LOOK INTO MY OWL » INSTALLATION

DAMIEN HIRST / MICHAEL JOO – HAVE YOU EVER REALLY LOOKED AT THE SUN?

l00k — Thu, 17 Jun 2010 07:23:15 +0000

“Have You Ever Really Looked at the Sun?” is a two man exhibit of new and recent works from Damien Hirst and Michael Joo. The show runs through the middle of August at the Berlin branch of Haunch of Venison.

Damien Hirst, Temple, installation view, Haunch of Venison, 2010.

The pair of artists met twenty years ago and have been close friends and influences since. They were originally introduced in Germany and this exhibit is a return to the geographical genesis of their relationship.

Michael Joo, Tree, oak and stainless steel, 2001.

On display is a shared interest in museum scaled sculpture. The spacial demands of these works often claim attention before the content is even considered. It is a deluge of sensation not unlike staring into the sun.

Damien Hirst / Michael Joo, Have You Ever Really Looked at the Sun?, installation view, 2010.

The dissection and reordering of the natural world is a common thread stretched between these collaborators. The viewer gets a sense of old school victory, something has been conquered with this show. It’s good to know that if either of these guys find themselves creatively cornered, they have someone to call.

Michael Joo, M, S, G, mixed media, installation view, 2010.

Damien Hirst / Michael Joo
Have You Ever Really Looked at the Sun?
1 May – 14 August 2010
Haunch of Venison
Berlin

BLANE DE ST. CROIX – BROKEN LANDSCAPE II

l00k — Mon, 05 Apr 2010 16:50:56 +0000

Blane De St. Croix is currently exhibiting his “Broken Landscape II” project at the Night Gallery, Tempe Marketplace in conjunction with F.A.R. (Future Arts Research) at Arizona State University.

Blane De St. Croix, Broken Landscape II, mixed media, 2010.

Research for this project had the artist traveling more than 3,000 miles covering the border between the United States and Mexico. He investigated fifteen crossings and gleaned information and opinion from communities on both sides. The result is this marvelous one hundred foot miniature replica of a slice of this highly contested boundary.

Blane De St. Croix, Broken Landscape II, mixed media, 2010.

It’s easy to recall in detail the emotional images from the first chips in the wall that once divided Berlin. Righteous cheers of freedom were nearly unanimous in the free world. Today our walls are fences and our voice does no longer registers with the same harmony.

The sculpture “Broken Landscape” acts as a wall that divides the gallery space. The artist makes no outright statements about the barrier but prefers the audience to examine both sides and open the lines of communication.

Blane De St. Croix, Broken Landscape II, mixed media, 2010.

Blane De St. Croix
Broken Landscape II
1 – 23 April 2010
Night Gallery, Tempe Marketplace
Arizona

ESCAPE FROM NEW YORK – FUNDRAISER

l00k — Mon, 15 Mar 2010 17:45:50 +0000

This Spring, independent curator Olympia Lambert is inviting the New York art community to take a short trip across the George Washington Bridge and experience something wonderful in Paterson, New Jersey. “Escape from New York” is an exhibition of work collected from an exciting list of thirty-six artists. The venue is a massive and beautiful five story structure that at one time operated as a silk factory.

A fundraiser is underway right here seeking crucial capital for the advertising budget. Minimum pledge is only five bucks but I encourage you to spend more to receive a reward donated by some of the participating artists. Help get the word out about this impressive project. Act quickly because the fundraiser is ending soon…

Escape from New York, Silk Factory, 2010.

Escape from New York
15 May – 19 June 2010
Fabricolor Building
Paterson, NJ

LI HUI – TRANSITION

l00k — Sun, 14 Mar 2010 17:17:16 +0000

“Transition” is a captivating installation from Li Hui currently on display at the Mannheimer Kunstverein in Germany. The piece is inspiring in its simplicity. Very few elements have been combined to create a commanding visual.

Li Hui, Transition, mixed media installation, 2010.

A Jeep Cherokee that had fallen prey to accident has been carefully bandaged by the artist. The work is illuminated from above by a tight grid of thirteen thousand lasers. Heat from the laser light releases vapor from the cloth into the surrounding space.

Li Hui, Transition, mixed media installation, 2010.

Beyond an unconscious connection to Chinese philosophy, Li Hui has shared little about the installation perhaps preferring that his audience design their own conclusions.

My interpretation is fairly literal and parallels the candor of the essential elements. I see something broken that has been aided into a healing state. The lasers represent an overwhelming threat of termination from a distance. (Similar to most Americans I have been subjected to too much television forcing this singular response to a directed laser.) The “Transition” that occurs as a result of the close scrutiny initiates a symbol of freedom in the escape of vapor. Then again, I might just be cloud watching.

Li Hui, Transition, mixed media installation, 2010.

Li Hui
Transition
7 February – 21 March 2010
Mannheimer Kunstverein
Mannheim, Germany

CHRISTO AND JEANNE CLAUDE – FRIENDS OF OVER THE RIVER

l00k — Thu, 04 Mar 2010 19:12:42 +0000

In the summer of 2013, Christo will bring “Over the River” to our home state of Colorado. The recent passing of Jeanne-Claude, Christo’s wife and partner was felt deeply by the art community but her legacy will surely live on through this awesome artwork.

The project consists of nearly six miles of silvery translucent fabric suspended horizontally over various parts of the Arkansas River spanning the forty mile stretch between Salida and Cañon City. “Over the River” will be viewable from two vantage points. Motorists will be able to witness it’s grandeur from US-50 and rafters are encouraged to float directly under the fabric panels. The temporary artwork will be in place for a mere two weeks. The image below is from a test conducted on private property near the Colorado/Utah border.

