Douglas Gordon's The vanity of allegory

Access and use

Location of collection:
University of Richmond
Rare Books and Special Collections
Boatwright Library
University of Richmond
28 Westhampton Way
Richmond, VA 23173
Contact for questions and access:
POC: Lynda Kachurek
Phone: (804) 289-8458
Fax: (804) 287-1840

Summary

Extent:
52 Items
Creator:
Spector, Nancy, Gordon, Douglas, 1966-, Deutsche Guggenheim Berlin, and Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum
Abstract:
Douglas Gordon is an inveterate storyteller. The fictions that he weaves extends outward from the objects of his art--film, video, sound installations, photographs and text works--to encompass his own artistic persona. Douglas Gordon's Vanity of Allegory, an exhibition conceived specifically for the Deutsche Guggenheim, Berlin, explores the notion of the veiled self-portrait as an art-historical trope, a literary device and a cinematic strategy while it examines the intersection of vanitas as a meditation on the ephemeral nature of life itself, and a ploy to remain immortal. For Douglas Gordon's Vanity of Allegory, Gordon turned to the history of art for source material. His installation includes loans from the Guggenheim and private collections, as well as examples of his own work and that of his peers. By combining historical and contemporary art and film, Gordon has created a visual collage that narrates issues of self-representation and double identity. This catalogue illustrates each object in the show along with Gordon's rationale for its inclusion. -- Publisher's description.
Language:
English

Background

Physical description:
In a box with a shaped lid with a mirror on top, 16 x 11 x 5 cm.
Physical facet:
1 booklet, 47 pages : includes illustrations + 49 postcards + box
Dimensions:
15 cm
Material specific details:
Published on the occasion of an exhibition held at the Deutsche Guggenheim, Berlin, July 16-October 9, 2005. Includes essay, The Search for eternal youth, or, How Douglas Gordon became an artist by Nancy Spector.