Suzy Poling Review in the SF Weekly

Suzy Poling's "Zone Modules" project was recently featured in the San Francisco Weekly! Congratulations Suzy!

Sensory Saturation

By Heidi De Vries

In 1920, Man Ray and Marcel Duchamp constructed one of the first known instances of kinetic art. Their piece was a motorized sculpture; it used painted planes of glass that created an optical illusion as they turned, incorporating movement into what had previously been a stationary art form. The influence of Ray, Duchamp, and other boundary-pushers is clear in Suzy Poling's solo exhibit, particularly in her futuristic experiments with light and vision. It's the setting for tonight's closing performance for Zone Modules. Projected video bounces off sculptures hanging from the ceiling or leaning against the wall, with screens and reflective material fracturing her images into unpredictable patterns. In another gallery, bare fluorescent lights arranged around the floor starkly illuminate a series of black-and-white painted collages, while a kaleidoscope-like sculpture mounted in the center of the room uses geometry to shift your perspective of the work into mind-bending repetitions. Poling is as skilled at manipulating sound as she is optics, and when she performs music as her alter ego, Pod Blotz, she immerses the audience in a river of tape loops, synthesized drones, and vocal improvisation with a distinctly dystopian edge. Appropriate, then, that for her closing she has asked two other bastions of the Bay Area DIY music scene to play, woodwind punks Death Sentence: Panda! and dark-and-glitchy noiseniks Chen Santa Maria.

Suzy Poling News

A big congratulations to dnj Gallery artist, Suzy Poling, for her solo exhibition at Queen's Nails Projects in Valencia San Francisco!

Curated by Julio Cesar Morales, "Zone Moduled" is a geometric catalog of myth, chemical experiments and light interferences. Poling’s static collage work combines layers of paint, silkscreens and metallic materials that explore minimalism as well as optical overloads. This show encompasses painted collages, photography, video and installations with glass screens, mirrors, refractive lenses and sound. Concepts of early Science Fiction imagery and ideas of “Future” are played out in two dimensional form and then into fourth dimensional form as light refraction and kinetic experiences occur. The trajectory of the work all stems from a similar place as the build of materials is just as important as the dilapidation. The idea of materialism blurs with consistent break down of object, landscape, chemicals, video interference and light projections.

Along with 20+ static pieces, multiples videos and projections will be obstructed by reflective lenses creating visual modulations, ever changing geometry and light synthesis. Suzy Poling is also Pod Blotz, an experimental sounds project lavished with tape manipulation, organ drone and electronics.

Cynthia Greig on Stephen Bulger Gallery Blog

A big thanks to the Stephen Bulger Gallery for posting our LA Times review for DNJ Gallery artists Cynthia Greig and Suzy Poling to their blog!


Cynthia Greig, Representation #63 (books), 2007,
c-print, 18 x 30 inches


Stephen Bulger Gallery
TUESDAY, JUNE 29, 2010

Gallery Artist Cynthia Greig Reviewed in The Los Angeles Times
Art review: Suzy Poling and Cynthia Greig at DNJ Gallery

Written by:
Leah Ollman

All photographs are acts of abstraction, but not all photographers engage overtly with the devious, multiplicitous nature of the medium. Suzy Poling and Cynthia Greig both make a point of asserting that the world visible within their pictures is not necessarily continuous with the world beyond the frame. Both indulge in playful distortion and amusing confusion. Their concurrent shows at DNJ are a pleasant tease.

To continue reading this article click here;
LA Times Blog

L.A. Times review: Suzy Poling and Cynthia Greig exhibitions at DNJ

Thanks to the L.A. Times for the fantastic review of Suzy Poling's, "Alchemical Feedback," and Cynthia Greig's, "Representations. The review appeared in the Calendar section of the Friday, June 25th issue.

