Against a drumroll, a figure on a horse descends
through a tunnel-like space that is flanked by
American flags. The first notes of “Hail to the Chief”
become recognizable, and the Liberator emerges. As
the song goes on, this character from the American
Revolution rides along on a horse amidst falling
confetti, flying balloons, and identically dressed
cheering figures. Their enthusiasm is so contagious
that the Liberator joins in the clapping. Eventually,
the flags disappear, the music fades, and he seems
to walk from the darkness into our space.
Federico Solmi creates satirical video installations
in which motion capture and computer script determine
the movements of the puppets that inhabit
them. Solmi uses these characters to comment on
celebratory views of history that insist on heroicizing
leaders rather than probing their legacies.

Collection of the artist, courtesy of Luis De Jesus
Los Angeles, and Ronald Feldman Gallery, New York

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