the next few weeks are a unique situation for me. For the first time ever I have been requested to be a participating artist in an exhibition at the same gallery I am employed at. Fun.
Since returning from abroad I have hit the ground running, the problem is one finds oneself running in opposite directions! On the one hand I need extra hours for the money because, well, I have none. On the other hand I need to make the best work possible for the exhibition because, that’s my practice! As an artist I need studio time to develop my work but as an employee I’m expected to fulfill certain tasks. I handle all the installations at Location One, so that gives me a unique perspective; indeed, one variable of my work has changed just from the process of assisting with the installation, when the artists who schemed up this show mentioned possibly employing certain colour preferences, that set off a spark in my mind. Not sure if that would have happened if I was simply holed up in my studio (which reminds me of the importance of dialogue, discussion and interaction with people as an important process of one’s artistic practice – so simple but so crucial).
I’m in tune with this exhibition, because Crater NY as it’s called, isn’t simply a static visual exploration of the surface of the moon. It’s a lunar drawing contest in which the audience will actually create the show. A handful of artists have been asked to create objects or works for installing on the surface of the moon, restricting themselves to a loose scale. The works will be installed by Ligarano & Reese. But the public are being asked to attend the show and take up either pencil or digital tablet and draw what they see, to interpret this orbiting celestial body, seen right there on the gallery floor! They can focus in on an artist’s work or neglect them completely and concentrate on the surface texture instead; it is their choice really. Their drawings or digital renditions will be displayed on the gallery walls. To conclude the exhibition, after three weeks there will be a judging session in which a panel of judges review all the submitted works and decide a winner. And here’s the punchline.
The winner of the contest will receive a free acre of land on the moon! And the real estate is located inside the Sea of Tranquility, which is truly prized land!
As such, it is not important to me that people attend the opening, because this isn’t a show about the opening. It’s a show about the process and the course of time, and we are requesting people attend to draw, not to view.
You can pop in to see if drawing sessions are available, or call (212.334.3347) or email (info [at] location1 [dot] org) to register for an available timeslot.
I’m not going to tell you what my work is just yet! You’ll have to show up and draw it to find out!