Gretchen Bender Unmasks Media’s Deceptions in ‘The Perversion of the Visual’

Gretchen Bender Unmasks Media's Deceptions in 'The Perversion of the Visual'

As a connoisseur of art with a keen eye for the prophetic and a heart heavy with the weight of our screen-obsessed world, I find myself utterly captivated by ‘The Perversion of the Visual‘ exhibition at Sprüth Magers. Gretchen Bender’s work, much like a time capsule from the 1980s New York art scene, pierces through the veil of sanitized TV and predicts our current media-drenched lives with an uncanny accuracy.


From now until August 10, 2024, Sprüth Magers art gallery will be displaying the crucial exhibition titled ‘The Twisting of the Visual,’ featuring Gretchen Bender’s artwork.

In the 1980s, Bender, a significant figure in New York’s art scene, challenged the sanitized realm of television, foreshadowing our modern era of heavy screen use. This is her second exhibition with Sprüth Magers and her first in Los Angeles since 1989, highlighting her struggle against the sugarcoated atrocities and brutality depicted in media. In 1984, Bender began examining the corporate media landscape, exposing cultural deceptions and fears using advanced technology. She transitioned from silkscreen art to multi-screen video installations, producing works such as “Unprotected,” “Wild Dead,” and the thirteen-monitor piece titled “Dumping Core.”

One standout feature in the exhibit is the piece titled “Dumping Core,” a fusion of computer animations, corporate logos, and war imagery that delivers an unfiltered glimpse into manipulated reality. Similarly, Bender’s works such as “Hell Raiser” and “Gremlins” employ graphic depictions from the Salvadoran Civil War, compelling viewers to confront the brutal truths typically concealed by mainstream media.

In essence, Bender’s work invites us to peer past smooth surfaces and uncover the raw, disquieting truth hidden beneath.

Sprüth Magers
5900 Wilshire Boulevard
Los Angeles, CA 90036

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2024-08-08 01:25