Michelle Lassaline
Pelican, Pronghorn, and Goat
Three short films by Michelle Lassaline feature the artist performing in handmade papier-mâché animal masks.
Goat, Pronghorn, and Pelican take place in settings that highlight the history of a region. Goat and Pronghorn were filmed in rural towns in Nevada characterized by the booms and busts of mining. Goat stands in front of an eroding mine tailing in Virginia City, while Pronghorn stands onstage at the historic Eureka Opera House. Lassaline’s newest work, Pelican, follows the large-beaked bird through waterfront parks and public spaces in the Puget Sound; from the Sammamish River in Bothell to Point Robinson Lighthouse on Vashon Island, Pelican explores aquatic activities of the region. Influenced by the Swiss artists Fischli and Weiss, Goat, Pronghorn, and Pelican are at once absurd and serious, imbuing ordinary situations with beauty and humor.
About the Artist
Michelle Lassaline is a Seattle-based interdisciplinary artist. She was awarded a 2017 Artist Trust GAP grant and has received project funding from the City of Seattle, the Nevada Arts Council, and the Sierra Arts Foundation. She has exhibited and performed her work at the Nevada Museum of Art, the University of Nevada, Reno, and Central Washington University. In 2016, she became Artist-In-Residence at Isle Royale National Park, where she encountered a red fox for the first time. Her work is characterized by craftsmanship, accessibility, and a reverence for nature.