INTERNal Affairs: The Writing on the Wall (Banksy Talk Review)

INTERNal Affairs is a series by GCAC Curatorial Intern and CSUF Art History major Shauna Hultgrien.

What is art? Is it hanging in a gallery? Is it made in a studio by hands that are finely tuned and well trained? Should it depict beauty? Should it represent an idea? Every generation conventionalizes a standard of “art” based on a definition ultimately defined by the critic. It has become the artist’s role to first establish these norms then defy them. Outspoken, cheeky, and veiled, the graffiti artist Banksy stands at the forefront of the contemporary fight for unconventional art. The British based street artist spent last October in New York during a “residency” in which he installed a new work each day. His imposition in the self-proclaimed art capital of America earned Banksy the scorn and smite from many of the city’s most reputable critics. However, artist, critic, and contributing editor to Art In America, Carol Diehl puts her well-earned reputation on the line to not only disagree with her colleagues, but to publically defend Banksy’s philosophy. Thanks to the collaborative efforts of Grand Central Art Center’s John Spiak along with Cal State Fullerton’s Chair of Visual Art Jade Jewett and Professor Joanna Roche, the main campus hosted the public debut of Diehl’s insights into the man who is the masked satirist. If you had the extreme misfortune of missing this talk, fret no longer! As always, you can experience it through me, your GCAC intern.

From blogs to print, during his “residency,” Banksy was reviled as what New York based critic Jerry Saltz calls, “amazingly unoriginal.” But was originality really his objective? Diehl identifies Banksy’s themes as a compilation of anti’s: anti-capitalism, anti-imperialism, anti-greed, and anti-war.  With such motives Banksy’s end goal isn’t ingenuity, it’s awareness­­­­­­­­— he offers a new perspective on the status quo. Diehl went on to highlight the deeply humanistic qualities of Banksy’s work, supporting her observations with the fact that his work “vilifies no one.” Diehl chalks up his disdain amongst critics to the sad fact that we exist in a “culture that’s constantly pitting one side against another,” inspiring a legitimate confusion when we encounter an attitude that blames no one specifically.

Diehl was careful not to disregard Banksy as the crude prankster that he is often made out to be. He is an artist with a message. His medium and surfaces are chosen concurrently with his ideals. Banksy is speaking out against the passive acceptance of a defined convention; he has to reach those who exist beyond the exclusivity of the tightly woven art world. Revolutions don’t happen from high rises, they happen in the streets. Thus, Banksy rids his work of pretense by using graffiti as his medium and existing utilitarian surfaces as his canvases.  He mocks the capitalist establishment while reaching his intended audience—everyone. He has taken his work out of the gallery and delivered it directly to the people.  I especially appreciated Diehl’s realization that graffiti is an illegal activity and as such, Banksy is literally risking his life to reach the public at large.

So what is art? Well I suppose that it is ultimately up to the viewers to decide, whether that be an experienced critic or an observant passer-by. Through the in-depth analysis provided by Carol Diehl, this intern is convinced that Banksy is not only an artist, but one of the great artists of our time. Intelligent and provoking, Banksy’s work must be experienced in its entirety. It is not just the image we see painted on a wall that demands contemplation, but the message deeply plaited within. He speaks a language understood by all and strips us of our differences; his work can be absurd because human beings are absurd, it can provoke laughter because we are all capable of humor, it questions normalcy because that is something that should be decided by the individual, not the committee. With a little help from Diehl and other Banksy advocates in the field, perhaps he will not be misunderstood much longer.

Well that’s my two-cents. If you missed the talk with Carol Diehl, this blog certainly does not do it justice. Hopefully we will be hearing more from Carol and with any luck her lecture will surface again soon. This is your GCAC intern, over and out.
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Busy End to 2013, Even Busier Beginning to 2014 @ GCAC!

To say it has been a little busy around Grand Central Art Center over the past month is a bit of an understatement – IT’S BEEN EXTREMELY BUSY!

Vincent Goudreau was very active during his last weeks in residence at GCAC in mid-December. As part of his Recordings of an Immigrant project, we decided to fly Juan Aquino out from the island of Maui to join Vincent in residence. Juan is the inspiration/subject for Vincent’s current project.

During their time together Vincent and Juan, along with videographer Randy Mills, spent a number of days searching for a specific house in Fullerton, CA – the location where coyotaje delivered Juan upon his arrival into the United States over twenty years ago. Now a legal US citizen, the visit by Juan brought him back to a connection/transition location that marks an important part of his amazing life journey. We will share the results of this search soon, as the video is currently in the editing phase for a short documentary we will be releasing online in the coming weeks.

Vincent and Juan, joined by GCAC Director/Chief Curator John Spiak, presented a public conversation about Vincent’s residency, his journeys with Juan and thoughts for the project moving forward. The evening included the screening of two of Vincent’s past short film/video works – Harry and Janet and Villa Capri, providing insight into how Vincent’s projects often deal with the topic of global connection and place. As the screening concluded, patrons were invited to join the artist for an informal ice cream social, a tribute to an important scene from Villa Capri.

