SAN FRANCISCO ARTS COMMISSION - VARNISH - REAVES
GALLERY 16 - MISSION NATIONAL BANK PARKING LOT
MISSION CULTURAL CENTER - TRIPLE BASE - ELEANOR HARWOOD
1ST AMENDMENT
02.20.09
(with assistance from Lynnore Goldfarb, R.W. Miller and Julia Haas)

San Francisco Arts Commission: imPOSSIBLE - 8 Chinese Artists Engage Absurdity.

Artists: Lu Chunsheng (Shanghai), Xing Danwen (Beijing), Ni Haifeng (Amsterdam), Zhu Jia (Beijing), Xu Zhen (Shanghai) and Michael Zheng (San Francisco & Beijing).

Review by Lynnore Goldfarb: The small gallery is crowded with quite a few people off of the who's who list in San Francisco's art world. At first glance the way the pieces are hung the show seems cold and a little staid. However, after taking in all of the installations, as I walk through, I start to feel the personalities of the artists. The first pieces you see are photographs and the rest are video installations including a thirty-five minute black and white movie. Most of the pieces need to be explained to me in order to know what I'm actually seeing. My favorite piece is the video of the guy washing his face-- from the perspective of the bottom of the basin-- projected onto the floor. The curator of the exhibit, Michael Zheng, shows a video piece of himself deconstructing the Chinese National Anthem. Once he explains what's happening in the video, I'm deeply moved by the piece.

Interesting Note-- The SFAC collaborates with Mission 17 (two video pieces by Shi Yong and Yang Zhenzhong), and a window installation at 155 Grove Street by Gigi Janchang. There are also many events in conjunction with this exhibit including a panel moderated by Hou Hanru explaining the art and purpose of the exhibit held at SFAC, a talk with one of the artists Xing Danwen at Haines Projects, and a Ping Pong tourney at Mission 17. In March there will be the C4 Cinema Series at the Chinese Culture Center of San Francisco, and SFAC will host a BYO Brown Bag Discussion with Justin Hoover, Gigi Janchang, and Michael Zheng.

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Varnish Fine Art: Rob Reger - Change of Strange.

Review by Lynnore Goldfarb: This is my first time at Varnish. Basically, it's a gallery with a bar in it. I suppose you have to be over 21 years old to even look at art these days... Varnish is a large cube with a second story mezzanine-like loft space with still more art in addition to that on the first floor including sculptures, a bench made from the front end of a car, and a library of sorts. The industrial interior of the gallery compliments Rob Reger's gold framed, colorful paintings nicely.

Each painting is basically a two-fer, cleverly hung inches from the wall, and can be spun around to project a totally different image. However I don't know that until I try to straighten one out. What? It's totally crooked and I feel bad for everyone involved. The woman next to me thinks I do it wrong and turns it all the way around. Me, the woman, and a few other people all gasp in unison when we begin realize what's going on. Then we're told, I guess by the manager, that only the designated spinner is allowed to spin the paintings. Now, that's how you get a party started!

Interesting note-- Check out the decorative tiles in the stalls in the ladies room. I don't have a flash, so I can't snap a pic.

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Reaves Gallery: Christo Braun - Variations/Phenomena.

Review by R.W. Miller: A fascinating variety of art is displayed including landscapes by Matthew Frederick and abstract work by Christo Braun. Fine work by David Imlay and others have been shown here as well. Contrasting and surprising color choices startle the observer. The vibrant work is energetic, but some is also sad, reminding of us the social and environmental problems this country faces.

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Gallery 16: Elliot Anderson - Equivalents.

Comment by AB: Elliot Anderson takes multiple photographic or video images of clouds and grand landscapes a la Hudson River School, and then digitally "averages" them together, creating composite compositions intended to "question the notions set forth by Alfred Stieglitz in his 1921 'Equivalents' series'"-- where light and clouds were presented in such a way as to evoke subjective or emotional responses. Anderson offers three basic options on the idiom-- limited edition prints, backlit images on what looks like plexi, and moving images on small video monitors (my personal favorites).

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The parking lot of Mission National Bank at 176 Julian Street between Valencia and Mission Streets: Michael Brown - Bluerain.

