Matthew Buckingham: the Spirit and the Letter November 12, 2011

Matthew Buckingham's installation 'The Spirit and the Letter' is an homage to Mary Wollstonecraft, the eighteenth-century writer and philosopher. Comprised of a video projection and sculptural components, Buckingham's work questions the role that social memory and historical representation play in contemporary life, encouraging viewers to question how they hear and see what is most familiar to them. Excerpts from Wollstonecraft's writing, compiled and edited by Buckingham, are spoken as a monologue in the video. Accompanying Buckingham's installation is a small exhibition of ephemera and books documenting Wollstonecraft's life and work, focusing on her familial, social and intellectual circles. This biographical display is curated from objects loaned by the New York Public Library.