Mark Dion "Travels of William Bartram: Reconsidered"

Tanya Bonakdar Gallery

poster for Mark Dion "Travels of William Bartram: Reconsidered"

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Investigating the visual representation of knowledge and the natural sciences, and concerned with the historical methods of representing and organizing the world, Mark Dion employs pseudo-scientific and museological conventions of investigation and display in order to subvert previously held ideas and practices. The act of participation, or the role play of a scientific, pastoral or naturalist endeavor has been a fundamental fascination within Dion's practice, and has played a major role in a number of his most significant projects over the past two decades. "Travels of William Bartram: Reconsidered" is such a project and represents Dion’s extensive travels throughout the southern United States. In an effort to examine the history and culture of 18th century American naturalist, botanist and explorer William Bartram, Dion followed the approximate course of Bartram’s four-year expedition through eight southern colonies to take notes on the Native Americans and the indigenous flora and fauna. Using the original travel journals, drawings, and maps, Dion initiated his own, modern day, exploratory journey. Often traveling by horseback, canoe, and Jeep, Dion collected, scavenged and acquired numerous artifacts, specimens, and objects of material culture and mailed them back to Bartram's Garden, the historic 18th century home of William Bartram, and his father John Bartram in Philadelphia.

[Image: Mark Dion "Travels of William Bartram Reconsidered (alligator cabinet)" (2008) found alligators in various media, painted wood and glass cabinet, framed William Bartram reproduction, overall installed dimensions: 73 x 13 x 39 1/2 in.]

Media

Schedule

from January 09, 2010 to February 06, 2010

Artist(s)

Mark Dion

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