Julia Shilander is an artist, born in Cleveland, Ohio, in 1955, whose practice encompassed painting, performance of experimental sound and music and poetry. She studied at the Parsons School of Design, New York, and received a Bachelor of Science from Cornell University after studies in design and textiles.
Scope and content
The collection, entitled "Evidence of the Artistic Practice of Julia Shilander," consists of four colour slides, described by Shilander in the note below, two envelopes, intended by Shilander as evidence of the process of becoming involved in the "Artropolis '97 Browser" exhibition, and one form on white paper with pink label affixed, intended as evidence of a painting submitted to "Arthrob" in July 1997.
Note
The artist noted about the four colour slides: "1- an ink drawing of flying dancer done by my daughter Nicole, age 5, then. Subject seems heavy, weightless, with and without context simultaneously one of the few drawings I have that doesn't seem obsolete. 2-Runway photographs by Lincoln Clarks of my last clothing collection at Smash Gallery in 1991. 3-same. 4-This cancelled passport serves as the death certificate of my life and artistic practice prior to 1993 when part of me died in the course of a long process of spiritual and psychological healing. She was a victim, dissociated from __(self), yet socially successful, a high achiever until the series crashed, starting in 1989." The artist also described other components of the collection, noting: "B-1 white paper with pink stamp is evidence of a painting submitted to "Arthrob," July 1997. This was to be exhibited with this pink title/ bio tag next to the painting, but they left it on the back of the painting. The painting is a full length portrait of a particular transvestite man having tea with his Barbie- painted somewhat inspired by the work of John Sargeant, painter. C- 2 photographs: 1. Self portrait with severed head and patched eye and traces of personalities living loosely assembled as "Julia", 1994 (evidence of existence of Julia). and 2. This is a photograph of me, the artist model; I did a painting from this and did not yet destroy it or slash it, but it its only partly finished, so it doesn't seem as obsolete and inaccurate. I have worked on and off as an artist model (1993-6). I have stopped this now. Paint on the photo indicates its use as subject of painting. D- 2 envelopes, evidence of the process of getting involved in the "Artropolis '97 Browser" show. The way this package has been presented is evidence of Julia Shilander communicating in a manner closely resembling a direct document of the way she perceives and as evidence of an effort not to again break down communication."