As the week concluded, we were visited by two of Danielle Susalla Deery’s classes from Irvine Valley College, Museum and Technologies and Museum Marketing. We are proud of the fact that Danielle is a Cal State University, Fullerton alumna and love when she returns with her students to share her enthusiasm for contemporary art. The students of her classes enjoyed a full tour of GCAC provided by GCAC Director/Chief Curator John Spiak. They talked about the technologies included in Matthew Moore and Braden King’s installation Cumulus and shared stories of successful marketing strategies by art institutions. They also had the opportunity to visit Vincent Goudreau in the GCAC Artist in Residence studio and talk with him directly about his project and process.

Vincent has now returned to Maui, but keep an eye here for updates on the project and the soon to be released short documentary of the search for the drop house with Juan.

That following week GCAC was visited by Peter Held, Arizona State University Art Museum Curator of Ceramics. Peter and John Spiak worked together for many years at the ASU Art Museum. The day was spent visiting Orange County Museums and Galleries, including the Orange County Museum of Art, Irvine Fine Arts Center and Laguna Art Museum. The timing for the Orange County Museum of Art visit was perfect, as it provided for a preview tour of the new exhibition California Landscape into Abstraction curated by OCMA Chief Curator and Interim Director Dan Cameron. The day concluded with a late lunch across our 2nd Street plaza at Memphis and a full tour of Grand Central Art Center. We are excited to see what Peter does with the move of the ASU Art Museum Ceramics Research Center to its new location!

2013 ended with the arrival of artists and educators Heather Layton and Brian Bailey from Rochester, NY. Heather and Brian were here for a second visit in the continued development of projects with GCAC. We anticipate them back for a third visit later this year. During this most recent visit, they worked towards a specific project as part of their larger 59 Days of Independence project.

As part of this project, and for our First Saturday Art Walk kicking off 2014, Heather and Brian celebrated Burma’s 66th independence day on January 4th at GCAC by giving away 66 hand-painted lanterns they created during their residency. Creating an installation in the artist in residence studio space, they opened the storefront studio doors and invited the public in to select a lantern. People were lined-up waiting outside the door when they arrived. It took less that six-minutes for the 66 lanterns to be spoken for that evening. Truly magical!

After all the lanterns were gone, Heather and Brian joined us in the main gallery spaces for our receptions. The evening provided great opportunity with a productive 40-minute conversation for Brian and Heather with Santa Ana Mayor Miguel Pulido, his son Miguel Pulido Jr., GCAC Santa Ana Sites co-founder/collaborator Allen Moon and our GCAC Director/Chief Curator John Spiak. So many collaborative possibilities in the works for their return visit!

The January First Saturday Art Walk also kicked-off with a meet and greet event for GCAC Artists in Residence Ingrid Reeve, Barbara Milliorn and Evan Senn, as they begin their project The Life of an Artist. The project is a proposed television/webcast series that follows the lives of two Orange County artists and their manager, an art historian and art critic, as they strive for their professional dream to solidify careers as professional artists.

Ingrid Reeve, Barbara Milliorn and Evan Senn are recent graduates of higher education programs at California State University, Fullerton. Throughout this coming year year, the artists will be hosting and participating in monthly events in their artist in residence opportunity at Grand Central Art Center (GCAC), in downtown Santa Ana. The monthly events will include panel discussions and workshops, as well as performances that will engage the community of Santa Ana and the larger Orange County.

Their residency at GCAC is meant to help them in their goal to educate and entertain interested parties on the life of an up-and-coming female artist in Southern California by creating a window into the art world as well as providing historical context for contemporary practices in the arts, and a focus on the unique struggles and benefits of being a woman in today’s world.

That night as well marked the closing of the successful run of Matthew Moore and Braden King‘s installation Cumulus. It was yet another well attended First Saturday, with over 2,000 individuals through the door and engaged with the exhibitions. We feel so fortunate to be a part of this amazing downtown and Santa Ana community!

But there is no rest for the weary, as two days later the GCAC team was in full de-installation mode of Cumulus. It was a short de-install time, so everyone leant a hand, even Curatorial Associate Yevgeniya “Jenny” Mikhailik and CSUF GCAC student intern Shauna Hultgrien (she write our INTERNal Affairs blog posts).  We were able to get the work down and the gallery resorted backed to its normal configuration in less than a week – ready for the arrival of Julianne Swartz and Ken Landauer to begin their major installation just a few days later. Thanks go out to the entire GCAC team of amazing individuals for their hard work and dedication!

