Hadley Sui

The Untitled Space is pleased to present an online viewing room of “THE LABYRINTH,” an installation and exhibition of works by artist Indira Cesarine featuring photography, video, painting, and sculpture, as well as a series of performances inspired by the artwork.

For “THE LABYRINTH” Cesarine has created an immersive installation, transforming the gallery into a maze through which viewers can experience her contemporary female gaze on Surrealism, a theme the artist has been exploring through a variety of mediums over the past several decades. “THE LABYRINTH” is a surreal odyssey that reveals through its passages a kaleidoscopic universe of subconscious realities bound by the contrasts of hyperrealism and ethereal symbolism. Cesarine leads the viewer through this maze of discoveries, presenting works that are deeply personal and equally created in response to the influence of Surrealists including Jean Cocteau, Man Ray, and Dora Maar. “THE LABYRINTH” explores the juxtaposition of contrasting opposites, dimension, distortion, and the power of light to engage and reflect on our own stream of subconscious while provoking the tangibility of perceived realities. The result is a journey through our fantasies and expectations, rendered through the lens of dreams and desires.

The juxtaposition of Cesarine’s macro and kaleidoscopic florals created for “THE LABYRINTH” play in sharp contrast to the visual yin yang of her surreal portraits of women that explore female sensuality and identity. “I find myself returning to the visual language of flowers – as a representation of women’s sexuality, as well as emotional expression of love, forgiveness, sorrow, and hope. Throughout history, flowers have been ripe with symbolism, with each blossom or arrangement having different meanings. The language of flowers dates back many centuries, and they were often used to send secret messages to lovers. For me the flower can be alluring, mysterious, sensual and full of emotions that are difficult to express with words.” – Indira Cesarine

“While studying for my degree in Art History at Columbia University in Paris I became

very interested in the history of Surrealism, and wrote a 30 page paper in french,

“Surréalisme, Sexualité, et La Femme,” (1992) on the male gaze and misogyny of many

of the original Surrealists. Presenting an empowering female perspective on images of

women has always been an important part of my work. Explorations of female identity,

sexuality, dreams and desires have been returning themes in my artwork since I first started

creating. In several of my recent works featured in “THE LABYRINTH” I explore surreal techniques

of “light painting” that were invented by Man Ray in 1937, which I have juxtaposed with

dramatic chiaroscurist portraits of women in order to evoke an ethereal universe of light

and energy.” – Indira Cesarine

Through the lens of fantasy and illusion,

Cesarine toys with imagery of the

subconscious mind, depicting the

human form with power and

subjectivity. “Empowering feminist

themes are often a point of departure

for my multi-sensory series. My work

questions the place of humanity in

context with contemporary civilization

and is often influenced by

autobiographical content and women’s

history at large. I draw from historical

narratives in an effort to create

empowering artwork that can have an

impact on the viewer, be a catalyst for

change or provide insight into history,

which may have been overlooked.”

– Indira Cesarine

“THE LABYRINTH” exhibition and installation features select works from Cesarine’s “Goddess” and “ONLY YOU” series. The “Goddess” series features photographic artwork of renowned dancer Katherine Crockett shot in studio on medium format and montaged with landscapes and macro flora images, with all photography and compositing by Indira Cesarine. The series presents empowering emotive images of the female form, with graceful physical strength juxtaposed with images depicting the power of nature. Mother earth becomes personified through the beauty of a goddess dancing.

The selection of medium format photography and video art from her “ONLY YOU” series featured in “THE LABYRINTH” focuses on close up of a woman’s eyes as an emotional portal. The series is based on autobiographical experiences of the artist, emphasizing the impact of love and loss. Works from her “ONLY YOU” series were previously exhibited at Art Basel Miami for exhibition in collaboration with American Friends of The Louvre, at London’s Red Bull Studios in collaboration with Graffik Gallery, at CICA Museum, South Korea for “Portrait 2018”, at SCOPE Basel, Switzerland, June 2018, at The Untitled Space in New York City, as well as Norwood Arts Club, where is it on view through August 2020 in “Ingenuity” Group Show. The video art version has additional been screened at Cannes Film Festival and on the Big Screen Plaza in Chelsea, New York.

ARTIST BIOGRAPHY

Indira Cesarine

is a multidisciplinary artist who works with photography, video, painting, printmaking, and sculpture. A graduate of Columbia University with a triple major in Art History, French and Women’s Studies, she additionally studied at Parson’s School of Design, International Center of Photography, School of Visual Arts, Art Students League and the New York Academy of Art. Cesarine had her first solo show at the age of sixteen at Paul Mellon Arts Center. Her work as an artist has been featured internationally at many art galleries, museums, and art fairs, including The Metropolitan Museum of Art, Hudson Valley MOCA, Mattatuck Museum, Albany Institute of History and Art, CICA Museum, San Luis Obispo Museum of Art, French Embassy Cultural Center, Art Basel Miami, SCOPE Art Basel, SCOPE Miami, SPRING/BREAK Art Show, Getty Images Gallery, Cannes Film Festival and the International Festival Photo Mode to name a few.

In 2014, her public art sculpture “The Egg of Light” was exhibited at Rockefeller Center as part of the Fabergé Big Egg Hunt supporting The Elephant Family. Her work has been auctioned at Sotheby’s New York for the annual Take Home A Nude art benefits in 2017-2019, at ARTWALK NY benefiting the Coalition for the Homeless in 2018 and 2019, as well as at Tabula Rasa, the 26th Annual Watermill Center Benefit and Auction, July 2019. Her work is additionally on view at Norwood Art Club’s “Ingenuity” exhibition until August 2020. Her artwork and exhibitions have been featured internationally in many publications including American Vogue, Vogue Italia, Forbes, Newsweek, W Magazine, Harper’s Bazaar, Dazed and Confused, New York Magazine, i-D Magazine, and The Huffington Post among many others. Cesarine currently lives and works in Tribeca, NY.