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Lot Essay
Leirner accumulates prosaic materials such as used envelopes, worthless currency, cigarrette packs and other disposable things and strings them together into modular objects. Although reminding the viewer of early Minnimalist scultpures, what becomes apparent in Leirner's work is the common character of the object. They are commonly found objects that have been used or have no further use. This characteristic allows the artist to avoid large issues in art such as feminism, refereing to her own personal experience as lived through the use of the objects.
The accumulation of the materials in her work comes mostly from her travels. Leirner also uses her friends as a source, asking them to help her collect the desired objects for her works. Once she has amassed a sufficient amount the artist begins the production process. In her body of work the notion of time --while gathering and while assembling-- becomes an essential element. Likewise, this creative process allows the art work to claim a "place" following the idea that Leirner's materials are items that ceased to have a designated location or role until her works provide a 'terminal position' for them.
This self involvement with the production of the art work and its purpose as an independent object is founded in the artist's personal reflection upon the maifestations that took place in Brazil in the 60s and other international currents. The Rio de Janeiro movement --which included some of the most important artists to emerge in that decade, such as Helio Oiticia and Lygia Clark-- developed a phenomenological apporach to the art object giving the spectator special importance in the creation and thus appreciation of the work of art. In their work, both Oiticia and Clark expected the viewer to interact with the objects given to them and in doing so, creating the work of art. For example, Oiticica's Parangoles are costumes that the spectator wears and preforms in. Equally important were Clark's Mascaras and other workst that triggered the viewer's senses through the experimentation of the object. Althought the spectator is not necesarily expected to interact with Leirner's pieces, their common character and seductiveness certainly draw immidiate recollection to personal experiences and travels in the spectator's mind.
The accumulation of the materials in her work comes mostly from her travels. Leirner also uses her friends as a source, asking them to help her collect the desired objects for her works. Once she has amassed a sufficient amount the artist begins the production process. In her body of work the notion of time --while gathering and while assembling-- becomes an essential element. Likewise, this creative process allows the art work to claim a "place" following the idea that Leirner's materials are items that ceased to have a designated location or role until her works provide a 'terminal position' for them.
This self involvement with the production of the art work and its purpose as an independent object is founded in the artist's personal reflection upon the maifestations that took place in Brazil in the 60s and other international currents. The Rio de Janeiro movement --which included some of the most important artists to emerge in that decade, such as Helio Oiticia and Lygia Clark-- developed a phenomenological apporach to the art object giving the spectator special importance in the creation and thus appreciation of the work of art. In their work, both Oiticia and Clark expected the viewer to interact with the objects given to them and in doing so, creating the work of art. For example, Oiticica's Parangoles are costumes that the spectator wears and preforms in. Equally important were Clark's Mascaras and other workst that triggered the viewer's senses through the experimentation of the object. Althought the spectator is not necesarily expected to interact with Leirner's pieces, their common character and seductiveness certainly draw immidiate recollection to personal experiences and travels in the spectator's mind.