The beginning of January also brought a surprise visit from a few folks, Curator Sara Cochran and graphic designer Eric Montgomery. It was just announced that Sara has accepted the position of Associate Director at Scottsdale Museum of Contemporary Art. Cochran left her position as Modern and Contemporary Art Curator at Phoenix Art Museum in November 2013. Prior to that, she was Assistant Curator at Los Angeles County Museum of Contemporary Art (LACMA). She had also held positions at the The Getty Center in LA and the Guggenheim Museum in New York. It was so great to have her and Eric here for a visit and tour of Grand Central Art Center!

Also paying us a visit was artist Brent Green and FLOWN drummer and vocalist Kate Ryan. The two spent a couple of days with us as Brent packed some of the work from his To Many Men Strange Fates Are Given exhibition that took place at GCAC last year. It’s been a very busy year for Brent, with many major new projects in the works and the recent acquisition of one of his works by the UCLA Hammer Museum to their permanent collection. We also found out during the stay that Kate was scheduled to make an appearance in an upcoming episode of HBO’s Girls, jamming on her drums.  It also provided Brent and Kate the opportunity to connect with Julianne Swartz and Ken Landauer who have been in residence the past couple of days as well.  It’s so wonderful to have them all staying with us at GCAC!

And yesterday we were visited by Los Angeles based artist Julia Haft-Candell for a site visit for her upcoming solo exhibition Fast and Slow. She meet with GCAC Curatorial Associate Yevgeniya “Jenny” Mikhailik, who is curating Julia’s GCAC exhibition, to discuss her project and installation details. We are excited to see the project develop for the opening in March!

Now we are in full installation mode for Julianne Swartz and Ken Landauer’s Miracle Report, a project that includes at current time 26 monitors, 6 projections and numerous speakers. This is a MUST SEE EXHIBITION! We hope you will join us at the public reception during the First Saturday Art Walk on February 1 from 7-10pm.

There is a lot more planned and in development for GCAC in 2014, we are excited to share it with you!!!

INTERNal Affairs: Life is Like a Thanksgiving Feast

INTERNal Affairs is a series by GCAC Curatorial Intern and CSUF Art History major Shauna Hultgrien.

The holidays are upon us my Internet friends! Thanksgiving is just days away, which means Christmas is just around the corner (try not to panic too much you last minute shoppers). As I sit wrapped in my scarf and bundled in my coat in attempt to beat this California winter, I have decided to stop complaining about the bitter chill of sixty degrees and instead take a moment to consider something for which I am thankful.

While there are many things I enjoy; fish tacos, movies based on young adult book series, fish tacos, my wool coat, my scooter, fish tacos and my black boots, there is still one thing that I am thankful for far beyond anything else, and that thing is YOU. As a frequenter of the art world, it is no secret that my passions lie in the products of the creative mind. However, in considering this notion, another thought sprang upon me: I’m passionate about the product of any mind! Creativity is a human quality that we all utilize in various forms. It is what F. Scott Fitzgerald calls the “inexhaustible variety of life;” the fact that we are each unique; we are all our own, unlike any other there was, is, or ever will be. There is no possible way to recreate the exact circumstances which make you, you. And because of this, I am constantly flabbergasted, bewildered, amused, and entertained, over and over again.

My position as intern here at Grand Central Art Center has afforded me the opportunity to experience art as it is today. My jaw dropped when I first experience Cumulus, the gargantuan homage to the L.A. Aqueduct by Braden King and Matthew Moore. My mind spun and my side ached from fits of laughter after a walk through Eamonn Fox’s tongue-in-cheek exhibition. My heart ached as I fully absorbed the weight of the message embodied in Beatriz Cortez’s Time Machine. But art is not something simply hung from the walls. Art is everywhere and art is everything. My jaw also drops in awe of my microwave that can cook my potatoes in three minutes. The Dyson Airblade Hand Dryer is arguably the greatest invention of the last decade and I am overwhelmed with wonder and excitement every time that dryer returns my hands to me without the slightest hint of water. Every time I wheel my luggage from terminal to terminal I am beside myself with appreciation for whoever decided to fasten wheels to my over-packed suitcase. The bottom line is that we, as the human race, are great. Whether you’re Henry Ford or Pablo Picasso, the things we produce and the actions we take allow us to help each other experience that full spectrum of emotion. I am so thankful that we are all different and all bring our own homemade dish to this thanksgiving feast of life, it all looks so delicious and I want to try everything! I am never bored and always amazed and it is all because of YOU.

So thank you whoever decided to fry that fish and blanket it in a tortilla, bravo! Thank you shoemaker who cut the boots precisely to the height I prefer, wonderfully done! Thank you automotive company in Italy who knows how to package fun on two wheels, amazing! Thank you J.K. Rowling and Stephanie Meyer and Suzanne Collins, your literary geniuses translated beautifully on the silver screen, a most excellent feat! And thank you, you! We are all in this together and you are making it one heck of a journey. This is your grateful GCAC intern, over and out.

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INTERNal Affairs: Too Much Good Stuff

INTERNal Affairs is a series by GCAC Curatorial Intern and CSUF Art History major Shauna Hultgrien.

