THE PARLEY at Tarmak22

The Parley – SUPERFLEX

THE PARLEY, 2016, DIGITAL VIDEO, STEREO SOUND, 12 MINUTES 

This exhibition is organized by Tarmak22 in collaboration with Sokoloff + Associates Art Advisors, NY.

This work is presented as part of a project series by The Alex Hank Collection that seeks to highlight individual works in dialogue with new audiences.

The work on view is inspired by The Pioneer and The Indian, a painting originally attributed to Fredric Remington, a renowned painter of The North American West in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. His work is recognized for exalting the sublime character of the landscape alongside the myths of the peoples of the North American Frontier. Recently, Remington has become increasingly controversial for having contributed towards creating a stereotypical idea of The Wild West that has permeated policy and popular culture throughout the last century.

Aware of the longstanding rumors of forgery around this specific painting, SUPERFLEX engaged in forensic examination of the materials and scientifically determined that the painting was indeed a fake. It had been painted in the style of The Parley, a 1903 work by Remington, depicting a peace negotiation on horseback between a Native American and a Pioneer in the western prairie.

Commenting on the complex issues that arise from this founding–questions around identity, migration, forgery and fictional narratives—SUPERFLEX restaged the painting as a video work. With the use of a sophisticated high-speed camera the scene is slowly scanned from various angles, highlighting every detail and extolling the myth of The American West in popular culture.

Exhibition dates: 19 June – 12 July 2020. For more information Visit Tarmak22.