In Eric Ringsby’s new exhibition, full rawhide skins have been impregnated with video and
photographic images of atrocities committed in the Occupied Territories and
Israel. The historical allusion is to the buffalo hide painting of the Plains
Indians that artistically documented their battles. Ringsby will donate his profits from the
exhibition to Rebuilding Homes, an Israeli-Palestinian peace coalition that resists the
occupation of the Palestinian Territories.
2003.05.14
pleased to announce the second solo show of Eric Ringsby, April 26
to May 24, 2003. Ringsby is known for the Rodeo Series
with its dramatic video projections of slow-motion rodeo action on double rawhide
projection screens and for his innovative use of evocative primitive materials. This
time his skills have been put to a decidedly political end in “The Indian Wars / Palestine”.
In the year 2000 Ringsby made a personal pilgrimage to Israel. The political realties
he witnessed appalled him. Not being Jewish or Muslim, and as an independent
minded 5th generation Westerner who lives and works on a Wyoming ranch,
Ringsby has delved into the political crisis in Israel with the freedom of a
complete outsider.
The more he investigated, read, attended lectures, and met with peace
activists, the more a parallel emerged, i.e. the parallel histories of Native American
Indians and Palestinian people. Ringsby sees two native peoples driven off their
ancestral land by settlers who justified their quest in the name of God.
His unique perspective allows Ringsby to identify with the Indian and the pioneer, Palestinian and
settler. However, as a humanitarian and an artist, Ringsby works to promote peace
and reconciliation and to end the bloody occupation of the Palestinian
territories with “Palestine / The Indian Wars”. Ringsby will donate his profits from the
exhibition to Rebuilding Homes, an Israeli-Palestinian peace coalition that resists the
occupation of the Palestinian Territories by doing just that.
For the exhibition, full rawhide skins have been impregnated with video and
photographic images of atrocities committed in the Occupied Territories and
Israel. The historical allusion is to the buffalo hide painting of the Plains
Indians that artistically documented their battles.
Neither people had a voice in the media; both watched helplessly as their cultures were leveled.
The world was not moved by the plight of the Indian nor of the Palestinians until it was too late, or so
the artist laments. Also included in the exhibition are video projections and digital video
stills of appropriated imagery documenting the political crisis and abuse of human
rights in Palestine.
Eric Ringsby attended high school in Paraguay and Chile under two brutal
fascist regimes funded by the US. This forever raised his consciousness of the
importance of civil rights, of speaking out, and of the dark side of American foreign
affairs.
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He has worked in the peace movement for years, against
nuclear proliferation, for Rocky Mountain Planned Parenthood, against
racism with the Jackson ’88 campaign, against apartheid in South Africa and against
academic political correctness at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago.
PLEASE JOIN US:
ERIC RINGSBY – “The Indian Wars / Palestine” – April 26 through May 24, 2003
PEACE & RECONCILIATION PARTY Tuesday May 20th from 7-9 PM!
Cornell DeWitt Gallery
521 W 26 St
New York, NY 10001
t: 212 695 6845
e: cornell@dewittgallery.com
http://www.dewittgallery.com
Author: Cornell DeWitt
News Service: TheExperiment
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