CATHERINE CLARK - PUBLIC BARBER - HEIST

GALLERY 1988 - JAZZ HERITAGE CENTER

09.04.10

(with assistance from RWM)

***

Catharine Clark Gallery: Teen Age - You Just Don't Understand (Co-curated by Ken Goldberg and Catharine Clark); Stephanie Syjuco in the Viewing Room.

Artists: Ben Vertzhaizer (15) and his sister Sivan Eldar; Leela Cyd Ross (16) and her father, Richard Ross; Amanda Eicher and 100 teens from Richmond, California and El Salvador; Maize Bucholz (11) and her grandmother Suzie Bucholz; Sam Wheeler (16) and Whitney Lynn; Allison Reilly (17) and Miguel Farias.

Comment by AB: "Teen Age - You Just Don't Understand" pairs teenage and adult artists in attempts to liberate the "Don't" from the show's title. In the Viewing Room, Stephanie Syjuco's installation of ersatz electronics comments on the fake, knock-off, counterfeit and black market goods that saturate the marketplace, widely available through enabler websites like Craigslist and eBay...

Speaking of eBay, the largest fencing and fraud facilitating operation on the planet, you better get out there and vote against Meg Whitman or else she's gonna do to anyone who opposes her (including you) exactly what's she's trying to do to Jerry Brown, and what she's probably done to everyone whose gone up against her for her entire business career. You don't wanna be on this woman's hate radar; believe it. Whitman is not a nice person and her way is not democracy; it's a perversion of everything our country stands for. "Democracy? All men created equal?" scoffs Whitman, "Fuck democracy... and I've got the bucks to fuck it."

***

Public Barber Salon: This your brain on Justin - Drawerings by Justin Hager.

Comment by AB: Justin Hager puns himself up a wall of drawings based on famous people and pop culture poo-bahs. The best part? $20 each.

***

Gallery Heist: Observed by Clouds - Mario Wagner.

Comment by AB: Recently relocated from Cologne, Germany, Mario Wagner conjures up a rather intriguing pastel reality where mysterious masked inhabitants rule the day. Stop on by.

***

Gallery 1988: Crazy 4 Cult: Customs.

Artists: Eric Tan, Paul Barnes, Danielle Buerli, Scribe, Yosiell Lorenzo, Mike Leavitt, Pocketwookie, Daniel Elson, Ken Keirns, Brent Nolasco, 64 Colors, Andrew Bell, Keithing, Cliff Kirschner, DrilOne, Ellen Schinderman, Mike Graham, TASK ONE, Jen Rarey, Jeremiah Ketner, Kennis Chow, Reaactor-88, Peter Gronquist, Motorbot, Lorena Alvarez, Leecifer, Adrian Pina, Cristina Paulos, Pilar Berrio.

Review by RWM: I don't immediately recognize any of the strange personifications here, but the assembled characters are fascinating and charming nonetheless.

Comment by AB: Custom-painted vinyl and sculptures inspired by cult films. I'm told that most of the pieces in the show are painted vinyl blanks-- and skillfully painted at that. If you like creatures, you'll like this. Prices reasonable; sales brisk.

***

Jazz Heritage Center: Sofanya - Women of Jazz.

Comment by AB: Cosmic stream-of-consciousness representations inspired by female jazz greats by Sofanya.

***