gwen charles is GlogauAIR resident
from October 2024 to December 2024
gwen charles works focus primarily on video, photography and live performative actions, merging elements of reality and magical realism to reflect on the absurdity of daily life using handmade objects and costumes. She translates visceral bodily feelings into movement, capturing these through performance and video. charles’ past work explores themes of the Anthropocene, ecofeminism, and reconnecting with nature, using her body to express the female experience and the evolving needs of humanity.
Meet the Artist
Could you give us a little bit of an introduction to yourself and your background?
I’m gwen charles. I’m a multidisciplinary, conceptually-based performance artist. I’m from New York, and I have been working with video and live performance based work. I went to art school, at Parsons School of Design, in the Fire Arts department. I started my career as an artist as a figurative oil painter. I was really interested in capturing the body moving in space.
I had always used photography to create the imagery for my paintings, taking photographs of myself or photographing friends and using images from books and magazines, and then collaging them together to create tableaus to recreate on canvas with paint. The images were all about expressing an emotion in paint.
Unfortunately, I developed an allergy to solvents and paint while at art school. It was a huge blow to my career and my sense of self, because I was a “painter”. And then I asked “now who am I? What am I going to do if I cannot paint?”
And then I realized that those photographs could be the artworks themselves. I started to distill down what the artwork was really about. I ask, “What does the work want to say?”
It was still about capturing the body in space, expressing an emotion, but I was no longer tied to a particular medium. So now my work is multidisciplinary and multimedia. What medium can best express this emotion or idea? The expression is the focus. The medium becomes secondary.
Right now I’m working with themes of rest and comfort, and the desire to find comfort myself. After a long period of caretaking for family members and the need to find comfort for myself I have been drawn to use bedding, which I see as a symbol of comfort, and has led me to want to make blankets and pillows. So I’m actually fabricating different objects that are blankets or pillows to use in these performance-based projects.
Under the scope of multidisciplinary art, I know it didn’t immediately start with themes of rest. I want to know, what themes did you start out with, and how did that develop and fluctuate? What other ideas did you play with before you got to this one?
I’ve been working within performance art since the early 90s, wanting to express my emotions in relationship to other people. So how do I express the connection between two people? One of my first series of performances was a costume that connected two people that was 60 yards long, and I wanted to illustrate the invisible thread that’s between us and show that in some way. Making costumes and objects to support the performance is part of my practice so there is still object-making within my studio practice.
I’ve always been curious about how to make the invisible connections and relationships between people and things visible, and how to picture the expressions of my feelings about the world.. Even in the current works that I’m making about rest, like the last series that I made using felting, they are also talking about these invisible connections between people. I made a series of felted blankets, combining several types of fabrics together without thread or glue. They’re just held together by the tangling of the threads in each fabric intertwined
together. This tangling of threads is kind of how I see our connections to each other in this world. We come in contact, cross each other and tangle with each other with no binders to keep us together.
So there’s always been an underlying theme of intimacy with yourself and with other people.
Yeah, it’s all about a relationship between us all, and seeking out human connection, because isn’t that what it’s all about? What joy to find a sense of kinship and fullness through connection with others, to receive inspiration from the people and the world around you.
How has Berlin been influencing your practice? How have you been finding inspiration around the city?
I love working site-specifically and context-dependent. As I work with themes of rest and comfort here in Berlin, some of the ideas that I was working with at home are slightly different. The idea of trying to find rest, forcing yourself to rest, reminding people to rest and using the arts as a way to talk about our lack of rest is a very different conversation in Europe. I feel like Europeans already know how to rest. They already know how to take a leisurely lunch, to relax and have a glass of wine.how to take a long walk and enjoy themselves.
Some of the questions that I have with my new project, where I am resting in the street, are about how a country with such great emphasis on care and social services still has people that are homeless. We all want to feel a sense of safety and security and be able to rest and feel comfortable. So, that has been a project that I’m doing in different cities and each city does have a different feel to it. San Francisco, New Orleans and New York also have very high homeless populations, so this topic has started to come up for me as I move through different cities and perform this act of rest in public.
