Maybe don’t go any further

Photo by Massachusetts-based artist Chantal Zakari, in her show “Chantal Zakari: New Works,’’ at Kingston Gallery, Boston, Aug. 30-Oct. 1

She says:

“I am inspired by social phenomena and position myself in relation to the public. I freely combine research methodologies and artistic strategies from various disciplines such as photography, documentary, graphic design, performance, storytelling, installation, and social interventions. Text and language are an inherent part of my work; interviews, personal narrative, found text, all have the potential to contextualize the imagery. My work is project based. As I explore projects over the span of several years, the work can transform into exhibitions, installations, publications, performances and street happenings. Designing and redesigning the work into different contexts brings me a greater understanding of the ideas, and makes it more accessible to different groups of audiences.”

From weapon making to shopping

From “Work in Progress,’’ by Chantal Zakari, at Kingston Gallery, Boston, Oct. 21-Nov. 15.

The show explores, says the gallery, “the intertwined histories of the Watertown Arsenal, of the buildings and especially of the people who worked there. It is a visual metaphor of the overlap of the past history infused with the idea of war and the present transformation of the campus into a large shopping mall. The installation at Kingston Gallery has several components, including works on walls, video projections and an artist’s publication that will be concurrently distributed at the new arsenal.’’

See www.kingstongallery.com

The arsenal, on the north side of the Charles River, was operated from 1816 to 1968.

1919 map of the Watertown Arsenal

Building #71 at the arsenal

Bygone colleges

From Chantal Zakari’s show “Congent Message,’’ at the Kingston Gallery, Boston, through March 31

The gallery says that her show “hails from the future with nostalgic postcards of defunct colleges. Through the use of a rough halftone pattern the images of a bygone era blur and disintegrate into painterly abstraction. This collection of postcards includes stories about Alliance College, now a state prison, Virginia Intermont College, whose campus has been bought by a Chinese university, and Mt. Ida College, in Newton, Mass.,embroiled in a feud about how public funds should be spent.

“‘Cogent Message’ is also the title of an encyclopedic photobook in the show, where idyllic images retrieved from schools’ marketing campaigns emerge from the white background of corporate letterheads. Interspersed with school logos we see part time faculty who barely make ends meet, students starting life in debt and staff suddenly finding themselves unemployed.’’

Runaway 'Strategic Planning'

Image from "Strategic Planning,'' by Chantal Zakari, at Kingston Gallery, Boston, Jan. 3-28. The gallery explains:

"Chantal Zakari creates a collection of flags that reference business nomenclature which is widely being used by academic administrations. The business term 'Strategic Plan' originated in the military but is now a staple of every university, liberal arts college, and even small art schools. It functions as a promise for positive change along with improvements for the institution's immediate future.

"The designs of these pennants, sailing burgees and medieval gonfalons are a study ... with visual elements from various historical periods. Collected on Internet clipart sites, the vernacular imagery points to a hollow vocabulary: SWOT for strength, weaknesses, opportunities, threats; Competitive Landscape; Synergy; Global Imperative; Innovation Catalyst; Leadership Workshop… The accompanying artist's book for the exhibition is designed in the style of a product catalog. Here, the banners are seen within context, in college specific spaces such as faculty offices, dorm rooms, libraries and art studios.

"At a time when an increasing number of small colleges are under financial stress due to a shrinking student population caused by enormous increases in tuition, these art objects stand as reminders of the true ideals of higher education that are at risk.''