Transcript for the Piece Audio version of A tour of Jane Hammond's "Paper Works"
COMING AROUND A CORNER IN the MOUNT HOLYOKE COLLEGE ART MUSEUM, YOU MIGHT THINK THE GALLERY WAS EXPERIENCING AN ODD INSECT INFESTATION. BUT THE SWARM OF BUTTERFLIES THAT APPEAR TO HAVE JUST LANDED ON SEVERAL pieces OF ART ARE NOT INTRUDERS. THEY'RE PART OF ARTIST JANE HAMMOND'S VISION. SHE'S STANDING IN FRONT OF ONE OF THE BUTTERFLY-LADEN WORKS-- A GIANT, HAND-PAINTED MAP OF UGANDA AND RWANADA THAT'S COVERED IN THEM.
[Cart No:
Time: 23s
Title: WHAT THE BUTTERFLIES ARE DOING
Description: Jane Hammond Mt. Holyoke Museum exhibit
Out-cue: PLANNED THAN THAT]
THE PIECE IS PART OF A WHOLE SERIES of HAMMOND'S IN WHICH LARGE TOPOGRAPHICAL MAPS ARE TAKEN OVER BY BUTTERFLIES. HAMMOND SAYS THE IDEA FOR THE SERIES OF MAPS STARTED WITH a dream about IRAQ.
[Cart No:
Time: 26s
Title: dream about Iraq and butterflies
Description: Jane Hammond Mt. Holyoke Museum exhibit
Out-cue: fragile, beautiful objects]
HAMMOND MAKES THE BUTTERFLIES BY DIGITALLY SCANNING THE WINGS OF REAL INSECTS, AND COLLAGING THE PAPER COPIES WITH RICE PAPER BODIES AND ANTANNAE MADE FROM HORSEHAIR AND FALSE EYELASHES. THE BUTTERFLY IS JUST ONE OF A COLLECTION OF IMAGES THAT ARE REPEATED THROUGHOUT HAMMOND'S WORK. SHE CALLS THEM HER "LEXICON," A SORT OF VISUAL LANGUAGE OF IMAGES.
[Cart No:
Time: 19s
Title: lexicon of images SHORTER
Description: Jane Hammond Mt. Holyoke Museum exhibit
Out-cue: of information]
THOSE IMAGES POP UP IN ALL sorts of INCARNATIONS IN HAMMOND'S PAINTINGS, COLLAGES AND SCRAPBOOKS. THEY ALSO SHOW UP-- THOUGH SOMETIMES SLIGHTLY DISGUISED-- IN HER PHOTOGRAPHS. HAMMOND SAYS SHE WAS NEVER ALL THAT INTERESTED IN PHOTOGRAPHY. BUT WHEN SHE DID A SEARCH ON THE INTERNET FOR PICTURES OF HER FAVORITE IMAGES IN THE "LEXICON," SHE FOUND HUNDREDS. ONE NIGHT, SHE COULDN'T STOP THINKING ABOUT THEM.
[Cart No:
Time: 28s
Title: mash up misremembering
Description: alll jk
Out-cue: 6 DIFFERENT PHOTOGRAPHS]
THIS "TRICK-OF-THE-MIND" SET HAMMOND OFF IN A WHOLE NEW ARTISTIC DIRECTION-- which she calls "fictional photography." HAMMOND SCANS THE PHOTOS SHE WANTS USE, MANIPULATES THEM IN PHOTOSHOP, AND THEN CREATES A NEW NEGATIVE, MAKING A BLACK AND WHITE SILVER GELATIN PRINT OF THE PHOTO. MANY OF THEM LOOK ANTIQUE, AND VERY REALISTIC.
[Cart No:
Time: 36s
Title: comparing photos SHORTER
Description: Jane Hammond Mt. Holyoke Museum exhibit
Out-cue: what is going on here]
THE PHOTO SHE'S LOOKING AT IS TITLED "CHAI WAN." IT'S OF A HONG KONG TENEMENT BUILDING COVERED IN THICK LINES OF LAUNDRY LIKE GARLANDS ON A CHRISTMAS TREE. BUT IMMEDIATELY, YOU SEE THAT THIS ISN'T AN ORDINARY CITY SCENE: THERE'S A SKELETON STANDING ON ONE OF THE BALCONIES.
[Cart No:
Time: 19s
Title: folks in Chai Wan SHORTER
Description: Jane Hammond Mt. Holyoke Museum exhibit
Out-cue: different places]
HAMMOND SAYS she's trying to test people's assumption that photos always tell the truth. BUT SHE SAYS her photos ALSO ALLOW DISPARATE TIMES AND PEOPLE TO COME TOGETHER.
[Cart No:
Time: 19s
Title: photos are a collaboration SHORTER
Description: Jane Hammond Mt. Holyoke Museum exhibit
Out-cue: bounce off of]
A FEW WEEKS AGO, HAMMONd GOT AN EMAIL FROM A RECORD PRODUCER IN BEIRUT. HE'D FOUND THE PICTURE OF "CHAI WAN" ON THE INTERNET, AND HAD A PARIS-BASED LEBANESE MUSICIAN NAMED TOUFIC FARROUKH WHO WANTED TO USE IT ON THE COVER OF HIS NEW ALBUM. SHE ASKED HIM TO SEND HER SOME OF THE MUSIC.
[Cart No:
Time: 22s
Title: CHAI WAN MUSIC
Description: Jane Hammond Mt. Holyoke Museum exhibit
Out-cue: FIND EACH OTHER]
[FARROUKH'S MUSIC-- "LILI S'EN FOUT" UP HERE]
I'm Tina Antolini.
[MUSIC UP IN THE CLEAR, FOR A FULL MINUTE.]
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