Representations of death often tend toward the trite: holograms, star clusters, or gilded gates leading to puffy buoyant clouds, for example. None of these conventional methods of representing death are currently on view at the Chapel of the Chimes, the Julia Morgan–designed crematorium in Oakland, though. Instead, viewers will find more unorthodox artifacts—pop-up children’s books and Shakespeare, a pair of Dixie cups, a reproduction of a Buddhist stupa, or a spider weaving her web–among the more customary flowers and well wishes.
The placement of art in this non-traditional space defies convention but adheres to definition; after all, a museum is “a building in which objects of historical, scientific, artistic, or cultural interest are stored and exhibited.”1 Architect Julia Morgan, best known for building the extravagant Hearst Castle, created an elaborate but discernibly more subdued place of repose in the Chapel of the Chimes. The Chapel was a proud recipient of the 2009 Best of the East Bay award, “Best Place to Spend Eternity.” Levity aside, the curatorial collective OFFSpace believed the Chapel was the perfect venue for art that engaged a living public with examinations of the hereafter, and spent months persuading the establishment’s administration to allow art to be installed in vacant niches. They succeeded, and Ever After became the first official art exhibition for the Chapel of the Chimes.
Since each work is limited to a niche, the works tend toward two extremes: minimalist or sensationalist. Luther Thie’s piece, The Count (2011), humorously depicts a pair of battling sock puppets. The playful skirmish is a duel to the death (pun intended) that counters and rivals the romanticized view of a peaceful, regret-free death. Although some artworks appear as part of the environment, others, like Thie’s puppets, are clearly meant to stand out, and become further magnified by their unlikely surroundings.
Luther Thie. The Count, 2011; mixed media; 18.5 x 24.5 x 11.5 in. Courtesy of the Artist. Photo: Dorothy Santos.
Although art in a crematorium may seem unlikely and, to some, a discourteous or flippant look at loss, Ever After seeks to flesh out our collective presuppositions and neuroses surrounding eternal rest. OFFSpace prevails in testing the boundaries of exhibiting art in alternative spaces, and consistently creates well-curated, provocative exhibitions. The bottom line: a show without controversy is a show that’s probably not worth seeing.
Originally posted to Shotgun Reviews on Art Practical, please clickhere to view.
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NOTES:
1. From the New Oxford American Dictionary, Third Edition.
Driving into work, I was listening to John Markoff (on NPR) talk about Steve Jobs. It’s pretty difficult to get away from the innovator’s passing. Witnessing the stream of articles, memorials, re-tweets, and posts sprawling through the virtual landscape, it was inevitable writing about it today.
Jobs passing reminds me that 30/40 something year olds fall into a very interesting place in technological history. He was a visionary with a relentless pursuit of improving and changing the world. He succeeded in his quest. As I think back to when we had mixtapes, used slambooks instead of Facebook and Tumblr; before Friendster, Tribe, MySpace, and Twitter, there were gargantuan mobile phones, tons of wires running along my parent’s living room floor, and dial-up. I wrote stories and played games in my grammar school computer lab using an Apple Macintosh. Growing up, Jobs along with other technologists, collectively, worked to connect the world. As an adult, it’s a bit mind-boggling to see the rapid growth and cross-pollination of the arts and technology. Much of this due to the past 30+ years of advancements in computing, programming, and people around the world innovating through connection. Jobs was definitely one of the original connectors.
Death is tragic no matter what form (yes, even the Darwin Awards make me sad but happy that the gene pool is a tad bit cleaner, it may sound awful but you know you agree) but it is the only certainty we have in life. As much as Jobs changed the face of technology and innovated change, he was also (very) human. I think most people in the tech industry find his death a bit jarring not only because of his age (56 years old is rather young) and his terminal illness but because he forged a path in a multitude of industries (i.e., music, digital media, arts, etc.) and accomplished quite a bit in his life. Yet, with the ability to be rather venomous to those that failed him (i.e., team behind MobileMe) or generous to a stranger with pancreatic cancer seeking advice from Jobs (and Jobs recommending his physician), he was, above everything, a human being. He was just like you and me.
The difference: He worked really hard and probably learned and processed from his mistakes (a lot more quickly than most). He was himself and knew what he wanted out of life.
