Andrew Wodzianski: House

Now I know what the tiny coffins are all about... if you didn't get one: suffer!

A lot more on this later, but pencil in Thursday, October 8, 2009 and Friday October 30, 2009 at Flashpoint. Opening Reception: Thursday, October 8, 6-8pm, House Party: Friday, October 30, 9-12pm.

Andrew Wodzianski: House opens on the 8th of October and his paintings will lift imagery from William Castle’s b-movie horror flick from 1959, House on Haunted Hill, but this is going to far from just being another "painting" show.

OK, OK, this may be a "painting exhibition in its own right," but House will also incorporate the gimmickry and audience participation for which director Castle was legendary for movies. Around DC Wodzianski has becoming an "opening night legend" on his own right (such as showing dressed up as a ninja to an opening reception one time).

Six foot five Andrew Wodzianski as the world's tallest Ninja.
In this exhibit you will see thirteen artworks (not a coincidence), nine of which will be paintings. All nine paintings depict interior sets and props used in William Castle’s cult campy film House on Haunted Hill, which celebrates its 50th anniversary this year. The paintings are a triumph of technical and creative visual minimalism as still images from the film are manipulated and juxtaposed onto tinted canvas, and obfuscated by multiple layers of white glaze and velaturas [literally, there is only white titanium oil paint on a pastel ground]. Much like the 1959 film, the paintings themselves appear veiled and slightly threatening and unresolved.

Visitors to the gallery will be invited to participate in a scavenger hunt (the scavenger hunt, House Hunt DC, will begin October 8 during which the artist will release a series of five clues via Twitter (twitter.com/househuntdc)) and hunters will ultimately have the chance to win paintings from the exhibition. Scavenger hunt winners will redeem their findings to win actual paintings from the exhibition on October 30, during House Party, a costume party and gallery fundraiser.

There will also be a funerary performance by Wodzianski on the opening night of the exhibition (thus the tiny coffins as invites!). I will also have an essay on Wodzianski.

Abra Cadaver, an exhibition of Wodzianski's drawings will be on view concurrently at Fraser Gallery in Bethesda, MD. The exhibition opens October 9 from 6-9pm and runs through November 14.

Again, House Opening Reception: Thursday, October 8, 6-8pm and House Party: Friday, October 30, 9-12pm at Flashpoint.