Old Bones upon the Valley Shake at The Barn Light East

“Old Bones Upon the Valley Shake” at The Barn Light East was a collaborative poster design exhibition by Jessie Rose Vala, Julia Oldham and Courtney Stubbert. The final work was digitally printed, and displayed as 18×24 posters. Check out video interview with the artists here.

Show statement by Courtney Stubbert

In my day job as a visual designer, I share files online with clients all the time. I don’t even think twice about it. Rarely are those files actually manipulated by someone else. Most of the time the files I share are part of a project deliverable. I hand over fixed graphic files that aren’t intended to be changed, static jpgs that are determined to be the property of the client once the final invoice is paid.

In contrast, I entered into this collaboration with the intention of change happening, of not holding onto my independent moves too dearly. Often called “layer tennis” in graphic design circles, referring to the image layers in a Photoshop file, this type of back and forth is also a direct descendant of the Surrealist parlor game “Exquisite Corpse.” It is a kind of improvisational call-and-response, and it brings up all kinds of questions in regards to our online selves.

How much control do I really have over my online self (or anything I consider “mine” that lives in the cloud)? Is that image or thought still considered “me” or “mine” by someone at the other end? If they decide to re-share, or use it in a different way than I would have intended, is that piece less me or more them?

The process of making art is often executed by a single person, and the audience only becomes involved at the end when a final work is on view. But to collaborate with others means the individual voice becomes merely a material used to make the work, rather than the single guiding force. When we share online, the image, thought or idea is converted into binary code. It is translated, broken down, and reassembled on the other end of the shared file, or social media stream, but it more or less resembles the version you intended others to see.

To invite another person to alter your image allows for another filter, another level of interpretation completely out of your control. Your piece will be changed, and any importance you have given it will be stretched, extended, or completely diminished.

juliaoldham.com
jessierosevala.com
courtneystubbert.com

This exhibition took place February 4-28th, 2017, at the Barn Light East.