Will it happen?

I have a piece in a group exhibition curated by Kelsey Harrington called Will it Happen?

Elga Wimmer Gallery
Opening: Tuesday August 4th 6-9pm
526 West 26th Street #310 New York, NY 10001

Then August 5 – August 15th, 2009, Monday-Friday 12-6 or by appointment

Artists:
Rory Baron
Myles Bennett
Ginny Casey
Ama Saru & Hsiao Chen
Ghost of a Dream (Adam Eckstrom & Lauren Was)
Rachel Frank
Laura Greengold
Kelsey Harrington
Amanda Lechner
Jon Meyer
Anna Mikhailovskaia
Ziad Naccache
Yuka Otani
Antonio Serna
Eduardo Terranova
Bohyun Yoon
Brian Zegeer

ELGA WIMMER PPC is pleased to introduce the group exhibition Will it happen? as part I of two summer shows, produced and curated by Kelsey Harrington. Hours are Monday to Friday from noon to 6pm or by appointment.

The title for this show, taken from an artwork made from lottery tickets, asks a question about the future. The exhibition features a selection of artworks that are representative of current studio practices. Rather than adhering to a preconceived strict thematic curatorial agenda, the work was selected following an open framework. The idea was to juxtapose works from a range of artists and find potential connections. Reflecting on the collected works, several themes emerge. One theme echoes the kind of anxiety or uncertainty embedded in the show's title, which could also be what will happen? or will what happens be good? In many cases, the artists manifest this anxiety via the figure, which is seen as misshapen, fragmented, operated upon, escaping, or simply missing. Another theme is a reliance on invention, free play and intuition. Above all, there is a continued investment in material and formal concerns. It is almost as if the artists have responded to uncertain times by becoming more heavily invested in making and material.

In association with StudioFuse artblog, studiofuse.wordpress.com.

For further information please contact Kelsey Harrington 401.316.4303 or (kelseyharrington at gmail).

The Gallery @ Elga Wimmer, PCC
526 West 26th Street #310 New York, NY 10001
t. 212.206.0006 c.401.316.4303 Monday-Friday 12-6 or by appointment

Open studio

I'm having an Open Studio day to show recent work at my short-term space at the Elizabeth Foundation.

Reception: Friday August 7th, 6-9pm
Open day: Saturday August 8th, noon-6pm.

323 West 39 Street #1203, between 8/9 Ave.
(closest subway: Times Square).

Quindar

Like everyone, I am caught up in the Apollo madness.

I love that the Quindar beeps you hear on the Apollo tapes were a cost-cutting measure. Bureaucrats saving dollars on their telephone bill created an essential part of the aesthetic of space travel.

We have choices

the punctum
the object petit a
the screen
the gaze
the pharmakon
the parergon
the Other
the dialogic imagination
the supplément
différance
ousia
the trait
the rhizome

List taken from James Elkins, "What Happened to Art Criticism"

Treviso to Venice by Water Taxi

My biggest disappointment with Treviso airport was the discovery that there are no water taxis. A friend had told me that the water taxi from the airport into Venice itself was the only way to arrive, because, aside from being one of the romantic wonders of the world, it lets you encounter the city from the water, the way it was designed to be seen. It was only after purchasing the flight that I learnt this option is only available from Venice's other airport, Maro Polo.

The Ryanair ticket from Stanstead to Treviso was a mistake all around. It seemed like a money saver at the time. But add a checked bag (20 pounds) and the train ticket to Stanstead (28 pounds each), and the savings were pretty meager. And the journey took forever. On top of the hour-long train/bus connections at either end, on the return leg we had to stand in a sequence of lines for five hours, because of crowding at the airport. Treviso and Stanstead have poor facilities for handling large numbers of passengers. Avoid Ryanair's Venice/London flight if you can.

After the rude Ryanair experience, my friend's words about the water taxi were a challenge. I was determined we would try it, at least once. So we took the ATVO bus from Treviso to Mestre (50 minutes, 6 euros each), then the ATVO bus from Mestre to Marco Polo airport (20 minutes, 3 euros each). It was actually very easy, with hardly any waiting. The water taxi from Marco Polo to our hotel was around 100 euros, more than the flight. It was thrilling from the outset. A journey I will never forget.