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I thought it might be a good idea to take you through some of these pieces and offer a little background to what you'll be seeing as well as explain how the pieces physically work. As I am writing, I am reflecting on a wonderful monologue by John Cage about gathering wild mushrooms. This will not be anything like that. To avoid a long walk on this short pier, lets get started. I will remind you that all the pieces can be seen in their entirety by clicking on the image when you see the hand icon appear (which I encourage you to do). The triangle icon that sometimes will be to the right of the image you have gone to indicates a detail shot is available by clicking on that icon.
The first piece we're going to is titled "We're Home #1". It is interactive by firmly grasping the handle at the bottom and flipping the lower board while top remains attached to the wall. The idea was directly lifted from a refrigerator magnet my friend Dallas had discovered. I found the original object fairly complete in all its terrifying implications, except for its small scale and style of execution that needed to be changed for my purposes.This is one piece in a series that includes Mom's mood and Ben's mood.
The abstraction of the human torso occurred in duplicating commercial clothing display forms. "Gloria" includes two such elements: one form attached to the wall and the other in front of it which can be spun around. The piece resulted from an experience I had in Greece as follows. A guy sitting on a railing outside a very crowded gay bar was wearing ashirt with the phrase you see printed on it. Having lost many of my friends to AIDS along with my own fears, the simple notion of birth in contrast to death appeared suddenly revelatory in all its mid-70's grandeur. As for myself during the 70's in NY, it felt like being queer was finally an attribute, an entrance into clubs, music, and fashion that everyone emulated. The homosexual community I was a member of were ready to celebrate, only later to be mowed down. The twirling figure not only reminds me of this and screwing, but a gambling wheel as well.
On a somewhat different note, the next piece, "Yet To Be Seen" includes a more direct art context. Sitting in a coffee shop, I includes a more direct art context. Sitting in a coffee shop, I overheard a guy explain to another about how he handles someone named Pascal. I broke his phrase up and changed the name to my own. Being a rather tall piece with the phrase that accompanies it, puts the owner/dealer/curator and viewer in a position to the space around the piece (or Ben). The stacked forms are constructed in a way that allows the order to be rearranged, although the meaning remains relatively the same.
The magnetic elements were designed with interactivity in mind as well. The notion that the artist is always attempting to have the final say is problematic for me. I prefer to "implicate" the final say is problematic for me. I prefer to "implicate" theviewer as well and share the responsibility. What I am attempting to say versus what "we" are saying is a conflict I enjoy including in the work.
The fridge doors have a history of their own in terms of the promise of physical nourishment as well as a public forum for cartoons, slogans,photos, etc. (in contrast to a gallery/museum wall). The plastic magnetic elements may appear to have come out of, gone into, or growingon the surface of the doors like a fungus. The frivolity of the moveable round dots combined with sort of repulsive of the moveable round dots combined with sort of repulsive overtones (dead jellyfish, puke) drew me into exploring
several possibilities on various models of refrigerators. several possibilities on various models of refrigerators. The titles of two of the works are Reminders A & Reminders B.
Previous to these magnetic pieces, I had been working extensively with the adhesion of felt to felt. At that point, I attempted to offer even less constructs of design, utilizing circles within circles with few straight horizontal or vertical references. These moveable elements consisted of floppy discs of felt with pom-pom knobs. If moved, one is forced to sort of caress them back to ensure adhesion. The initial pieces were black on black and I might add, very difficult to document. I remember one artist saying her work never got anywhere until it became more photogenic which I find amusing and distressing at the same time. The blue/black piece you see is titled "Prototype With Possibilities"and is more direct than some of the larger pieces that followed it. I guess I do enjoy the limited options and absurdist gesture of moving the element from side to side. As I observe it on the wall, I see a decision has been made; accomplished, for what its worth.
If you ever spent any time in L.A, you might have noticed a particular design printed on the bus stop benches (especially if you had the grim chore of using the transit system here). This decorative motif0 (see image) with a reference to nature was to let the passerby/driver know (along with text) that the bench was available to rent for one's advertising.
I was invited by Sue Spaid gallery to utilize her courtyard which doubled as a
parking lot off an alley. I chose to do and doubled as a parking lot off an alley. I chose to do an installation combining the the pattern of the bus stop bench with emergency diagonal stripes. Transposing the green bench design to orange, I was basically trying to combine two emergency stops into one. As in the courtyard/parking lot, I responded to aesthetic versus the utilitarian nature of the allotted space.
Once again in this spot, I opted to gain entrance to the gallery as well. My sculpture this time consisted of a large double-sided sign announcing the sale of blue-blocker sunglasses. These type of sign announcing the sale of blue-blocker sunglasses. These type ofglasses are sold in grass root situations, as the set up on the way to Burbank. I bought my glasses there and copied the person's signage. Sue agreed she would sell the glasses inside and we would split the profits. Although maybe a little depressing to advertise the glasses along the alley, such was the point. The notion of sharing/selling the artist's vision was a concept I was playing with. I should note that this same
piece was installed at playing with. I should note that this same piece was installed at an art space on Hollywood Blvd. with much competition from other sunglass selling establishments. They actually sold quite well, with people entering off the street to buy the glasses alone. The money was split between myself and the receptionist/salesperson. The title of this piece is called "With Intent To Perceive".
At a very different kind of location, I was invited to participate with Project X, an informal group of artists involved with site-specific work. This time it was at an outdoor amphitheater, a very green setting, at Occidental College in Eagle Rock. I do find working on outdoor installations to be semi-autonomous from the gallery/art museum baggage and pretensions. Removed from such constraints, I tend to question and pretensions. Removed from such constraints, I tend to question and test certain limits more readily. The specific spot I
chose within the amphitheater was backstage left within the wing. There I setup this photographic service and took pictures of those who wanted pose with cardboard life-size cutouts of a celebrities (another common practice along Hollywood Blvd.). Dramatic spectacle often tends to take a backseat to the urge to rub elbows with the stars. A sense of one's worth can be seen by such contact, if only in fantasy. By breathing "The be seen by such contact, if only in fantasy. By breathing "The
Very Same Air", I am quoting Richard Schickel from his essay "Intimate Strangers: The Cult of Celebrities" as follows:"It is not too much to say that we have, in about a half century in time, reached a point when most issues, whether political, intellectual, or moral in nature, do not have real status-that is literally, the status of the real-until they have been taken up, dramatized, in the celebrity world."
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