Artist Conversation: Janine Brown and Terri C. Smith

About

Please join us February 6 at 2 PM on Zoom for a conversation between artist Janine Brown and curator Terri C. Smith in conjunction with Janine's solo show “The Holiness in the Ordinary” at LAAA/Gallery 825, on view through February 18, 2022.

As people the world over grapple with distrust of the unknown or those who look, think, or live differently, Brown looks closer at commonalities and distinctions within the framework of being a human. She created a compelling series of video portraits that allows each participant to reveal unique and often contradicting characteristics of their identity.

Starting with a self-curated list of statements that complete the sentence “I am…”, each person gains agency over who and what they want to show the viewer. The resulting videos become part confessional and part mantra of humanity- revealing the complexities of identity and the common denominators between people unknown to each other. The portraits will be displayed as a three-channel video installation that highlights the complexities, contradictions, and commonalities of the participants to date.

Janine Brown is a multidisciplinary artist based in Southern Connecticut, formerly Los Angeles, California. She uses personal experience such as her work in the fashion industry and childhood in the rural Midwest as well as historical research of concepts such as the term “wallflower” to create still and moving portraits that explore and question ideas about identity and stereotypes. Brown's solo shows include Moorpark College Art Gallery, (California); Gallery 825, (California); and the Westport Arts Center (Connecticut).

Terri C. Smith has curated more than 80 contemporary art exhibitions, receiving three grants from The Andy Warhol Foundation, among other awards. Smith’s exhibitions have been featured in publications such as Art Papers, Artforum, Bomb magazine, The Brooklyn Rail, Degree Critical, and artcritical.