NeueHouse partners with Fotografiska to present a preview of Infamous, an exhibition by renowned artist Andres Serrano. Opening on September 24th at NeueHouse Hollywood before an extended run at Fotografiska New York this October, Infamous is a photographic exploration of the long history of deeply rooted racism in the United States. Throughout his illustrious career, Serrano has directly confronted the zeitgeist with provocative works. In this exhibition of over 30 photographs of racist artifacts, he continues to hold a mirror to the nation’s recent, dark past.
On the exhibition, Serrano shares “Infamous is an excavation into Man’s inglorious past. Seen through objects and images that paint a disturbing picture, it’s an exhibition imbued with the patina of tainted history. They tell the story of infamy with varying degrees of bigotry and insensitivity. Although we want to believe that ‘what happened in the past stays in the past’ history proves us wrong.”
In 2019, Andres Serrano began buying and photographing objects with a sense of infamy attached. Serrano acquired KKK hoods, consumer products depicting caricatures of Black people, violent documentary photographs, and more, most of which were previously owned and purchased directly from the homes of Americans. By creating a visual catalog of evidence that includes reductive and virulent portrayals of Black Americans, the artist challenges viewers to confront the country’s racist history and consider its influence on culture and society today.
The exhibition text is authored by Hamza Walker, Director of LAXART, an independent nonprofit art space in Los Angeles who shares that “Serrano is an unabashed image-maker, photographing people, places and things from which most of us would rather turn away, whether out of shame, disgust or outright offense.”
On the importance of the exhibition, Walker adds, “While Serrano is none too shy in deploying such hyperbole, in this instance it is offset by photographs of postcards and canned goods, sheet music and rag dolls, a box of nails and a bottle of gin, all reminders of blackface’s journey from stage and screen entertainment to its wholesale proliferation in the form and package design of countless everyday products. And while we want to relegate them to the dustbin of history come again as eBay, we need only look to the recent mea culpa issued by Prada and Gucci to realize those products still have purchase on our present.”
“Fotografiska serves as a safe haven of innovation, community, inclusivity and self-expression,” says Yoram Roth, Chairman of Fotografiska, “Our mission is to inspire a more conscious world and we believe this exhibition welcomes the opportunity to share and elevate new perspectives. We encourage dialogue about uncomfortable or difficult issues presented in the work on view.”
INFAMOUS AT NEUEHOUSE HOLLYWOOD
September 24th – October 6th 2020
Infamous will be on view by appointment at private workspace and cultural home, NeueHouse Hollywood, from Thursday September 24th until Tuesday October 6th with time slots from 11am until 2pm and 4pm until 7pm. Tickets for Thursdays and Saturdays include a complimentary individually packaged alcoholic beverage and light bite to be enjoyed on the terrace at NeueHouse Hollywood’s restaurant, The Table. General admission tickets are available by appointment at $12 and tickets with food and beverage are priced at $24. All ticket profits will be donated to Black Artist Fund, an initiative which gives money directly to Black artists to combat systemic inequity in art.
Address: NeueHouse Hollywood is located at 6121 Sunset Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90028. Tickets: www.neuehouse.com/neue journal/infamous-by-andres-serrano.
INFAMOUS AT FOTOGRAFISKA NEW YORK
October 23, 2020 – March 2021
Infamous will be on view at Fotografiska, from October 2020 through March 2021. The museum is open Wednesday through Sunday, 11am until 9pm and is closed Monday and Tuesday for cleaning, private tours, and personal shopping. The museum offers free admission to First Responders and Frontline Healthcare providers through 2020.
Address: 281 Park Ave South at 22nd Street, New York, NY 10010. Tickets: www.fotografiska.com/nyc/visit.
