flashes and bleaches out the scene. Both artists have also, for this exhibition, been "taken" and brought to Berlin.
Christopher Rose takes found photographs as a starting point. Manipulating and projecting the images, he then reworks the image to investigate the energy and dynamics within a group situation, be it a riot, strike, protest or massive traffic jam. Rose has been featured in a number of U.S. and international exhibitions. Most recently his work was the subject of a solo exhibition in Paris, at Galerie Brissot & Linz.
Chicago based Terence Hannum also centers on the live event. In Hannum's case, the work often begins with a filmic documentation of a live concert. Following this, Hannum slows down and distorts the source to concentrate on the moment where the documentation breaks down. Within this moment Hannum finds a moment to gain access, interpret, translate, remember, invent and forget. In February, Hannum's work was shown in the Museum of Contemporary Art of Chicago's 12x12 Series which features emerging new artists from the city.