Needle in a Haystack. Curated by Nate Garcia. January 24th - February 28th, 2009
Opening Reception: Saturday, January 24th, 7 pm - 10 pm
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CENTER FOR THE EAGLE ROCK IS PROUD TO ANNOUNCE “NEEDLE IN A HAYSTACK” January 24 – February 28, 2009 Opening Reception Saturday January 24, 2009 7pm-10pm Closing Reception Saturday February 28, 2009 7pm-10pm Curator: Nate Garcia Participating Artists Edgar Arceneaux, John Barlog, John Burtle, Ari Kletzky, Erik Knutzen, Rick Lowe, Elana Mann, Linda Pollack, Sea and Space Explorations, special collaborative project by the Otis Public Practice Program This is an exhibition of artists who are attempting to bridge the gap between social activism and performance art. Rick Lowe’s idea of revitalizing a neighborhood in Houston’s Northern Third War (one of the city’s oldest African-American communities) has culminated in the creation of a sustainable community known as Project Row House (http://projectrowhouses.org/). He successfully worked with artists and architects to renovate twenty-two abandoned shotgun style houses. Edgar Arcenaux will be using this as a forum to discuss his work with the Watts House Project (www.wattshouseproject.net). Johns Barlog and Burtle will be facilitating excursions exploring the local area and hosting events in the space for the duration of the exhibition. For the opening they will be inviting visitors of the Center and members of the surrounding neighborhood to each contribute an ingredient to make a communal stone soup. The soup will be prepared and served for all to enjoy at the Center the day of the opening. To find out how to participate contact chickensofthepeople@gmail.com Elana Mann will be discussing an election based performative project Exchange Rate 2008 (http://www.exchangerate2008.com/). Ari Kletzky will using the opening as a forum to expand his Islands of LA project (http://islandsofla.com/) in which he explores the use and availability of traffic islands as public space to foster discussion and community. Erik Knutzen (www.homegrownevolution.com ) will be brewing third place home brewed ale the night of the opening, which will ferment in the gallery, as a sculpture, for the duration of the show. The beer will be consumed on the night of the closing reception, February 28, 2009. We will be screening archival footage of Allen Kaprow’s Happenings courtesy of the Armory in Pasadena. We will be teaming up with local multiconceptual gallery, Sea and Space Explorations (http://www.seaandspace.org/). Linda Pollack will be exploring her Habeas Lounge idea at the Center which will be occurring concurrently in New York (http://habeasindex.org/). The Otis Public Practice Program, led by Suzanne Lacy, will be using the Center for the Arts, Eagle Rock to exhibit images and video documentation of their current partnership with the city of Laton in the San Joaquin Valley. (https://wikis.otis.edu/sjv/index.php/Welcome!_Bienvenidos!_Bem-vindo!) Center for the Arts, Eagle Rock is housed in a historical 1914 Carnegie Library. It is a space that is both socially significant and satisfies both community and cultural needs of our diverse neighborhood. For these reasons, I believe that the most appropriate place to stage an exhibition of this kind would be at this cultural art center in which a direct dialogue with the specific needs and culture of this community is stressed above the more traditional of a commercial gallery or museum. Nate Garcia’s curatorial intent is to organize a group of artists who’s primary intent is to link the disparate practices of social activism, community organizing and visual/performance art to expand traditional notions of how art can function in society. Center for the Arts, Eagle Rock is a nonprofit 501(c) 3 arts programming organization. The mission of the Center is to provide innovative and multicultural arts programming to the communities of North East Los Angeles. Gallery Hours Monday- Friday 11am-6pm Saturday 11am-3pm Center for the Arts, Eagle Rock 2225 Colorado Blvd. Los Angeles, CA 90041 323.226.1617 www.centerartseaglerock.org |