Hundreds of feet of painted foil garlands provided Jane Benson with the ammo for Underbush (2004), a full-scale operation that transformed the gallery. In a dense, dramatic, swagged fashion, this intricate web of holiday readymades encompassed the entire ceiling. Radiating from the middle, the thick, undulating strands formed a chandelierlike canopy with some random tendrils dangling like stalactites. Benson meticulously spray-painted each section of foliage with a different camouflage color: tan, brown or olive green. Even the faux pine branches at the center were "dyed to match" and sprinkled with painted stars. The elaborate piece was eight months in the making.

Normally used to mark celebratory moments, these luxurious streamers were manipulated to convey something different, darker. With this heavy presence hanging overhead, the title "Underbush" took on an explicit military meaning, with more of a nod to our president than to plant life. The camo-palette allowed the political overtones to prevail.

The ultimate pendant piece hung on the wall: a camouflage jumpsuit (2004) that had been carefully cut to bits. Benson demonstrated her scissor skills as she effectively dismantled the garment into a recognizable, however tattered, shell of itself. This "war-torn" suit, just barely kept together by a thread, seems symbolic of our president's claims of keeping the country unified amid conflict.

British-born Benson lives and works in New York. She created a companion set of watercolors (not on display) that reference her roots. Here, she depicts modified versions of the massive camo-garland in different rooms at 10 Downing Street (the location is identified on the pages). This compositional twist ties the title in with a commentary on the position in which Prime Minister Tony Blair finds himself. As a politically charged chaser to her manipulated artificial flora and fauna at the World Financial Center (in 2002), "Underbush" proves that Benson again rethinks the meaning and use of familiar objects and materials while making a pointed statement.

COPYRIGHT 2004 Brant Publications, Inc.
COPYRIGHT 2004 Gale Group