Artist Statement
Utilizing drawing, printmaking and time-based digital media, my work addresses issues of history, society, politics, identity and truth. Most often this is achieved by manipulating art historical images or infusing their modes of representation with my own ideas and imagery. All my work questions our sense of place, whether it is historical, social or physical. A series of maps takes a familiar, objective object and introduces subjective qualities. In other pieces, Picasso’s Guernica is defaced, historical prints are reworked or faked, art historical images compose an animated history of the western world and eorge Washington and Abraham Lincoln scold the White House through song.
A secondary concern of my work deals with reality. What is truth? How can we be sure events, especially historical events happened as reported? How authoritative are historical visual documents? Can history be molded from the present? These are some of the questions I ask myself and my audience. By manipulating historic visual material, I am able to undermine the authority and power of historical images. At this moment in time, when the American government is willing to deliberately rewrite recent history, I find that the blurring of historical fact and fiction offers a fascinating terrain in which to make art.
Technological advancements have taken mankind from the cave to luxury skyscrapers, but for the past 40,000 years he has continued to make the same mistakes over money, power and ideology. I seek to draw attention to those mistakes across a diverse range of media, in hope of a broader dialogue of where we have been, where we currently are and where we are going.
About Untitled (Gun Project)
The idea for the project started a few months after I moved to Philadelphia and realized that it is the Wild West here. Multiple people get shot every day and in 2006, we had 317 people killed by firearms. The numbers were a little lower last year and look like they'll be down for this year. I made 5 life-size [wood-block] plates of inexpensive handguns and planned to make a print for everyone who was shot and killed. The idea was to make 2 editions: One that could occupy a small area in a gallery or exhibition space and the other to be placed around the city for passers-by to have.
The problem is I don't have a press and 650 hand-printed prints is not very appealing, so I've been putting it off. I have made some prints, but not a lot. The prints for 2006 become the prints for 2007 and now 2008.
I think the interesting potential for the project, is that it could work for any city. Gun violence occurs everywhere. Hell, I remember over the summer hearing about teenagers killing each other in Chicago. I think ideally, I would make multiple copies of the plates and then send them all over the country for people to print and distribute as they see fit. I'd almost be like a socially conscious Sol LeWitt…
CV
b. Tallahassee, FL, 1978 | lives and works in West Philadelphia, PA
www.rtpannell.com
EDUCATION
2006 MFA, Printmaking, with honors Rhode Island School of Design Providence, RI
Collegiate Teaching Certificate Sheridan Center, Brown University, Providence, RI
2004 Post-Baccalaureate Certificate School of the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, MA
2001 BS, Studio Art Florida State University Tallahassee, FL
EXHIBITIONS
2008 Short & Narrative Film Festival University Art Gallery, Chico State University Chico, CA
Superior Floor System Exclamation Gallery Philadelphia, PA
The Audacity of Desperation Indy Media Center in Urbana, IL / Sea and Space, Los Angeles, CA
2007 The Reality Show Little Berlin, Philadelphia, PA
81st Annual Int’l Competition The Print Center Philadelphia, PA
New Prints 2007/Winter International Print Center New York (IPCNY) New York, NY
2006 Printmaking MFA Show 55 Mercer St. Gallery New York, NY
Master Thesis Show RISD Museum Providence, RI
Versus Sol Koffler Gallery Rhode Island School of Design, Providence, RI
2005 Printmaking Department Biennial Rhode Island School of Design, Providence, RI
Boston Printmaker’s Biennial Boston University, Boston, MA
Student Annual Show School of the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, MA
2003 “Process and Materials” Pyramid Studios Tallahassee, FL
Print as Sculpture Florida State University Tallahassee, FL
On and Off the Wall Florida State University Tallahassee, FL
CURATORIAL EXPERIENCE
2007 The Reality Show Little Berlin, Philadelphia, PA
AWARDS
2005 Jury Commendation Boston Printmaker’s Biennial
2004 – 2006 Printmaking Fellowship, Rhode Island School of Design
