Sally Rowe
About Vintage Pain
The installation Vintage Pain was presented at the Delaware Valley Arts Alliance, March 22-April 19, 2014, in Narrowsburg, NY.
It tells a story where memories, preoccupations, and thoughts are revealed. The story is personal, but its themes are universal.
I am very drawn to old objects: their aesthetics, emotional resonance, and sense of mystery. I am also captivated by the charm and detail of tiny objects, and the small worlds they unfold. This is why I chose to create a small theatre of emotion and memory by staging vintage childhood play objects in a series of scenes. The words are integral to each scene, and elucidate what is happening on stage.
Throughout there is a melding of fantasy and reality. The story being told is not intended to provide absolute clarity; rather, it is open to interpretation. There is a thread and chronological progression that links the scenes together. The objects are only temporarily placed, just as in life memories, feelings, thoughts, and interpretations of events change over time.
The Vintage Pain book or set of postcards are available for purchase. The close-up images created for these graphic elements provide an alternative window for experiencing the work.
My mother said: "Don't we have such a wonderful family?"
"Who I am is sometimes not who I think I am supposed to be."
The book includes graphically interesting photos along with the sentences for each piece in my installation.
My mother said: "Don't we have such a wonderful family?"