Graham Childs, Lily deSaussure, April Behnke, Sangbin Im

February 8 - March 2, 2008

In their first-ever collaboration, local artists Graham Childs and Lily deSaussure explore their domestic relationship in the front-room installation, LIVE TO TELL, a simulation of the “dream” sunroom for their apartment. LIVE TO TELL is a celebration of domestic bliss as well as a dissection and investigation into the hardships of shared lives. The household objects, painted white and sewn together by wire, are suspended from the ceiling, raising questions of intended specificity and boundaries. Amidst the furniture, windows, molding, plants and other household objects, hang hand- embroidered pieces depicting moments of the artists’ lives preceding their relationship. These images of personal memories stem from different places and times specific to each artist and are connected only by thread and color.

Korean-American artist Sangbin Im and DC-based artist April Behnke present curious interpretations of natural forms in NATURING. In his abstract drawings, Im culls from plant life, the human circulatory system, and reproductive organs to create complex and delicate organic forms exploring the interconnectedness of the natural world. Behnke similarly breaks down the intersections between plant, human and animal life in works on paper and a on-site installation. In her mixed media drawings, the artist creates a playful interpretation of shunga, an erotic art popular in nineteenth century Japan in which natural world acts as a symbol of human sexuality.