Valerie Hegarty (MFA 2002)
Valerie Hegarty ‘s installations create dream-like transitional spaces that expand and fracture the austerity of an exhibition space while dismantling the constructs of image making. In previous projects, Hegarty has used a method she refers to as ‘”reverse archeology”, in which layers of painted paper are applied to the gallery walls and then slowly peeled away to give an impression of the disintegration of an architectural apparition from her past. The viewer may become overwhelmed with an inquisitive desire to determine what is real and what is constructed or may choose to revel in the make believe. Current projects move off the wall to fracture paintings and sculpture in the exhibition space. Whether a reconstructed art historical painting seemingly ripped apart by birds, or a museum artifact on a pedestal eroded by the sea, Hegarty continues to meddle with our cultural artifacts in an attempt to rediscover the current state of our identity.