HELEN ALTMAN
TRAILHEAD
WOMEN & THEIR WORK
jAN UARY 13 - FEBRUARY 17, 2001
AUSTIN, TEXA S HELEN ALTMAN'S TRi-VLHEiill
Lilze tl1e stage settings in an elementary school Thanlzsgiving pagean-t, Helen Altman's show, Trai/lzead, is clearly divided into scenery and actors. On the walls, quilted hangings catalog various natural environments; on tl1e gallery floor, droopy falze birch trees extend tl1e forest image in-to three dimensional space. These elements set the stage for the tragicomic turbey hunting scene in which tl1e timicl Pilgrim and the bumbling Tom Turkey perform a forest lJallet. Glossing over just exactly how -tl1e live -turlzey in tl1e woods becomes -the roasted turlzey on -the dinner table, the scene retains the spice of a l1idden darlz side -to the story.
Trail/1ead mixes tl1e fun and anx:iety of a fairytale forest. A classic story prop, the cuclwo clock, is the focus of the Target, (detail) 2000. show's an.-xiety. The regular ticb-toclz of Turlwy targel, bircb trees, 32" x 26" x 26". its pendulum is a cons-tant reminder of -time passing. The fran-tic, silly cry of burden of heavy ideas abou-t incuba-tion, Falze nature is a constant theme tl1e cuclwo as i-t pops ou-t of its l1idden protection, nurturing, and sacrifice. in Altman's work. Her well-lmown door is frightening, -tl1en funny: an Seed Skulls from 1996 was a series of sculptures made from artificial fire abrupt explosion of absurdity. AJJsurd life-sized human slmlls molded from place logs contain simple mechanisms falzery is everywhere. A foam turkey, birdseed and hung outdoors for hungry of rotating foil and orange ligl1tbu!bs branchless birch logs and inlzjet printed birds to pich clean. In anotber early that create a realistic flamelike effect, collages re-crea-te elemen-ts of a natural worb entitled Snow .Head, a snowman's outdoorsy ancl homey at the same environment on a realistic scale, but severed head lies preserved at -the boHom time. Sl1e uses similar logs to create wi-thout fooling anybody. The obvious of an old cbest freezer wearing a patient tl1e leafless birch trees, loitering ness of the falzery adds to the sideshow smile as it slowly shrinbs away -to no-thing. around the gallery in Traiflzead. Al)out pathos of tl1e drama. In Plwenix a frozen turbey waits nabed tl1e size of human figures, the trees in a pan, thawing on the shelf of an bend and sway unsteadily on riclzety Lilze tl1e pieces in Trailhead, many of open refrigerator, as if grandma just legs Jil~e skid-row Christmas trees in Altman's worlzs are blaclz comedies stepped out, leaving the door open. As January. Among these ersatz trees witl1 a wry self-deprecating humor. in this show, low-tecll manufacture and wanders an equally fabe turl~ey, a Altman's pieces seem -to be pobng fun holzey illusionism adcl pathos. ready-made archery target, proudly at themselves, even as they carry the puffing up his feathers and fanning his tail in full display, just aching to be shot. environments. In Ocean Blanket, a tan desert camouflage. The image If the goal were simple accuracy, the idea photograph of stormy whitecaps is of the gingerbread house in the darl< of mal
Houston, TX .. ;.~ i. •pll .. . 1 ro~.hr r.- .)o . f 4 ~~ .- • "' • I(ig 1992 Burning Down tl1e House, Hiram Butler Gallery, Houston, TX; Barry Wbistler Native State, (detail) 2000. Gallery, Dallas, TX Inkjet on canvas, quilteLI fabric, 79" x 72" Watching Pots, Ida Green Gallery, Austin College, Sherman, TX 1998 ARS BOTr\J"'ICA, Ida Green Gallery, 1993 Texas: Between Two \Vorlds, Austin College, Sherman, TX Contemporary Arts Museum, I Iouston, TX; traveled to Modern Art Museum of GRANTS AND AWARDS Visions, Barry Whistler Gallery, Dallas, TX 1999 Otis and Velma David Dozier Travel Grant, Fort \' BOARD OF DIRECTORS Now celebrating its 22nd anniversary. Radio and was the first organization in Jane Lilly Schotz, President Women & Their Work presents over 50 Texas to receive a grant in visual art from the Laura Bailie Frances Jones events a year in visual art. dance, theater. National Endowment for the Arts. Women & Stephanie Barko Hypatia Kelly-Butte music. literature. and film. The gallery fea Their \Vork reaches over 5,000 school children Laura Pickett. Calfee Isabel Montes-Brooks tures on-going exhibitions of Texas women and teachers each year through gallery tout'S, Genny Duncan Elizabeth Salaiz gallery talks with exhibiting artists, partici Ginger Ge~· ea· Margo Sawyer artists and brings artists of national stature Bobbi Graves to Texas audiences. Since its founding, patory workshops. in-school performances. dance master classes. and teacher workshops. STAFF Women & Their Work has pr·esented l ,596 Chris Cowden. Executive Director artists in 199 visual art exhibitions, 100 Kat.h~11 Da\·idson. Associate Director music, dance, and theater events. 12 film Teresa Parker. Gallery Manager festivals, 19 literary readings, and 180 \V 0 ~I EN & TH E I R \\' 0 RK Ka~·Ia Chico. Assistant 1\1anager workshops in programming that reflects 1710 L.HACA ST. Robert Pruitt, Preparator the ethnic and cultural diversity of this AUSTI~ . TEX AS 78701 This publication has been made possible through region. Nationally recognized, Women the genemus support of the the Webber Family & (512) 4ii·I 064 Foundation and the National Endowment for the Their Work has been fea tured in Art in wtw@eden .com Arts. Special thanks to BAH 1 Design. America. ArtForum and National Public 1\'ll' ll .womenandthe irwork org