Close-Up
The Swiss Institute in New York presents "Close-Up," the first U.S. institutional exhibition by multidisciplinary artist Deborah-Joyce Holman.This exhibition features a single-channel film that intimately portrays a Black woman's engagement in everyday domestic activities, challenging traditional narratives of representation.Runs from January 22 to April 20, 2025.
This exhibition takes place at the Swiss Institute, 38 St Marks Pl, New York, NY 10003. Runs through April 20, 2025.
Exhibition Description
"Close-Up" showcases Deborah-Joyce Holman's exploration into the politics of representing racialized and gendered subjects. The centerpiece of the exhibition is a single-channel film that meticulously restages a scene from Holman's earlier multichannel video work, "Close-Up/Quiet As It's Kept" (2023). In this iteration, the film focuses on a contemplative Black woman, portrayed by artist Tia Bannon, within a modernist domestic setting. The film captures the protagonist engaged in mundane tasks—lying down, scratching her head, smelling tulips, brewing tea, and washing her hands. These despectacularized, non-narrative sequences emphasize the beauty and significance of everyday gestures. Shot on 16mm film, the work offers a grainy, textured aesthetic that enhances the intimate portrayal. Holman's deliberate use of close-up framing, capturing the subject from the clavicle to the crown, oscillates between portrait and anti-portrait. This approach challenges viewers' presumed access to the interiority of marginalized subjects, promoting a contemplative engagement with the film. The exhibition space is minimally arranged, with the wall-sized projection and seating creating an environment conducive to reflection.
Gallery
