GAG: The Art of Comic Trouble

An ambitious new take on contemporary photography and video, centered on the notion of the “gag” and its many connotations—from the bodily to the comical What is “gag”? Gag is visceral. A laugh. A retch. A joke. A bind. Pleasure and pain. Using this titular term as a catalyst to explore unexpected connections among artists and works, GAG begins with and departs from the cinematic sight gag to explore other meanings of the word. These reflect uses associated with queer vernacular, judicial orders, BDSM and kink, everyday interruptions of oral function, and reactions that circulate through social media and digital culture. Across contemporary photography and video works, together with historical photographs from the George Eastman Museum, GAG speaks to the human experience through tragicomedy. Artists include: Peggy Ahwesh, Lucas Blalock, Patty Chang, Talia Chetrit, Buck Ellison, Martine Gutierrez, Steffani Jemison, Arnold J. Kemp, Tommy Kha, Tala Madani, Paul Pfeiffer, Pope.L, Josephine Pryde, Torbjørn Rødland, Erin Calla Watson.