The city has much more green space than other cities do. There’s definitely a focus on being outside in nature, there’s homeopathy and herbalism here. I started to research what magic is here within nature? There is a history of chemistry here. There’s a history of alchemists and trying to make gold out of everything. The first man-made chemically based pigment was created here, Prussian blue was invented here. I was fascinated with that idea of materials that are very local. I’m thinking, how can I use that in my work here? How can I bring that blue in?
I’ve been making these collages of mattress stacks that sort of replicate the look of the fairytale The Princess and the Pea. I took all the available mattresses at GlogauAIR in the basement and I stacked up the mattresses to make photographs and collages, then imported them into Photoshop and made the stacks really, really tall. Like in this image, as I stack these mattresses and stack these quilts, they get taller and taller and instead of being more comforting to have more quilts or more blankets or more mattresses, it actually makes it more precarious.
The other series I’ve been working on is also the body print that is left on the bed. And the remainder of the body. So, the person has left the bed, whether it’s you or a partner, and trying to show the imprint of the body. I’ve been playing with that idea with the absent body.
Crafting an altar in my studio reminds me to celebrate this gift of creation from my ancestors and the universe.”
So you’re really immersing yourself in the things that make Berlin, Berlin. What do you think you’ll do after this residency? Will you go to a new European city?
Yes, I’d like to continue this project of resting in public in other cities. I’m hoping to go to Copenhagen next week, and see what would be very unique about resting in Copenhagen. I’ve been resting in all the places that are very Berlin, like the Berlin Wall, the canal, resting on the streets next to graffiti. I’ll see what will be unique about other cities and the Rest in Public project will continue.
Statement
Working primarily in video and photography for the past 10 years, an extension of live performative actions for over 25 years, I merge elements of reality and magical realism to reflect on the absurdity of daily life using handmade objects and costumes. I work with translating visceral feelings in my body into movement using objects then translate these feelings and movements visually, currently captured through performance and video.
My past series of artwork connect to themes of the Anthropocene, ecofeminism and reconnecting to nature, using my body to express the female experience and the changing needs of the human body.
GlogauAIR Project
Grief has been my greatest collaborator recently. While reflecting on the intensive period of caretaking of family lately and considering my increasing need for self-care, I have been creating a series of actions exploring metaphors related to rest, caretaking and loss.
