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  Aernout Mik > Park (2002) and Pulverous (2003)
 
 

Park (2002) and Pulverous (2003)

Both Park (2002) and Pulverous (2003) are projected onto a screen like video and film, yet they violate most conventions of cinematic structure and dramatic technique. Aernout Mik's presentations have no discernable beginning or end. There is no clear story line, no antagonist or protagonist, and no cause and effect. Perhaps most importantly, there is no dialogue-no sound whatsoever. Characters proceed mutely through their motions, offering no clear motivation or apparent rationale for their behavior.

Instead, Mik's work challenges assumptions of what constitutes "expected" behavior by denying logical conclusions. The artist also seems to question how people determine what is real, or genuine, in others' gestures when so much speech and action is contrived-a mere act? By removing the focus from the individual and submitting the dynamics of group behavior to intense scrutiny, Mik challenges viewers to reexamine the energy they invest in their own actions and perceptions. This is Aernout Mik's first solo museum exhibition in the United States.

Aernout Mik (Dutch, born 1962)
Pulverous, 2003
Video installation
Courtesy the artist and carlier | gebauer
(Inside gallery)
Pulverous (2003) was inspired by the Native American tradition of potlatch, a ritual feast in which the host destroyed valuable items as a display of superior wealth. Three cameras simultaneously focus on different scenes within the ritual.

The mysterious groups congregated around a large tree in Park (2002)—menacing melee, environmental rally, or homeless community—characterize the ambiguity found in Mik’s work.

Aernout Mik (Dutch, born 1962)
Park, 2002
Video installation
Courtesy the artist and carlier | gebauer / The Project
(Outside entrance)

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