Artists include: Adam Katseff, Eric Larson, Angela Willetts and Todd Anderson, Kevin Seaman, Scott Kildall, Ashley Lauren Saks, Nicole Fein, Surabhi Saraf, Brice Bischoff, Michael Namkung, Yuki Maruyama, Jennifer Campbell, and Leeza Doreian.
Curated by: Gail Dawson, Mary Anne Kluth, and Jesse Houlding
The Lab is pleased to present Time, a group exhibition addressing the fourth dimension. Sparked by Jennifer Campbell’s contemplative, wry video works, artists working across a range of genres, including painting, sculpture, photography, video, and performance, mark the passage of time, and attempt to alternately thwart, trap or transcend its inexorable flow. At turns absurd, meditative and sublime, these works present viewers with a range of human responses to a force that shapes our every conscious experience[…]
Opening reception: Friday, October 7, 6:00 – 9:00 p.m.
Exhibition runs through Saturday, October 29, 2011
The Lab | 2948 16th Street | San Francisco, CA | 415.864.8855 tel
Click on the image to learn more about the Introduction to Artificial Intelligence
Call me a complete slave to work and mental productivity but I just had to do it. The online course is free and in partnership with Stanford’s Engineering Department. I’ve gotta say I’m a bit more partial to MIT’s Open Courseware BUT Stanford did get a lot of Press for this Introduction to Artificial Intelligence (AI) class so I couldn’t resist the hype. Then again, my Mom reminds me that nothing is ever ‘free’. By the way, I acknowledge this endeavor will be time-consuming and I’m hoping my beloved doesn’t read this because she’s going to wonder about my already busy schedule and commitments. However, participants have the option of taking an advanced track (with homework and exams) OR basic track (logging onto the course site from time to time to learn more about the content). Easy! I’m not going to get into how I will approach the course and the subject matter but I’m hoping that it will give me a bit more insight into the world of AI as well as the infinite possibilities within the arts and technology realm.
It’s that time of year again…my birthday. Although I can’t start a Kickstarter campaign to get the following, I thought it would be worthwhile to throw the things I’ve wanted out into the virtual universe and see if someone bites…imagine if art writers and bloggers were sponsored! Like athletes!! One can dream…
You get a 'Thing' (aka art) in the mail!!!!!! Ummmm, want!
I’ve known about The Thing Quarterly for some time and have wanted a subscription. It would be PERFECT fodder for my art writing practice and I would accumulate some fascinating collectible art. John Herschend and Will Rogan struck gold with this innovative approach to art buying and collecting (and appreciating).
For my lazy-don't-want-to-type-but-just-talk-and-have-the-computer-type-my-ramblings-for-me days
A Dragon Dictate 2.5 that gives me complete command of my Mac using my voice? YES PLEASE! How RAD is this? How awesome is this? I’m wondering, does it give a fu*k about an Oxford comma?
A new eye for my Canon…the bigger the better (seriously), in this case, size actually matters!
After all the photos I’ve taken this year, I realized a bigger lens and a flash would come in handy. I thought giving Best Buy my money and supporting Canon would yield some amazing photographs I would be content with. It did but the more I learn about my camera, the more I want all the bells and whistles. OR, a friend that doesn’t mind lending me all their equipment from time to time. 🙂
Now, seriously, do I really need to explain the awesomeness of this t-shirt? You should know why I want it!
Tony Piro is my hero! Yes, that rhymes, doesn’t it? So, I’ve been a huge fan of Calamities of Nature for a couple of years now and I can’t believe I don’t have a t-shirt. The one above is SCREAMING at me to buy it but I can’t decide. In any case, I would love to start my collection of Calamities of Nature shirts. Feel free to contribute. 😉
Okay, I’ll stop here. I don’t want my Mom reading this post and thinking, “Some things don’t change. This is that same little girl who wrote 20 page letters to Santa – with pictures of all the things she wanted”. So, yeah, these are a few of the things I’ve wanted that give me a lot of inspiration and keep me writing and thinking about the world. Although one or two or all of these things may not be exactly connected to the day-to-day grind of writing (i.e., the t-shirt, for instance), the next big idea may bubble up to the surface whilst wearing or using said items.
