VALERIE HIRD: THE MAIDEN VOYAGES PROJECT: AN INTERACTIVE EXHIBITION
VALERIE HIRD: THE MAIDEN VOYAGES PROJECT, an interactive exhibition comprising the physical illustrated diaries of five women as well as the computer animated version of the recorded entries, will be on view at the Nohra Haime Gallery from July 20th through September 11th.
Long fascinated by the Middle East, Hird convinced four women from the region – Iran, Egypt, Jordan and the Palestinian West Bank – to keep a detailed journal of their activities on the same day of every month, for one full year. The artist herself, an American from Vermont, also kept a record of her personal experiences for that shared day. Hird then collected and translated from text to images the daily entries. The diaries featured are the visual narratives of the personal stories of these five women – of whom all but one wished to remain anonymous to the artist.
As Hird interprets and renders a pictorial testimony of the daily routines, reflections, and emotions of each woman, she attempts to present the viewer with an honest glimpse of their contemporary realities. The result is a sequence of crisply rendered – using graphite, ink pen, water color, gouache and asphaltum – and heavily collaged images, characterized by their discernible richness and powerful meaning. Variations of style, reflective of each woman’s individuality and writing style are evident within the different books.
Arranged horizontally in interrelated grids, many of the illustrations are dedicated to the mundanity of work, home and family – the most accessible aspects of daily life, yet the least understood in our exposure to other cultures. The collective narrative is a cross cultural experience that attempts to make the lives of real women of varying countries, religions and backgrounds accessible to the viewer who is otherwise unlikely to experience that level of intimacy first-hand. Defying Western stereotypes, Maiden Voyagesreduces the overwhelming issues of religion, cultural difference and politics to a more human and intimate scale. Given a few moments in front of these stories, the viewer is immediately plunged into the common, yet singular lives of these women.
Also on view is the interactive and animated, hand drawn, version of the project, enlivened with music chosen by the diarists and embedded within their imagery,
In 2008 Hird was granted an award from the Community Foundation of Vermont. She has exhibited widely in the United States and abroad. Her work belongs to such public and corporate collections as The Rhode Island School of Design, Providence, RI, The Fleming Museum, Burlington, VT, The Exxon Corporation, Dallas, TX, Pfizer Inc., among others. Born in Massachusetts in 1955, Hird moved to Vermont in 1979, where she currently lives and works.
For a preview of the Maiden Voyages project: visit http://www.youtube.com/watch?
For more information on the project: www.maidenvoyagesproject.com
DATES: July 20 – September 11, 2010
RECEPTION FOR THE ARTIST: Tuesday, July 20, from 6 to 8 p.m.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Ana Maria de la Ossa at 212-888-3550
NOHRA HAIME GALLERY
730 FIFTH AVENUE
NEW YORK, NY 10019
212-888-3550 fax:212-888-7869
