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ALTMAN SIEGEL - JOHN PENCE - CHANDLER - SILVERMAN

LUGGAGE STORE - JANCAR JONES - FORT MASON

CIIS - RATIO 3 - GALLERY 16

1AM - AMPERSAND - TRIPLE BASE

09.10.10

(with assistance from Kathryn Arnold, DeWitt Cheng, RWM and Neal Strickberger)

***

Altman Siegel Gallery: Will Rogan - Stay Home.

Review by RWM: Nice cosmological show with a surprising astronomical muse. Oh how sad it is that we cannot venture out into Milky Way, but there are wonders here and lessons to be learned. Though we may live on an increasingly decrepit but interesting planet, we can always catch a glimpse of the larger cosmos in the light reflecting off of a metal fragment lying on a carpet or in the street-- light that travelled all the way from our sun. Will Rogan's carpet scenes are almost abstract, and other oddities are here on display such as a piece of glass that has been taped to a photograph of the "Shredderstore." When one is finished exploring they can also read about the workings of time. One can likely succeed in a quest for the Astrophysical on this lump so far away from the sun.

Comment by AB: We pass by way too much in our lives without ever even stopping to look... or think. We're so immersed in ourselves and our own precious dramas that we miss out on pretty much everything else. In counterpoint, Will Rogan suggests that perhaps we occasionally venture outside of our sacred auric eggs.

Photography by Will Rogan.

Will Rogan art.

Art by Will Rogan.

Will Rogan photography.

Photograph by Will Rogan.

***

John Pence Gallery: Greg Gandy; Sarah Lamb.

Comment by AB: Still lifes by Sarah Lamb in the front gallery. In the rear gallery, experience Greg Gandy's gift for interpreting cityscapes. Marvelously true plus extra added atmosphere as they shimmer with a tantalizingly utopian glow. San Francisco like you've never quite seen it, along with depictions of several other cities as well. This dude's a YES.

Art by Greg Gandy (nicely done).

Art by Greg Gandy.

Greg Gandy and art in above image.

Art by Greg Gandy closer.

Greg Gandy art.

Art by Sarah Lamb.

Sarah Lamb art.

***

Chandler Fine Art: Alexis Manheim - New Work.

Review and images by Kathryn Arnold: Musical in nature with titles serving as gateways for personal meaning, Alexis Manheim's exhibition of works on paper at Chandler Fine Art and Framing do a number on the soul. Light hues, many times washed out with white, and then unearthed, predominate along with the black marks creating an additional layering of new forms. The iconography-- roughly drawn contoured images-- brings to mind early Kandinsky just prior to his far-reaching nonobjective states. Are they totems, symbols or childlike renderings or all of the above? Much to explore visually and metaphorically as Manheim allows the viewer into her worlds. Mixed media combining acrylic, pastels, graphite and inks are very nicely framed with exquisite craftspersonship.

Review by RWM: Beautiful pastel colors accent these anarchic compositions, so full of action. The art seems to concern forces beyond the self; viewers who pay attention may well discern what these forces are and who is responsible.

Art by Alexis Manheim.

Art by Alexis Manheim closer.

Alexis Manheim art.

Art by Alexis Manheim.

***

Silverman Gallery: Tammy Rae Carland - Funny Face, I Love You.

Comment by AB: Tammy Rae Carland's inquisitory photographs incorporate as their basis the history of female comics and comedy, and from that starting point, wend their way through weightier matters such as gender issues, sexual politics and feminism. Those intrepid enough to tackle the show's statement will likely sustain a syntactical browbeating perpetrated by phrases like "performing corporealities," "Carland foregrounds the fragility," "meditation on the fragmentation," "currency of the abject," and "politics of performativity." Good work nonetheless. Amble on by.

Photography by Tammy Rae Carland.

Text-based art by Tammy Rae Carland.

Photograph by Tammy Rae Carland.

Tammy Rae Carland photography.

***

The Luggage Store Gallery: Fecal Face 10 Year Anniversary Show.

