Uncannyland

Uncannyland

Uncannyland explores the connotations of the word “uncanny” as it refers to landscape. Used by Sigmund Freud in his 1919 treatise, “The Uncanny”, the word derives from the negation of the German heimlich,which means belonging to the house, familiar, tame, intimate, homey. The inherent dialectic here is revealed at the moment when the familiar becomes uncomfortable, even frightening. Freud identifies the pivotal point in this phenomenon as the instant when our certainty of ourselves, and the safety of our hearth and home, come into question.

Uncannyland presents the work of three artists who investigate the tipping point, where one’s everyday sense of security becomes threatened by the unfamiliar, Freudian “uncanny.”

Guest curators Beth Kantrowitz (co-director of Allston Skirt Gallery, Boston) and artist, curator Kathleen O’Hara (co-director of OHT Gallery, Boston) were among the founding members of Boston’s SoWa arts district. After leaving the South End in search of a non-traditional gallery model, they opened Drive-by Projects in Watertown, MA. Working together for the past six years, Kantrowitz and O’Hara have striven to present small, lively exhibitions in their storefront space.

Featuring work by Jerry Mischak, Kathleen O’Hara and Ben Sloat. Opens June 4th. Open Saturdays 12-5pm through June 25th. Email the gallery for more information.