Happy autumn my Internet friends! The winds of the season are blowing and bringing with them exciting changes! I’m not talking about the turning of the leaves or the coming of the clouds; no, I’m afraid those wonders are dimmed by the new exhibitions here at Grand Central Art Center. As I’m sure you’ve learned through various experiences with tantalizing El Pollo Loco commercials that lead to excessive salivating and a broken nose from an attempt to smell your television screen– nothing compares to the real thing. Yet there are still those of you who choose to experience Santa Ana’s Saturday Art Walks through me! While I am indeed flattered, you have no idea what you’re missing. The liveliness is not something that can be efficaciously communicated through a brief recreation of the evening. As GCAC’s dutiful intern and your faithful reporter, I will once again do my best to bring the evening to you. For those of you that did attend (yes, over 2,200 of you), let’s take this opportunity to relive that wonderful evening together, shall we?

Alright, so there was Matthew Moore and Braden King’s Cumulus, Aili Schmeltz: Cross Cut, Rage Bear: Juggling Awesome organized by Marvin Chow, the Ceramics and Glass exhibition, Tim Youd’s performance of A Scanner Darkly, A Ryman Arts The Big Draw, the Dia De Los Muertos show by the CSUF MFA students hosted by Memphis at the Santora, Artist in Residence Vincent Goudreau roaming the halls, guest appearances by the mayor and city council members of both Santa Ana and Encinitas, and a VIP visit from friends at Orange County Museum of Art (OCMA) with their Senior Curator Dan Cameron. Got it all? Was it as if you were standing next to me greeting our illustrious patrons? I hope so, because that’s all I have for you today art lovers.

Just kidding. All of those were indeed components of last Saturday’s delightful event, but allow me to elaborate on my experience with each.

We had a full house of new activity here at GCAC! The foyer was bustling with activity as the two front gallery spaces each boasted new pieces. The masses began to flood the typewriter-laden hallways (I’ll explain that in a moment), headed by a group from the wonderful OCMA and collectors group. Dan Cameron and Genny Boccardo-Dubey were amongst the group who popped in to see what all the buzz was about. While our Director John Spiak gave the group the “behind the scenes” tour, I remained at the front to greet and guide.

Cumulus continues, and with the arrival of the centennial commemoration of the aqueduct, interest in this exhibition was noticeably heightened. The continuation of this show nicely complimented the three openings that occurred on Saturday. The first room people tended to make their way into was the space housing Aili Schmeltz’s Cross-Cut. Like many good works, this piece is better experienced than explained so nip that anticipation in the bud and come see it for yourself! Across from Schmeltz’s space is the fun and eclectic show Rage Bear: Juggling Awesome. Cal State University Fullerton MFA student Marvin Chow employed his curatorial talents and corralled his creative peers to create this visually stimulating show. Imagine a reality with bears instead of people and you have a glimpse into the world that Chow has created. There is something to Chow’s show that appeals to the young and old and everyone in between; it’s fun, energetic, and sometimes just plain weird. But I love it, and you can love it too, until February 9th. And of course, fall wouldn’t be complete without our Ceramics and Glass Exhibition and Sale, which includes incredible works by CSUF students, alumni and members of our community. It’s a great place to do a little holiday shopping.

This month GCAC was bursting at the seams with creative energy (I’m guessing it has something to do with that creative bug going around- see last month’s blog for details), so much so that it spilled into our hallways. Ryman Arts graced us with their presence and allowed our spacious abode to serve as one of the sites for their Big Draw L.A. event. The Big Draw allowed people of all ages to flex their creative muscle and see what the right side of their brain has to offer the world. At the other end of the hall artist Tim Youd parked his typewriter and went to work on Phillip K. Dick’s A Scanner Darkly. Youd takes novels and retypes them in the same location they were originally written, on the same make and model typewriter on which they were originally composed. Unfamiliar with his work? You’re in luck! He will be here at GCAC all month finishing his current project and recreations of his past projects will be hanging on our walls during this time.

As the night was winding down and the excitement beginning to subside (or so I thought) the Mayor of Santa Ana Miguel Pulido, City Council Member Michele Martinez, new City Manager David Cavazos and other City Official casually waltz in the corridor! We here at GCAC are ecstatic that there is continued interest in our creative operations. This was further evident as I continuously caught our Artist in Residence, Vincent Goudreau nonchalantly hanging around the galleries. Goudreau is using his time with us to work on his heart-wrenching biographical account of a man whose father was murdered in front of him, on his fourteenth birthday. If you have a minute (and a tissue) listen to this firsthand account, HERE IS THE AUDIO LINK. Since our structure could barely stand anymore creative genius, it once again poured into the promenade and over to the Memphis at Santora. Some of CSUF’s MFA students such as Caesar Alzate and Teresita De La Torre livened up the space with their Day of the Dead themed art. It will be up all month if you missed it on Saturday and there will be a new show from the students up every month.

