Final installation view of The Merger, 2006
Through performance, video and sculpture, Justin Cooper (American b. 1976, lives Chicago) explores the issue of balance exhibited in the power dynamics of interpersonal relationships, the struggle for growth, and the simply absurd workings of the human psyche. Cooper experiments with his body, behavior and sculptural objects to create work that conveys our constant state of flux. Weaving seemingly disparate gestures and objects together to construct loose, experimental narratives and tentative installations, he captures the fleeting states of mind and being.
Middle Management showcases four distinct personalities whose relationships gradually weave into a narrative fabric over the course of four performances. The dynamics between the personalities range from complete ignorance to passionate conflict: love, hate, and indifference are often acted out simultaneously. Each personality provides a window into a psycho-emotional state, a fragment of a whole that is moving toward an integrative union. Middle Management is an account of this process. The exhibition consists of 4 distinct performances “The Party” Jan 6th, “The Appointment” Jan 14th, “The Board Meeting” Jan 21st, and “The Merger” Jan 28th starring Cooper along with Reed Barrow, Benjamin Bellas, and Clinton King. Cooper’s sculptural objects and photographs act as props for the performances and as an installation throughout the run of the exhibition. New objects and photos will be introduced weekly in relation to each performance. The opening night performance “The Party” on Friday January 6th will be ongoing from 6-9pm, but will reach its apex around 8pm!
Justin Cooper graduated in 2005 from the School of the Art Institute of Chicago with MFA in sculpture, performance, and video. He received his BFA from the University of Colorado in 2003. This will be Cooper’s first solo exhibition, but his work has been included in a number of group shows in Berlin, Rio de Janeiro, Brooklyn, Philadelphia, London, Los Angeles, and Zochimol Mexico. Cooper was 1 of 20 artists included in the 2003 Colorado Biennial curated by Cydney Payton at the Denver Museum of Contemporary Art.
