“An imaginary record label that produces imaginary artists.” That’s how the French photographer Vanessa Atlan describes this work.

Larger than life, each group “signed” by Wonderland Stereo has its own history, albums, songs and lyrics— all invented by the artist. From Betty in Jail, an all-female band from backwater Tulsa, Oklahoma, to The Zephirs, a legendary punk band from Glasgow with evocative song titles (“Don’t Call Me Stupid”), each story is like a “rock dream” with each fictional detail corresponding to an autobiographical detail from Atlan’s life and her own vision of America, where she has lived since 2009.

A mise-en-abîme of pop culture, this fake label plays with the rules of the genre, working both as an homage and a parody. The artist offers reflections on the star system, this machine that transforms miserable lives into fabulous epics overnight, and the almost narcotic power of the codified representations that make for the beauty and mythology of rock. A total work of art, Wonderland Stereo reminds us of the fundamental role played by the imagination in all creative processes. It can create entire fictional lives from scratch. This is a plausible world, where the border between fiction and reality is constantly pushed.

Vanessa Atlan was born in Paris, France. She hold a Maîtrise in Art History from the Sorbonne. Her work has been exhibited across Europe and the United States. She lives and works in Los Angeles.

Vanessa Atlan: Wonderland Stereo
Bonni Benrubi
From July 19th to September 29th, 2012
41 East 57th Street 13th Floor
New York NY 10022
USA