So how was that? Are you still enjoying living vicariously through me or are you itching to get down here and experience it in person? I encourage the latter, especially since we just welcomed Susan Robb as Artist in Residence for her upcoming project/journey Wild Times. Plus, Goudreau is here through December, Cog-nate Collective (Amy Sanchez and Misael Diaz) are here in residence through next summer, and Tim continues to type in the lobby. Well Internet community, I do enjoy our little chats, it is an exciting thing for me to re-experience these events with you. If you happen to miss the Art Walk next month (which I hope you don’t), log on for December’s trip down memory lane. This is the GCAC intern, over and out.

INTERNal Affairs: Once Bitten

INTERNal Affairs is a series by GCAC Curatorial Intern and CSUF Art History major Shauna Hultgrien.

It’s spreading. Fast and unapologetic, the Creative bug is buzzing and has struck the arts community of Santa Ana. I’ve been on the front line here at Grand Central Art Center for just a few months now, but in that time I have seen artists turned mad with ingenuity and innovation, hardly able to contain their creative impulses; once the Creative bug bites the virus seems to run rampant through its host. After experiencing October’s first Saturday Art Walk, it has become abundantly clear that this outbreak has viciously begun to affect the arts community at large. The symptoms by which this virus manifests itself are as diverse and varied as the artists themselves. It is still unclear as to how this creativity spreads: is it contact? Is it airborne? Is it something in the water? Perhaps it’s some sort of contamination of the food? As you know, my Internet friends, I am no doctor; no, I am simply GCAC’s humble intern and your loyal reporter, so let’s take this time to review the evidence together and get to the bottom of this epidemic.

(Eamonn Fox performing with Jenny)

I did my best to expect the unexpected during October’s Art Walk. I realize that this is the month of mischief and mayhem, so I kept an open mind and a watchful eye for anything out of the ordinary. This proved to be an arduous task; the last three months GCAC has happily facilitated artist Eamonn Fox, and for those of you who have experienced Fox and/or his work can sympathize when I say, it has become increasingly difficult to distinguish the ordinary from the extraordinary. I have somehow seemed to normalize absurdity and thusly am phased by very little. This speaks volumes to my bewilderment that was to occur on Saturday, but I’m getting ahead of myself, let’s start from the beginning.

(Beatriz Cortez with patron)

(The Eternal Telethon: The Power Suit Edition)

(Beatriz Cortez: The Time Machine)

(The Eternal Telethon: The Power Suit Edition)

(Braden King viewing Beatriz Cortez: The Time Machine)

So, it began like any other art walk, eager patrons strolling in to GCAC to get their last glimpse of Beatriz Cortez’s The Time Machine, and Eamonn Fox’s Solo Residency Exhibition for the Purposes of Furthering My Career, as well as to witness the unveiling of Cumulus, the newest installation in the main gallery by Matthew Moore and Braden King. Fox decided to take full advantage of his last art walk here with us by using his space to host The Eternal Telethon, a telethon for the 21st century organized by artist Jen Bruce, with Paul Michael White Jr., Niko Solorio, Alexis Disselkoen and Marcos de la Siref. Artists of varying talents took turns in front of the crowd and in front of the webcam (the telethon was streaming live on the internet), showcasing their skills for our enjoyment. This was the first indicator that the Creativity virus was spreading; artists from San Diego to Bakersfield turned out to plug in to this artistic outlet. There were musical acts, comedy routines, performance pieces, and two lively MCs that seamlessly supplemented the show. The inundation of artists and their passion for their craft indicated that they had not escaped the clutches of the Creative bug. Upon noticing this, my concern for the patrons grew. Not wanting to alarm anyone at a potential infestation of creativity here at GCAC, I carefully and quietly scanned the masses for signs of the Creativity bug. The crowd persisted through the Telethon in its entirety, excusing themselves occasionally to take their turn in The Time Machine or to gasp in awe at the enormously impressive Cumulus. All seemed well, until I saw it. I caught a glimpse of a patron’s eye and there it was, that glimmer of craze. I knew they had caught the bug; a sort of benign rabidity that propelled them through the galleries until their creative appetites were satisfied hastened their movements.

(Cumulus: Matthew Moore and Braden King)

(CSUF student exhibition at Memphis)

(Cumulus: Matthew Moore and Braden King)

The glow of the perfectly formatted projections on to the wooden reconstruction of the LA Aqueduct emanated from the gallery that houses Cumulus, or what King calls, “ 50 feet, 6,000 pounds, and18,000 lumens of awesome.” Feeling overwhelmed by the artistic greatness housed in GCAC and by the realization that the Creative virus is much bigger that I had initially suspected, I ran into the promenade for some fresh air, but that crazed look was in nearly everyone’s eyes! The vendors, the street performers, the passerby’s; in a dazed panic I stumbled towards the nearest illuminated room and found myself in the Memphis of Santora’s Backdoor Gallery. The modest gallery, donated by artist, curator and CSUF/GCAC MFA alum David Michael Lee, has become the new home to the works of some of Cal State University Fullerton’s students. Curator, featured artist, and GCAC MFA resident Caesar D. Alzate Jr. assured me that this was to be the first of many shows that would take place in the space. I was happy to meet our neighbors, but it only confirmed my fears that this Creative bug had spread past GCAC’s walls and was now beyond anyone’s control.

