Courtesy of Bemis Center for Contemporary Art
Bemis Surprise is a collaboration with David Lemoine that emerged from Dunietz and Lemoine’s time as artists-in-residence at Bemis Center in fall of 2021. Inspired by their time at Bemis and combing the fourth-floor materials lab a.k.a Bemis thrift store, this work acts as an autobiography of two artists, who not only collaborate and inspire one another, but in fact share lives and children together. On one side, a teapot skates and sputters–emitting water and bubbling with potential. On the other side, a chapel-like cage created from electrical pipes, amplifies the humming of electricity that creates a space of reflection and immersion. Working through free improvisation as a methodology, they created two stand alone works that resemble their personal tempos. Bridging them is an old answering machine, which acts as a mediator and a missed connection. Visitors are privy to messages Dunietz and Lemoine might leave each other throughout the duration of the exhibition.*
The Over-Excited Teapot is a self portrait. It is so excited that it constantly shakes, squirting tea out of its spout. A kinetic sculpture with readymade objects found on site at the Bemis Center For Contemporary Arts.
Bemis Surprise, 2022
Found objects at Bemis Center including teapot, electric pipes, fluorescent lights, answering machine, with water pump, air pump, motor, bucket, tea, and aluminum tray.
Pipe structure fabrication by Michael Larsen.
Courtesy of the artist.
A part of Maya Dunietz: Root of Two exhibition at Bemis Center