ANGE OF THREEASFOUR DEBUTS SELF PORTRAITS IN SOLO EXHIBIT “CARDIAC INSOMNIAC” AT THE UNTITLED SPACE

View coverage from “Cardiac Insomniac” Receptions, June 14th and June 20th at The Untitled Space Gallery. (83 Photos) 

“Cardiac Insomniac: A Solo Show of Works by ANGE”

On Tuesday, June 14th, Indira Cesarine of NYC gallery, The Untitled Space, and Coco Dolle of Milk and Night, presented a new show at The Untitled Space in collaboration with avant-garde design collective, threeASFOUR. “Cardiac Insomniac: A Solo Show of Works by ANGE” was a one-woman-show of self portraits by ANGE (Angela Donhauser), who is well-known in both the art and fashion worlds for her work as a founding member of threeASFOUR. ANGE’S self portraits used drama and comedy to explore existential themes such as the human condition, gender identity, humanity, love, age, sexuality, pleasure & pain, society and race. Her photographic practice captured the viewer with its oxymoronic, serious play of dress and undress.

On June 20th, The Untitled Space hosted an artist’s talk with ANGE. An edgy crowd turned out for the conversation which was moderated by Jessica Mitrani who asked ANGE about a number of topics, ranging from her artistic process to her childhood to feminism. In case you missed out, here are some of our favorite quotes from ANGE:

On her artistic process :

“First of all, I think when you are an artist you use anything. And anything becomes a tool. I am an instrument. I’m always there. I’m always available. So that’s the simplest thing and I don’t cost anything. And I’m always willing to go all the way – so I abuse myself to the core. I have no problem suffering for it and I’m surrounded by props anyway. Whatever I pick up, I turn into something beautiful. All it takes is the vision. Art is everywhere you just have to be able to see it.”

On being a woman today:

“It is cruel out there in the world. We live in a great place, New York City is actually very free. Being a women is a tough thing to be anywhere else. Unfortunately you have to fight for your life, sometimes on a daily basis. It’s also about age. By age 40, you’re almost out of the picture – you cease to exist, you don’t matter basically. I believe that’s when we are better actually. We matter and we become more ourselves. I would never want to be 20 again. The more you become yourself, the more that the whole universe opens up. The more beautiful things are, the stronger you get, the more honest you are. You are a being unlike anybody else.”

On how she begins her self portraits:

“I start with the idea and once it’s there it gives birth to itself pretty fast. I have to shoot it very quickly to get it out of my system. When you’re in the mode, it’s like a drug. It’s hard to stop. When I started doing this, I went nonstop for a year, every single day. Since I didn’t have any education for photography it was all purely instinctual. I  learned through trial and error.”

On how her portraits relate to the outside world:

“I’m just a tool in the end. I slip into different roles. It’s all sides of me and everything that I’ve ever felt and my surroundings in the world. It relates to me but it also relates to everybody else. I’m not only a feminist but also a humanist. We have to feel for each other. I believe everyone feels the same, sometimes we just need to share that so that we may feel better about it. By sharing my own experience, I open myself up to show that I’m like everybody else. Everyone has felt exactly what I have, every pain, every joy – everybody acts the same.”

While “Cardiac Insomniac” explored varying topics of self expression through the use of photography, ANGE’S images made it easy to see the artist’s connection with fashion. In one image the artist seemed to bleed from body adornment made from razor blades while another piece showed her swathed in translucent fabric, whose suffocating nature was offset by the artist’s peaceful expression. ANGE first rose to prominence as a member of NYC-based design trio, threeASFOUR who are known for using the medium of fashion to explore themes of life and to promote cultural crossings. Other members include Gabriel Asfour, and Adi Gil. In the eleven years since the collective’s beginning in 2005, their experimental work has been placed in the permanent collections of prestigious institutions such as the Victoria and Albert Museum in London, the Costume Institute of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, and the Musée de la Mode et du Costume in Paris. They have collaborated with Kate Spade and Gap and recently created a series of 3-D printed headpieces for famed experimental musician, Bjork.

View more of ANGE’s artwork on Artsy, or via the gallery’s website.

Curators Indira Cesarine and Coco Dolle both wear threeASFOUR.