ur Man in Havana: The Vacuum Cleaner in Art
Gallery Aferro
73 Market St
Newark NJ 07102

April 21 - May 26, 2007
Curated by Emma Wilcox

Opening Reception Saturday April 21, 6-9:30
Roomba Performance by Bobby Zokaites at 8
Performance, "Just Like Mom and Dad's!" by Asha Ganpat

Illustrated full color catalog available, sponsored by Newark Art Supply

www.NewarkArtSupply.com

www.aferro.org

Merav Ezer, Eliza Gagnon, Asha Ganpat, Ganzblum, Richard Herzog,
Jessica Lagunas, Valeri Larko, Maria Adelaida Lopez, Karen Margolis,
James Morgan + John Bruneau, Toni Pepe, MaryJo Rosania, Karen Zalamea,
Bobby Zokaites

One of the various definitions of the word vacuum is "a partially
exhausted space."
But as in forensics, where a milligram of dust can contain a complex
narrative, 14 artists have made visible the hidden significances of a
minor player in mostly domestic dramas: the vacuum cleaner. For the
artists, this significance may be political, scientific, nostalgic or
simply perverse.

Dedicated to James Murray Spangler*, an amateur inventor/department
store janitor whose chronic lung problems may have inspired him to
design the modern portable vacuum cleaner, the exhibit was in turn
inspired by the work of Columbian-born Maria Adelaida Lopez. Lopez's
"dust houses" are replicas of those of her former employers from her
grad-student/housecleaner days, made from the dust of vacuum cleaners.
The artist has stated that her work is for "all the other Marias."

The recurring nature of dust and dirt as a metaphor for resurrection
and transformation is an underlying theme for many of the artists
below. Eliza Gagnon will be presenting a video edited from interviews
she did with an astonishing range of Americans on various aspects of
dust and cleaning, including 9/11 dust, cleaning and sex, cleaning and
race, and favorite cleaning product smells. Like many of the artists,
Merav Ezer's work is informed by her experiences as an emigrant from
her country of origin. Using a vacuum, she creates molds of personal
objects such as cigarettes and high heels, preserving them.

Bobby Zokaites rebuilds Roomba robotic vacuum cleaners for the
function of painting. The algorithm that the machines use to vacuum
rooms then becomes visible. The Roombas will be painting at the
opening, petting is allowed.

* Without money to develop his invention, James Murray Spangler sold
his patent to his cousin's husband William Hoover in 1908.