~nano elements add up: ERIK DEN BREEJEN, RIITTA IKONEN, ELEKTRA Kb, MARK WAGNER, JASON CLAY LEWIS, DAVID PACKER , ANNE NOWAK
then, there were the artists who used ‘smaller’ elements – to build up a . . . whole.
and yes, the whole was . . . greater than the parts !!
the show also swung from the serious . . to the novel, from political rage to sad sentiments, touched on folk art, and hit the cutting edge – sometimes soft, sometimes hard – and, back again – many times over.
ERIK DEN BREEJEN, ‘JONI MITCHELL (California)’, 2014 and NEIL YOUNG / ‘Albuquerque on the Beach (Alone at the Microphone)’, 2011.
both acrylic on linen, 28 x 22 in.
detail, ERIK DEN BREEJEN, ‘NEIL YOUNG’. the word ‘blocks’ are . . lyrics from the songs.
ERIK DEN BREEJEN, ‘ROBIN WILLIAMS at the MET’, 2015.
acrylic on linen, 72 x 68 in.
($18,000)
detail, ‘Robin Williams’.
detail, ‘Robin Williams’ – the words are from his early stand-up routine.
VINCE CONTARINO, who with KRIS CHATTERSON, of PROGRESS REPORT – curated the ERIK DEN BREEJEN paintings. yes, I consider Erik den Breejen’s work . . to be hitting the cutting edge, and HARD. color field painting, for our . . times !!
they are also very ‘quilt-like’, if you extend the . . formula.
meaning-wise: souvenirs of a time past.
formal construction: block lettering, connected patterns, etc. etc.
curator YULIA TOPCHIY of CoWorker with an ambitious ‘in the mail’ project – by RIITTA IKONEN.
RIITTA IKONEN – small, strange objects were addressed, with no envelope or other packing . . and put in the mail, as is – by this Finnish artist. over 200 were sent out since 2001, and only 5 were lost.
the objects, all about 18 x 18 cms. in dimension – were arranged on top of small display towers, themselves made from small, mini ‘crates’.
RIITTA IKONEN, ‘mail art’. she will be having a solo show of these pieces in Nov 2015 at the Postal Museum in Helsinki, Finland. yes, she is from Finland.
the reverse of the paint brush piece (above).
some of the RIITTA IKONEN pieces were also displayed on the wall.
RIITTA IKONEN, ‘I’m Here’, mail art, 2004. postcard (thread) 18 x 18 cms. unique.
curated for SPRING BREAK 2015 – by Yulia Topchiy.
curators MICHAEL VALINSKY and ARIELLE de SAINT PHALLE . . presented a hand-sewn book project by Elektra Kb. the project, a hand-crafted ‘soft’ book . . which is bound by buttons and button holes, which jumps way past ‘artisan’ – to ‘artist’ !!
was separated, and hung on the wall – for SPRING BREAK 2015.
Electra Kb, ‘Untitled (Book of the Cathara Insurgent Women)’, 2013
pigment prints on canvas, fabric felt, thread. each square: 12 x 19-1/2 in.
unique.
Elektra Kb – note the buttonholes used to bind the cloth book, running down the left-hand side.
Elektra Kb . . note the button holes on the left.
I totally loved these . . . minimal graphics – in play. just for themselves, and against the more narrative, or pictorial . . blocks.
very cutting edge, quilt. very cutting edge, graphics.
Elektra Kb – mission statement:
“WE ARE NEITHER ARTISTS NOR ANTI-ARTISTS WE ARE CREATIVE WOMEN REVOLUTIONARIES”.
nice, hand s-t-i-t-c-h-i-n-g.
Elektra Kb, girls on swings, and girls in k-i-l-l-e-r masks ????
Elektra Kb …”where we live is liberated territory”.
I wish.
I really don’t know what to make of that statement, but the stitching, and the background – are amazing.
well, art is liberating. craft, skills – are liberating. freedom to create and create political expression – is/are liberating.
I think humans get hung up on the ‘territory’ part. one tribe does not want to share with another, basic bio code. even in human relations, the ‘nano’ . . reigns.
and divides.
see: Elektra Kb
she is an artist, born in Soviet-era Odessa, and currently studying for her MFA at Hunter College, here in New York.
on a less solemn note . . . but perhaps just as . . militant ?
it’s subversive to cut up . . US currency.
detail, MARK WAGNER . . a political statement, as well ?
women’s work ?
clean up – the economy ? I don’t know whether to laugh, or cry.
MARK WAGNER, ‘Very Expensive Push broom’, 2008 – curated for SPRING BREAK by TESS SOL SCHWAB.
mixed media assemblage, 61 x 61 x 6 in.
edition of 6 out of 9.
($10,000) (he wasn’t joking).
curator TESS SOL SCHWAB . . at SPRING BREAK 2015.
another, true replica . . miniature !!
a mini-me !!
JASON CLAY LEWIS, ‘d-CON Plagueship’, 2009.
d-CON boxes, wood, string.
curated by GUY NELSON, of AQUARIUM for SPRING BREAK 2015.
talking about . . ceramics !!
though these seem full scale, even life size . . . they are still, in a series, and thus: parts equal the whole !!
DAVID PACKER, ‘Short Circuit’, cast ceramic, 2011.
curated by GUY NELSON, of AQUARIUM for SPRING BREAK 2015.
curator GUY NELSON, of AQUARIUM.
last, but not least on the nano parts equal the greater . . whole.
small, tiny clay sculptures by ANNE NOWAK – lined up on the floor, outside the door.
they scared me, they . . s-p-o-o-k-e-d me.
anybody else know the late DAN ASHER’S tiny white clay figurines . . exacto !!
then I find out the exhibit is called: ‘The Dead People’s Dead Flowers’ – !!
the dead n-e-v-e-r die, get it straight – already.
Dan Asher died on Earth Day, coming up this very month, and apparently he’s STILL roaming this earth.
ANNE NOWAK, mini-me . . RIP Dan Asher !!
ANNE NOWAK, mini-me death . . parade, becomes . . you.
artist ANNE NOWAK . . . at SPRING BREAK, 2015.
CASSANDRA M. JOHNSON . . curated ANNE NOWAK, ‘The Dead People’s Dead Flowers’ – for SPRING BREAK, 2015.
PHOTOS: NANCY SMITH