Aida Ruilova: the Singles 1999 - Now April 8, 2010

Combining classical cinematic devices with a distinctively jarring, low-tech sensibility, New York-based artist Aida Ruilova creates dark, narrative video work. 'Aida Ruilova: The Singles 1999 - Now' presents a survey of the artist's single-channel video work since 1999. Ruilova is one of a young generation of artists who employ media in innovative ways with a do-it-yourself aesthetic, often drawing upon contexts - like cinema, music, and popular culture - that exist outside the art world. Her short video loops often feature characters performing cryptic and physically uncomfortable actions, revealing her fascination with the conjunction of horror movie aesthetics and the sublime. A compelling, though obscured, narrative is created, overwhelming the viewer with questions. Unidentified, Ruilova's characters and their relationships remain ambiguous, and the viewer is left to actively detangle the action.