Wisconsin Union Galleries - Class of 1925 GalleryMemorial Union
University of Wisconsin Madison
800 Langdon Street
Madison, WI
Through Jan. 25, 2011
In Superman, photographer Chung Chak seeks to encourage contemplation of a superhero's sexuality by contrasting his hyper-masculinity with an unknown, effeminate, nude male.
Low-quality digital prints, mounted on foamcore, are cast in lighting that could easily have been leftover from a previous show. As poor presentation will, the lack of quality execution distracts from the images themselves. Not dissimilar is the redundant re-interpretation of a combination of figures -- male nude, Superman, unspecified female superhero -- dispersed throughout urban street scenes, sometimes involving Asian-looking citizens.
Haphazard as the photographic quality and display are, they are far more calculated than any dialogue that can potentially be gleamed from the images. Too premeditated to be mere observation or social commentary, the photographs possess a quasi-theatrical quality reminiscent of that expected from an undergraduate attempt at a fashion editorial.
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