Mistakes Were Made

Mother-In-Law’s is proud to present “Mistakes were Made”, an exhibition by Jennifer Dalton and also featuring sympathetic artists dealing with the touchy issue of apology. In the exhibition, Dalton renders excerpts from public apology texts in a craft vernacular inspired by Etsy and beach town airbnbs and presents an installation of plaques, mugs, cards, tote bags, teddy bears, rainbow prisms, candles and a candy vending machine reminiscent of the Hallmark stores of her childhood. The faux artisanal aesthetic of a product that has “handmade” printed on its package meets the ersatz sincerity and false warmth of words composed by professional crisis managers.

 The store-installation will also feature an evolving selection of works from other contemporary artists working in a similar vein of craft, simulacra and cultural critique. These include a printed essay booklet by Chloë Bass, hand-painted signs by Celeste Fichter, custom #2 pencils by Ghost of a Dream, handmade houseplants by Susan Hamburger, printed matchbooks by Lisa Levy, radiator-shaped sculptures by Alyssa McClenaghan, engraved clocks by Jennifer and Kevin McCoy, milagros wall charms and novena votive candles by Sal Muñoz, currency-printed facial tissue by Andrew Ohanesian, a sculptural representation of his own soul by William Powhida, lenticular prints and snow globes by Marshall Reese and Nora Ligorano, Twitter valentines from Rupert Murdoch by Michelle Vaughan and black tea and watercolor word-paintings by Senon Williams. 

There is so much to apologize for. And almost everyone does a terrible job of it, when they try at all. No amount of money seems to smooth the process from mistakes and bad behavior to self-awareness and reckoning. Famous people are terrible role models in this regard, as so in so many others; their vague, slow-to-emerge statements are designed to imply the bare minimum of contrition and help their careers survive another day. Each text is a shrewdly-honed gem that its crafters hope will dissipate a controversy or deflect attention; taken all together they expose the values of those in power and our culture at large. We’re living through a boom-time for disingenuousness, gaslighting and DARVO*, wholly of a piece with the faux authenticity seen elsewhere in our culture. Mistakes Were Made connects some of these dots.  

*A public-relations strategy sometimes employed by those accused of wrongdoing: Deny, Attack, Reverse Victim and Accused