Erika Wanenmacher: Grimoire
SITE Santa Fe
March 31 - May 27, 2001
SITE Santa Fe presents ERIKA WANENMACHER: GRIMOIRE, a large-scale installation designed especially for SITE Santa Fe. The exhibition is organized by SITE Santa Fe.
For GRIMOIRE, Erika Wanenmacher presents an exhibition of personal spell-making; a journey of gathering and storing magic. In a preliminary exhibition description, Erika Wanenmacher writes:
"Although the term grimoire usually denotes a traditional encyclopedia of western magic, this show really describes my own personal territory of art-making. Several years ago I realized that what I was constructing -- physically and mentally -- were spells. My favorite definition of magic comes from Dion Fortune who declares it "the art of changing consciousness at will." In considering my work as spells, the most important aspect is the intent. It is imperative to be clear. What do I want this spell to do? The intent is out in front of any action. As a storyteller, if I can get my story (intent) across, then I have acted upon the consciousness of the viewer. Magic."
In her exhibition, Erika Wanenmacher shows both early two- and three-dimensional pieces and newer installation work made especially for SITE Santa Fe. She will present a large installation featuring her car -- a 1972 Volvo station wagon with a Chevy 350 engine that runs on propane -- in the middle of a 16 foot pentacle sand painting, covered with a net held by 5 large cast aluminum heads. The heads, (a recurring image in her work and based on the likeness of Erika and the Aztec goddess Teoloztatl), will hold the ends of the net clamped in their teeth. The car will be loaded with pieces of art packed in found boxes. On the walls will be 4 videos, each one representing a different element (earth, air, fire, water).
The exhibition also features light boxes, showing x-rays of the box pieces in the car and individual sculptures that are magical tools; including a trickster box containing raven and coyote arms; a post-apocalyptic travelling magic tool set; and a giant necklace of the Hindu goddess Kali.
Erika Wanenmacher is a Santa Fe, New Mexico-based artist who works in multi-media. She has attended the Feminist Studio Workshop, The Woman's Building in Los Angeles, California and the Kansas City Art Institute, Kansas City, Missouri. Erika Wanenmacher has been involved in many one-person exhibitions including Terrible Beauty, Tangibles, Storyteller, Grace, and Buzz at Linda Durham Contemporary Art, Galisteo, New Mexico; and Devotionals at Braunstein/Quay Gallery, San Francisco, California. She has also participated in numerous group exhibitions around the world including Contemporary Botanica, Tweed Museum, Duluth, Minnesota; Ship from the Desert, The Moorings Project, Schiffbauergasse, Potsdam, Germany; El Mundo Del Arte De Nuevo Mexico, Guadalajara, Mexico; and Edgy: Five Contemporary Northern New Mexico Artists, Coconino Art Center, Flagstaff, Arizona.
SITE Santa Fe
1606 Paseo de Peralta, Santa Fe, New Mexico
