It’s Possible
Graduate exhibition catalogue for the upcoming PSU MFA Social Practice show at Disjecta is back from the press.
Features an essay I wrote for the catalogue titled “The Quirky Ones”
Posted: May 25th, 2009 under Writing.
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Critical Distance, Emotional Proximity
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I had a meeting tonight with one of my students to go over her upcoming public lecture. I was giving her feedback and at one point she commented that I was able to see things in a way that made a lot of clear connections throughout her work. I told her some times it just takes some distance. Thinking back on what I said sometimes being close to something can also help.
Critical distance, emotional proximity.
Lori Gordon, one of my dearest, closest and most loved friends, wrote something about me recently that exemplifies this idea:
Before I proceed with the insertion of the ‘obligatory artworld’ bio for Jennifer Delos Reyes (JDR), I would like to include my own thoughts on the artist. For the past several years I have had the privilege of collaborating on various projects with JDR in various capacities. It had always been my understanding that in order to find a true collaborator; I would likely have to wait patiently into my senior years before finding someone with the same level of commitment and ambition. As someone who has invested a great deal of time crafting projects that may seem nonchalant to the viewer, but are in fact rigidly controlled, it has been difficult to truly work in collaboration with anyone else. This ‘little red hen syndrome’ as we now like to refer to it, has caused much anxiety and frustration over the years. However, while participating in the same residency program at The Kitchen in New York, we discovered that our temperaments were quite similar, and in turn discovered a deeply satisfying and successful partnership. JDR has the capacity to think beyond her nose, always stepping back to look at the big picture. She has managed to pull in numerous artists, time and time again, in order to take smaller ventures and transform them into large-scale orchestrations, such as Open Engagement. Her work somehow always feels like an extraordinary and exclusive party, which you’ve managed to finagle your way into attending. Suddenly you are hip. Inevitably you are inspired. Thankfully, you walk away thinking about the experience and being grateful for having witnessed ‘it’. Her spirit and attitude towards all things professional is ‘all or nothing’ – something I deeply admire. For anyone who has worked with her in the past, or hopes to in the future, one thing is certain – you will receive what you asked for tenfold.
Not only is her writing insightful for me (and one of the nicest things anyone has ever had to say about how they interpret what I do), but also sheds light on Lori’s own working methods.
Image: Lori Gordon and Jen Delos Reyes, attempted 60 min hug, San Francisco, 2009
Posted: May 25th, 2009 under Appreciation.
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Grey Area Resource
Black Market Type and Print Shop curated by Joseph del Pesco opened last night in Portland at the Feldman Gallery. This is the second exhibition of this project.
Exploring the use of type in recent art practice, the Black Market Type and Print Shop is a collection of 20 fonts culled from contemporary art publications. Picking up on the groundwork laid by appropriation art in the Eighties, these types are a byproduct of art production extracted for a second use, but without modification or addition. All of these fonts have been created without the permission of the artists, and their use is limited to the exhibition. (While the project is called a black market, none of the fonts are available for purchase.)
The show was more accurately described by del Pesco in the catalogue for the exhibition as more of a “grey resource.”
Pictured above is one of the posters I made in the print shop using the Richard Prince font (sadly doorway was spaced as two words.) I printed several copies of this sign on a variety of coloured paper. I plan to put one of these signs on every door in my house. But before I do that I should probably go use the resource again and correct the error. I also want to make some posters using David Shrigley’s font, Dingbats. Think Wingdings.
Show runs until June 27.
Posted: May 8th, 2009 under Appreciation, Contemporary Art, Life.
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There Will Be No Miracles Here
In the real world, or in the art world, there will be no miracles here.
This makes me think of something my friend Randall Szott said on stage at SF MoMA during Social Practice West. It has been on the tongues of students in the Social Practice program at PSU since he said it. It even cropped up in a recent graduate statement.
When asked by a member of the audience if Szott ever experienced a sublime moment at a craft fair he retorted, “No, but I haven’t experienced a sublime moment at the SF MoMA either.”
Nathan Coley, There Will Be No Miracles Here, 2006
Posted: May 4th, 2009 under Appreciation, Art, Contemporary Art, Life.
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I thought I couldn’t love him more
David Lynch has a new project, Interview Project is in theaters June 1.
As a side note, I still wish I could cut my hair like his. Why does it look so good all of the time?
Posted: May 2nd, 2009 under Appreciation, Life, Movies.
Comments: 2
WHAT DO WE DO WITH THE THINGS WE KNOW?
Two new tracks from Sonic Youth and Dinosaur Jr, two of my all time favorite bands.
What We Know, Sonic Youth
I Want You to Know, Dinosaur Jr.
Posted: May 1st, 2009 under Music.
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Listed
Continuing with my lists of naming and acknowledgement as part of my aesthetic, here is an incomplete list of people, places, and things that have taught me about community, collaboration and pedagogy (in no particular order) that I made for Paul Butler for an upcoming book on that subject.
Posted: April 26th, 2009 under Appreciation, Contemporary Art, Life.
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Making things public
I was asked to do a show at Public Space One in Iowa City. I just received the invitations for the show in the mail today and they look great.
The other day while in a discussion with Cyrus Smith about the Social Practice MFA concentration at PSU he said that he really likes that when Harrell or myself gets an opportunity we make it our opportunity.
The show, Public Document Files at PSone will feature work from of some of the students at PSU, as well contributions from some of the students I have met from the CCA Social Practice concentration as well as some students from the Public Practice program at Otis. In addition it will include submissions from many many others.
A little background on the Public Document Files project is that I used to maintain a large filing cabinet of dossiers on all of the socially engaged artists/groups or projects that peaked my interest and would maintain files on them. I thought this was a nice resource and one that would be great for Public Space One.
Public Document Files opens June 5, 2009
Posted: April 25th, 2009 under Contemporary Art, Life.
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