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Dan Piller’s Art of
Fact Displayed at Main Library
By Dennis McMillan
Published: March 23, 2006
 Now
through May 4, Dan Pillers’ thought-provoking mixed-media
exhibition, “Art of Fact: the Human Remains,” is on display
at the James C. Hormel Gay & Lesbian Center in the Main Library
on the third floor. This site-specific installation addresses issues
surrounding childhood memories, addiction, gay rights, bigotry,
sexuality, HIV, and widowhood. As Pillers says, these are works of
art that “invite the viewer to look at the world through the
eyes of a middle-aged gay man living at the beginning of the new
millennium. The display is sponsored by Visual Aid, whose mission is
to encourage artists with life-threatening illnesses to continue
their creative work.
In
the center of the room is a giant, clear box filled with
Pillers’ trademark stuffed muslin cloth stick-man
dolls—roughly sewn, stained, with no faces, but red hearts or
buttons in their chest area. The gold-lettered inscription reads in
part: “Dear friends, I am living proof, I am stronger than I
ever wanted to be. I live with passion, but I am surprisingly calm.
I’ve felt pain before. It scorches my heart, blackens my thoughts.”
“Mourning”
is muslin and black lace—a doll wearing a long black veil and
red fabric roses on its head. Barely visible through the veil is a
little red heart. The “Affirmations” doll has one-word
declarations on slips of lighter-hued muslin safety-pinned to its
body: “acceptance,” “honesty,”
“equality,” “gratitude,” “faith,”
“sobriety,” “hope,” “kindness,”
“prosperity,” “equality,” etc.
“Marriage” depicts two male dolls hand-in-hand, wearing
velvet and rose-ribboned ceremonial shawls.
A
glass case contains three different bags labeled “sticks,”
“stones,” and “broken bones,” reminding us that
the old adage does not ring true, because words CAN hurt us.
“AIDS 2000” shows a plywood doll with a sign,
“AIDS,” strapped across him, standing in a coffin near a
large, dead, thorny branch. No interpretation necessary. “Common
Unity” is rows of wooden cutout dolls—some tall, some
short, some fat, some thin; one is damaged and another is missing an
arm—all standing together in universal humanity.
“Boyfriend” is a poem etched on glass, saying, “Your
tears are mixed with mine. I miss your voice, your kiss, your touch.
Sleep well, my prince. Breathe in. Relax. It’s time for letting go.”
“Remember
Them” is a carpet batting and galvanized steel installation.
From a distance, it appears to be a suit hanging from a pipe with
showerhead, but upon closer examination, one discovers a pink
triangle sewn onto the ragged suit with words stenciled on it:
“mama’s boy, homo, pervert, whimp, sissy, queer, fag,
cocksucker.” We shudder upon realization that this is a memorial
to the thousands upon thousands of homosexuals sent to the showers to
be exterminated during the Holocaust. “Self” is glass,
wood, muslin, and ink. It is the only doll with facial features,
nipples, knees, cock, and balls. This stunning self-portrait led this
reviewer to interview the artist.
I
make my art based on personal experiences, and the work is quite
cathartic for me,” Pillers said. “It’s built to
release thoughts and feelings. I like to work very subtly and invite
people, and then hook ‘em like a fish!”
He
said this particular exhibit concentrates on queer and AIDS-related
aspects. “I feel honored to have lived as an openly gay man for
the length of time that I have, and participated in such a rich
history.” He explained that most times his exhibit areas are
large warehouses and big galleries; but for this exhibition he had to
work with lots of cabinets in a relatively small space. “I
thought about what are in cabinets. Artifacts. And from there was a
springboard in taking the show towards art as artifact. Using things
to convey what it was like to have lived the history we have experienced.”
Regarding
his muslin dolls, he said, “They sort of came to me years ago
and stuck. The dolls are all misshaped, dirty, and nothing’s
perfect. I feel that for years, particularly with AIDS, the gay
community has been looked upon by a large part of the world as a
diseased pariah.” But there is a positive side, he said.
“The dolls also have heart and a sense of community, and there
is a certain amount of playfulness to each individual doll.” He
interpreted “The Widow’s Box,” saying, “That was
created just shortly after I lost my lover. For me, the act of being
able to grieve as a widow was a gift, so I put this piece in the form
of a gift. In today’s society, gay men and lesbians are not
allowed to be widows, per se, since we’re not allowed to marry.”
Pillers
concluded, “Life is good.” He elaborated, “There is a
really positive aspect in being able to express yourself in art and
get people to think. Here in the library, people are supposed to be
quiet, so there’s an opportunity to be quiet, meditate, and
think about what I’m trying to express.
Dennis
McMillan, "Dan Pillers' Art of Fact Displayed at Main
Library", SAN FRANCISCO BAY TIMES,
Vol.27,#23, 3/23/2006, p 22. http://sfbaytimes.com/?sec=article&article_id=4810 |
