Bienko’s art to be exhibited
Sept. 30 – Oct. 1 in Houston

New multimedia work by Joshua Bienko, assistant professor of visualization, will be showcased Sept. 30 – Oct. 1 at Houston’s Barbara Davis Gallery.

Bienko’s show, “WORD TO YOUR M(O)THER,” includes paintings on the soles of Christian Louboutin stilettos and canvas as well as a new rap video.

An opening reception for the exhibit is scheduled 7-9 p.m. Friday, Sept. 30 at the gallery, located at 4411 Montrose Ave. The gallery will be open 11 a.m. – 5:30 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 1.

Explaining “WORD TO YOUR M(O)THER,” Bienko referenced influential French thinker Jacques Lacan, who believed that people are traumatized when they discover there is no “Other” which will make them whole.

“In its place is a lack, a nothingness, a void, a horrifying real dimension,” said Bienko. “If we adopt this idea to contemporary art, what becomes clear is that the gallery space without artwork is empty, filled with nothingness, whiteness, lack.”

“The show simply conceals the emptiness of the wall,” said Bienko.  “It aims to attack cultural capital. It is work that actively pursues not knowing.”

The show was promoted during an event Sept. 29 at Neiman-Marcus in the Houston Galleria, hosted by the Houston Tidbits website, where Bienko signed books containing photographs of his work among a display of his paintings and prints inspired by Louboutin stiletto paintings, previously exhibted at a San Antonio gallery.

Contact:   Phillip Rollfing, prollfing@archone.tamu.edu or 979.458.0442.