Tommy Hartung: LILITH

Tommy Hartung’s (b. 1978, New York) solo show draws inspiration from various folklore stories and legends which are granted a visual presence through video works, photography and sculpture. This is Hartung’s first solo show at the gallery, following a project in the Bakery space two years ago. In February this year Hartung will open a solo show at the Rose Museum, Boston and in March he will participate in The 2017 Whitney Biennial (curated by Christopher Y. Lew and Mia Locks).

In his work, Hartung explores the potential of the moving image. He deconstructs and analyzes cultural narratives through collage, assemblage and cinematic tricks. His works can be called “underground films”, starring objects build from domestic and quotidian materials. His work process includes the creation of a set, the sculpting of objects, script writing and of course the filming itself, followed by an editing process in stop motion technique. Hartung is drawn to what he refers to as “dead cinema”, a term which implies the characters of the objects he works with – puppets instead of living actors, studio-made dioramas instead of a set and old archival photographs.