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Williams College
Museum of Art Presents Nicole Cohen: My Vie en Rose
July 19-February 8, 2004, at the Williams College Museum of Art
Williamstown, MA—Williams College Museum of Art (WCMA) will present
Nicole Cohen: My Vie en Rose, a new installation by the California-based video
artist. Cohen presents an installation of video projections inspired largely
by the decorative and fanciful painting Trente Ans ou La Vie En Rose (1931)
by the French painter Raoul Dufy. My Vie en Rose will be on view from July
19 through February 8, 2004.
"The presentations in Media Field have represented a range of contemporary
work in new media, from the most recent politically-based videos in the exhibition
pol-i-tick to this new work created especially for the Williams College Museum
of Art by Nicole Cohen," says Director Linda Shearer. "Her work is
an elegant and wry play between fashion, art, technology, and popular culture.
Her light touch belies the veiled critique of contemporary attitudes, and I
am sure our visitors will be intrigued by the work of this compelling artist."
Views of the so-called good life
Roughly translated, My Vie En Rose refers to "the good life," the
condition of seeing the world through rose-colored glasses. Cohen draws parallels
between Dufy's (1877-1953) trademark representations of the lightness, humor,
and sheer enjoyment of life and the overabundant desire for pleasure and fantasy
that she has encountered since settling in southern California. Cohen creates
small-scale digital prints of lush interior spaces onto which she projects
video images of figures engaged in a number of indulgent, low-stress activities
stereotypical of fun-loving Angelinos.
When Nicole Cohen first moved to Los Angeles in 1997, coming from a harsh
winter in New York, she was blinded by the sun reflecting off her winter-white
skin. Her first encounters with the city involved tan, healthy, and happy people
engaged in life-enhancing activities. She has lived there long enough now to
recognize the façade concealing the excess and desperation that so often
accompany the relentless search for the next quick fix. In the nine video installations
that make up My Vie en Rose, she co-opts the symbols of the life of ease and
luxury associated with this facet of LA culture—such as spa treatments,
expensive cars, and lavish hotels—and reveals their complexity. My Vie
en Rose has been organized by Lisa Dorin, Assistant Curator. A brochure, written
by Ms. Dorin, accompanies the exhibition.
Publicity Image Available
Publicity images for My Vie en Rose and other current exhibitions are available
for use. Publicity images for all exhibitions can be found at www.wcma.org/press.
The Williams College Museum of Art is open Tuesday through Saturday, from
10 a.m. to 5 p.m., and Sunday, from 1 to 5 p.m. Admission is free and the museum
is wheelchair accessible.
Contact: Suzanne Augugliaro, Public Relations Coordinator
413.597.3178; WCMA@williams.edu
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