This residency would allow me time to create a series of improvisations based on the theme of seeking comfort while speaking to the local community connecting to the themes in their own life. The completed works will be part of a photo/video series and possibly a short performance during open studios.
CV Summary
- TRANSART INSTITUTE, Berlin, Germany
MFA, 2013. Accreditation: Plymouth University, UK - THE NEW SCHOOL FOR PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT, NY, NY BS, 2012, Liberal Arts/ Media Studies
- PARSONS SCHOOL OF DESIGN, NY, NY 1993-1997 Fine Arts / Painting, BFA Candidate
- BANK STREET College of Education, NY, NY, 1996-1997, Art Education Certificate candidate
- GROUP EXHIBITIONS & FESTIVALS 2001- 2024
09/2024 ELECTION, Online exhibition, Precious things will be Destroyed, 2024 09/2024 HIDING, SHAG, Brooklyn, NY, Pink Ecstasy, 2015 - 10/2024 SKIN, Fresh Eye Gallery, Minneapolis, MN, Skin, 1995
- 10/2024 RADICAL REIMAGINING, The Newark Museum, Newark NJ, Pillows, 2022
- 03/2024 REFURBISH, Vivid Theater, Summit, NJ, Recover, 2023
- 12/2023 O MY SOUL, Collaboration with The Moving Architects, Women’s Club, Montclair NJ, Comforter, 2023
- 09/2023 INSPIRED BY WEIGHT OF AN OBJECT, Montclair Art Museum, Montclair NJ, Recover, 2023
- 09/2023 CROSS-CULTURAL PERSPECTIVES, The Newark Museum, Newark NJ, Long Rest, 2022
- 09/2023 UNWEARABLE ART SHOW, Drawing Rooms Gallery, Jersey City, NJ, 5 works
- 09/2023 SHAPES OF MOVEMENT, Lummi Island, WA, with Crystal Gregory and The Moving Architects
- 06/2023 A COMPLEXITY OF JOYS, MAPSpace, Port Chester, NY, Uterus Slingshot, 2021
- 06/2023 TOGETHER/ALONE, Stay at Home Gallery, Paris TN, Lullaby Cactus, 2021
- 06/2023 EMBODIED KNOWLEDGE, Ely Center for Contemporary Art, New Haven CT, Cascading Eyelashes, 2018 05/2023 ROOTS, TSGNY, El Barrio ArtSPace PS109, NY, NY Root Crown, 2020
- 04/2023 {RE}HAPPENING FESTIVAL, Black Mountain College, NC, Cactus Care, 2020
- 04/2023 {RE}HAPPENING FESTIVAL, Black Mountain College, NC, Shapes of Movement
- 02/2023 FROM ALCHEMY TO NUMINOSITY, Ramapo College Gallery, Ramapo, NJ, Gold Frieze, 2016
- 12/2022 ERIE GALLERY NIGHT, Erie Museum, Erie, PA, Submersion, 2022
- 10/2022 ROE VS WADE, Virtual, Anthropology of Motherhood, Uterus Slingshot, 2021
- 09/2022 FALL FORWARD, with The Moving Architects, Dixon Place, NY, NY, Extended, 2019
- 08/2022 FRESH AIR with John Halpern, Emporium Capri, Capri Island, Italy, Bark Breathe, 2022
- 08/2022 CONNECTIONS: CHAUTAUQUA ARTIST-IN-RESIDENCE, Fowler-Kellogg Art Center, CHQ, NY, Moss, 2022 08/2022 FREESPACE DANCE AND FRIENDS, with The Moving Architects, OSPAC, West Orange NJ, Extended, 2019 07/2022 WE WERE NEVER HUMAN, Bronx Academy Arts & Dance, Bronx, NY, Spoon Cactus, 2021
- 05/2022 ESTIA FEST, LaRussa Theater, Queeens, NY, Curio Cabinet, 2018
- 03/2022 TAKE ROOT, with The Moving Architects, Green Space, NY, Extended, 2019
