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HAUSER & WIRTH Press Release Los Angeles… Over the course of three months, Jessica Wawra (Kesselring), a CalArts student in the MA Aesthetics and Politics Program (School of Critical Studies) has transformed the Book & Printed Matter Lab at Hauser & Wirth through a critical studies residency. In having unique access to the space, Wawra (Kesselring) has the opportunity to contextualize her work in the public domain, gain curatorial skills, and develop working relationships with peers in the arts. Simultaneously, the residency invites the public to experience and interact with the evolution of a student’s practice outside a university setting. This summer, the Book Lab is reimagined as a space for developing critical research and a site for event programming. Through the exhibition, ‘Extensions of Horror’, Wawra (Kesselring) has presented a selection of films, books, and other materials for visitors to explore, and will also be on site periodically to discuss her ongoing investigations. About ‘Extensions of Horror’ Organized by Jessica Wawra (Kesselring), ‘Extensions of Horror’ focuses on how individuals interact in social space through the framework of phantasmagoria. Often seen as a precursor to horror, phantasmagoria was a form of theatre that began in the 18th century that used fantastical visual imagery and optical tricks to overwhelm a viewer’s senses. Wawra (Kesselring) argues that phantasmagoria and horror are tools accessible by everyone and serve a range of purposes within varying cultural contexts. Digital video games, arcades, the Las Vegas strip, and shopping malls create a contemporary feeling of sensory overload in line with the history of phantasmagoria. The feeling of being overwhelmed with images was – and still is – associated with commodity culture. Through a program of events and a presentation of selected films and printed matter, Wawra (Kesselring) explores responses to a new form of phantasmagoric aesthetic shock that she calls ‘phantasmagoria nova.’ A model for the post-millennium, this phenomenon confronts viewers like a ‘jab in the gut’ and no longer serves to numb the masses. Wawra (Kesselring) poses the question, does ‘phantasmagoria nova’ provide a call to action to mobilize us, or does it simply disturb us? Wawra (Kesselring)’s investigations will morph each month during her residency, centering on three core ideas: the origins of phantasmagoria, how fictional horror aesthetics can operate in tandem with non-fiction, and finally how ‘phantasmagoria nova’ can dismantle traditional cultural narratives and language. About Jessica (Wawra) Kesselring Throughout her academic career, Jessica Wawra (Kesselring) has been drawn to the intersection of art and social justice. Her writing and research seeks to challenge social inequalities and oppressive power structures, and investigates human interactions in the public sphere. Wawra (Kesselring) began her undergraduate studies at Glendale Community College, where she was a music major and studied classical voice. She later transferred to San José State University, where she shifted her focus to an interdisciplinary humanities program, completing a major in the Creative Arts. In addition to fulfilling her major requirements, she completed Advanced Honors in Integrated Science, Social Science & the Humanities and graduated with magna cum laude, Phi Kappa Phi, and Presidential Scholar honors in 2017. Wawra (Kesselring) is currently a graduate student in the MA Aesthetics & Politics Program (School of Critical Studies) at CalArts. As a teacher’s assistant, she is conducting research with respect to the economics of happiness and extending on the research of Carol Graham’s ‘Using New Metrics to Assess the Role of Arts in Well-Being: Some Initial Results from the Economics of Happiness.’ Outside of school, Jessica and her husband enjoy watching sci-fi fantasy shows and taking their dogs, Selkie and Beezer, for walks in the Verdugo Mountains. About the Book & Printed Matter Lab The Book & Printed Matter Lab is a project devoted to exploring the important place that books and prints occupy in the practice of artists. Building upon Hauser & Wirth’s curatorial and publishing activities, the Lab presents thematic installations, displays, and programming that invite reflection, creative thinking, and further conversation about the world of printed matter and its connection to artists’ ideas and objectives. For more information about the residency and to register for events this summer, please visit hauserwirth.com. Press Contacts: Elizabeth Portanova elizabeth@hauserwirth.com +1 213 943 1634 Hauser & Wirth 901 East 3rd Street Los Angeles CA 90013 Gallery hours: Tuesday – Sunday 11 am – 6 pm www.hauserwirth.com @hauserwirth