Kristin McIver’s ‘Statement Pieces’

Kristin McIver’s first solo show of 2011 expands upon French philosopher Jean Baudrillard’s critique of semiotics and consumerism. Eleven neon signs (all works from 2010 and 2011) offer the viewer options of love, fame, beauty therapy, change or choice. By reinventing these paths as signs, McIver critiques and questions the cost of inherent human aspiration in a society where monetary value can be placed on the most intangible of desires.

Situated at the sleek James Makin Gallery in Collingwood, Monash graduate McIver’s work is displayed through the back and in the round. The viewer must circle the centrepiece of the exhibition, the large-scale work The Good Life II, which consists of white neon tubes spelling ‘good life’; the tubes anchored on a curtain of black plastic chains. The nature of the chain curtain allows the work to be visible from all sides of the space, humorously reminding the viewer that the logos they’re observing may or may not result in the degree of satisfaction they expect.

Circling clockwise, the first work encountered is the word ‘SOLD’ buzzing in red neon. Entitled Is this Love?, this is probably the most blatant example of McIver’s critique on consumer culture and the commodification of happiness. Interestingly, the works pertaining to the commodification of love are the only pieces rendered in red neon.

The work Changes is another white neon logo directly anchored to the wall. The word ‘change’ flashes on and off, continually acting as an insistent instruction or antidote to the fame and money tempting the viewer in the remainder of the collection. This work brings to mind British artist Martin Creed’s 2006 work EVERYTHING IS GOING TO BE ALRIGHT a statement piece in neon displayed on the façade of the Palazzo Arengario in Milan. Between the two, Creed’s work acted as a comforting reminder on a large-scale, whereas McIver’s Changes instructs the viewer to do so, immediately.

All works are as droll as they need to be; an exploration of semiotics and the power of language and advertising is a vast and dense subject requiring brevity in its discussion. McIver’s choice of neon aids the lightening of the topic and the aesthetic quality of the bright lights ensures that Statement Pieces is both beautiful and thought provoking.

Kristin McIver’s Statement Pieces
James Makin Gallery, Collingwood
August 4 – 27