Shaboygen, The Invisible Dog Art Center, Brooklyn, New York

September 15 - November 3, 2012
The Invisible Dog Art Center
51 Bergen St, Brooklyn, NY 11201

In 2009, The Invisible Dog asked Brooklyn-based brothers Steven and William Ladd to create a chandelier for our grand opening. Steven and William have left their impression on our building and in our memory, and we invite you to enter their memories as you experience their newest project at the Invisible Dog: Shaboygen. This installation will overwhelm the ground floor, inspired by a pivotal moment from their adolescence. One morning their car was suddenly engulfed in flames while they were on their way to school, and the brothers narrowly escaped a fiery demise. They use intricately sewn, handmade boxes containing rolled belts in shades of red, lined with Angora rabbit hair to evoke smoldering scrolls, inspired by this memorable event. Many of these materials have been culled from the remnants of the first incarnation of the Invisible Dog as a belt factory, further linking memories and ghosts of the past to this exhibition and the building. The delicate textile landscape appears painstaking yet spontaneous, creating an intimate, emotional piece that reflects the creative process behind the work, as well as the personal story it recalls.