Aphorisms is a single-or two-channel video piece comprised of a series of short vignettes. Set in familiar work environments, each vignette examines the interactions of two identical figures. These brief exchanges describe a range of attitudes – from camaraderie to cruelty to confusion and back – while a voice recites a series of aphoristic sayings. The on-screen action and monotone narration offer a wry reflection on communal behavior and communication. The narration, repurposed from work-oriented self help books, reflects and subsequently perverts the aspiration for an idealized self, while the near-slapstick action of the figures is grounded in the messiness of everyday behavior – selfish impulses,clashing intent, and sexual innuendo. The two elements amplify each other’s absurdity, resulting in a disturbingly familiar depiction of life at work.

BIO:

Lawrence Mesich (b. 1977) was born in Nashville, TN and raised in Chattanooga, TN. His fascination with and exploration of the spaces created by Chattanooga’s rapid development and abandoned industrial infrastructure formed a life-long interest in the dialogue between bodies, behavior, and architecture. He received his BFA with a concentration in Video and Performance from SUNY Purchase in 1999, and received his MFA in Digital Media and Performance from Stony Brook University in 2005. Lawrence currently lives and works in Brooklyn, NY and Queens, NY, respectively.