Behind the Fourth Wall

November 12–December 24, 2015 

 

Opening Reception:
Thursday November 12, 6-8 pm

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Pari Nadimi Gallery is pleased to present a solo exhibition of new work by Toronto based interdisciplinary artist Joe Hambleton. 

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In an attempt to create work that goes beyond his own personal boundaries and physical limitations, Hambleton blends computer programming with video and animation to create work that continuously changes with each viewing. His exhibition consists of two video installations, Behind the Fourth Wall ver. 2 and Waiting for Reset, both intimately related to the artist’s life and practice.

With Behind the Fourth Wall ver. 2, Hambleton finds inspiration in the cut-up technique popularized by William S. Burroughs and Brion Gysin. Through scripted software, he uses technology to obscure the true intent of his messages. With each repetition, hundreds of videos and audio tracks are continuously reconfigured together. Through these countless adaptations, he hopes his work is capable of finding the perfect composition of image, dialogue and sound to represent a period in his life. The resulting compositions constantly unveil new insights. By trying to hide within the technology of his software, Hambleton feels his work unintentionally has the potential of revealing something truly meaningful.

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In Waiting for Reset, Hambleton utilizes scripted software to add an element of chance within a more rigid narrative structure. With each repetition, his character’s routine is traditionally demonstrated through visuals and sound. However, unlike most scripted narratives, his character has the potential to change with each viewing. Hambleton uses his software to alter the odds that his character will break free from his monotonous life with each repetition. At first his chances are gradually increased. However, if his character fails to change his routine after a certain amount of repetitions, his chances begin to decrease. Hambleton doesn’t allow his work to end until his character succeeds, potentially locking them both in an endless cycle. The result is a dynamically shifting narrative structure that represents the complexity of his character’s disposition in a way thats not possible within traditional storytelling.

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Joe Hambleton was born in 1982 Windsor, Ontario, Canada.  He is a graduate of the University of Windsor and York University where he received his MFA in Visual Arts.  He is currently teaching Digital Media and art at York University. He has been exhibiting extensively nationally and internationally including: Tiles VI, Musée d’art de Joliette (Joliette, Canada), 2010, Fragments, Geborgen Kamers (The Hague, Netherlands), 2009, World One Minutes exhibition – Today Art Museum (Beijing, China), 2008, Emirates Film Competition (Al-Dhafra Hall, Abu Dhabi), 2007.