The Fall of New Zion
M.A. Exhibition by Caleb Harman
November 29-December 15, 2018
Opening Reception: Thursday, November 29, 2018 5-7 pm
Free Parking in the Cherry St. Garage, levels 5 & 6
The Fall of New Zion is an exploration of the power of regional lore. Featuring paintings, drawings, videos and sound installations, Caleb Harman seeks to emulate the observed qualities of lurid storytelling. The Fall of New Zion uses the suspenseful qualities of oral narrative, to build a larger story that uses regional history and locale to secure the fantasy within a known reality. Using elements of reality in fantasy, the story takes on a sense of believability, which draws into question our understanding of the places that we inhabit.
Harman states that “In late fall of 2006, a sighting of a mysterious animal near Holy Hill, Wisconsin, made national news for 15 minutes. Upon watching the CNN report the incident quickly rustled up fantastic and macabre stories from my friends about cannibals, serial killers, haunted buildings, and werewolves in the Wisconsin countryside. I began researching accounts of haunted locations in Milwaukee and other places I had lived.” Researching wasn’t enough as Harman continued to explore these places while seeking to add his own experience to the accounts he was investigating. Inspired by these stories, Harman invents a new tale through a wide range of mediums that creates a space in which the viewer can experience the power of folklore to permanently alter our emotional relationships with our surroundings.