Suzy Poling on Flavorpill

Congratulations to DNJ Gallery artist, Suzy Poling, for her inclusion in Flavorpill's online culture guide! Check out the link and be sure to check out Flavorpill next week to see more of Suzy's images! :-)


Suzy Poling, Geyser #1, 2010, lightjet print, 30" x 40"

Suzy Poling
Los Angeles
Issue 380 June 8, 2010

Suzy Poling's Alchemical Feedback is an exhibition of two different bodies of photographic works that compare and share the relationships of chemical reactions, spontaneity, and permanence. One of the series of photographs is taken of geysers from Yellowstone National Park, where Earth's feedback is presented in one of its finest forms. The geysers are a magma phenomenon, which is made up of strange colors, bacteria mat, and mysterious boiling pots of water and acid. Poling contrasts the geyser images with a project of experiments made with chemistry, oils, and decay, as well as burned photographic film. This series, called Ellipses, is equally accidental and unexpected as the mysterious geysers. These images contrast the human-made versus what is made by the Universe as it describes what is found and what is made up. There is an arc between these two works as it bridges the need to comprehend our relationship with astronomy exploration images, and also how surreal the Earth can look. The work suggests a human's need to understand nature's unknowns, as both projects embrace spontaneity and regeneration. Now on view at DNJ Gallery.

DNJ Gallery to Host an Artgate Lecture titled "Alchemical Perceptions"

DNJ Gallery is pleased to host an in-depth lecture led by Artgate on Saturday, June 12, 2010 from 5 - 7pm.

A 45-minute lecture entitled "Alchemical Perceptions," led by Frank Navarro, will explore the notions of Alchemy, Feedback, Perception and Illusion in art through the works of major artists such as Bill Viola, James Turrell, Joseph Beuys, Olafur Eliasson, Iannis Xenakis. The lecture develops, deepens and enlightens these topics that are the conceptual starting points of Suzy Poling and Cynthia Greig in their current shows at DNJ gallery. In addition, artist Suzy Poling will be present to discuss her work after the lecture. Hors d'oeuvres and a spirited conversation will follow.

Participants must register directly on-line at www.art-gate.org/reserve.html by selecting Option 1 - $20 (per person).

This cost helps to support ARTGATE programs. Please feel free to contact the gallery with any questions regarding the event.

Suzy Poling and Cynthia Greig Opening Photos

A big thank you to all that attended our Saturday night opening of Alchemical Feedback by Suzy Poling and Representations by Cynthia Greig! These exhibitions will run through July 10, 2010 so be sure to bring some friends by the gallery to see the work again.

T.A. (Timothy Archibald) Blog post on "Alchemical Feedback"

Alchemical Feedback



Geyser #1, 2010

Pal Suzy Poling's exhibition Alchemical Feedback : Geysers & Ellipses opens on Saturday at DNJ Gallery in Los Angeles. I've seen the prints and they are otherworldly in just the best way...documents and creations that create a complex dialogue together. It's ambitious stuff and still totally delivers.

What's it all mean? Here's the statement:

Alchemical Feedback is an exhibition of two different bodies of photographic works that compare and share the relationships of chemical reactions, spontaneity and permanence. One of the series of photographs is taken of geysers from Yellowstone National Park, where Earth's feedback is presented in one of its finest forms. The geysers are a magma phenomenon, which is made up of strange colors, bacteria mat and mysterious boiling pots of water and acid.

Poling contrasts the Geyser images with a project of experiments made with chemistry, oils, and decay and burned photographic film. This series called Ellipses is equally accidental and unexpected as the mysterious Geysers. These images contrast the human-made versus what is made by the Universe, as it describes what is found and what is made up. There is an arc between these two works as it bridges the need to comprehend our relationship with Astronomy exploration images and also how surreal the Earth can look. The work suggests a human's need to understand nature's unknowns as both projects embrace spontaneity and regeneration.

Opening Reception: Saturday, May 8, 6pm to 8pm
DNJ Gallery 154½ N. La Brea Avenue Los Angeles, CA
See more HERE.

Suzy Poling Interview on Sioux Wire

Check out this amazing interview with DNJ's newest artist Suzy Poling! She will be showing at DNJ Gallery in May so be sure to put it on your calendar!



To me, Suzy Poling's photographic work is a refreshing blend of natural and man-made textures with obtuse narratives that hint at things both physically beyond the frame as well as chronologically outside the instant the image portrays. While there is a definite consistency in her work, it's hard to grasp with elements of the absurd, horrifying, and mysterious bundled in intriguing, sublime parcels.