- 12/2021 ACTING BALANCE[D], Spilt Milk Members Show, virtual, sMother 2021
- 11/2021 WITH CARE, Textile Arts Center, Brooklyn NY, Uterus Slingshot, 2021
- 11/2021 MAIL ART, The Center for Connection & Collaboration, Asheville, NC, Tryfuss, 2021
- 10/2021 ANTHROPOLOGY OF MOTHERHOOD, Sleeth Gallery, West Virginia, Spoon Cactus, 2020
- 10/2021 HATAK, North Willows Attic, Montclair, NJ, virtual, Hands on Healing, 2021
- 07/2021 POST/FUTURE PERFORMANCE FESTIVAL, Proteo Media, Virtual & NJ, Cactus Care, 2021
- 07/2021 NATURE/NURTURE, See Me, The Invisible Dog, Brooklyn, Spoon Cactus, 2021
- 06/2021 MATERNOCHRONICS, virtual, sMother, 2021
- 07/2021 MY LOVE IS YOUR LOVE, Every Woman Biennial, Copeland Gallery, London UK, Pine Petting, 2020
- 06/2021 STONES THROW, GREEN SHORT FILM FESTIVAL, Diorama Room, Virtual, Stones Caress, 2021
- 06/2021 IN7 CREATIVE VIDEO RESIDENCY, Screening, Gardenship, Kearney NJ, Felled, 2021
- 10/2021 ANTHROPOLOGY OF MOTHERHOOD, Three Rivers Arts Festival, Pittsburgh, Spoon Cactus, 2020
- 05/2021 TUNE INTO GREEN SHORT FILM FESTIVAL, Diorama Room, Virtual, Grooming, 2021
- 05/2021 WOMYN’S WERQ, Studio Montclair, Montclair NJ, Salt Moxa,
- 2018 05/2021 MOVEMENT, SciArt Magazine, Virtual, Revolve, 2020
- 03/2021 IF NOT NOW, WHEN?, Spilt Milk Gallery, virtual, Grooming, 2020
- 09/2020 HOMEWORKS, Spilt Milk gallery, Edinburgh, Scotland, Revolve, 2020
- 09/2020 INSPIRED BY DANCE, Studio Montclair, Montclair, NJ, Forest Within, 2013
- 09/2020 LEANING INTO THE UNKNOWN: Artist Response to COVID-19, with TMA, Ramapo College, NJ, Jubilee & Knell, 2020
- 03/2020 IN EXCESS, SPRING/BREAK Art Fair, NYC, video collab with TMA & Crystal Gregory
- 03/2020 WOMEN PERSISTENCE, POWER, AND STRENGTH, SeeMe, digital screen, Bandit Coffee, NYC, Quell 02/2020 GLIMPSE, Gallery Aferro, Newark NJ, Sketchbooks 1994-5
- 02/2020 THREADS: Contemporary Textile Art, University of Mayagüez, Puerto Rico, Cascading
- Eyelashes 12/2019 #ARTTAKESMIAMI, SeeMe digital screen, SCOPE Art Fair, Miami, FL Cascading
- Eyelashes 11/2019 THREADS: Contemporary Textile Art, El Cuadrado Gris, Puerto Rico, Cascading
- Eyelashes 08/2019 ELEVATE, with The Moving Architects, The Actors fund, NY, NY, Elevate
- 08/2019 FAST FORWARD, with The Moving Architects, Dixon Place, NY, NY, Deep Water
- 06/2019 SELF, Chashama Gala, co-sponsored by SeeMe, NY, NY, Lampara, 2012
- 06/2019 STATE OF THE ART, Studio Montclair gallery, Montclair NJ, Hands on Hands, 2019
- 05/2019 VIEWPOINTS 2019, Studio Montclair gallery, Montclair, NJ, Quell, 2018
- 04/2019 GASHAPON, coLAB Arts, New Brunswick, New Brunswick Cultural Center, Drawing Crystals, 2018 11/2018 WWXI: Eye of the Storm, Pingry School, Basking Ridge, NJ, Glacial Ablation
- 11/2018 GASHAPON, Creativity Caravan, Montclair NJ. Drawing Crystals, 2018
- 10/2018 Oh MotHER, Edinburgh, Scotland. Inflatable Collar, 2018
- 10/2018 THE DOLL SHOW, Ceres Gallery, NY, NY. KitKat, 1996
- 09/2018 ART LOTTO, Studio Montclair gallery, Montclair. NJ, St. Sybil, 2018.
