meredith cutler :: arts marketing :: artist

I'm not going to be so presumptous as to present a formal and exhaustive review on the ever-anticipated, ever-harrassed Whitney Biennial. While traipsing my way around Brooklyn last weekend, I overheard a sidewalk conversation that went something like: "Oh yeah, the Biennial...again. They might as well just hold it every year, and forgo the Biennial affectation, as we barely have time to process the last one before the next one smacks us in the face. What it lacks in content it makes up for in hype..." and so on and so forth.

Ouch.

Given the attitude at large, and the admittedly impossible task of pleasing everyone (everyone in the art world, to boot), I've decided post-processing to simply point out the few pieces in this edition that stood out to me amongst the usual chaos, crap and crowd distraction.

Of course, there is an expected and increasing lack of formal, pretty work in favor of multi-media, video and de- or re-constructed debris-happy work. The one "pretty piece" I saw in this edition greeted me on my first stop (as always, floor #4), a perception-shifting wall piece by Isreali-born, New York artist Seth Price.

Realized in the negative space between several glossy pieces of laminated, burled wood, the act of spoon feeding between two figures was not immediately obvious to me in Untitled (2007), which I found very satisfying as the cliché map in my minds eye shifted.

Past that instant gratification, eye-candy intro, what I found compelling enough to spend some serious time with turned out to be video work, which I often lack patience for at crowded shows. My favorite works in the Biennial, videos by the L.A. duo Julia Meltzer and David Thorne, featured (fantastic) Syrian performance artist Rami Farah. Rivetingly upfront and humanly engaging, despite an English subtitled Arabic script of questioning political and quasi-religious content, the pieces I saw rode a fresh line between documentary, monologue and traditional storytelling. I simply could not get up and leave, and I would very much like to visit with this work again.

Another video that kept me riveted from stem to tip was Javier Téllez' Letter on the Blind For the Use of Those Who See (2007), which debuted at the Biennial. Drawing on an ancient Indian parable (The Blind Men and the Elephant), Téllez presents a compelling case with his depiction of six sight-disabled persons experiencing and describing their first individual encounters with an elephant (who stands mostly patiently in the center of a disused Brooklyn public swimming pool as the sightless explore his leathery skin and foreign sillhouette one by one). The film reminded me of the sheer wonder and preciousness of every new experience, and to appreciate how every being experiences the same thing in a unique way.

Given that, I'm sure that everyone who attended this edition of the Biennial will have their own favorites, opinions and horror stories (mine would have to be a claustrophobic experience in Mika Rotenberg's hairy goat pen when the exits were blocked by line jumpers!) I would look forward to the 2010 edition, but I fear it will be here before I have time to blink!

If you haven't yet made your way over to explore the culinary and boutique delights of Providence's Federal Hill neighborhood, tonight's March installment of Gallery Night is the perfect opportunity.

Image: "Table" by Kallie Weinkle

Students from the prestigious RISD furniture design program will host an opening reception for their revealing show "Sit Down - The Process of Furniture Design" at Gallery Z, from 5-9pm. This exhibit, curated by RISD senior Kallie Weinkle, is a rare opportunity for the public to climb inside of the minds and creative processes behind the future stars of furniture design. With selections created from an array of materials ranging from reclaimed industrial scrap wood to newspaper, the exhibit holds discoveries for every taste.

CLICK HERE to read my full exhibit review, written for the March/April issue of Artscope Magazine.

Gallery Z is located at 259 Atwells Ave. Providence, RI 02903. (401) 454-8844

Recommended local dining: Sicilia's Pizza, Costantino's Venda Ravioli

I start my mornings with a display of crankiness, an espresso, breakfast and a peek at Design*Sponge (in that order). Well, the crankiness was dispelled more quickly than usual, thanks to Grace's post on the delightful, mixed-media work of Portland, Oregon artist Evan B. Harris. As many of you know, I have a salty spot for anything that depicts banjos, or inspires the spontaneous singing of sea-shantys...

If you are lucky enough to be in the Bay Area between today and April 2nd, make sure to visit and pay alms to his work at Rare Device!

While the rest of us wring our hands over rising inflation, unemployment and the precipitous state of the housing market, some unshakeable folks are still contributing fresh-faced to development; namely, of domiciles, in locales and for "clients" typically overlooked once the pavers roll off the steaming lot of urban sprawl.

Los Angeles based artist and architect Fritz Haeg explores the implications of our global refacing and the potential for ecological amends in his current body of work, titled Animal Estates. Collaborating with zoological and ecological consultants on specific, art org. commissioned sites, from habitat-hammering shopping plazas to foliated, yet ecologically insensitive neighborhoods, Haeg investigates alienated local species, which he refers to as "animal clients" (e.g. New York's northern flying squirrel). Using field lab techniques, historical data and observation, he then designs and constructs dwellings condusive to welcoming that population back into the environment from which it has been dethroned due to the encroachment of human development.

As part of the 2008 Whitney Biennial, which opens tomorrow at the Whitney Museum of American Art in New York City, Haeg will be installing model homes for twelve disenfranchised native animal "clients" in front of the venerable contemporary art institution. Guided tours of the model homes will be conducted by local scientific and cultural stakeholders, such as Michael Crewdson and Margaret Mittelbach, authors of Wild New York.

If you are interested in learning more about the artist and his project for all creatures fine, furry and feathered, NPR radio show Day to Day aired a lovely interview on March 4th, which you can listen to on their website. 

Here's a calorie-burning, life-affirming, utterly wacktastic participatory arts activity to help you while away your extra day of calendarial life: Performance artist Brian Feldman is challenging you (yes, you) to contemplate how you will spend your extra 1,440 minutes on this February 29, 2008, by leaping off of a 12-foot platform in front of Orlando City Hall every 3 minutes and 56 seconds, for a total of 366 occurances during the 24 hours of leap day. Will somebody get this guy a Red Bull? (Whee!)