Stonefox Artspace, December 11th 2007-february 12th 2008.

The bit of printed paper matter provided as a didactic (read the PR on artcal) for Alex Da Corte’s one-man show at Stonefox Artspace (and only the second exhibition hosted at the architectural firm) informs me that Alex’s photographs and related sculptures “explore the nature of intimacy in a digital world where online dating, chat rooms, Mspace.com, blogs, etc. increasingly supplant real human interaction.” but I don’t really agree with that at all. To my mind I Attach Myself to You is a rather dark exploration of the desperation involved in upward mobility and the struggle to be noticed by the world at large (“Just Give Me A Fucking Chance”). This struggle might be aided by more recent technological innovations via the internet, it might be easier today to achieve a taste of fame, but the struggle is an old game.

Alex Da Corte’s work has always been a little bit difficult for me to understand, it is easy to write it off as surface-oriented and shallow, but there’s always this little tint of darkness behind the glitter that puts you in mind of waking up with a really bad hangover after too-much party and remembering that you aren’t immortal (“Forever and Ever”). Da Corte’s “Activities” (the photographs) illustrate this by causing seemingly innocuous materials associated with having a good time; glitter, jam, etc. to become sources of pain. There is evidence (“The Lights go on”) that Alex has tapped into the stress of the, probably imagined, “digital eye”–a force of cell phones, networking sights, and internet connection that leaves you feeling like you are always on stage, forever watched, never off.

There is no doubt that Alex is a product of a generation involved with the trappings of youth, energy, and vitality (one thinks of Dash Snow, or Aaron Young) who are beginning to see communication, fame, and memory in a different way. I believe I Attach Myself to You is Mr. Da Corte’s most honest work to date.

The Lights go on