Default State Network
What is consciousness? Religion, philosophy, even science can’t give us an exact definition. Yet this is the question posed by Ryan Wallace in his group show Default State Network, now on at Morgan Lehman Gallery.
Wallace chose work from 12 artists (including himself) that offered a visual interpretation of consciousness. Drawing inspiration from science, spirituality, and philosophy, the pieces range from coffin photos by Glen Baldridge to Alex Dodge's sculpted self-portrait as a trashed android to geometric symbols by Elise Ferguson to Hilary Pecis's status symbols.
Chris Duncan's figurative sculpture and a painted mirror placed near the gallery's center set the exhibition's tone. The sculpture features a colorful, bead-covered male head with a gentle expression—the head, put on an abstract metal torso, sits on a pedestal. The man faces a mirror hung before him on the wall. It's spray-painted with a blurry, multi-colored shape that roughly corresponds to the figure. But it's not clear if the man's eyes are open or closed, illustrating the ambiguity of self-awareness.
Wallace chose the title Default State Network because it refers to the regions of the brain focused on daydreams, speculation, and contemplation of the past. Our sense of self may also be created and stored there. Scientists believe this area is activated during creative thought.
Though the gallery seemed too large and bright for the objects on display, and several pieces looked unoriginal, however, considered as a whole, the exhibition held its own. The ideas presented felt relevant.
Due to the breakdown in recognizable art movements, contemporary curators and collectors alike must take charge. Just as film directors cast actors that help shape the story they want to tell, curators and collectors are free to choose art that suits their tastes and amplifies their intentions or agenda. Wallace highlights what one can accomplish when one consciously uses collecting as a medium of self-discovery.