In any case, THANK YOU for indulging me but come on…the Dragon Dictate would be WICKED!!! Okay, stopping. 😀
Click on Debbie Harry look-a-like to learn more about Sam Fuchs and Adam Gray (aka Hella More Funner)
Hella More Funner is an art collective consisting of Sam Fuchs and Adam Gray. We have been working together over the Internet since 2007. Our process involves obsessively collecting thousands of images and icons from the Internet and collaging them. Glorified drug abuse, subcultures, fame, overproduction, waste, capitalism, politics, and hyped-up fads are the themes in these convoluted compositions. As we unwittingly developed a religious devotion to modern life’s input overload, the Internet has become our deity.
~ Hella More Funner, Excerpt from Artist Statement (Source: Artist Website)
Just to confirm, I’m not going to enter a rap contest. Friends and Family, I would have thought that you all knew that was a joke. HOWEVER, I’m extremely happy that whatever crazy bullpoopy idea I have is thoroughly supported by you. Rest assured, I posted that for fun because, of all places, a call for hip hop artists in Hayes Valley? Well, that’s like finding a hippy dippy smoke shop in the Marina. 😉
Also, I posted it because I discovered John McWhorter and want to read his book All about the Beat: Why Hip-Hop Can’t Save Black America AND really loving me some Hennessy Youngman!
I would LOVE two G's right about now…that could mean a number of things but I'm talking specifically about money.
I’m a huge fan of hip hop and listen to it before I need to do anything that needs my full attention and presence (yes, including art writing). Naturally, anything around hip hop and rap intrigues me. So, I couldn’t help but take a picture of this (of all places, IN HAYES VALLEY – What tha?). I’m so tempted to call and find out a bit more about this said rap content BUT trying to muster the courage.
Please let me know if you have any questions about the show.
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surveillance |sərˈvāləns| noun: close observation, esp. of a suspected spy or criminal: he found himself put under surveillance by military intelligence
ORIGIN early 19th cent.: from French, from sur- ‘over’ + veiller ‘watch’ (from Latin vigilare ‘keep watch’ ).
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Recently, I met someone whose relative works for the FBI. This relative belongs to the surveillance division. Obviously, fascination grew and I started imagining scenarios of espionage and intrigue. My friend continued, “Well, I’m told it’s actually very boring work until something happens, which is quite rare.” [Insert fail horn]. Really? Then again, if you think about it, isn’t that why anyone watches anything…to wait for something to happen? Rolling dice and calculating the probability of landing on even numbers (i.e., Gambler’s fallacy and yes, I actually had to do this in grade school for math class) seems so much more interesting until artists were asked to explore the idea of surveillance in this post 9/11 world. On the eve of September 11, 2011, at The Performance Art Institute, the Bay Area art community gathered together to view works in the group exhibition, Keeping an Eye on Surveillance, curated by Hanna Regev. Below are my reflections of artists that captivated my attention.
** For this post, I selected five artists from the show. For a full listing of artists, please click here.**
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A view of the crowd at the opening of Keeping an Eye on Surveillance at The Performance Art Institute
Jim Campbell
Campbell’s beautifully executed piece, Church on 5th Avenue, illustrates transient actions of everyday life into arresting LED sculptures forcing the viewer to concentrate on the subject versus the act of surveillance. Squinting my eyes, I was able to see discernible articulations of the body. Almost magically, a city scape with people walking and cars whizzing by appeared. The multitude of technologies at work in Campbell’s art speaks to both his experience and interpretations of the post modern world. Elegance and precision are trademarks in his evolving art practice. One of the main reasons Campbell’s work remains emblematic of our time is his desire to show humanity as best described in his sentiment below,
“…the biggest challenge for working with technology and art is to transcend the medium. To not have the technology become what the work is. To go beyond that and have some sort of humanist side to the work”.
