The exhibition is titled “ÆMPIRE AGAIN\” and examines the ignored undercurrents that haunt the studios of every artist working in America. By exploring the hidden dynamics of power and control in contemporary art, I hope to delve into a crucial yet often overlooked aspect of the artistic process and its surrounding environment. The title itself, with its blend of classical and modern connotations, suggests a deep exploration of the structures that influence and, at times, constrain artists.
The exhibition title, ÆMPIRE\ (“a empire”), is intentionally grammatically incorrect—a strategic error to announce dominion with a disregard for the soft rules that maintain civility and intellectual standards. “A” rather than “An” assures the reader that leaders of an Empire abide by no rules, especially the rules of language. Wrong but legible, confident in its presence. An improper “A+E” ligature elaborates this transgression. This erroneous use of an antiquated symbol under the guise of sophistication, Æ, is often misused in contemporary design, usually for stylish reasons. The symbol Æ is also known as “ash.” There is a grim poetic to beginning an Empire with “ash,” possibly foreshadowing the literal falling ash as it quietly punctuates a catastrophic collapse. The exhibition title ends with an arbitrary backslash, successfully offering an illusion of symmetry and order. A symbol robbed of its meaning and repurposed for aesthetics. The backslash functions to separate descending computer files, placing ÆMPIRE\ at the top of an informational hierarchy.
Curated by: John O'Donnell
Hartford Art Space Gallery, Hartford, CT.
Opening: Oct 10, 2025 - 6-9 PM
Curated by: John O'Donnell
Hartford Art Space Gallery, Hartford, CT.
Opening: Oct 10, 2025 - 6-9 PM