Artists: Corey Arnold (Portland), Tiffany Bozic (San Francisco), Kelsey Brookes (San Diego), David Choe (Los Angeles), Richard Colman ( Los Angeles), FAILE (New York), Jeremy Fish (San Francisco), Ian Francis (London), Matt Furie (San Francisco) , Mike Giant (San Francisco), Henry Gunderson (San Francisco), Maya Hayuk (New York), Jim Houser (Philadelphia), Jay Howell (San Francisco), Sylvia Ji (Los Angeles), Mel Kadel (Los Angeles), Anthony Lister (New York), Mars-1 (San Francisco), Travis Millard (Los Angeles), Ferris Plock (San Francisco), Albert Reyes (Los Angeles), Jeff Soto (Los Angeles), Damon Soule (New York), Kelly Tunstall (San Francisco), Aiyana Udesen (San Francisco), Oliver Vernon (San Francisco), and Megan Whitmarsh (Los Angeles).

Review by RWM: Impressive show with the best of the best. One may have seen some of this work over the years at fecalface.com which has amassed remarkable archives of artwork of the types on display here. Ten years in the making for this show of art from across America.

Comment by AB: Fecal Face founder John Trippe in only ten short years has evolved the way we see, experience, document, and think about art. Yep... this dude's got the moxie. The best part? None of that oppressive exclusionary elitism that saturated the art world pre-Internet. These days, anyone can play! It's precisely that simple and no more complicated... thanks in significant part to Mr. Trippe and his ongoing endeavors.

Up we go - Fecal Face 10 Year Anniversary at Luggage Store.

Whoa! It's a sea of Fecal love here at Luggage Store Gallery.

Fecal father John Trippe.

Art.

Mars-1 paints up a beauty for the occasion.

Disgustingly gratifying art.

Maya Hayuk brightens up a wall with her art.

You can always count on something worthy from Jeremy Fish.

Good stuff from Tiffany Bozic.

Art.

Big fun from Kelly Tunstall and Ferris Plock.

Art.

Out front.

***

Jancar Jones Gallery: Michael Guidetti - Bell, Book, and Candle.

Comment by AB: Michael Guidetti's installation melds art, quasi-science and green. What does it all mean? Here, you figure it out-- "Guidetti employs an unfixed/in-flux context created by the production environment of chroma-key (green-screen) video compositing technology. Rather than providing a blank neutral space it serves only as a temporary stand-in, demanding to be replaced. The viewer is confronted with this provisional setting in a state of waiting, without a final composite image. Markers for motion tracking and spatial reference placed around the space further enforce the absence of context." Plus special added bonus-- occasional ping pong balls.

Installation art by Michael Guidetti.

Michael Guidetti installation art.

Occasional ping pong balls - installation art by Michael Guidetti.

***

Herbst Pavilion, Fort Mason: Ceramics Annual of America.

Review and images by DeWitt Cheng: Herbst Pavilion in Fort Mason is the usual San Francisco venue for art fairs, but this exhibition is organized not by galleries, but by ceramic artists themselves, with around fifty renting space. Consequently, while the presentation is professional, the feeling is more relaxed, like a gigantic Open Studios. Lectures and demonstrations. Nice event; let's do it again.

Robert Arneson ceramic sculpture at the entrance.

Ceramic art by Richard Akers.

Ceramics by Richard Akers.

Ceramic sculpture by Juan Santiago.

Ceramics by Juan Santiago.

Clayton Thiel ceramic art.

Shannon Sullivan and her art.

Derek Weisberg & his ceramic sculpture.

Crystal Morey and her ceramic sculpture.

***

California Institute of Integral Studies: Pato Hebert - Inordinate Coordinates.

Review by RWM, image c/o CIIS (California Institute of Integral Studies): Interesting work in the hallways at CIIS. The institute, like the rest of us, is not insulated from the problems of the world. Photographs of walking feet from a recent AIDS Conference suggests that all walks of life should be concerned.

Photography by Pato Hebert.

***

Ratio 3 Gallery: Ruth Laskey.

