Bio
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Separation, Alignment, Cohesion
Installation by Jessica Cadkin
May 16 - June 1, 2008
Artist Reception: Friday evening, May 16, 2008, 6 - 9 p.m.
Oakland, California - April 14, 2008 - Cricket
Engine Gallery is pleased to announce a solo exhibition, Separation,
Alignment, Cohesion, by Jessica Cadkin.
We still have much to learn from watching the birds and the bees. Birds
rely on the flock for survival, and bees have developed a democratic decision-making
process for the good of the hive. By working together, many animal species
have learned various survival techniques. Among bird communities, "flocking"
is one such technique. Flocking is controlled by three rules: Separation-avoid
crowding neighbors; Alignment-steer towards the average heading of neighbors;
and Cohesion-steer towards the average position of neighbors. Jessica
Cadkin has taken this natural phenomenon and re-imagined it within the
contextualized confines of art.
After looking at photos in a National Geographic article, Cadkin
was struck by the ethereal beauty of a flock of starlings taking evasive
action to avoid an attacking falcon. Separation, Alignment, Cohesion
abstracts this natural form, resizes it, and places it in a gallery as
an installation piece. Over 400 handmade "birds," each constructed
of black organza, are arranged to recreate a flock in flight. Each "bird"
is individually crafted and thus uniquely different from another. They
are arranged as a whole to constitute a singular form, creating the piece's
distinctive overall shape and structure. Cadkin's work often involves
multiple parts: elements that are separate, yet work together to make
a united whole. These distinctly individual components are combined to
create a larger, complete image of patterns: an image made of images.
Through this installation Cadkin considers collective action in terms
of individual and group behavior. Movement plays a key role in the expression
of the installation. Separation, Alignment, Cohesion is a constantly
changing form, just as a flock of birds is a constantly changing entity.
At times the installation appears still. At other times, when a breeze
enters the gallery, or a viewer passes by, the installation takes "flight"
and comes alive before readjusting itself back into a tranquil silhouette.
Separation, Alignment, Cohesion also addresses our notion of how
identity becomes absorbed within the community. Even when there is a seemingly
apparent loss of individuality within the group, uniqueness remains intact
upon closer inspection.
Calendar Information
Artist Reception: Friday evening, May 16, 2008,
6 - 9pm
Gallery Hours: Saturday & Sunday May 17 & 18, 12 - 4pm; Saturday
and Sunday May 24 & 25, 12 - 4pm; Saturday May 31 and Sunday June
1, 12 - 4pm; and by appointment
Cricket Engine Studio & Gallery
499 Embarcadero Ave East, Building #3 (P2, B7)
Oakland, CA 94606
Contact Information and Images
Jessica Cadkin, 510.704.8471, jessica.cadkin@gmail.com, www.jessicacadkin.com
Lexa Walsh, Cricket Engine Gallery, cricketengine@yahoo.com, www.cricketengine.org
About Cricket Engine Gallery
Cricket Engine Gallery is a former military infirmary,
located at the 5th Avenue Marina near Oakland's Jack London Square.
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