Vol. 1 Gary Hill
( Untitled Bed )
Gary Hill (born 1951) is an American artist who lives and works in Seattle, Washington. Often viewed as one of the foundational artists in video art, based on the single-channel work and video- and sound-based installations of the 1970s and 1980s, he in fact began working in metal sculpture in the late 1960s. Today he is best known for internationally exhibited installations and performance art, concerned as much with innovative language as with technology, and for continuing work in a broad range of media. His longtime work with intermedia explores an array of issues ranging from the physicality of language, synesthesia and perceptual conundrums to ontological space and viewer interactivity. The recipient of many awards, his Influential work has been exhibited in most major contemporary art museums worldwide.
American artist Gary Hill is regarded as an important pioneer of video art. Starting off as a sculptor, he then begins to experiment with video and sound-based installation art in the 1970s and 1980s. To date, his works have been included three times for the Documenta, and are widely exhibited in museums and galleries around the world.
In nearly 30 years of practice, Gary Hill has used images as a medium of expression. In recent years, the artist has been increasingly trying to return to "being physically associated with objects". When creating the Untitled Bed, Gary Hill used wood engraving, carving out the ambiguous sentences on 10 wooden headboards of 1.9mx1.3m (1.8mx0.8m inner frame) – all written in English by the artist.
Since 2013, Gary Hill has been curious about people's thoughts towards"the meaning of life". Besides, the security of hotel rooms reminds Gary Hill of the concept of "sanctuary" and "shelter". This work also continues the artist's exploration of language: the sentences are filled with quotes, puns and metaphors, giving viewers a chance to get their own interpretation.
It has to be mentioned that hotel rooms are only a temporary place for people to stay, they will eventually go to the next destination. This objective fact alleviates the heavy feeling of the artwork and shows the artist's humorous and wise consideration. As Hill himself puts it, staying here "is just like pressing a pause button".
( Untitled Bed )
72 ARTISTS & THEIR GUESTS
In early 2018, CHAO Art Center launched the art program "72 artists and their guests”. We plan to select 72 out of 180 guest rooms as special space allotting to contemporary art. These guest rooms will be provided to artists worldwide by commission, to create original artworks which are going to interact with future guests. As the project progressed, the unique uncertainty included will provoke new ideas and exploration about the concept of where art can happen. You are going to have chances to witness how great artists realize their works through different ways in this special circumstance.
CHAO would like to present 72 kinds of aesthetics, 72 perspectives the world and 72 experiences engaging with art. In these art rooms, guests are able to find their own way to interact with contemporary art in a very relaxing situation.