Dan Perjovschi

The Nightmare It is/The Nightmare it Was

November 21 - December 19, 2020

Jane Lombard Gallery is pleased to present its inaugural Tribeca exhibition, The Nightmare It Is / The Nightmare It Was, a new two-part series of works by Romanian artist Dan Perjovschi. The 2020 presidential campaign has proven itself to be an unpredictable landscape, as political, cultural and economic gaps, interwoven with tensions from the COVID-19 pandemic, have carved divisions between the American people. Drawing on US-centric political subjects, from life and the media, Perjovchi’s exhibition investigates challenging discussions surrounding tensions between the two American parties and how fact can so easily be obscured into fiction. The Nightmare It Is / The Nightmare It Was is on view from November 21st - December 19th, 2020 and opened with a public reception on November 21st from 1 - 6 PM. 

The first installment of the two-part exhibition, The Nightmare It Is, will feature daily drawings by Perjovschi displayed on the inside of the main gallery window for contactless street viewing started November 2nd. Utilizing water-based window paint and shorthand application, the rotating installation acts as a visual think board, providing a temporary and evolving platform for statements meant to encourage voters, reflect on America’s response to quarantine, and react to potential futures. The Nightmare It Was, premiering on November 14th, will be the debut exhibition in the gallery’s new space and will present a new body of work of illustrative commentary on a range of interconnected political issues that resonate on a transnational scale. The exhibition was made not only as a response to general U.S. political commentary, but also commentary on the country’s response to crisis. Presentings us with quick witted editorials that defy art world binaries, Perjovschi’s drawings are not cartoons, nor comics or graffiti, but conscientious visual and journalistic responses to socio-political unease. His intent is not to shock, but to understand. His works are imbued with an undeniable sense of humor, a necessity in these trying times.

Part of the exhibition is an interactive installation where viewers are encouraged to create their own chalk drawings that will act as a judgement-free platform for dialogue. Whether they exist as political commentaries or simple thoughts in that present moment, the space upholds an evolutionary through-line to the work. 

Watch our Exhibition Walkthrough with Dan Perjovschi Here!

About Dan Perjovschi

Dan Perjovschi’s satirical works are sketchbook interventions with images and text in news,transforming the gallery into a space of relatable frustrations with socio-political conditions.Maintaining an ephemeral foundation, Perjovschi does not ignore the inherent contradictions ofthe socio-economic privileged arena where his work can be found. To violence, opulence andextremism, he responds with puns, laughter and ridicule as the protection of freedom. He livesand works in Sibiu, Romania. Perjovschi has exhibited worldwide, including: the Museum of Modern Art, NewYork, NY; the Art Institute of Chicago, IL; Hamburger Kunsthalle, Hamburg, Germany; MOTMuseum of Contemporary Art, Tokyo, Japan; Museum of Contemporary Art Kiasma, Helsinki,Finland; the 48th and 52nd Venice Biennale; 9th Istanbul Biennial; Hamburger Bahnhof, Berlin,Germany and Manifesta 2, Luxembourg. Perjovschi has won prizes such as the PrincessMargriet Award of the European Cultural Foundation and the George Maciunas Prize. His workis in the collections of the Ludwig Museum, Budapest, Hungary; the Museum of Modern Art,New York, NY; Center Pompidou, Paris, France; Moderna Museet, Stockholm, Sweden and theTate, London, UK.

Related Programing:

Artist Mask: Dan Perjovschi, Social Distance, 2020 
Available at the gallery or online at: http://www.janelombardgallery.com/shop

Ministry of Truth: 1984/2020:
In a collaboration between Art at a Time Like This and Save Art Space, the public art exhibition Ministry of Truth is now on view! The exhibition features 20 billboards by 20 different artists, including Dan Perjovschi. Located among the 5 boroughs of New York City, each billboard responds to the harrowing state of U.S. politics leading up to the election.

Visit Dan Perjovschi’s billboard work, Virus Diary (Moron), 2020 located at 43rd Road and 11th St. in Long Island City. 

READ MORE: http://www.saveartspace.org/artatatimelikethis

*COVID 19 Procedures

Beginning November 21st, the gallery is open (with walk-ins accepted depending on current number in the gallery, during set hours). Please check the gallery website for hours of operation, as they are subject to change. Masks are required for entry, temperatures will be taken at the door and sanitizer will be provided through no-touch sanitizer station(s). Guests will be required to sign in with their name and a valid email to assist with our contact tracing efforts. In addition, the gallery has installed a special air duct system that isolates the different areas of the gallery creating zones of supply and return air to prevent air mixing between spaces. There are also UV-C lights inside every supply duct to prevent the build up of mold, viruses & bacteria. For The Nightmare It Was, chalk will be single use for the interactive installation, and guests can either access written exhibition content through printed material available at the front desk or contactless viewing through the use of QR codes and the individual’s smartphone.