Cannery Works, chashama, and +aRt are proud to present the world debut of Jason Covert’s CARNIVORA. Located at chashama’s newest donated space in Chelsea, CARNIVORA is a cross-disciplinary exhibition of photography, illustration, sculpture, painted works, ceremonial artifacts and robes, poetry and literature, jewelry, as well as original musical compositions – all inspired by the 2004 discovery in Siorapaluk, Greenland of a series of rocky substrate slabs bearing markings indicative of a hitherto unknown Proto-Eskimo culture and language.
“If true, history as we know it is about to change – dramatically,” said Dr. Brian Lassengal,
director of the expedition responsible for the discovery.
September 16 – October 8, 2010
Press Preview: Thursday, September 16, 2010, 4 – 6pm
Reception 6 – 8pm; CD Listening Party 8 – 10pm
Artist Brunch/Q&A with Ann Landi: Saturday, September 25, 2010, 11am – 2pm
Closing Party: Thursday, October 7, 2010, 7 – 10pm
Location: 540 W 28th St +aRt NYC, NY 10001; between 10th and 11th Avenues (map)
Days/Hours: Tuesday – Saturday, 11am – 6pm
Drawing inspiration from the myth fragments now commonly known as “The Sacred Texts of Carnivora”
(which if deemed authentic would predate the earliest known cuneiform writings by some 5,000 years),
Covert applies his renowned skills as illustrator, designer, painter, photographer, and writer to weave
fantasy and archaeology into a compelling narrative diorama, presenting to viewers both invitation and
challenge: to imagine the vanished world suggested by those texts, and to question civilization’s claim to
know its own history.
Ann Landi, contributing editor of ARTnews writes, “I can think of few (artists) who have so carefully
constructed the remnants of a “lost” world in such a vivid way that we enter its spirit and almost
wish we could become a part of it.”
While these “Sacred Texts” may have been set down several millennia prior to humanity’s previously
recorded emergence of writing, what Covert and his art have to tell us about our own era is just as
startling. Can we – as a civilization, taking direction from Socrates – truly claim to know our history, to
“know ourselves”? Or is that other sage, Picasso, correct, and is all art merely a lie created in order to
reveal a truth?
SPECIAL GIFT FOR $100.00 CONTRIBUTIONS
For all donations of $100.00 or more in support of CARNIVORA, we are offering a limited edition signed CD soundtrack from Carnivora. Click here to listen to music samples – thank you for your support!
