
Institutional Critique
As I continue to explore what is seen as art and how & where art is shown, I often find myself creating work as commentary on the art world itself. Who views art? Where? Under what circumstances? What is celebrated versus not? These artworks & projects examine, celebrate, criticize and question some of the practices and expectations I have encountered, from presentation to patronage and on, also delving into life, politics, and philosophy.

My inclusion for the video for my Paint-Your-Own Mail Art Masterpiece collaborative mail art project inviting people to alter a PYO image of the Mona Lisa for a video morphing the responses.
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Documentation of a performance in which I smashed a porcelain Colonial figurine during Fluxfest Online 2020, one of several such performances in response to the events of the time.

Stencil in Sharpie marker on found vintage poster in response to the movement to take down Confederate monuments following the Black Lives Matter demonstrations of 2020.

Prints made by pressing my painted monkey mask face to cardboard as political commentary for a miniprint show for SOS Art in Cincinnati, OH.

These interactive and audience-participatory children's stories and videos encouraged imagination and creativity as well as reading together.
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Poetry digital artwork contemplation of what photography means to me.

Video poetry reading of my poem Reject, originally written in 2005 and filmed for an online exhibit.
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This series of conceptual busking performances invited audience interaction, facilitated discussion of the role of money in the arts, and was initially performed in Somerville, MA. Passersby could respond to the question "Is Art Dead?" by placing money in one of two boxes "Art Is Dead" or "Long Live Art" and receiving a button with the same phrase.
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Video poetry reading in which the transitions are more important than the actual imagery of socks in an electric dryer.
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This scene was photographed exactly as found and printed on cloth flags to be waved while singing the Star Spangled Banner in its entirety.

Alternative wearable art made from recycled materials: paper & plastic bags, cardboard boxes, bubble wrap... As modeled by Debbie Diggs, Lucy Fallon, Deresa Webb & Jaclyn Wood for Somerville Open Studios Beyond the Pattern fashion show in April 2015 at the Armory. Detail of Flyaway, modeled by Debbie Diggs. Photograph by In Your Face Photography.

An audience-interactive artwork featuring six pairs of 12 gloves made into soft sculptures. Art viewers are encouraged to gesticulate and interact with the gloves as part of the piece.

My inclusion in the mail art Curtain Call project I created in response to this photograph I took at Congee Village Restaurant in New York City. This call is still open, just contact me if you'd like to participate.
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Among my more provocative photography, documenting random graffiti, street art, urban decay and deteriorating propaganda as found, 2014 - current.

Found life size Santa figure rescued from a highway off ramp after being hit and included in a Santa lap photo opportunity for an art event in Minneapolis, MN where he was left.

Cell specimen sample vials containing dead skin and toenail clippings of the artist were offered for sale, each with a certificate authenticating as a 100% genuine piece of Jennifer Weigel. Viewers were invited to "take a part of the artist home."

"The Victorian" Mystery Holiday Guest appeared publicly during the St. Charles Christmas Traditions event in 2013. Actors and actresses distribute trading cards featuring their likenesses, and I did the same as an unsanctioned performer. Blurring distinctions between actor & audience, I participated in the event by handing out self-produced "BONUS" trading cards.

I created Scavenger Hunt for the Contemporary Art Museum St. Louis’ 2013 Open Studios event. Digital photographs of myself in various costumes and accessories, shot by Charles G. Wilbur, were distributed among 49 artists participating in the Open Studios tour. Prizes proclaiming "I found Jennifer Weigel" were offered to those who found these pictures and noted them on a checklist, as well as those who found me in person.
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Children's Disney tiara set embellished with genuine US currency and worn in conjunction with Some of My Thoughts on Corporate Fascism Princesses showings.

I performed Going Rogue during the Contemporary Art Museum St. Louis’ 2012 City-Wide Open Studios event. I attended the preview party and weekend events dressed as a "shady character" in a trenchcoat, hat and sunglasses. When provided the opportunity, I flashed artists, art patrons and supporters to hawk my Monsterpieces, a series of small, framed collage incorporating Claude & my likenesses in iconographic portraits & masters’ works.

Celebrating 10 years as a practicing artist since graduating in 2002, this yearlong project included raffles & eBay auctions and more, documented through a blog devoted to the project. It culminated in LAST CHANCE! One Night Only! a retrospective art exhibition & performance in which all unsold works remaining were destroyed as a commentary on legacy. Proceeds from works purchased were donated to the St. Louis Chapter of the Women's Caucus for Art towards a legacy fund.
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Tunnel Vision was painted outside in the rain during a plein air event and reflects upon how painters depict idealized landscapes as much as what they actually see.

I frosted cookies loosely based on a tree in a field during a plein air event as a thank you to all of the culinary artists who always did so much to welcome the artists with gifts of food and wine.

WWJWD? What will Jennifer Weigel do? stickers to be added to mail art add n passes and other ephemera to consider what it means to make my mark and examine propaganda.