Tara Strickstein’s “Pataphor” at Next Art Fair/Art Chicago
“Pataphor” is a an extension of “metaphor,” referring to an analogy taken one step farther, so that the metaphorical construction has become the concrete foundation on which other analogies are made. It is also Tara Strickstein’s contribution to the NEXT Art Fair: a Japanese-style game show in which contestants face off against each other in feats of wits and strength to win valuable prizes.
From the mind that brought you JELLY ROLL: The Spectacle (NEXT 2009) comes Pataphor, by artist Tara Strickstein, the second in a series of calculated situational constructs rooted in social psychology and behavioral theory; the seven deadly sins incarnate. Performed in an exaggerated and macabre game-show aesthetic, this interactive installation investigates zero-sum game theory as it relates to pride, greed and envy. Through a series of absurd feats of strength, wit and endurance, viewers-cum-participants will undergo a psychological re-valuation of symbols of victory.
Says the artist: “We’ve done a couple shows already, on Thursday and Friday. Check out the slideshow for images of me and Steph as the world-famous husband and wife wrestling team ‘Master’ and ‘Baiter,’ and the rest of the crew and contestants of Pataphor!”
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