(Cumulus: Matthew Moore and Braden King)

(Artist Tony de los Reyes)

(Desiree and Greg Glenn, Jim Skuldt, Jesse Sugarmann and his wife Erica)

(Mary Leigh Cherry with her son and daughter, and artist Lauren Bon with one of her project’s promotional mules)

(Artists Matthew Moore, Braden King, Micol Hebron, Carrie Marill, Jesse Sugarmann, Tony de los Reyes gather with program/projection system designer Brian Chasalow, Cherry and Martin gallery owner Mary Leigh Cherry, Filmmaker Alexa Sau, Sound Editor Borja Sau for post reception get together at C4)

My head spinning, I made my way back to GCAC where I ran into Matthew Moore and Braden King, who were both enjoying the opening of their remarkable installation, along with program/projection system designer Brian Chasalow and project assistant Kim Larkin. I knew that the Creative bug had bitten them all; it was abundantly evident in their work. Over the last month their condition never stabilized, it only intensified as the scope of their project seemed to abandon all boundaries until it eventually culminated into the fantastic creation that is Cumulus. It was then that I began to notice some familiar faces around the gallery and I realized then that I had been naïve to believe that the Creative epidemic had only been affecting Santa Ana. The return of Mary Leigh Cherry and Tony de los Reyes to the corridors of GCAC was a happy reunion after de los Reyes 2012 show in our gallery, but this also a red flag, the Creative bug was much more powerful than I anticipated. This was further confirmed when I noticed Creative Capital grantee artists, Jim Skuldt and Jesse Sugarmann bouncing between the galleries. King and Moore are also Creative Capital artists, so to have four under one roof was overwhelming to a young, impressionable intern such as myself. Artists Carrie Marill and Micol Hebron were roaming the spaces as well. The coup de gras, however, was when Lauren Bon parked her mules from her upcoming, 100 Mules Walking the Los Angeles Aqueduct so that she could experience Cumulus, which stands as another homage to the centennial celebration of the LA Aqueduct. It was then that I came to a full realization that Creative bug cannot be contained; it’s indiscriminately hitting everyone and surfacing in the form of fantastically innovative works.

(Aili Schmeltz: Cross Cut)

(Rage Bear: Juggling Awesome)

(Tim Youd will be “Performing” A Scanner Darkly)

(Nov. 2, The Big Draw LA event at GCAC in collaboration with Ryman Arts)

(Vincent Goudreau – detail from The Juan Recordings: Migrating to the Senior Tour)

So that’s it Internet community, but I don’t know where this leaves us. After this recap of events, the only conclusion that I have reached is that no one is safe. I suppose my only advice is to enjoy it, because if you haven’t encountered the Creative bug yet, you soon will. Especially if you choose to join us on November 2nd for the first Saturday Art Walk when GCAC will continue Cumulus and open two new shows, Aili Schmeltz’s Cross Cut and Rage Bear: Juggling Awesome curated by MFA in Illustration student Marvin Chow. That evening will also mark the beginning of Tim Youd‘s month long “Performing” A Scanner Darkly and we’ll host a one night Big Draw LA event for the entire family with Ryman Arts throughout the evening. And did I mention, artist Vincent Goudreau arrives in residence this week from Maui and will be at GCAC for the next two months? Since contact with the Creative bug is inevitable, I suggest you welcome it with open arms and join us sooner rather than later here at GCAC. I hope that you come to your senses and embrace the madness because if you can’t beat them, join them. This is the GCAC intern, over and out.

CUMULUS: MATTHEW MOORE AND BRADEN KING

MARKING THE 100TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE LOS ANGELES AQUEDUCT

Residency: June 2013 – December 2013

Exhibition: October 5, 2013 – January 5, 2014

 

OPENING RECEPTION: October 5 from 7-10pm 

 

 

Major support provided by the Metabolic Studio and Casio LampFree Projectors:

Grand Central Art Center has invited Matthew Moore and Braden King as artists in residence to explore, examine and reflect upon the impact of the Los Angeles Aqueduct – part of a sixteen institution initiative funded through the Metabolic Studio’s Chora Council grants, marking the LA Aqueduct’s 100TH anniversary.

