In her installation, Hovnanian stages a celebratory meal in contrasting red and white, the colors of mirth and death. Family members, ranging from young children to elder figures, are represented by vertical tablet screens seemingly hovering above every chair. Rather than the chatter of small talk and petty arguments, however, we hear only the tinny notification sounds of various digital devices, and the diners spend most of their time gazing downward. Here the artist speaks of alienation but also new forms of connection.
This isn’t a family feud. It is Hovnanian’s newest take on global narcissism, China-style. In New Year’s Feast: Beijing, 2014, eight Chinese family members, represented by actors on individual video screens, are engrossed in conversation and activity —with their electronic devices. As they utterly ignore each other and their lavish holiday meal, three digital mice chew away at the banquet, unnoticed and undisturbed.