In The Name of Gold – Solo exhibition by Nouli Omer
Visual Arts

In The Name of Gold – Solo exhibition by Nouli Omer

Multidisciplinary artist and actor Nouli Omer is launching a new solo exhibition – IN the NAME of GOLD in which she attempts to present her view of the significance of the values embodied in gold. As in two sides of a coin, one side is gold as a symbol of the sublime and desirable, while the other side represents power exploited for destructive goals that imbue gold with its dangerous aura.

IN THE NAME OF GOLD

A solo exhibition by Nouli Omer

Curators: Vera Pilpoul and Arie Berkowitz

Multidisciplinary artist and actor Nouli Omer is launching a new solo exhibition – IN the NAME of GOLD in which she attempts to present her view of the significance of the values embodied in gold. As in two sides of a coin, one side is gold as a symbol of the sublime and desirable, while the other side represents power exploited for destructive goals that imbues gold with a dangerous aura.

Nouli Omer has chosen to translate her critique into humor, which helps soften painful messages. The works on view include assemblages, embroidery works, paintings on canvas, and painted plates – all overflowing with content and color, capturing attention immediately with the aim of infiltrating consciousness and stimulating thought which might become a beneficial improvement of harsh reality.

"Gold has always had a special significance, from time immemorial to the present, far beyond just being a noble metal; in its positive connotation, gold is part of expressions such as 'a heart of gold,' symbolizing totality and the sublime – passion, love, longing, goodness, purity, and joie de vivre. But in its negative connotation, I find that 'gold fever' leads to a desire to dominate and to wield power, finding expression in such phenomena as the exclusion of women and deep-seated misogyny. The proof: the 'horror show' that is Donald Trump—greed, corruption, 'money talks,' trafficking in babies, women, and animals, and of course, exploiting money (i.e., gold) for the needs of religion and increasing religiosity," in the artist's own words.

The assemblages on view are created from ready-mades (existing objects) integrated with street finds such as frames, sieves, whistles, dolls, feathers, earrings, and more. All of these create a visual overload, a deliberate richness, often extreme Baroque, with gold and sparkling stones. The embroideries are lush with colors, their content reflecting the passion for joie de vivre (sublime gold), towards which the artist strives on a daily basis.

Among the artworks in the exhibition: the gilded, overdone and wide-open "High-Class Escort," splendid at first but troubling at second glance; "Trump," a golden frog holding a goldfish in his mouth; "Jesus, how kitschy they made you," a decorated cross full of commercial Christian symbols; "The Oligarch's Wife," a bird in a gilded cage chirping to the sound of visitors' hands clapping; "Success," an aggressive figure with blinding starts in its eyes and a disposable cigarette made of paper currency, or to the law which is being ground away; "Look at me," a painting on canvas of a caged golden monkey, looking out with deeply sad human eyes impossible to ignore; "Hugh Hefner's Jewelry," golden women-dolls hanging haphazardly over an abyss on thin wires.

Gallery hours: Mon.-Thurs. 10 a.m.-1 p.m., 5 p.m.-7 p.m.
Fri. 10 a.m.-1 p.m.
Sat.  11 a.m.-2 p.m.

Date and time

Mar 29, 2024
12:00 AM (UTC+0)

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Location

Virtual