Heidi Cody's Mixed Signals from Nature Valley

I've always been a fan of Heidi Cody's work and her latest piece at the Illegal Art show in PNCA's Feldman Gallery is really excellent.

The piece, "Mixed Signals from Nature Valley" takes on the vernaculars from all those exploitive roadsigns and turns them on their heads. When you press the button two puffs of smoke (aka smoke signals) rise from behind the feathers. It's exploitation art that had me considering all those car manufacturers who name their vehicles after words from First Nation tribes like, Pontiac, Toyota Tacoma and Jeep Cherokee etc. Clearly the whitewashed cartoon version of the "Indians" (nothing like being defined by a misnomer by some guy who thought he had reached Asia) is supposed to sardonically imply that the message isnt all "happy" from the valley but it also studies the very appealing conventions of classic sign design as well. The appalling appeal that doesn't turn into some shrill dogmatic bombast is the really its strength and the way it implicates the viewer through entertaining interaction makes it particularly successful. In Cody's hands's pop eats itself.

The show opened yesterday and if you are in the Pearl district definitely check it out at PNCA.


Through October 21st, 1241 NW Johnson

In general, the whole show is rather fun, young, and energetic. "The Wal-Mart Project" video was entertaining, amongst others, but "Mixed Signals" definitely takes the cake. It brings a serious issue to light, with an uncomfortable hilarity.