Comment by AB: Ruth Laskey, in her Twill Series, weaves what others paint. Nothing else quite like this in Artland; deliciously meticulous. Worth a visit... and don't forget to bring your loupe.

Woven art by Ruth Laskey.

Art by Ruth Laskey in above image closer.

Pinkie cam detail of art in above image by Ruth Laskey.

Art by Ruth Laskey in top image closer.

Pinkie cam detail of art by Ruth Laskey in above image.

Ruth Laskey art.

***

Gallery 16: Cliff Hengst and Wayne Smith - New Work.

Review by Kathryn Arnold: Here at Gallery 16 are two individual exhibitions which contrast highly. Due to the reflective nature of the glass and large amounts of sun this evening it is difficult for me to capture the nuances of the work-- one must see it in person for sure.

Wayne Smith works with what appear to be hand painted backgrounds, usually of landscapes which are framed with glass. On the inside of the glass are collaged elements, often of a figure or two and at times with selected accouterments. These figural references are small in relationship to the background landscapes and typically contrast black/white with color. They create actual shadows which shift as the lighting changes. The landscapes portrayed are beautiful spots, however at the same time, create a sense of isolation-- as if they are the last places on earth. Each creates an existential moment for the viewer.

On the opposite side of the gallery Cliff Hengst's work greets you (also along the exterior of the gallery, viewed from the sidewalk). A large installation of words is painted along an entire giant wall-- phrases and sentences which point to human feeling and concern. Letters are crowded and jammed and at other times flow across the surface of the wall-- expressive of emotion. Along another wall is a large installation of small works. Framed in various methods-- they appear as small assortments of content. Along the third wall are large photographic prints, each also creating a type of visual sound (as does the wall of words behind them) portraying moments of dismay and vocal unrest, some related to those caused by California's budget crisis. Signs with words, a specific moment in our time captured.

Comment by AB: Cliff Hengst shows reworked images, mostly of Proposition 8 protest photos, and a wall of textual snippets excerpted from conversations or interchanges overheard or encountered in his day-to-day life. Wayne Smith, meanwhile, overlays thrift store paintings with collaged elements taken from newspapers or magazines to create twisty little quips on his own peculiar brand of reality.

Installation art by Cliff Hengst.

Installation art by Cliff Hengst (photo c/o Neal Strickberger).

Cliff Hengst art.

Reworked photographs by Cliff Hengst in above image closer.

Cliff Hengst & art.

Art by Cliff Hengst.

Wayne Smith and his art.

Art by Wayne Smith in above image closer.

Wall installation by Wayne Smith (photo c/o Neal Strickberger).

Pinkie cam detail of installation by Wayne Smith in above image.

Art by Wayne Smith.

Art by Wayne Smith in above image closer.

Art by Wayne Smith closer (photo c/o Neal Strickberger).

***

Ampersand International Arts: James Sansang, Jeff Morris.

Images c/o Neal Strickberger

Art by James Sansang.

James Sansang art.

Art by James Sansang.

James Sansang and his art.

Art by Jeff Morris.

Jeff Morris art.

***

1:AM Gallery: The Classics.

Artists: Crayone, Estria, Vogue, Bam, Nate1, Spie, Twick, Dizney, many more.

Comment by AB: Old skool rules tonight in this peppy survey of vintage Bay Area graffiti... plus wild live breakdancing and more.

Urban art.

Art.

Fashion.

Art.

Urban art.

Performance art.

Performance art.

***

Triple Base Gallery: Elisheva Biernoff - Folly.

Comment by AB: At first glance, the gallery and walls seem littered with detritus, but on closer inspection, it's all original art by Elisheva Biernoff. And if you need a bit of a respite, you can look out Biernoff's video window and watch the fog gently roll in off the sea. Nicely done.

Art by Elisheva Biernoff.

Art by Elisheva Biernoff in above image closer.

Elisheva Biernoff and her trompe l'oeil painting (sorta like it).

Art & installation by Elisheva Biernoff.

Elisheva Biernoff art in top image closer.

Video art by Elisheva Biernoff.

***