Christo and Jeanne Claude, Over the River, Life-Sized Test, 1999.

“Friends of Over the River” is a grassroots advocacy organization in support of the project. I just joined and encourage you to do the same at this link.

From “Friends of Over the River”:
“Becoming a ‘Friend’ is easy and can involve as little or as much time as you are willing to give. At a minimum, the group typically asks their participants to help by discussing the project with their friends and neighbors and by submitting a written comment during the permitting process. Those who want to get more involved can do so by writing letters to the editor, volunteering at events or attending the Bureau of Land Management’s public hearings, to name a few activities. It’s up to you how much you participate, and there are plenty of different ways to get involved.”

Christo and Jeanne-Claude
Over the River
scheduled for Summer 2013
Arkansas River, Colorado

JENNIFER DALTON & WILLIAM POWHIDA – #CLASS

l00k — Mon, 22 Feb 2010 20:50:47 +0000

“#class” is an interactive, multidimensional exhibit organized by artists Jennifer Dalton and William Powhida. The Winkleman Gallery has bravely given over their space to encourage the public to engage in dialog concerning the current state of contemporary art.

Jennifer Dalton and William Powhida, #class, installation view, 2010.

No clear goals have been set for this project; however, participants will be manipulated by various speakers along the way. Check here for the full schedule of events.

The art world has been forced to endure a lot of negative hysteria over the past year. The rise of social media has coupled with stress brought on by poor economic times to create an immutable hostile chatter. We seem to move from one “crisis” to the next with nothing to show for the effort. Stepping back, the field often resembles the Serengeti. Scavengers have been picking rotten flesh from one kill in order to gain enough substance to carry them to the next carcass.

Everyone has different hopes for this project. My wish is to see an erosion of this tunnel vision. There is no fine line between critical and cranky, it is open space and never too late to turn back. There will be some brilliant people offering insight throughout the term of the show and my trust is with them to soften some of the harsh edges. Look in for yourself as the action will be streaming live during gallery hours, Wednesday – Sunday, 2-8 pm.

Jennifer Dalton & William Powhida
#class
19 February – 20 March 2010
Winkleman Gallery
NYC

MR. BRAINWASH – ICONS

l00k — Tue, 16 Feb 2010 17:33:06 +0000

Valentine’s Day marked the opening of “Icons” the latest show from Mr. Brainwash. The line was around the corner for the opening at the 15,000 square foot building in the meat packing district. Special thanks to Alanna Sarti for taking these excellent photographs.

Mr Brainwash, Icons, NYC, 2010.

Mr. Brainwash
Icons
14 February – 31 March 2010
415 W. 13th Street
NYC

CHIHARU SHIOTA – ONE PLACE

l00k — Sun, 14 Feb 2010 23:56:07 +0000

In five days, “One Place,” the first solo exhibition in the UK from Chiharu Shiota opens at Haunch of Venison in London. The towering work, “A Room of Memory” shown below installed at the 21st Century Museum of Contemporary Art in Kanzawa, Japan will be on view.

Chiharu Shiota, A Room of Memory, found windows, 2009.

The piece was created from 400 windows collected over the years from a variety of abandoned structures throughout Berlin. The structure is colossal in scale but the worn and paint chipped forms encourage sentiments of an insular meditation space.

Chiharu Shiota, Biel Klavier 139, mixed media installation, 2009.

Shiota will also be creating a site specific thread piece similar to the work above from the exhibit “In Silence” at the Centre Pasquart in Switzerland. Several small, boxed thread works incorporating household utensils will also be on hand. Her intent with this vein of exploration centers around the idea of drawing in three dimensions. It is a gripping concept carried out to unforgettable results.

Chiharu Shiota
One Place
19 February – 27 March 2010
Haunch of Venison
London

MARK JENKINS – MEANING IS OVERRATED

l00k — Thu, 21 Jan 2010 10:55:12 +0000

“Meaning is Overrated”, a new show from Mark Jenkins opens tonight at the Carmichael Gallery of Contemporary Art. Jenkins is one of the heroes of the street that has been able to make the difficult transition from the outdoors into a gallery setting. The gallery has been kind enough to share with us this special sneak peek of works that you will be able to examine as part of the exhibit. The artist will be present for the opening so check with the gallery for details.

Mark Jenkins, Meaning is Overrated, Carmichael Gallery preview, 2010.

Mark Jenkins
Meaning is Overrated
21 January – 18 February 2010
Carmichael Gallery of Contemporary Art
West Hollywood, CA

THE WYNWOOD WALLS – MIAMI

l00k — Wed, 09 Dec 2009 16:30:05 +0000

The Wynwood Walls is an ongoing outdoor mural project produced by Deitch Projects and Goldman Properties. Twelve murals were completed for the opening including work by Aiko, Os Gemeos and Nunca, Stelios Faitakis, Jim Drain, Shepard Fairey, Futura, Barry McGee, Ara Peterson, Clare Rojas, Kenny Scharf and the team of Swoon, David Ellis and Ben Wolf. Here are photos of some of our favorites.

AIKO, The Wynwood Walls, Miami, 2009.

Shepard Fairey, The Wynwood Walls, Miami, 2009.

Kenny Scharf, The Wynwood Walls, Miami, 2009.

The Wynwood Walls
NW 26th Street & 2nd Avenue, Miami, FL