I am very grateful for Suzy's participation and hope some of you might find the same kind of insight and inspiration that I have from her work. -Sioux

Working with Julia Solis on Fantastic Degradation and Wonderland of Decay/Imaginary Companions, how do you approach the collaborative effort and would you say your work is different when working in conjunction with another artist? And what have you learned while working with Julia?
In 2005, I found a picture of Julia’s in a magazine and then I looked up her site and was blown away. There was something about the way that she approached these places, namely hospitals, that was like an emotional preservation of some sort. I could see that she was looking a lot further into these rooms and hallways than most people. I was fascinated by her and noticed that she was using similar language about these kinds of places that I was using. I thought who is this person? So I emailed her out of the blue and we met once and it was total trust and we knew should work together.

"The purpose has been to channel energies and to play with remaining artifacts and forces in the space."

I had previously lived in an old theatre that I was really into and I had been seeking out abandoned amusement parks for a few years, she had responded to these photographs of mine. It made sense or seemed really organic that we would synch up and join forces or alliances to find many interesting things. I also had this project called Wonderland of Decay where the premise was about growth in decay and I had these mischievous characters covered in greens moving around and blending into this abandoned house. The project was absurd and kind of eerie.



Then Julia and I starting taking trips to more parks and hospitals and it was immediate magic. I brought in some costumes and material that fit the environments and it instantly felt like something was happening within our experiments as we moved around with the materials. The purpose has been to channel energies and to play with remaining artifacts and forces in the space. This is a shared experience has really only begun. The costumes and materials are only a bridge. Collaborating closely with someone who tunes into the same subtle vibrations of a place has been incredibly liberating and things like ego and control do not have any place.

Julia is also doing many things and has been organizing events and working on projects in hospitals for a while. Our collaborative work is called Fantastic Degradation and we have a site (darkpassage.com) and are finding ways to work on our stuff together as she is all the way in Brooklyn. It has felt like a fairly psychic relationship.

In regards to Transmutation Headquarters, you have said “Artefacts are activated to create scenarios inspired by science fiction film and found poltergeist photographs”. Would you explain how the project developed? And what science fiction films inspired this work and what do you mean by “found poltergeist photographs”? And what attracted you to these?
This project is such an unusual one to me. Part of it is about alienation and discomfort and then the other part is my attempt to make scenes like Doctor Who. These photographs are inspired by Science Fiction movies by way of being these clunky and fairly awkward sets. The work was made in Michigan which is where I am from. The abandoned doctor’s office is this place where upon entrance it feels the exact same as always, it smells like old medicine and seems a bit dissonant.



As far the poltergeist photographs, I once saw this book of occurrences and there was one image where a pile of chairs was so deliberately placed against a wall as if someone wanted to climb the pile to the ceiling, it looked so violent and demonstrative. But it was all just happenstance. I was inspired by that type of interference with a place.

Wonderland of Decay and Imaginary Companions were created in five different mental institutions. Aside from the physical setting itself, what impact did the history of these places have on your work?
Well I don’t really indulge in the hard evidence of the hospitals as far as specifics of who the occupants were. My relationship with these places is much more surreal. I want to know how violent a place is but that is usually very clear as soon as we walk in the door. I am there to see how light moves in the space and through dark areas. I am there for the sounds and how the air moves through a place. I am looking at bits of evidence that could have represented attempts at providing happiness and escape in places that can feel so dark and full of pain. Sometimes a hallway appears as one long continuous composition with a dark end and beaming light with layers of texture in between like a cave. My interest lies in how a place can succumb to nature and how falling apart is an innate design. I guess you could say it’s a personal experience.....



"I am currently more interested in sculpture than most photographic work."

You also create costumes. Would you tell us about the importance of the costumes on your work? And is their design/sculpture stemmed from other non-photographic work you’ve done as an artist and how did this develop?
I am just using the costumes as a way to blend a figure into a space. It’s all about assimilation, mimicking and trying to combine textures of humans to textures of a deteriorated space. I am really into the Vienna Actionists and their Material Action Manifestos. It’s about how all materials are the same. I plan to do more, more, more. I am currently more interested in sculpture than most photographic work.

Practically speaking, what have been the challenges of the environments in which you work and in what way did you overcome them? And how do you find and choose your locations?
Tons of research, driving, good navigation, clues from others and a good solid hunch. Well some of my work has entailed me to ask people nicely to get into a place or much of it is traveling and walking long distances. I usually have to overcome fatigue and some fear.



"I think of color as a potential psychological trigger in a photograph or an environment."