- 06/2018 CURRENTS NEW MEDIA FESTIVAL, Santa Fe, NW, Gold Scarf Loop, 2018
- 05/2018 KOREA BOJAGI FORUM, Seoul, Korea, Flow 2018
- 03/2018 WWXI: Eye of the Storm, HCCC, Jersey City, NJ Invisible islands, 2018,
- 12/2017 RED, Textile Study Group of NY, Noho-M55 Gallery, New York, NY, contorque, 2017
- 11/2017 AMERICA DAWN, live installation & video in collaboration with Moving Architects, Triskelion Arts, NYC 10/2017 SIGHT-SPECIFIC, curated by Kathy Imlay, Brassworks, Montclair NJ, Benevolent Eye series
- 10/2017 ATTITUDE OF OPENNESS: SNOREBARN COLLECTIVE: North Willows, Montclair NJ
- 10/2017 FALL FURTHER VI, collaboration with The Moving Architects, Pentacle, NY, NY, Point of Contact 10/2017 MONTCLAIR BANNER PROJECT, with Studio Montclair & Montclair BID, Montclair NJ, glass shards 07/2017 ON BELONGING AND THE VOID BETWEEN, Curated by Asha Ganpat, Gallery Aferro, Newark, NJ 04/2017 AMERICANA, video in collaboration with Moving Architects, The Tank, NYC & JCTC, NJ
- 12/2016 FREAKSHOW, Index Art Center, Newark NJ, hosted by Rebecca Jampol, Protective Eye Blessings, 2016
- 09/2016 …LIKE AN EGYPTIAN! Pierro Gallery, South Orange, NJ, Hedjet, 2012
- 08/2016 SPACEBODIES II, Uferstdios, Berlin, DE, Machine Movements, 2015
- 07/2016 FESTIVAL X-24, Gainsborough, UK, Detainment, 2012 & Venetian Blinds, 2012
- 06/2016 SUPER 8 AUCTION, Gallery Aferro, Eyes, 2015
- 05/2016 VISIONS FROM THE VANGUARD, Montclair Art Museum, Montclair NJ, Eyes, 2015
- 01/2016 SPACEBODIES, Judson Church Gym, Mixer Movements, 2016
- 07/2015 5th EXPOSURE AWARD, See Me, Musee du Louvre, Paris, France, Flowerhead series, 2015
- 05/2015 WATER/COLOR, Studio Montclair Academy Square gallery, Montclair NJ, Waterdance, 2011
- 05/2015 A LITTLE NIGHT ART XII, Montclair, NJ, Flowerhead series, 2015
- 05/2014 PREPARED FIELD, Fallowtime Festival, Movement Research, Issue Project Room, NY, NY, S(n)ow, 2012 04/2014 JUXTAPOSE, Darkroom Gallery, Essex Junction, VT, Curated by Kyohei Abe, Clavicular, 2011
- 04/2014 WOMEN’S WORK, ArtSpace Patchogue, Patchogue, NY, Lampara, 2012
- 11/2013 PERFORMA, Maribor, Slovenia; Exhaustion Storage, 2011
- 07/2013 MFA Thesis exhibition, Supermarkt, Berlin, DE, Lampara, 2012
- 06/2013 LET IT GLOW, curated by Ann Lepore, Jersey City NJ; Plastica Prism, 2012
- 04/2013 ABSTRACT CURRENTS, POPRALLY, MoMA, NY, NY; Plastica Prism, 2012
- 10/2012 BREATHING SPACE, Carovec, Croatia; Plastica Prism, 2012
- 10/2012 TEN: a _gaia milestone, Jersey City NJ; Purple Zizi, 2012
- 05/2012 MONTCLAIR GALLERY WALK, UCC, Montclair NJ; Plastica Prism, 2012
- 04/2012 THE MEAL, Art House Co-op, Brooklyn NY; Sufferin’Succotash, 2012
- 03/2012 THE EXQUISITE CORPSE FILM FESTIVAL, Bowery Poetry Club, NY, NY
- 02/2011 IN HER STRENGTH, Hudson County Office of Cultural & Heritage Affairs, Jersey City, NJ, Unloading, 12010 03/2011 TOYS, Studio Theater Gallery, Middlesex County College Edison, NJ, Curated by Asha Ganpat, KitKat, 1996 07/2010 WASSAIC ARTS FESTIVAL, Wassaic NY, Summer Performance & Installation: Safety Kiosk, 2008
