WHY DO THE WAVES REPEAT THE QUESTIONS I ASK THEM?
Solo Exhibition at Latchkey Gallery
173 HENRY ST, New York
MAY 5 - JUNE 10, 2023
OPENING RECEPTION: MAY 5, 6 - 9PM
Latchkey Gallery is pleased to present, Why do the waves repeat the questions I ask them?, a solo presentation by multi-media artist and activist Katja Loher. Composed of video-sculptures and projections, the artist addresses ecological urgencies while drawing attention to the intrinsic beauty of life sustaining processes that support our planet. Why do the waves repeat the question I ask them? transforms the gallery into a surreal, dream-like environment dividing the exhibition space into three sections: the sea, the earth and the magical intersection of the two.
Loher’s video works are created in a collaborative effort; they incorporate dancers who take the form of small creatures that ennoble their existence. Performers intertwine to form letters, words and questions, while costumed dancers dressed as bees, plankton or butterflies mimic the communication inherent to different species creating hypnotic musical scores.
In Loher’s new series related to the Plankton Manifesto, the artist takes us on an underwater journey making the beauty of plankton visible to the human eye. Through her mesmerizing video projections, Loher transforms the space into the deep sea; enveloping the viewer through sight, sound and smell. Video-sculptures made from recycled plastic take form. Inspired by the drawings of German ecologist and artist Ernst Haeckel, Loher’s created world draws attention to the crucial role of phytoplankton. Responsible for producing up to 50% of the oxygen we breathe, these microscopic organisms also cycle most of the Earth's carbon dioxide between the ocean and atmosphere.
Traveling from the sea to the earth, Loher focuses on the all-consuming ecological universe surrounding us. Studying under Shamans and philosophers from around the world, Loher shares their powerful knowledge to emphasize the importance of living in harmony with the natural world. Dancers move to form the sacred mandala symbol of Asian cultures, knowledge from the Chinese philosophy of the Five Elements Theory is shared, and healing chants from the Peruvian Amazon are revered. Loher unites the world wide concerns we are inflicting on our planet, through video-sculptures made from found tree trunks and bird’s nests and highlights the need for ecological consciousness and balance.
Gathering at the magical threshold of the sea and earth, we are reminded that all entities of our planet have a spirit that is part of the greater soul of the universe.