1 2 PLANET OF THE ARTS | DECEMBER 1995 THE BLUE RooM Access GALLERY UNTIL DECEMBER 9TH. Edward Pien: The Blue Room Those of you who have been fortunate enough to have taken a class with [ECIAD Studio Instructor] Edward Pien will know the emphasis he places on producing a lot of work. It will come as no surprise then, to know he does not only dish out this advice but also follows it. In the installation currently showing at Access Gallery, Pien has installed over 300 drawings from part of a larger series of work called “Image Bank”. As you enter the gallery, you are greeted by a wavering deity which threatens evil spirits and foreshadows a humourous aspect of the installation. As you would imagine, the Blue Room is a space filled with blue. The mood is exotic and familiar. Having to enter the main gallery space through blue veils sets a precedent which encourages the viewer to enter a more intimate, cur- tained space giving the viewer access to the bank of drawings extended to “heaven and hell” by mirrors placed at ceiling and floor. The drawings communicate simply and directly the central themes of sex, death, pleasure, and pain, while gathering depth and complexity through the serial nature of the work. In this way, each one enlightens those previous to reveal a throng of humourous, strange, and intriguing scenes. As you view the work it is easy to be lulled into the sea of images. The speci- ficity of an image may not enter the mind at first, but just as you're about to move on to the next, something — a line, a gesture pulls you back into the drawing to realize a secret. In his artist statement, Pien refers to three sources or “realities”: “The dominant motif comprises images taken from gay porn magazines. These close-cropped images of faces caught in the midst of an orgasm (‘la petite mort’), expressing pleasure or pain, set the over- all mood. The second reality consists of a mix of images I appropriate and manipulate...The third reality incorporates images that emerge from the different lev- els of my own consciousness.” During discussion with Pien, he stressed the impor- tance of the colour blue to the installation, not only as a unifying structure, but also in setting the mood of the piece (red being too obvious a colour for the theme, Pien chose blue for its seductive, blue-movie quality). Pien challenges the concepts of pleasure and pain in a subtle, engaging manner - commentary that is far from obvious. As well as being a great instructor, Edward Pien has proved he can brilliantly negotiate the territory between drawing and installation. -Louise Thornton “®& oe col thing fll Christmas Hokum The Shepherd’s Play & The Molestics! December Thurs. 14 Malcolm Lowry Room Tues. 19 The Glass Slipper Fri. 22 Broadway Express Sat. 23. New York Theatre Information call 253-2447 Student Loan Survival Guide Well, it’s nearing the holiday season, and for all of you ‘living’ off a stu- dent loan, here are some helpful tips to make that money last... ® Decorate your house, apartment or tent with stolen milk crates. Learn to enjoy household pests and rodents as an important source of nutrition. Sell bootleg Cindy Lauper albums. Fire the maid. Sell your soul. The Americans are buying. Wash Lloyd Axworthy’s car. Learn to cook entirely with free condiments. Have one lung removed. Your body will require less energy to operate and if you‘re a non-smoker, this organ can often be sold for a handsome price. Commit a crime. A correctional institute will give you free food and lodging. Downgrade from premium cable to basic cable. re, Bo mester fanny = eee 7 —* 12 ruweroF me ns | oecewex 1995 “Tae Bive Roo ‘Acciss Gauumy unm. Decenar 9TH Edward Pien: The Blue Room ‘Those of you who have been fortunate enough to have taken a class with [ECIAD Studio Instructor] Edward Pien will know the emphasis he places on producing Tot of work It wil come as no surprise then, to know hae does not only dish out this advice but also follows it In the installation currently showing at Access Gallery, Pien has installed over 300 drawings from part ofa larger series of work called “Image Bank’ {As you enter the gallery, you are greeted by a wavering deity which threatens evil spirits and foreshadows a Ihumourous aspect ofthe installation. As you would ‘magine, the Blue Room isa space filed with blue. The ‘mood is exotic and familiar, Having to enter the main gallery space through blue veils sets a precedent which encourages the viewer to enter a more intimate, cur- tained space giving the viewer access to the bank of drawings extended to *heaven and hell” by mirrors placed at ceiling and floor. The drawings communicate simply and directly the central themes of sex, deat, pleasure, and pain, while gathering depth and complexity through the serial nature of the work. In this way, each one enlightens. those previous to reveal a throng of humourous, strange, and intriguing scenes. As you view the work it fs easy to be lulled into the sea of images. The speci- ficty of an image may not enter the mind a first, but {just as you're about to move on tothe next, something. a ling, a gesture pulls you back into the drawing to realize secret. Im his artist statement, Pien refers o three sources or “realities”: “The dominant motif comprises images taken from gay porn magazines. These close-cropped images of faces caught in the midst of an orgasm (Ia petite mort), expressing pleasure or pain, set the over all mood. The second reality consists of a mix of Images | appropriate and manipulate.The third reality incorporates images that emerge from the different lev- els of my own consciousness.” During discussion with Pien, he stressed the impor- tance of the colour blue to the installation, not oly as a unifying structure, but also in setting the mood of the piece (red being too obvious a colour forthe theme, Pen chose blue for its seductive, blue-movie quality) challenges the concepts of pleasure and pain in ‘a subtle, engaging manner ~ commentary that is far from obvious. As well a being a great instruct Edward Pien has proved he can brilliantly negotiate the territory between drawing and installation. “Louise Thornton. “® Jom UT On} catch Hing Christmas Hokum The Shepherd’s Play &The Molestics! December ‘Thurs. 14 Malcolm Lowry Room “Tues. 19. The Glas Slipper Fei 22. Broadway Express Sat. 23, NewYork Theatre Iaformation all 253-2447 Student Loan Survival Guide Well, t's nearing the holiday season, and for all of you ‘living’ off a stu- dent loan, here are some helpful tps to make that money last. © Decorate your house, apartment or tent with stolen milk crates. © Learn to enjoy household pests and rodents as an important source of nutrition. © Sse bootleg Cindy Lauper albums. © Fire the maid © Sell your soul, The Americans are buying. © Wash Lloyd Axworthy's car © Learn to cook entirely with free condiments. © Have one lung removed. Your body will require less energy to operate and if you're a non-smoker, this organ can often be sold for a handsome price. © Commit a crime. A correctional institute will give you free food and lodging. ‘© Downgrade from premium cable to basic cable,