SF ART COMMISSION - LUGGAGE STORE - ELECTRIC WORKS

JANCAR JONES - GALLERY 16 - MARINA ABRAMOVIC

FIFTY24SF - LOWER HATERS - D-STRUCTURE

06.04.10

(with assistance from Kristin Farr, Sandra Silvoy and RWM)

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San Francisco Arts Commission Gallery: Now & When.

Artists: The Bureau of Urban Secrets, Joseph del Pesco, Guillermo Gómez-Peña, Packard Jennings, Lynn Hershman Leeson, Ken Lo, Gay Outlaw & Bob Schmitz, Paul Schiek, Margaret Tedesco & Matt Borruso, Taro Hattori, and others. Curated by Meg Shiffler.

Comment by AB: To celebrate the gallery's 40th anniversary, this group show addresses the concept of time capsules and the "freezing" of time with the intent to look back at some later date. Lots to see; stop on by.

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The Luggage Store Gallery: Rehistoricizing Abstract Expressionism; Zineblasters.

Artists from Rehistoricizing Abstract Expressionism: Nell Sinton, Barbara Rogers, Bernice Bing, Deborah Remington, Mary O'Neal, Cornelia Schulz, Ruth Asawa, Dewey Crumpler, Sonia Getchoff, George Miyasaki, Jose Montoya, Luis Cervantes, Manuel Neri, Joan Brown, Jay DeFeo, Bob Colescott, Joe Overstreet, Allan Gordon, Arthur Okamura, Sung Woo Chun, Wing Ng, Leo Valledor, Patricio Toro, Gustavo Rivera, Carlos Villa, Carlos Loarca, Jose Lerma, Frank La Pena, Jimmy Suzuki, Jim Marshall. Curated by Carlos Villa.

Artists from Zineblasters: Greg Shimada, George Crampton, Chuck Truck, Pezo and Dave Anumbus.

Review by Sandra Silvoy: Curator Carlos Villa creates a revisionist approach to history and features artists whose work pulsates with the undercurrents of the San Francisco Bay Area Abstract Expressionism movement of the 1950s & 1960s. Allan Gordan's "Vanitas Pastry Box" is a highlight as he brings sculpture and conceptual intent into what is more of a painter's movement based on spontaneity of energy and emotion. Gordon's two tiered plastic pastry case enshrines reproductions of chocolate and pink sugar glazed doughnuts, accompanied by the lower portion of a human jaw bone, toy snake, bone colored plastic toy animal, vase, spoon and various shaped foe feces-- one in the shape of a doughnut. There is a certain irrelevance in the sensuously decorated confections when they soon turn to an unglamorous mass of excrement. The skull makes for a constant reminder of impending death, as usual.

Comment by AB: According to the proclamation, Rehistoricizing Abstract Expressionism seeks to reintroduce "undervalued" women artists and artists of color who were supposedly overlooked during the decades of the 1950s and 1960s. The result is a rather idiosyncratic mishmash haphazardly displayed-- almost like someone's personal collection-- with some pieces dating from as recent as 2010 (huh?). Fortunately, isolated high spots rescue the dealie bob from the depths of the abyss. On the mezzanine, an engaging display of documents and photographs from the period complements the show.

The street level storefront, now apparently part of the Luggage Store complex as well, features Zineblasters, a combination group show and bon voyage affair for Aaron Curry, soon to depart San Francisco.

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Electric Works Gallery: More Glitter, Less Bitter - Photographs by Daniel Nicoletta, 1975 to the Present.

Comment by AB: Major retrospective of the work of photographer Dan Nicoletta, who has impressively documented San Francisco's gay, lesbian, bisexual transgender communities from age 19 when he began working with Harvey Milk at his Castro Street camera store right on up through today. The show includes stills from the filming of Milk, starring Sean Penn. A fascinating look back in time and well worth experiencing.

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Gallery 16: Alex Zecca and Suzanne Frazier.

