01: Pigs and Lint
Westen Charles

May 15th- June 12th, 1999  

Locust Projects is pleased to present "Pigs and Lint", a new body of work by Westen Charles consisting of a video experience and an installation project.

The work of Miami based artist Westen Charles allows a fresh look at seeing the world. In a performance piece titled "Nice Hav'in Ya", the artist used talkingtrees, a ten foot stack of 2x4's and an unexpected display through closed-circuittelevision which individually compromised the viewer's sexual morals. Another challenging presentation at the Lowe Art Museum included video, photography andfireworks- appropriately titled "Rocket Ass". His works have been characterized by an unsettling reminder that the lines between life, art and expression can quickly blur, leaving participants vulnerable and even intimidated.

"Pigs and Lint" includes a series of video performances and an installation using household appliances. The video explores the many relationships between humans and animals, ranging from the familiar constructs of children'sfables to the contemporary issue of packaged food. Charles' installation responds to the coincidental refuge of modern domestic machinery. A close examination will reveal many unexpected ingredients such as finger nail clippings, body hair and dead skin particles. "Pigs and Lint" illustrates Charles' visual vocabulary- it is a combination of images that reveal the working processes, ideas and obsessions that underpin his work in all media including drawing, painting, sculpture and video.