Virginia
Kleker | I Want More Than
You Can Give | Video [2005]
She
said no at first. No to being in a 'gift show' with friends. Kleker
uses her initial refusal to participate in what eventually became
You Can Have It All to investigate the social dynamics
of her relationships to the artists Lynn DeClemente, Lori Gordon,
Ashley Neese and Susan O'Malley. We find examples of gifts given
to Kleker as well as instances of her taking something from their
studios such as a bit of hair. Her autobiographic video traces evidence
of the artists' shared interest in gift giving and collaboration,
from making buttons in their artistic practice to mixes and letters
as part of their friendship. As she studies photographs of them
and related belongings, she recounts her secret admiration of their
qualities and idiosyncrasies, shared traits and points of difference.
At the same time, she exposes her jealous insecurities and acute
sense of when something goes wrong or they drift apart. Kleker concludes
that she wanted more than they could give. Her incredibly honest
monologue verges on letting them have more than they can take.
Exhibition
Text: Tanya Zimbardo
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