Rhubarb, rhubarb, peas and carrots

Erin Gee, Marla Hlady, Erika Lincoln, Stephanie Loveless, and Ellen Moffat. Curated by Blair Fornwald, Assistant Curator. July 17 to September 5, 2015, Central Gallery.

Additional Information

Marla Hlady Artist Talk: Friday, July 17, 6:00 pm, RPL Film Theatre
Opening Reception: Friday, July 17, 7:00 pm, Central Gallery
Erin Gee and Ellen Moffat: Two Performances: Friday, July 17, 7:30 pm, Central Gallery
Curator Tour: Saturday, July 25, 2:00 pm, Central Gallery

Rhubarb, rhubarb, peas and carrots takes its title from the murmurings of background actors in theatre and film.  When repeated by a group of people, phrases like "rhubarb, rhubarb," "peas and carrots," "watermelon, cantaloupe,” or the nonsensical “walla, walla,” “natter, natter,” or “grommish, grommish” mimic the natural cadence and tone of indistinct chatter. It is an instance where language does not signify, where our eyes and ears are simultaneously fooled into thinking that the nonsensical, meaningless, and surreal is normal and intelligible conversation. Here, the phrase serves to unite the works of five artists whose practices explore sound, music, language, highlighting discrepancies between what is said, meant, heard, and understood.

Marla Hlady, A Case for Sound, 2009 (ongoing), custom fabricate wood boxes, hardware, mp3 players, amplified speakers, sound, AAA batteries, motion switches. Commissioned by Artengine. Photo by Don Hall.