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Algorithmia
Amy Vensel Opening reception: Friday June 13, 6-8pm Closing reception: Friday July 11, 6-8pm at 1411 4th St SW, 218 Algorithmia is an exhibition of abstract paintings by Amy Vensel that highlight the divisions in society driven by social media.
The title, Algorithmia, combines the words algorithm and arrhythmia. An algorithm is a set of rules and calculations used by social media platforms to prioritize the content users see. Arrhythmia is a condition in which the heart beats in an irregular rhythm, and is derived from the Greek word for “lack of rhythm.” Algorithmia reflects on how algorithms manipulating data within the apps to which we’re addicted distort facts and heighten divisions, causing a lack of harmony and rhythm. Algorithmia is a timely exploration of the relationship between disinformation and discord. The vibrant paintings in the exhibition present alternate versions of visual stories. In life, two people reading articles based on the same event can have two different conclusions based on the source of their information as presented by an algorithm. On the canvas, two related but divergent elements are divided by a black band, as if the two sides are distorted reflections of the same idea or event. Influenced by the virtual landscape, these acrylic paintings are based on hexadecimal color palettes used by digital designers. Similar to an algorithm following a set of rules to rank content online, Vensel follows a set of self-imposed rules while making these analog paintings. Her meticulous painting process emulates the perfection of the digital world, but ultimately imperfection is unavoidable. |
Amy Vensel is a graduate of Syracuse University and studied at the Silvermine School of Art. Her work is shown internationally, with recent exhibitions at the Rothko Museum in Latvia, the U.S. Embassy in Slovakia, Las Cruces Museum of Art in New Mexico, and The Painting Center in New York. Artist residencies include the Rothko Museum, Daugavpils, Latvia, Millay Arts, Austerlitz, NY, and the Vermont Studio Center, Johnson, VT.
Vensel’s paintings are in the permanent collections of the Rothko Museum in Daugavpils, Latvia, and the U.S. Department of State in Washington, D.C. She is the recipient of an Artist Resource Trust Grant, Harwood Art Center Surface Grant, and Lancaster Museum and Public Art Foundation Award. Her work has appeared in The New York Times, been reviewed in Art New England, and is included in the book, “PARK 2016-2018,” published by The Platform for Visual Arts, the Netherlands. Vensel currently lives and works in Las Cruces, New Mexico.
www.amyvensel.com
Vensel’s paintings are in the permanent collections of the Rothko Museum in Daugavpils, Latvia, and the U.S. Department of State in Washington, D.C. She is the recipient of an Artist Resource Trust Grant, Harwood Art Center Surface Grant, and Lancaster Museum and Public Art Foundation Award. Her work has appeared in The New York Times, been reviewed in Art New England, and is included in the book, “PARK 2016-2018,” published by The Platform for Visual Arts, the Netherlands. Vensel currently lives and works in Las Cruces, New Mexico.
www.amyvensel.com
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