LOOK INTO MY OWL

A.L. Steiner & robbinschilds brought their collective talents to the New Museum for a multimedia exhibition. Although I was a bit late in posting (the show ended last week) it is still worth a look.

C.L.U.E. or color location ultimate experience is an ongoing project that reacts to and becomes part of the environment that it inhabits. The exhibit at the New Museum featured original performances, interventions and a multichannel video installation. Each evening at sunset an outdoor video projection of C.L.U.E. was visible outside. This street installation was a commendable move by the New Museum encouraging pedestrians to begin a dialog with the work even if it was unlikely that they would step inside.

It is difficult to comprehend the weight of the performances from the still imagery. Check this link for video of the pair in action. Each exploit is unique with an underlying sense that the human element has been transformed into color. The movements of robbinschilds decode the body into furniture and the duo often treat each other as such.

The collaborative effort also included work from AJ Blandford and the Seattle based band Kinski.

C.L.U.E.
A.L. Steiner and robbinschilds
8 October 2008 – 11 January 2009
New Museum
NYC

Corin Hewitt has set up his rather unusual studio in the Anne & Joel Ehrenkranz Lobby Gallery at the Whitney Museum of American Art. Each weekend since October Hewitt has entertained museum visitors with a glimpse into his process as it happens.

The corners of the room are open so that the actions of the artist are visible from four perspectives. The studio lighting and food processing are reminiscent of a cooking show but there are complex systems at work on and in every surface. Worms are at busy digesting polaroids in the root cellar, food is growing, cooking and decaying throughout the space.

The effort that Hewitt puts into these systems award him with materials that he arranges into still lifes. These results are photographed, printed and framed within the “Seed Stage”. The finished works are displayed on the exterior walls of the studio for public consumption. If you have already seen this exhibit it may be a good plan to have another look to complete the experience. This is a living piece and an excellent means to understanding motive and method.

Corin Hewitt
Seed Stage
3 October 2008 – 4 January 2009
Whitney Museum of American Art
NYC

Kate Gilmore is showing four videos at Smith-Stewart. Three were created this year and the fourth was made from a site specific performance in the gallery.

Gilmore sets the stage for her temerarious performances and lets the camera roll as the action occurs in one take. The work is centered on ideas of breaking down barriers that either confine or support. Denouement occurs through the search for freedom along the path to self destruction.

Each performance is highlighted with wardrobe choices that are at odds with the violent behavior. The artist wears construction yellow high heels in “Between a Hard Place” (below) and proceeds to use them to kick large holes through five layers of gray drywall. Gilmore continues through each wall along a twenty four foot corridor until she exposes a final surface that has been painted yellow to match the heels.

Be sure to head over to Kate Gilmore’s website to watch clips from her videos.

Kate Gilmore
21 November 2008 – 18 January 2009
Smith-Stewart
NYC

“Hostage”, an outing of the collaborative work of Allan D. Hasty and Parker Wolf is currently riding the walls at The Proposition.

The theme of these canvases is constraint. Animal, vegetable and mineral are treated in a similar manner to varying effect. The “rope” that holds the subjects presents itself as manipulator and in some cases, savior. A restricted set of mouths may lend themselves to freedom of speech issues whereas a bound Marilyn Monroe stirs up thoughts of a different sort entirely.

Two days before the opening, visitors were treated to a tree tying performance by The Walking Man Army. The crew, founded by Parker Wolf, wears all white with black goggles and “exists only to create visual spectacles in real time/space.”

Allan D. Hasty & Parker Wolf
Hostage
16 December 2008 – 24 January 2009
The Proposition
NYC

Don’t forget to bring the camera to the museum on your next visit. MFA student and avid art jumper Allison Reimus wants to share her enthusiasm for art and encourage others to do the same. Her blog “Jumping in Art Museums” has been soaring for nearly a year. Peruse the archives and you will find action shots from as far as the internet can see.

The blog also acts as a meeting place to organize communal jumps. The last one just happened for the Pipilotti Rist exhibit at the MoMA in New York. Get in touch with Allison to keep abreast of future leaping events.

Styles abound in this sport. It’s a wonderful way to show your appreciation and express your individuality. The site accepts photo submissions so get creative and show off your hops.

It is safe to say that Bert Rodriguez worked harder than any artist exhibited at the Frieze Art Fair in London. Appointments were taken for 10 minute foot massages given by the artist at the Fredric Snitzer Gallery booth. I found out about this daring performance over at C-Monster, one of the best art blogs around. There is an interview with the artist in which he affirms stereotypes about different feet from different places.

This was a wonderful idea. Not only was Rodriguez able to refresh the tired feet of fair-goers but he undoubtedly was able to lay his hands on some influentials in a familiar way.

Here’s the quote from Pulp Fiction:

“I’m not sayin’ he was right, but
you’re sayin’ a foot massage don’t
mean nothing, and I’m sayin’ it
does. I’ve given a million ladies
a million foot massages and they
all meant somethin’. We act like
they don’t, but they do.”

Head over to the website of Bert Rodriguez and you’ll find a link to his flickr account that has photos of more feet than you may care to see.

Bert Rodriguez
Where You End and I Begin
Fredric Snitzer Gallery
Frieze Art Fair 2008
London

Improv Everywhere stages happenings that wreak good natured havok in public places. For their latest mission “Human Mirror” they gathered nine sets of identical twins and rode the subway in NYC. The twins sat across from their other half and emulated each other as closely as possible.

Recently, the collaborators connected more that 2,000 people in 10 cities worldwide to go for pants free for shocking subway rides.

Some of the events that the pranksters organize are not so large in scale but equally engaging. Witness the absurd suicide jumper complete with security trying to talk him down.

The society hit the high water mark with “Frozen Grand Central”. More than 200 agents froze simultaneously for 5 minutes. Still images don’t do the project justice so you will have to watch the video.

Want to get involved with the next mission? Just head to the website and let them know who you are.

So this guy rents a helicopter to make a drawing. Sweet. More of Adel Abdessemed’s work can be found at David Zwimer.