P·P·O·W is pleased to announce the upcoming solo exhibition of work by Janet Henry. Since 1978 Janet Henry has been perfecting her unique visual language by literally collecting bits and pieces of the society she observes. Henry builds major works by accumulation and the assemblage of smaller components. Her finished works are social commentaries and reactions to the city and the people that have drawn her attention.  Janet Henry scours the city discovering components that she finds visually interesting for her ornate ‘lariats’. By classifying a vast array of materials by texture, color, shape and size Henry weaves elaborate characterizations of people she has encountered. These lariats are formed into words that are pinned to the wall. For example: a lariat for a character called “Black Goddess” spells out the word ‘brave’; an homage to Ana Mandieta is pinned to the wall in the shape of the letters ‘ana’. Typically, the lariats are comprised of dolls, articles of clothing, color copies, ink jet prints, old currency, bakelite cigar filters, coins, and beads of every shape and description, old and new, from around the world - each possessing its’ own specific history.   Yoruba dance costumes, Japanese packaging, West Indian Carnival costumes and western European painting and sculpture are Henry’s influences however the result is wholly her own. Henry’s interest in that way that culture manifests itself physically and her obsessive mission to weave together scattered bits of her observations, has created a body of work that is a cross cultural guide to the complexity of the American experience.  Janet Henry has shown in innumerable group and solo exhibitions over the last 25 years. She is also a drummer, performance artist, activist, arts administrator and teacher.   For further information or press photographs please call (212) 647-1044. Gallery Hours are Tues – Saturday 11 – 6. We will be closed for the holidays after December 21 until January 2, 2003.
				Janet Henry Sex 2002 (detail)