Cumulus marks the first collaboration between these two accomplished artists.  Through the residency, the artists set out on journeys – a series of driving trips along the aqueduct.  They connected with people who work, live and engage along its path.  Their travels allowed them the opportunity to listen to the land and then the water as it rushed down the cascade near Newhall Pass; flowed through massive piping in the Antelope Valley; traversed under slabs of concrete through the Mohave Desert; diverted from the Owens River.

The journey of water is not a foreign concept to artist Matthew Moore; it is actually central to generations of his family’s livelihood.  For without the control of water, it would have been impossible for Moore to become the fourth generation of farmers in his family, sowing land in what would otherwise be considered hostile desert environment of western Phoenix, Arizona.

Through his agricultural history, Moore found his artistic voice.  He uses his creative practice to explore issues of place and ecology.  The foundation of his approach come from the realization that the actions of taking the desert, converting it into arable land by diverting water, creates an infrastructure that provides the perfect environment for urban growth and suburban sprawl, which are inherently complex and problematic.

Working in the medium of film and installation, Braden King’s projects often focus on individuals finding their place in the world and how external geographies can act as mirrors to our internal selves – mapping, landscape, geography, work. To quote Zachary Wigon’s in Filmmaker Magazine (Apr 11, 2012) regarding King’s 2011 film HERE, “is about nothing so much as having an appreciation and understanding of where one is.”

King approaches his art through his personal desires of seeing something in the world and then making that thing a reality.  It’s an attempt to make a little more order in the world, both his own and that of others.

The site-specific installation Cumulus is a culmination of a residency that allowed for multiple site visits, time to talk, and time to travel outside the institution.  To quote King “It’s been a truly creative collaboration and process – feeling our way into something, not thinking our way into something.” The project is an attempt to tell the story of this 100-year old engineering marvel that was dedicated on Nov. 5, 1913, when thousands gathered northeast of Los Angeles to mark the opening.  A ceremony where Chief Engineer and Aqueduct designer William Mulholland remarked, “There it is. Take it!”

Constructed to transport water from the Owen’s Valley in its first phase, and later from the Mono Basin in its second.  The 373 mile long LA Aqueduct created a rich environment for growth in Southern California, while leaving a virtual dust bowl in the central part of the State.

Cumulus addresses the “it” of the aqueduct and Mulholland’s statement.  What is the “it” that we may be taking and what does “it” enable us to achieve?  Is the “it” simply water that has run down from the Sierra’s, or does it reflect someone’s real or potential prosperity and livelihood?  What impact does “it” have on landscape? And most significantly, how much control do we actually have over “it”?

Through the use of building materials, specifically used scaffolding planks, the artists have created a massive pipeline that emerges from one side of the gallery before quickly disappearing into the other.  Projected upon it are moving images of atmosphere and landscape, traversing its surface as fluidly as water flows through the aqueduct itself.  The installation reflects our inherent curiosity, of being fascinated by the things humans decide to make.  To quote Moore, “the audacity of the human endeavor is never more apparent than when societies come together to construct such industrial feats as the aqueduct, achieving a perceived common good.” At the same time, such achievements acknowledge our limits of control as makers, as much as we desire to do so.

From Moore’s direct experience of water in agriculture, “to believe in it as a certainty is inherently flawed.  We can build all the infrastructure and systems to transport this precious resource, but if it doesn’t rain, they are all for naught.”  He continues, “there may be no more hopeful image than that of a cloud… the promise of sustenance and a future that cannot be controlled by the will of man.”

To quote King, “The Aqueduct made it possible for a lot of things to exist.  Los Angeles wasn’t there, and then it was there, which again has made the success of Orange County possible.  People thought, ‘Hey, we can take that water from up here, and make a channel and take it down there, across the desert, and then we can make more things and more people can live.’  And then they did it.  They turned clouds into concrete.”

Major support provided by the
Metabolic Studio (http://www.metabolicstudio.org/)
Casio LampFree Projectors (http://www.casioprojector.com/).

Programming and Projection System Design: Brian Chasalow
CAD/Architecture Support: Aaron Forbes
Project Assistance: Catherine Mahoney, Kim Larkin, Tracey Gayer
Installation: Claes Bergman, James Sulak, Matthew Miller
Promotional Assistance: Yevgenia Mikhailik, Shauna Hultgrien
Gallery Assistance: Maxwell Rivas, Tony Pedraza, Angelica Perez

More information regarding the Metabolic Studio Chora Council grant can be found online at:http://www.annenbergfoundation.org/node/50769

INTERNal Affairs: Guitar Fights and Neon Tights

INTERNal Affairs is a new series by GCAC Curatorial Intern and CSUF Art History major Shauna Hultgrien.

(Multiple Possessions performance)

Did you see that guy getting chased by a guitar-wielding musician? How about those three gentlemen who striped down to neon tights? Did the musical melodies of LYSOL pierce your eardrums and shake your entire being? No? Well then you must have missed September’s Art Walk! Shame on you for ignoring my last blog! I told you, Grand Central Art Center is a hotbed of experimental and exciting artistic collaboration, and it should not be missed! Those who attended can attest to that and are fully aware that words hardly convey the events of that evening. However, as your faithful reporter I will do my best to recreate the happenings of that thrilling Saturday as they occurred to me, GCAC’s dutiful intern.

