‘Chasing the Whale’ is an exhibition in which several artists interpret Melville’s Moby Dick, beloved for its psychological and spiritual symbolism. Danielle Wallace’s Moby-Dick Tea Set, 2009 features a large central, grey/whitish teapot (the whale) surrounded by warmly colored mugs (the seamen). It pours its essence (the tea) into the mugs (the humans; one is even crippled, as per Ahab). This is the idea of the whale as Self, or essence, cleverly employed and beautifully executed (only one white mug seems out of place).
Kathleen Piercefield’s Fedallah, 2008 places the doomed whaling ship Pequod in the background, high on the paper, with Fedallah ( the Persian fire-worshipper and harpoonist secretly brought on board by Ahab) in the foreground. His head seems to merge with the ship while from the neck down - 2/3 of the piece - he occupies the ocean. The head/ship is artifice; the black jacket and body are ocean (and hence the unconscious). Fire emanating from his hips, though purportedly representing his Parsi beliefs, seems more indicative of sexual energy. His hands in his pockets imply secrecy. Is this Fedallah, or a symbol of all the sailors, or even humanity as a whole? -A.C. Frabetti
'Chasing the Whale,' curated by Robert Wallace, at Gallerie Zaum, 811 Monmouth Street, Newport Kentucky 41071, tel: 859-441-3838. Featuring artists Fred North, Kathleen Piercefield, Carola Bell, Laura Beth Thrasher, George Klauba, Abby Schlacter Langdon, Ashley Thieissen, Holly Doyle Mcatee, Laura Bird Knight, Christopher Roach and Danielle Wallace. Through Nov. 21.
Note: There will be a complete out-loud marathon reading of the Longman Critical Edition (paperback, 2007)of Moby Dick on Saturday and Sunday, November 14 and 15, from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. at Gallery Zaum. Readers (and listeners) wanted - Visit http://www.doodle.com/gu8rdzyv5bhe6cpp to sign up for a 20-minute reading slot. This will be the first Marathon Reading of Moby-Dick in the Greater Cincinnati Area. It commemorates the original 11/14/1851 publication. The complete reading of the book out loud usually takes about 24 hours.
Photos:
Wallace, Danielle. Moby-Dick Tea Set, 2009. Glazed Ceramics. Photo courtesy of Gallery Zaum.
Piercefield, Kathleen. Fedallah, 2008. Collagraph and monotype with hand coloring, approx. 24x36in. Photo courtesy of Gallerie Zaum.