A lot of your collected works are created over long periods of time and at disparate locations. Is this an important aspect of these pieces? What do you feel the width of time/space adds to your work?
There has been this long period of time that expands a project. It’s usually due to rarity. I think it allows me to be patient and to think of these places as everlasting, even if they are going away fast. I have dreams about finding old amusement parks with giant wheels and tunnels that are decrepit with brightly colored spirals painted everywhere with rusted rides laying tilted in the middle of some interesting woods. For a while I had dreams about a place almost every night with kind of like the film Carnival of Souls.



Would you tell us a little about your approach to colour and its importance to your photographs?
I think of color as a potential psychological trigger in a photograph or an environment. You are going to have a reaction if you walk down a bright pink hall vs. a blue one. In the movie Three Women with Shelly Duval and Sissy Spacek, I appreciate how obsessed Shelly Duval’s character was with the color yellow. Everything was yellow in her life. Seeing so much yellow kind of set the emotional tone of the film. Besides, a room with everything colored yellow can be kind of disturbing.

Are there any other art forms which interest you outside of photography(and costume design) that you practice? Or alternatively, is there a discipline that you would like to learn?
Yes. I am very much into experimental sounds and noise music. I have a project called Pod Blotz that I started in 2001. There has been a bunch of members. Mainly one person named Bobby. I would say that many of the places I have gone to inspire the music or vice versa. It’s all relative.



What non-photographic artists do you admire and/or inspire you?
As far as whom as I admire, well, where do I start? The Dadaist, Russian Avante Garde, the Banana Splits, the Actionist, Yoko Ono, weird movies, Fluxus. As far as photographic work, Clarence John Laughlin played a huge roll in my work. His photographs of the plantation mansion in the 40's in New Orleans are completely eerie. He was said to be the Charles Baudelaire of photography. I am into Man Ray and Jeff Wall too.

What are the key events in the development of you as a photographer? And what first attracted you to the medium?
Well the reason I am attracted to photography because it is “real” and you can photograph things that look so potentially strange. The believability factor can be pushed in interesting ways. And I see photography as a great way to study something. Whether it is an experience, texture, light, etc.




Would you tell us about your work for the Snap program in Chicago and what you learned while working on the project?
This project was with city kids in Chicago where we put photography and words in a publication. I worked with all younger people my age and we all ran our own programs. It was all very raw, organic, antonymous and political. I like teaching and I also had worked with homeless teens. One of my students was dealing with schizophrenia and that was really intense and meaningful to me to try to communicate. I will be working with incarcerated youth this fall in San Francisco as well as potentially doing medical photography of the human eye with Ophthalmologists.



"The beached whale was by far the most psychedelic textured object that I have ever laid eyes on."

What do you think of the tendency to categorise art with labels like “high brow”, “low brow”, “street art”, or “outsider art”? And in general, are labels and gradations of art in any way useful?
I don’t really think about art or creativity in this way. I mean an ant farm or beehive is high art. I don’t believe in conformity, so whatever you can do to remain pure you should do. Don’t get me wrong, it is important to navigate and I believe in independence and free agents if you will. I just don’t get hung upon labels or restrictions.

What are your aspirations for the future and what are you working on now? When can we expect to see more work from Nature Mutation?
More sewing, more trips, music and video. I have a solo show this month in June at Zg Gallery in Chicago. And Julia Solis and I are working on compiling work for Fantastic Degradation this summer. I will definitely be working more on Nature Mutation. That started with finding toxic oddities and with making swampy costumes with Loach Fillet who was a part of Pod Blotz. We did a book together and I have been inspired by his textured drawings of nature and configurations.

I am planning to get to Chernobyl and to continue exploring the coastline in California. That is where I found the whale. The beached whale was by far the most psychedelic textured object that I have ever laid eyes on. Nature Mutation is about nature assimilation as well as metaphorical ramblings about finding things. I also have a slime movie coming out soon with Carlos Gonzales. It’s all about mysteries of slime and scum. It’s taking my obsession with the color green a bit too far.



Thank you, Suzy. I can not wait to see what you do next.

Suzy Poling Image Featured in Harper's Magazine!

Suzy Poling's Ferris Wheel image will be featured in the January 2010 issue of Harper's Magazine, so be sure to check it out!

Suzy will be showing at DNJ Gallery from May 8 - July 10, 2010.