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The LAB: Subversive Complexity.

Artists: Laurel Beckman; Chris Barr; Julia Bradshaw, James Morgan, and Bennett Goble; Elisheva Biernoff; Cesar Cornejo; Holly Crawford; Sharon Daniel; Bryan and Vita Hewitt with Chuck, Inc.; Liss and Lake; Bradley McCallum and Jacqueline Tarry; Neighborhood Sign Club with Alison Pebworth, Leigh Ann Martin, and Megan Saperstein; Nancy Nisbet; Jennifer Parker with Matthew McGuinness; Sasha Petrenko; Johanna Poethig with VPA Painting and Mural Class, CSU Monterey Bay; Alyssa C. Salomon; Randy Sarafan; Sherri Lynn Wood.

Review and images by Kate Watkins: The LAB promotes experimental art and encourages artists to incorporate new media into their work, with the idea of also using the community as a tool when focusing on political or social issues. According to the gallery's website, they are particularly interested in "work that crosses boundaries, encourages evolving artistic and social dialogue between artists and audiences, and develops the culture and community of the San Francisco Bay Area." In the latest exhibit, Subversive Complexity, the artists most definitely cross boundaries and deal with a range of issues that are highly conceptual and community-based. As a whole, the exhibit is extremely successful because it not only raises social awareness on a diverse group of ideas, but it also covers almost every media of art. Ranging from text, film, video loop, installation, sound, drawing, and photography, the artists each deal with important issues and invite audiences into a set of conversations.

One of the projects that definitely stands out from the rest of the group is by artist Elisheva Biefniff. Her project, "Dollar Heroes," (2008), is based on twenty-four of her heroes painted on twenty-four one dollar bills. According to her artist statement, "These are some of my heroes. I've painted them on twenty-four dollar bills, one for each day this exhibit is open. Every day, I will take a bill down from the wall and give it away to someone I encounter who behaves with unusual kindness or generosity. I will ask this person to tell me one of their heroes, who I will then paint on another dollar bill. This bill will replace the original on the wall." This particular project is successful because the artist focuses her work on a simple, yet effective idea that gives the viewer a deeper understanding of herself along with that of the community. The incorporation of text to the visual components works very nicely and provides a brief description about each of her personal heroes. Most importantly, her artist statement is what ties her entire project together, and definitely is the most significant element that she presents to the viewer.

Another interesting project is by artist Sasha Petrenko. For her work, she builds a one-person portable shelter pod, called the "Pockethouse," with a custom desk, storage/guest seat, LED lamp and Mp3/FM sound system. The pod holds a maximum capacity of 3 people or 375lbs. Her materials include the following: birch plywood, sleeping bag, fabric, foam, drawings and digital prints documenting 'Pocket Tours' ('06-'08). For this two-year duration, she would travel from place to place, documenting herself in the Pockethouse. Because of its unusual shape and size, the Pockethouse attracted attention from various communities, demonstrating the idea of living off of minimal necessities. This piece is interesting because it involves the community, but in an indirect manner. By installing the shelter pod in various locations, both urban and rural, the artist produced immediate responses from others.

Another piece in the exhibit that uses text and expression, called the "Mantra Trailer," is an interactive project designed and produced by artist Sherri Lynn Wood. According to the artist (www.mantratrailer.com), "The 'Mantra Trailer' invites us to contemplate, chant, voice and explore our prayers, aspirations, desires, frustrations and petitions for the transformation of self and society, or whatever resonates within us, even the nonsensical. By-passers drawn to the 'Mantra Trailer' are invited inside one at a time to contemplate and record their mantra in privacy." By using this fun and creative idea to interact with others, the artist has gained a tremendous amount of insight. Through this ongoing project, the artist has encountered all sorts of people and states the following: "Mundane, playful and even bizarre personal mantras may take on unforeseen spiritual, cultural or political content to those who witness them." This piece is successful because it not only sparks conversation and expression between individuals, but because it also has a humorous ambiance that several of the other projects lack.

Jennifer Parker and Matthew McGuiness present a strong piece, called "Biofuel Gateway: information booth." Their work, one of the most politically based projects in the exhibit, focuses on issues of biofuel production. According to the artists, the project stems from the desire to gain a broader understanding of complex issues of biofuel production at the local urban level as well as from national and global industrial perspectives. The website, biofuelgateway.net, was researched and developed by Parker, with the goal of assimilating many different perspectives into one resource that will ultimately guide people more readily through alternative fuel websites. On the other hand, McGuiness spent his time and research collaborating with students from the University of California, Santa Cruz (UCSC), creating art that is based on biofuel and the culture surrounding this issue. According to McGuiness, "The images attempt to ask questions and poke fun at many complex issues that surround the use of fossil fuels and biofuel." Although very serious, this piece is successful on a number of levels. The incorporation of the installation with drawings by the students, along with the computer station showing their website, is both visually and conceptually stimulating to the viewer. The artists utilize the gallery space very nicely and present a project that is based on both of their desires to experiment and embrace new approaches for sharing information technologies and enthusiasm for alternative fuels.