The
forms and folds of artist Susan Roth’s work present a dialogue on the use of
cultural allusions in artwork. Specifically, Roth’s evocative titles often
reference other works of art, media, and history. This is not completely
unheard of; yet, Roth creates and assigns these titles after the work is
completed. Therefore, Roth is not resigned to incorporating specific cultural
allusions into her work; rather they occur naturally and derive from her
process.
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| Susan Roth, Time Lord, 2013. |
This is especially evident in her piece entitled Time Lord that refers to the ongoing BBC
series “Doctor Who”. “Doctor Who” is a British science fiction program that
chronicles the adventures of the Doctor, a time lord and humanoid alien. He
explores the universe using his abilities while facing adversaries and helping
friends. Over the course of its thirty-four seasons, “Doctor Who” has gathered
a unique set of devoted fans. In fact, Roth is a fan, who began viewing the
series during its original broadcast. It is evident from her steel painting Time Lord that Roth holds a special
affinity to the show like most fans.
Like all of her pieces, Roth titled this work after its completion.
Thus, the show was not the point of reference or focus during the work’s
creation. Yet, Roth resonated with the shared themes of the show and the
artwork. In an interview between gallery director Lenore Miller and Roth, the
artist reflects on the piece and shares: “The shifting association [of the
series] I feel is somehow invoked and similar to the shifts and rifts, the
slips and slides, of my canvases, and now the steel as well”.[i]
Ultimately, Roth’s feelings toward Time
Lord and her process show how allusions become embedded in her artwork so
effortlessly.
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| Susan Roth, Argosy (Conrad), 2013. |
Similarly,
in Roth’s work Argosy, she alludes to
the author Joseph Conrad and his literature. Conrad was a British writer, best
known for his novels Heart of Darkness
and Lord Jim, which drew on his
experience as a mariner in the 1870s. His works of literature often addressed
profound themes of nature and existence, offering a revolutionary perspective
during his time. Conrad and his works have been alluded to numerously in film.
His stories and characters are recognizable in films such as Apocalypse Now and The Duelists. However, in both of these examples, Conrad’s works
are cleverly adapted to different settings and conflicts in order to depict the
timelessness of his ideas and themes. Yet, it is clear that these projects that
these projects purposely used Conrad’s work to serve as inspiration.
Comparatively, Argosy is unique in
its allusion and medium because it occurs naturally. The allusion to Conrad is
visible by the distinctive “C” shape that is embedded into Roth’s steel
painting. Ultimately, this piece culturally adds to the previous allusions of
Conrad’s work.
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Susan Roth, North Country Girl, 2013.
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Allusions
can be powerful in artwork because they can elicit different responses and connotations
from viewers. This occurs easily in Roth’s piece North Country Girl. For example, this piece could be an allusion to
Bob Dylan’s song “Girl from the North Country”. Dylan wrote this song during a
trip to England in 1962 in tribute to a past girlfriend. Since its debut,
Dylan’s song has been covered by notable singers like Johnny Cash, Rod Stewart,
and Neil Young. Depending on the age and background of the viewer, North
Country Girl could be associated with a specific cover or the original song.
Whereas, for other viewers, this may not be the allusion that is accessible. In
fact, a film entitled North Country
was released in 2005 that focused on a historic class action suit between a
group of female miners and a mine in northern Minnesota. Although this event is
seemingly obscure, it could impact how a knowledgeable viewer interprets the
title of Roth’s piece and therefore, her work. Thus, the power of allusions not
only impacts the subject of an art piece, but also how that piece is responded
to by a body of viewers.
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| Susan Roth, North Country Girl, 2013. |
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Susan Roth’s works will
be on display as a part of Susan Roth:
Form, Frame, Fold until January 30th, 2015 at the Luther W. Brady Art Gallery.
[i] Roth, Susan. Interview by Lenore
Miller. N.d. Print. (Exhibition Catalogue).
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