Artist, Jim Campbell's use of industrial materials to create one of the most elegant displays of a such a complex topic
Title and materials: Church on 5th Avenue (2001), 29 x 22 x 7 inches. Custom electronics, 768 LEDs, treated Plexiglas. A matrix of 32 x 24 (768) pixels made out of red LEDs displays a pedestrian and auto traffic scene in NY from an off-street perspective. There is a sheet of diffusing plexiglas angled in front of the grid. As the pedestrians move from left to right the figures gradually go from a discrete representation to a continuous one (or metaphorically from a digital representation to an analog one). ~ Source of detailed description is from Artist’s website
Tim Roseborough
My survey of artist Tim Roseborough's survey of the subject
Title and materials: The Spectacular Seat (2011), Multi-media installation
One of the more psychologically engaging pieces of the evening was Tim Roseborough’s The Spectacular Seat, which involved a real-time feed displaying the interior of a men’s restroom. Oddly enough, men (and some women) were told beforehand about the live feed but most didn’t seem to mind and proceeded to use the restroom. The knowledge of being watched affected the piece dramatically. The act of knowing changed the idea of surveillance to spectacle, hence the àpropos name of the Spectacular Seat. Since the pseudonym of Art Research Group was used to cast the original surveillance subject, Roseborough’s transparent approach at acquiring this initial data gave way to lively discussion during the opening. From the use of the internet and social networking to create this work, a strong sense of inquiry ensued at the opening.
Scott Kildall
An exhibition visitor viewing the surveillance footage from Scott Kildall's piece, Double Reflection
Title and materials: Double Reflection (2008), Video Sculpture with Single-Channel Video
Artist, Scott Kildall, set up his piece, Double Reflection, in Dolores Park to capture footage of curious onlookers on a sunny afternoon in San Francisco for the show. With Double Reflection, the curiosity itself becomes the act. It took on a performative aspect because it was relatively conspicuous but a bit enigmatic. Many people didn’t know what to make of this large sculpture that appeared to be a mirror yet shaped similarly to a periscope. The question of whether it was an object of surveillance played more of role in the exhibition versus out in the public space. To learn more about the piece, please click here.
Justin Hoover
Justin Hoover's piece, Giving you my Eyes
Title and materials: Giving You my Eyes (2011), Multi-media installation
Hoover’s, Giving You my Eyes, gave the surveyor (in this case, his assistant) his sense of sight. Since this puts a completely different spin on the idea of watching, it begs the question, is this surveillance? What does it say about the way we watch, observe, and act when the person that needs to see is unable to do so? What is the participant’s role in the act of surveillance if Hoover were to give his Eyes to you? I’m hoping to gain access to this performance piece at some point.
Jennifer Locke
Locke's, Minicam II involves participants with minicams recording the other while a third camera records the two from above
Title and materials:Minicam II (2006), Video
From a seemingly never-ending multitude of camera angles, Minicam II shows two (clothed) men wrestling (reminiscent of Oliver Reed and Alan Bates nude wrestling scene in the film adaptation of DH Lawrence’s Women in Love) with minicams taped to their chests. The multitude of angles makes the act intimate because the grunting, panting, and sweating were audible and visible. Circling back around to where we started, surveillance is about waiting for things to happen and more often than not, it’s a monotonous and wearisome task to vigilantly watch, well, nothing. Locke’s piece contrasts this view. We continue to stare and watch (closely) and waiting but is it surveillance? How does it redefine the act of observation? Yes, dear friend, I would like you to answer the question. Tell me what you think…wishing you were there (and, if you were, I invite you to engage with me).
This is a quote from the movie Contagion. Elliot Gould plays scientist, Ian Sussman, in the film.
You want to know what I say to that statement. Bullsh*t!
As a contributor to a few organizations, I have the pleasure of working with editors and supporters that give me extremely useful and productive feedback that not only improves my writing, but my critical thinking skills. Admittedly, I love the quote because there are many bloggers who exhibit poor grammar, diction, syntax, and total lack or desire to EDIT. However, there are bloggers, such as myself, that constantly try to improve and use our blogs as a reference and a record of our learning, our musings, our mistakes, mishaps, and observations of the world. Okay, I’ll kick the soapbox to the corner now.
Last thing, what the hell does a scientist know about writing? I’ve met a good number of scientists that are not very articulate. Okay, okay, enough. I need to work on some writing deadlines (yes, it never (ever) ends). Playing catch up has been very difficult lately. As one of my favorite professors has reminded me about the nascent stage of any piece – you gotta turn on the faucet and let the brown water run!!
Dorothy R. Santos, Ph.D. 