Phil Bergerson

Shards of America

October 4, 2007 - October 28, 2007

Phil Bergerson’s fascination with the ironic detritus of North American culture as revealed in the publicly displayed detail is longstanding. First finding expression in the “Interior Displays” grids of 1979-80, his work as an archaeologist of popular culture reached a resolution in his book, Shards of America, presented here in exhibition form.

By turns absurd, humourous, painful and poignant, the book is a rich and tumbling index of cultural expression as seen in the architecture, the streets and the signage – commercial, anarchic, eccentric and imploring – of small towns across North America. Its creators include the naive and the sophisticated, and their arena – the facades, display windows, abandoned corners and outskirts of many and varied towns, is the rich multi-layered site of Phil Bergerson’s passionate ten year search.