electric city magic valentine

Sam Cohen

March 4 - 26, 2023

Sam Cohen’s electric city magic valentine, featured in the hall gallery, is a 3-minute-long animation accompanied by sound by Beth Wooten, where daydreamt scenes are created in a ceaseless chase to reconnect with lost time. Cohen arranges sentimental objects in a not-so-still life through a subconscious, self-generated game in coping with the many complexities of grief. These objects become game pieces within a puzzle she attempts to solve through pattern recognition and risk. The visual reference to retro video games and optical illusions such as Rubin's vase and Q*bert is used to create a meditative backdrop. Through pattern, sound, and object(s) Cohen invites viewers to tune in to surrealist gameplay: to immerse themselves into a risk-reward shuffle, and her own acceptance of randomness.