Liliana Porter

A concert as performed by toys.

Drawn from an extensive collection of vintage knickknacks, toys, and souvenirs, Porter’s characters (with occasional help from a human hand) act in a succession of seemingly unrelated vignettes that together comprise a poetic vision of the human condition. Incongruities between image and music trigger unexpected political, philosophical and existential interpretations.

In Drum Solo, an unexpected cast of characters performs for the viewer in an amusing, dreamlike manner that draws humor from the banality of everyday life. Loosely related to Surrealism and Pop Art, Porter’s lyrical film reanimates found objects, toys, and figurines that the artist purchased from antique stores and flea markets. The artist manipulates kitsch in ways that call attention to the artifice and ridiculousness of such objects as essentially useless materials.

A series of short vignettes featuring a cast of toys and antiques.