BON JANE

starseries

2010, inkjet print, 5ft x 8ft

starseries

2009, inkjet prints, 5ft x 8ft

that day we were really happy

2009, c-print, 100 x 120cm

we love you

2009, pencil and pastel on newsprint, 45 x 60cm

'object if i'

documentation of a performance held in NY on 23rd street at 10th avenue october 22nd 2009 from 6-8pm

'object if i'

Bon Jane

In performance piece 'object if i', artist Bon Jane invited street-side passerby's to photograph her inside a cardboard box in various stages of undress and self-adornment. The box emulated a small dressing room, just large enough so that the artist could pose and change wardrobe within a concealed, closed environment on the sidewalk in Manhattan. Viewers could only access the artist's private space via a Polaroid camera mounted to one side of the box. Bon Jane posed for and autographed each Polaroid taken during the performance.

As a space, the box references the domain of 'the gallery' with the artist performing for the duration of the 'opening', while also drawing reference from fashion photography, reality TV, and sex-working trades such as pornography and prostitution. The currency of the artist's suggestive nude body on film, which the viewer could purchase, shoot themselves, and then take home, plays on the power struggle between the viewer and the subject - or object. Bon Jane's work focuses on society's celebrated aspect of choosing to objectify oneself in exchange for the reward of money, attention, fame, or the cultural crown of beauty. Drawing heavily on pop-culture references such as reality based TV shows like 'America's Next Top Model', and voyeuristic internet enterprises such as 'Facebook', Jane works at amplifying the absurdity and desperation of seeking self-iconography through self-exploitation.

Having graduated from The Rietveld Academie in The Netherlands in 2007, this was the artist's premiere performance work in New York. The artists' work continues to focus on deconstructing the abject manufacturing of desire, dreams, hope, and fantasy within contemporary popular culture. Since moving to New York, Bon Jane has participated as a performer in sculptural installation 'VB64' for artist Vanessa Beecroft held at Deitch Projects in 2009, and in 2010 reperformed Marina Abramovic's 'Relation In Time' and 'Point of Contact' for Abramovic's historical retrospective, 'The Artist Is Present', at The Museum of Modern Art.

documentation Jacob Rogers

RACHEL BRENNECKE a.k.a BON JANE

lives and works in New York

EDUCATION

2003-2007 BFA / Gerrit Rietveld Academie, Amsterdam

PERFORMANCE WORK

2010 MoMA - Marina Abramovic Retrospective, 'The Artist Is Present'

2009 Deitch Projects - Vanessa Beecroft, 'VB64'

2009 Arts Corporation - 'Acettes' performance held under the high line

2008 FOAM / Museum after party held for Ryan McGinley & Agnes B

SOLO EXHIBITIONS

2008 ‘For Love, Money and Horses’ with Bagua Jody, Chiellerie, Amsterdam

GROUP EXHIBITIONS

2009 'Mixtape', 717 Gallery, Brooklyn

2008 'RH08', Breda, Netherlands

2007 ‘Fever’, Veemvloer / Horse Move Project Space, Amsterdam

2007 ‘Final Works’, Gerrit Rietveld Academie, Amsterdam
2007 ‘Rietveld in the Kerk’, Oude Kerk, Amsterdam
2005 ‘Artbeat’, POST CS Museum Nacht, Amsterdam
2004 ‘Situaties Almere’, Museum De Paviljoens, Almere
2003 ‘Rietveld Richting Fotographie’, W139, Amsterdam

PUBLICATIONS

2011 JOEY, 'Syd and Vik', editorial fashion
2008 VICE Magazine, ‘To Be, or Not To Be, Fashion’, Photos/Interview
2007 GRAC 2007, Fine Arts

COLLECTIONS / GRANTS

2009 De Principaal /Kunstenaars en Co., Artist Residency, Red Light Project 1012, Amsterdam

2008 De Principaal / 5000 EU Artist in Residence Grant, Spuistraat Gebouw
2007 GLIM / Kantoor voor Actuele Kunst, ‘Fever’

EMPLOYMENT / UNDERSTUDY

2009-current Gilles Bensimon

2003-2004 Peter Beard

2002-2003 Mark Seliger

CONTACT INFORMATION

New York + 1 (646) 240 3745
bonjane@bonjane.com

http://www.bonjane.com/

LINKS

BON JANE

BAGUA-BRENNECKE