Lara Schnitger

My other car is a broom

Finally back in Holland! Stroom Den Haag presents the exhibition ‘My other car is a broom' by the Dutch artist Lara Schnitger (1969, lives and works in Los Angeles). The presentation was previously on view in Magasin 3 in Stockholm (Sweden). Lara Schnitger's work is characterized by an inventive use of textiles. She uses pieces of fabric to create both intimate sculptures and architectural installations. Her work, in which texts also play an important role, deals with eroticism, humour and politics. Richard Julin, the curator of the exhibition in Stockholm, writes about her: ‘Schnitger is a vital part of a young flourishing art scene in L.A. that is very active and multi-faceted. Her sculptures and installations combine a feeling of the metropolis with that of home-made craft.'

The title of the show, ‘My other car is a broom', is taken from one of the texts Schnitger incorporated in the installation ‘Gridlock'. A large network made of fabric features numerous bumper sticker texts referring, amongst others, to the election campaigns of George W. Bush and John Kerry (Schnitger was very active in her support for the latter). The work also refers to Japanese construction sites and prayer flags Schnitger saw during her travels in Tibet.

Lara Schnitger has her roots in the city of The Hague, where she studied at the Royal Academy of Arts from 1987 to 1991. In her graduation year Stroom Den Haag presented her with a Promising Young Artist Award for her installation of televison sets inside a small ‘building', in which she dealt with the television media in a surprisingly funny way. Her breakthrough came in 1995 with her contribution to the exhibition ‘Wild Walls' in the Stedelijk Museum Amsterdam. Since then her work has been presented in various leading art institutes and museums in Europe, the United States and Asia, including Kunstwerke in Berlin (2000), Statement at the Basel Art Fair (2001), P.S.1 in New York (2002), Anthon Kern Gallery in New York (2002), Shanghai Biennial in Shanghai (2002), Air 2 Paris in Paris (2004) and the Hammer Museum in Los Angeles (2005).

The exhibition in Magasin 3 was accompanied by a catalogue, which will be for sale at Stroom.

The exhibition has been produced in conjunction with the preceding exhibition ‘My other car is a broom', produced by Magasin 3 Stockholm Konsthall curator Richard Julin.