Abbigail Knowlton Israelsen
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Video
In these video works I constructed monochromatic environments in which to film daily household duties and drudgery.
I furthered my investigation by staging domestic scenarios where things aren’t quite what they seem; something goes awry either physically or emotionally.
In order to advance these staged performances, artificiality became more important than reality. I created two wall paintings that were utilized as set. Rather than assemble environments within real spaces, I flattened the interior space to emphasize its fictitious qualities.
I acted the part of the fanatical housewife that falls to pieces in her simulated kitchen and washroom where everything is matched to perfection. In this work I became storyteller, actor, and artist, casting myself as the main character. Everyday people are posing or performing in some way for the camera, either as actors in a staged scene, or as recognizable stereotypes, or simple as persons other then themselves. These video projects gave me the freedom to create worlds and assume personas in order to express my desires and frustrations.

In the gallery, this video is looped to emphasize the repetition of mundane daily tasks and the distressing noise of falling apart.
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