Gallery Review: Adam Chodzko’s “Room for Laarni” at Marlborough Contemporary

The body of works that Adam Chodzko displays in “Room for Laarni” are mostly that of conceptual art. The works he presents comes in the forms of photography (“Sleepers. Hole,” and “Too”), collage (“Suddenly we all begin”), sculpture (“Mask Filter” and “I See Through Every Image. [A souvenir for Laarni; A planting template for Belladonna seeds”]) and video montage (“Same”). Within these works Chodzko explores the psychological impact on the invisible image moderator as he engages the gaze of the audience for that of Laarni.

Some of the most significant pieces from his exhibition includes “Same” and “A souvenir for Laarni.” In “Same,” Chodzko introduces the life of an image moderator and the potential for psychological damage that they undergo. Displayed in the form of a Skype conversation, Chodzko describes the details and hardships of the job whilst superimposing imagery over the conversation to suggest imagery from Laarni’s memory.

In “A souvenir for Laarni” Chodzko creates a sculptural piece whereby Belladonna seeds are laid on top of a print, whilst the print is laid on top of unmarked boxes. The unlabeled boxes is an allegory for how the imagery “could have come from anywhere,” much like the imagery that Laarni sees during their job. The Belladonna sees are known as a hallucinogenic with the effect of dilating the consumer’s pupils. Thus the seeds are seen as an “invitation” to see through Laarni’s eyes – on a new platform of consciousness. The audience is lost further into the space as Chodzko plays soothing guitar music amongst the familiar messaging sound of Skype.

            After the introductory pieces (“A souvenir for Laarni” and “Same,”) the viewers are established in their mindset of appreciating the aesthetic value of the imagery. Since the details of the job are seen as excruciating for Laarni, we are invited to test our psychological resistance to impatience. This goes to show the importance of layout and “introducing” an exhibition through certain pieces of work. Especially when an atmosphere needs to be established.

Elements that have informed Chodzko’s work in “Room for Larni” includes his past experiences with exhibition spaces. During his time with his “Schwitters in Britain” and “Raven Row,” Chodzko realized the viewer’s desires of wanting to locate imagery and our parallel significance. This runs in parallel to most contemporary artists who work within the digital environment as they try to appreciate the massive influx of information that the Internet provides. However, the idea of establishing an intimate gaze between the viewer and Art is a long-running tradition whereby Chodzko invites the audience to participate through the Belladonna seeds.

Personally, I found Chodzko’s work to be rather inspiring as an artist who is keen on exploring the geo-political side of Art. Chodzko’s work depicts the issues of “invisible labor by Filipinos,” as he makes us aware that more than just more than just those whom we choose see our online data. It also brings forth the question of how long Laarni can endure the slow process of psychological torture, by moderating hundreds of thousands of online images.

From the content of the exhibition I am keen to explore the idea of “the hidden labour,” especially when my family members are trapped in the same cycle as Laarni. Whereby they are undergoing work that could risk their physical or mental health, for the sake of supporting their families. Chodzko’s “A souvenir for Laarni” has inspired me to incorporate more layers of conceptual meaning into my works, so I shall be trying to exploring this element where it is appropriate.