Nicholas Cueva
“Dolium Volvitur: Art Movements throughout time”
April 28 – May 19, 2012
Opening: Saturday, April 28, 6-9pm

Opening Reception Saturday April 28, 2012 6-9pm

Artist Discussion at 8pm

“Our tools and modes have changed, but the rudimentary behavior appears to be the same. A child with a crayon and a child on computer may draw the same things. The oldest sculptures known are of nude women, as are some of the most contemporary. We may tell ourselves that the reasons we make things now are different, but can we say they are only different insofar as the mode of language use and the tools are different? Isn’t the hardware still the same?
Can’t it be said that art that does well at its job usually finds the more novel approaches to the art object and idea? This can work to the extent that the art object can even cease needing to physically exist. But doesn’t it still work with the same ideas and images, only with fancier tools and more contemporary language.
An alien species observing our history wouldn’t easily recognize what we call irony or critique. Wouldn’t they just see centuries of people making pictures of food, bodies, tools, landscapes, geometry, etc.? Is the language game we play just a way to excuse ourselves from knowing we are making the same things over and over, without this realization?
I love historical artifacts. I love souvenirs and keepsakes. I love factoids. I don’t love them because of themselves… just the fact that they betray something really human. I love them like I love chess pieces. They are tools we make to play a game and ultimately I love the game.”

Nicholas Cueva received his MFA from the School of the Art Institute of Chicago. He lives and works in New York.

Autumn Space
www.autumnspace.com
1700 W Irving Park #207
Chicago, IL 60613
Hours: Saturdays 2-5pm and by appointment
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