(patrons view The Time Machine)

September resumes the shows from August’s opening of Beatriz Cortez’s, The Time Machine and Eamonn Fox’s, Solo Residency for the Purposes of Furthering My Career; the artists rose to the challenge of keeping their pieces stimulating and engaging. Cortez obliged inquisitive minds by remaining in her exhibition space for the duration of the evening, offering insight and guided tours to any and all who were willing to venture on her artistic journey. Fox fulfilled his objective of involving the public in art by completely submerging them in three jaw-dropping performance pieces.

(Multiple Possessions performance)

(Multiple Possessions performance)

(Multiple Possessions performance)

Fox welcomed back fellow artist Patrick Ballard, as well as Nathan Bockelman and Brian Getnick, in the evening’s first performance, Multiple Possessions. Ballard (the Cyclops conjuring, blue mouthed, Mozart of the synthesizer that performed during August’s Art Walk) joined Bockelman and Getnick in dropping their drawers and drawing a crowd. If you were lucky enough to have been present, you’ll remember me as the door monitor warning all that the show contained “adult content.” The three wandered about the stage area boasting sheer neon tights (complete with newspaper for censorship), looking confused and muted as though they were trapped in a bubble in which the audience could not understand them and they could not be heard. After the artist’s wandered the stage, they each took a place behind a microphone and began chanting one word each until they reached a unified, melodic tune. The tune stopped and the center performer picked up a guitar and proceeded to never play. After a brief silence, a glow of normalcy returned to the artists’ faces and with that, the performance concluded. As a uniformed audience member, (I didn’t discuss the project with the artists) I took the performance to be a commentary on the general public’s reception of art. Certain works may not fulfill the expectations of the creator nor the observer and while artists do create with meaning, there is not a wrong way to interpret art; it is as unique as the person experiencing it.

(patrons view The Time Machine)

(patrons view The Time Machine)

(patrons view The Time Machine)

This idea seemed to travel through the halls of GCAC; as I stood in the foyer with my handy-dandy clicker counter, I could hear Beatriz Cortez asking what feelings her Time Machine evoked in those individuals emerging from the wooden box. She loved hearing the range of responses and when asked what it was supposed to mean, she simply responded with her view, but noted that it is something different for everyone. Meanwhile Fox was setting up his personal performance in the promenade.

(Emoticons performance)

Fox’s passion for actively involving the public in art led to a performance titled, Emoticons, which flung creativity and originality in the faces of the audience. A Santa Ana local who has certainly built up his frequent flyer miles here at GCAC shared with me his thoughts on Fox; he feels that Fox is indeed a true artist because true artists, “cut through the bulls*@t.” Eamonn Fox is certainly free of Buls*@t. He is sarcastic and ironic in all the right ways, while maintaining a consistent and blatant honesty in all that he does. Art is a creative expression of the thoughts and feelings of the creator, and Fox, with a band behind him and a microphone in hand, creatively expressed his thoughts and feelings to the entire promenade. The performance concluded with the guitarist chasing Fox into the gallery with his instrument drawn over his head like a battle-axe.

(LYSOL performance)

(LYSOL performance)

The final performance was once again in Fox’s gallery space and consisted of a live performance of the piercing sounds of the band LYSOL. It is difficult to place the band within a genre, but I would say it was a 50-50 blend of singing and screaming. Bravo to LYSOL for maintain energy and keeping their vocal chords intact. It was a wonderful opportunity for GCAC’s patrons, as well as myself, to fully appreciate the acoustics of our building; if you were ever curious as to how well sound carries through our corridors, the answer is very well. In fact, I would venture to say that in some parts of the building sound is even amplified. At this point in the evening I was that girl in the bowler’s cap in the lobby shouting greetings at newcomers as they entered, my need to greet and welcome could not be deterred by the overpowering sounds of a band who’s amps reach 11.

(Matthew Moore and Braden King: Cumulus – installation proposal image)

(patrons viewing Nothing Else Left)

Alright art world of the Internet, have you learned your lesson? I sure hope so, October’s Art Walk will be THE LAST time to see both Cortez’s and Fox’s work here at GCAC. We will also have a brand new show, Cumulus in the main gallery. This work is a collaborative effort of Matthew Moore and Braden King and it is going to be quite a display. This means if you have yet to see our current main gallery exhibition, Nothing Else Left by Adriana Salazar, get down here now! Her show ends Sunday, September 22. So please, I beg of you, do not make the same mistake twice. Come refine that creative palate here at Grand Central Art Center and be a part of history in the making. I certainly will be here, clicker in hand, waiting for you. This is the GCAC intern, over and out.