- 01/2009 ESSENCIAL MUSIC AND ART SHOW, NY, NY, curated by Ellie Colon, Stuff, 2009 & Shell Shawl, 2009 10/2009 NEWARK ARTS COUNCIL OPEN DOORS, Newark, NJ, Stuff, 2009 & Shell Shawl, 2009
- 10/2009 PRO ARTS MEMBERS EXHIBITION, Jersey City, NJ, Pom-Pom, 2009 & Shell Shawl, 2009
10/2009 A CENTENNIAL SHOW, Maplewood Arts Center, Maplewood, NJ, Amorphous polymer cells, 2009 10/2008 PEOPLE WITHOUT CLOTHES: NUDE, NAKED & NAUGHTY, Jersey City, NJ, 2 Bodhisattvas 04/2008 ART & THE CITY Gala and Art Auction, Newark Arts Council, Newark NJ, Double Dutch Bodhisattva 03/2008 WONDER WOMAN: WWIII,_gaia an environment for creative process, Jersey City, NJ, Stillness installation 02/2008 THREADS: Wearable Art Fashion Show, Jersey City Museum, Jersey City, NJ, Safety Kiosk performance - 02/2007 FAMILY DAY: ART WITHOUT WORDS, Montclair Art Museum, Montclair NJ, Mattress Parade
- 10/2006 WEAR THIS OUT – A(D)DRESS, Stevens Institute of Technology, Hoboken NJ, Green Connected 09/2006 ART PARADE, Deitch Projects, Creative Time, Paper Magazine, NY, NY, Mattress Parade
- 09/2006 PUBLIC ART IN THE LOWER EAST SIDE, NY, NY, Art in Odd Places, three Performances
- 09/2006 CLOSING NITE AT CB’s, CBGB’s GALLERY, NY, NY, Mattress Parade and Bedding Circus
- 02/2002 GIFTS AND GOBLINS: THE WOMEN’S PROJECT, Bay Shore, NY, Skin worn by Turner Dance studio 07/2001 BAY SHORE ARTS EXTRAVAGANZA, Bay Shore, NY, with Soulful Dance Theater, Magic Colors
RESIDENCIES
- KALA INSTITUTE, BERKELEY, CA, SEPT 2024
KOLAJ INSTITUTE, New Orleans, LA Aug 2024
BISCHOFF INN, Tamaqua, PA, June 2024
ONISM, ImPulsTanz Symposium, Vienna, AU, July 2024
LAN MARK FARM, Felt Loom Mill, Sharpsburg, KY Spring 2023
MONIRA FOUNDATION, Performance Residency with the Moving Architects, April 2023 THE CRIT LAB, Fellowship 2023, Virtual, Spring 2023 - CHAUTAUQUA INSTITUTE, Visual Arts AIR, Chautauqua, NY Summer 2022
IN7 CREATIVE VIDEO RESIDENCY, Gardenship, Kearny, NJ June 2023 & 2021
AIR Wilson College Dance Program, with The Moving Architects Chambersburg PA Aug, 2017, 2018, 2019 - NORTH WILLOW ATTIC RESIDENCY, North Willows Art Space, Montclair NJ, Spring 2018
WONDER WOMAN: WWXI_gaia an environment for creative process, Eye of the Storm, JC, NJ USA Spring 2018 - SNOREBARN COLLECTIVE RESIDENCY, Berlin, DE, July 2019 / NYC, USA Oct 2017 /Santa Fe, NM USA, April 2016 JSKD, Republic of Slovenia Public Fund for Cultural Activities, Studio Practice, Ljubljana, Slovenija, Dec 2014
- CASA LIMANTOUR, Studio practice, Mexico City, Mexico, Aug 2011
CIC Choreographic Investigative Course, Facilitators: Ivy Baldwin & Jill Sigman, DNA Dance New Amsterdam, 2009 – 2010 WONDER WOMAN: WWIII, _gaia an environment for creative process, Women & War, Hoboken, NJ Winter 2008 - TASARA CENTRE FOR CREATIVE WEAVING, Creative weaving and dye techniques, Calicut, India, Winter 1997
Gallery
