Press Release
The Halsey Institute of Contemporary Art at the College of Charleston School of the Arts has announced wwwunderkammer, an exhibition by Carla Gannis / C.A.R.L.A. G.A.N., which will be on display at the Halsey Institute beginning May 19th and running until July 15th, 2023.
Carla Gannis, a transmedia artist based in Brooklyn, New York, produces work that considers the uncanny complications between grounded and virtual reality, nature and artifice, as well as science and science fiction. Consisting of a variety of virtual spaces and chambers modeled after a traditional Wunderkammer or Cabinet of Curiosity, visitors can interact with Gannis's wwwunderkammer by using augmented reality (AR) and virtual reality (VR) to conflate the real and the virtual, all while exploring what it means to live in the age of information. The installation will include an iteration of Gannis's Main Chamber, a large space lined with shelves similar to those in a traditional wunderkammer. However, Gannis differentiates her main chamber by filling it with a myriad of references to the marginalized, like extinct animals and historical groundbreakers. Begun in 2020, wwwunderkammer exists as an evolving project that continues to respond to our changing world. The Halsey Institute's exhibition will be the first large-scale presentation of this work.
C.A.R.L.A. G.A.N., short for Crossplatform Avatar for Recursive Life Action Generative Adversarial Network, is a frequent collaborator with Gannis and operates as a post-human representation of the solidifying continuum between humans and machines.
The Halsey will host an opening reception for the new exhibition on Friday, May 19 from 6:30 – 8:00 p.m. The event is open to the public and free to members; a $5 donation is suggested for all non-members upon entry. For a more in-depth look into the work, the Halsey will host a free Artist Talk session with Carla Gannis on May 20 at 2 p.m.
In addition, the Halsey will be conducting their May Giving Campaign, a series of raffles and giveaways throughout the month of May to encourage support of the Halsey’s mission and programming with donations and memberships. All contributions during this time directly support the Halsey’s upcoming exhibiting artists, community programs, educational opportunities and free admission to the galleries, including Carla Gannis / C.A.R.L.A. G.A.N.: wwwunderkammer. To donate, become a member or enter to win, visit the Halsey's Instagram or sign up for their e-newsletter by visiting halsey.cofc.edu.
For more information on upcoming events, including tours, and memberships visit halsey.cofc.edu.