Comment by AB: Alex Zecca's meticulous linear compositions, reminiscent of Op Art, are created entirely out of perfectly straight lines-- thousands of them-- lines he hand draws one-by-one on large sheets of paper. In fact, he's so exquisitely obsessive, he actually counts the number of lines in every one of his pieces and includes that information with the title in order to amplify your astonishment. If you enjoy being amazed, see Zecca's art.

In the side gallery, Suzanne Frazier's meandering abstracts are sure to mollify. No shortage of detail in her art as well; my pinkie cam has a field day.

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Marina Abramovic Institute West: If Not This - Three Galleries. Lup Fahui c/o China Projects, Curated by Amy Liu; Kamau Amu Patton c/o Alphonse Berber Projects; Clinton Fein - Recap c/o Toomey Tourell Projects.

Comment by AB: The Marina Abramovic Institute also has considerable gallery space on the second floor, this month hosting three separate third-party exhibits-- a smoky atmospheric low light sound and sculpture installation by Kamau Amu Patton, haunting and mysterious figural representations in states of indeterminate suspension by Chinese artist Lup Fahui, and Clinton Fein's mercilessly acerbic social and political commentaries and observations on domestic and international affairs. Good stuff all the way around; go see.

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Fifty24SF Gallery: Haricots Magiques - The Final Attempt by Porous Walker, with Special Guests.

Review by Kristin Farr: The unstoppable Porous Walker along with friends SFaustina, Jayson Johnson, Aaron Hodges, and yours truly take over Fifty24SF Gallery, turning it into a magical playground unlike any other art show in the universe (at least not since Mr. Walker's last expo at Receiver Gallery in April 2009).

Porous creates a massive drawing depicting a dream he had about a French farmer who gave him some magic beans (hence the show's title, Haricots Magiques). In the dream, Porous is shown an otherwordly mass of rainbow clouds, streamers, and birds, which supposedly represent the end of his time on earth. The birds fly past him whispering their names (which happen to be all of his Facebook friends) and each of them makes a cameo in the drawing.

I'm completely biased in this situation, but I can say wholeheartedly that Haricots Magiques must surely be among the most amazing, wonderful, heartwarming, dream-come-true art exhibitions that San Francisco has ever seen. Porous is incredibly inclusive when it comes to his art shows, creating special pieces with his many friends and fans in mind. His main objective is for you to "Please Have a Good Time," and if you attend the show, chances are you'll have exactly that.

Highlights from the show include:

A street art project tribute to the Mayor of the SF Art Scene, Alan Bamberger.
* Custom skateboards made of nails, xylophones, and a rainbow.
* Special performance by MAGNANIMOUS and SNUGGLEMACHINE.
* An appearance by Jesse Pollock.
* Porous's insightful, unhibited drawings featuring you and everyone you know, plus other characters from his imagination.
* The Party of the Century.
* Magic Beans that grant wishes.
* Pony Rides.
* A pool full of butterscotch pudding.
* Jayson Johnson's cardboard city.
* Aaron Hodges masterful portraits of local heroes.
* SFaustina's intricate installation of collages and paintings.
* Complimentary balloons giving compliments.

It's not often that we laugh out loud and feel unbridled joy and unpretentiousness at art openings, but Porous Walker makes that happen here tonight (and will continue to do so for the duration of the show). The date has been officially proclaimed "Porous Walker/Alan Bamberger Day" in San Francisco by the President of the United States of America.

Stay tuned for special events happening throughout the duration of the exhibition (on view most of this summer, through July 26th) including a performance by rock superstars "Hello Evening," a pajama party cartoon viewing session, a cake-eating contest, and more!

Merci Beaucoup Monsieur Porous Walker for making all of our wildest dreams come true!

Vive l'arc en ciel! Vive Haricots Magiques! Vive Alan Bamberger!

Comment by RWM: Amazing exposition. The whole room becomes a piece of art with arrows, balloons and all manner of miscellaneous paraphenalia. Remarkable and impressive.

Comment by AB: Like it!!

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