E-Mail info: info gallerialaveronica. Maryam Jafri. Welcome to My Age of Anxiety. Dal 15 Aprile al 15 Aprile The exhibition investigates soft technologies of power invoking self-care at the heart of their disciplinary apparatus, forming what Jafri calls a global Military-Industrial- Wellness complex. First however, at the entrance Jafri reprises her work Nogales, in response to the current political climate in the United States.
Gorbachev --but kept the rest of the audio recording intact. At the heart of the exhibition are two recent sculptures, American Buddhist and Meditation Square Resembling meditation altars, the two sculptures explore the use of meditation as a soldier training device by the US Army. The video is a public domain video sourced directly from the US Army. Around and below the flat panel monitor are several plush toys of stuffed Buddhas meant for children, garlands of fake orange flowers and a framed text panel.
The second sculpture, Meditation Square features a 60 cm bronze replica of the Saddam Hussein statue in Firdos Square being toppled in April during the Iraq war. Below the statue, on the two lower levels of the altar, are eight framed photographs sourced from various US Army websites, showing images of soldiers meditating, often with eyes closed and in lotus position as well as one group photograph of soldiers reposing in the aptly named Corpse pose.
Meditation Square literalizes the promise of mind over matter, taking it to its absurd but logical conclusion β the soldiers appear to be destroying the bronze statue with the powers of their own optimized, meditation-fueled brains. The rooms function as a training ground where institutional discipline is fused with personal fantasy, psychologically internalized and reenacted.
Rounding out the exhibition in the main space is a new series of sculptures called Self-care on the use of alternative healing systems such as acupuncture, cupping, and yoga. Silicone feet pierced with acupuncture needles, a toilet paper holder with a cut up yoga mat and a Muslim Buddha praying among newspaper detritus are some of the works in this latest series.
