Desirée Holman

November 10 - January 31, 2010

: Desirée Holman Mamma 2009 Colored pencil on archival paper. 16 x 16 in. (40.6 x 40.6 cm). Collection of Carl Violano.; Desirée Holman Milkies 2009 Colored pencil on archival paper. 27 x 36 in. (65.6 x 914 cm). Collection of Anthony and Celeste Meier. Image courtesy of the artist and Silverman Gallery, San Francisco.; Desirée Holman Symbiosis 2009 Colored pencil on archival paper. 27 x 36 in. (65.6 x 91.4 cm). Collection of Dean Valentine and Amy Adelson, Los Angeles. Image courtesy of the artist and Silverman Gallery, San Francisco.; Desirée Holman Cassatt 2009 Colored pencil on archival paper. 27 x 23 in. (65.6 x 58.4 cm). Courtesy of the artist and Jessica Silverman Gallery, San Francisco.; Desirée Holman Secure 2009 Colored pencil on archival paper. 16 x 16 in. (40.6 x 40.6 cm). Collection of Emily Wilson. Image courtesy of the artist and Silverman Gallery, San Francisco.; Desirée Holman Insecure 2009 Colored pencil on archival paper. 16 x 16 in. (40.6 x 40.6 cm). Courtesy of the artist and Silverman Gallery, San Francisco.; Desirée Holman 10 20 30 40 2009 Colored pencil on archival paper. (40.6 x 40.6 cm). University of California, Berkeley Art Museum and Pacific Film Archive; Acquisition Committee Fund. Image courtesy of the artist and Silverman Gallery, San Francisco.; Desirée Holman Outgrowth 2009 Colored pencil on archival paper. 16 x 16 in. (40.6 x 40.6 cm). Collection of Penny Cooper and Rena Cooper and Rena Rosenwasser. Image courtesy of the artist and Silverman Gallery, San Francisco.; Desirée Holman Surplusage 2009 Colored pencil on archival paper. 30 x 22 1/2 in. (76.2 x 57.2 cm). Courtesy of the artist and Jessica Silverman Gallery, San Francisco.; Desirée Holman Reborn 2009 Three-channel video, color, sound. 11 min. Courtesy of the artist and Silverman Gallery, San Francisco.; Desirée Holman Reborn 2009 Three-channel video, color, sound. 11 min. Courtesy of the artist and Silverman Gallery, San Francisco.; Desirée Holman Reborn 2009 Three-channel video, color, sound. 11 min. Courtesy of the artist and Silverman Gallery, San Francisco.; Desirée Holman Reborn 2009 Three-channel video, color, sound. 11 min. Courtesy of the artist and Silverman Gallery, San Francisco.

ABOUT THE EXHIBITION

Desirée Holman makes figurative props or effigies which she manipulates in role-play games that then take the form of drawings, sculpture, photography and video. For this exhibition, Holman presents her new project, Reborn, which questions the notion of ‘maternal instincts.’ Inspired by a subculture of women (mostly in the U.S. and Great Britain) who purchase incredibly life-like baby dolls and bathe and feed them as they would a real infant, Holman extensively researched this community and painstakingly hand-crafted several of her own ‘reborns.’ The project also includes Mary Cassatt-inspired color pencil drawings of mothers and their babies and a video featuring several women interacting with the babies in a variety of unconventional scenarios. Holman’s work seamlessly brings together elements of fiction, fantasy, pop culture, anthropology and simulation, as she lures viewers into her games of make-believe.

This exhibition is organized by Hammer curator Ali Subotnick.

Hammer Projects is made possible with major gifts from Susan Bay Nimoy and Leonard Nimoy and The Horace W. Goldsmith Foundation.

Additional generous support is provided by the Los Angeles County Arts Commission, Good Works Foundation and Laura Donnelley, L A Art House Foundation, the Department of Cultural Affairs, City of Los Angeles, the David Teiger Curatorial Travel Fund, and Fox Entertainment Group’s Arts Development Fee.