Comment by AB: A collector of Michael Brown's sculpture and graduate of the London School of Economics commissions Brown on behalf of the school to create signage for the front of their main building. Brown's resulting light sculpture, Bluerain, consists of 23,580 individual LED's and is being shown here for one night only. The piece is directly linked to The London School of Economics Library catalog search engine, and consists of three simultaneously scrolling electric blue feeds in continuous motion-- current online searches of the library's catalog, titles currently being checked out of the library, and recent acquisitions being added to the library's catalog.

Brown tells me that rather than make a sign that simply said "London School of Economics" or something like that, he wanted this work to symbolize the dynamic nature of the institution-- and here's the best part-- it uses less energy than a 50-watt lightbulb. Totally entirely excellent. Too bad we can't keep it here. Then again maybe we'll get lucky and someone will commission Brown to create a similar piece for some prominent location in good old Ess Eff. Hey-- I can dream, can't I?

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Mission Cultural Center for Latino Arts: Solo Mujeres 22nd Annual Art Exhibition - Future Landscapes Designed by Women.

Artists: Jenny Badger Sultan, Isabel Barbuzza , Bianca Ana Chavez, Maria Adela Diaz, Amy M. Ho, Kate Leffler, Ana de Obregoso, Alejandra Palos, Anastasia Winter Schipani, Marsha Shaw, Zahava Sherez, The Counter Narrative Society, Consuelo Jimenez Underwood, Linda Vallejo, Michelle Waters, Anais Ye.

Comment by AB: An exhibition of art by a select group of primarily Latino women artists working in a variety of media directly addresses issues affecting women today.

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Triple Base Galery: The Colony - Rachel Kaye.

Comment by AB: Rachel Kaye's paintings and drawings of portraits and interiors are derived from photographs of influential and socially well-placed women. The title of the show, The Colony, refers to "The Colony Club," New York City's preeminent private social club for women. Nice idea, but technically wanting.

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Eleanor Harwood Gallery: Lauren Dukoff - Family.

Review by R.W. Miller: Lauren Duckoff's photographs seem like a contemporary rendering of the 1960s Dream in all its splendor and occasional morbidity. There is beauty, artistic aspiration, fandom, and the joys of the outdoors. The work is reminiscent of the 1960s with its vision of a better and more fun world. The interpersonal Family as presented finds its muse and appears to have fun exploring it. The photographs inspire with their boisterousness and vitality for life, but at the same time Dukoff shows that all is not fun.

Review by Julia Haas: Photographs of Devendra Banhart and family on and off the stage, interspersed with their own respective works on paper. The series is a selection from photographer Lauren Dukoff's forthcoming book "Family," in which her gently crafted images are enhanced by her exclusive use of film. Expect to see Banhart, Joanna Newsom, Entrance, Bat for Lashes, Cibelle, Vetiver, Ramblin Jack Elliott, Little Joy, etc.

The show is held in conjunction with the Noise Pop Festival.

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1st Amendment Gallery: Inner City Prophets.

Artists: Twick, Mark Bode, Skew, Gigs, King 157, Hyde, Keb, Wand, Cuba.

Review & images by Lynnore Goldfarb: I read on the gallery website that "1AM" stands for First Amendment and "...is dedicated to street and urban art." The appeal of graffiti art and murals on public buildings-- in general-- is the idea that it is art for the people by the people, that it is in opposition to elitist, cerebral, art school art, which only people with money can own. Graffiti art is current, untamed, and gritty, anyone with passion and spray paint can create it. I can't wait to go to the opening, however I'm stopped dead in my tracks, when I'm told it costs $5.00 to get in the gallery. I feel the spirit is lost by charging to just see the art.

However once inside, pretension is absent. Everyone involved in the opening is approachable and gracious. I think it is a skateboard and toy store as well as an art gallery. Lily is my self-appointed tour guide and introduces all of the artists-- that he knows-- to me. The opening is also Mark Bode's birthday party and a book signing for James Prigoff, author of Spray Can Art, a book about graffiti. The art itself in the show is very vibrant and unique. There's one corner with a mural painted right on it that I think is interesting. The rest of the gallery walls re painted the prerequisite white, with different sized painted canvasses hung-- some bunched close together and some very high up.

Note of Interest-- When visiting the gallery check out the building across the street. The mural wrapping around the bottom quarter of the building is curated-- Lily's words-- and painted in part by Twick.

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