Janet Biggs video installation at Hermes New York: Behind the Vertical

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Behind the Vertical
Installation at Hermès flagship store in New York City, 2006

Janet Biggs' Hermès video installation project, Behind the Vertical, looks at love, loss, and the performance of youth.

The realization that youth is bound by societal constraints compels some to immerse themselves in an obsessive search for perfection and transcendence. By making the athletes strenuous activities seem effortless, Behind the Vertical reveals the effort that goes into the appearance of youthful ease. The vaulter, and swimmer’s, hyper stylized movements, facial expressions and costumes expose the masquerade or performance of youth. What we see and what we know is challenged by images of flying swimmers and gravity defying horse back riders. New equations of beauty and strength, age and desire, control and release are created.

While the piece exposes the performance of youth, it is also a love song to those making the effort. It is a recognition that release and transcendence is in the effort itself.

Behind the Vertical was produced by Hermès of Paris.

Texts:

	Press release, Claire Oliver Gallery, July 2006
	Li, Zhen: "Equestrians in Show Windows." Vision Magazine, Beijing, China. October, 2006.
	Perez, Magdalene: "Nearby Explosion Adds Extra Drama to Video Installation at Hermès." ArtInfo, August 11, 2006.
	Pollack, Barbara. "Horseplay." ArtNews, Summer 2006.
	Matsumae, Ayano: "Janet Biggs." Nile Magazine (Japan). November, 2006. [page 1] [page 2]
	Carr, Amanda: "Artist's Windows at Hermès, New York." Visual Merchandising, 29 September 2006.