KEEPING HOUSE examines the territory between individual and nationalistic identity as expressed through labor. It is an American custom to identify oneself via one’s profession. Shifts in the nature of jobs in our country threaten the pride of vocation which ushered in this ritual. Although Veronica Ceci\'s primary identity is that of Artist, as it is largely an unpaid role, she supplements it with identities as Housekeeper and Master Printer. Keeping House centers the intersection of these ... view more »
KEEPING HOUSE examines the territory between individual and nationalistic identity as expressed through labor. It is an American custom to identify oneself via one’s profession. Shifts in the nature of jobs in our country threaten the pride of vocation which ushered in this ritual. Although Veronica Ceci\’s primary identity is that of Artist, as it is largely an unpaid role, she supplements it with identities as Housekeeper and Master Printer. Keeping House centers the intersection of these identities with that of American citizen utilizing an exaggerated presentation of the violence of capitalism as contrasted with romantic dreams of the failed possibilities of communism. These themes are explored via print, a medium which has played heavily in the history of the labor movement and which itself is a character in the saga The exhibition presents print based installation work, discrete pieces and sculpture. It features the community art project Our Unamerica, funded in part by a grant from the City Of Austin Cultural Arts Division. Unamerica is a shape, created by the artist, which references the geographical outline of our country but has been altered to fit back into itself like a puzzle piece. The shape was brought to community centers where patrons were offered free drawing instruction in exchange for decorating the shape with images of what they felt was most joyous and most challenging about contemporary life in the United States.
View less