Me Love You Long Time Exhibit at Aljira
Me Love You Long Time is a group exhibition opening at Aljira, A Center for Contemporary Art in Newark, New Jersey of contemporary art and video since the 1990s by artists from North America and particularly those working in and descendent from Southeast Asia who use various media and complicated visual strategies to upend or explore gender expression, sexuality, sex work, and new subjectivities.
Artists include: Diyan Achjadi, Reza Afisina, Tai Chi Alfonso, Nicole Awai, Hima B., Yason Banal, Anjali Bhargava, Isauro Cairo, Lynne Chan, PierSath Chath, Vanna Chin, Susan Choi, Cecile Chong, Young Chung, Jon Cuyson, Cirilo Domine, Oasa DuVerney, Richard Fung, Permi Gill, Vicente Golveo, Akintola Hanif, Skowmon Hastanan, Swati Khurana, Andrew H. Kim, Naruki Kukita, Viet Le, Sokchanlina Lim, Mail Order Brides/M.O.B., Yeni Mao, Zavé G. Martohardjono,Tala Mateo, Gabby Quynh-Anh Miller, Ivan Monforte, Gloria Shuri Nava, Hoang Tan Nguyen, Phuong Linh Nguyen, Sokuntevy Oeur, Mariko Passion, Tomiko Pilson, Johanna Poethig, Pulang Alakdan, Clifford Landon Pun, Ling Quisumbing, Vanessa T. Ramalho, Rico J. Reyes, Larilyn Sanchez, Maitree Siriboon, SLAAAP! (Sexually Liberated Asian Artist Activist People!), Joel B. Tan, Teresa Nasty, The New Sound Karaoke with Black Waterfall & Bobby Service, Nodeth Vang, Nathan Lam Vuong, and Maria Yoon.
This exhibition is supported by a generous grant from the Lambent Foundation and a curatorial research fellowship from The Andy Warhol Foundation for the Visual Arts.
MICA Cultural Practice, Research and Higher Education Journal
Just published! I have an essay in the Vision and Voices of the I-Hotel Writer’s Group with Nancy Hom and Julianne Gavino as part of the MICA (Maryland Institute College of Art) new Cultural Practice, Research and Higher Education journal. Here is a link to the Community Arts Journal.
I-Hotel Mural Opening 2010 Photo by Bob Hsiang
I-Hotel Tribute Photo 2011 Collaboration with Bob Hsiang
Lost Cities Event November 19
The LOST CITIES imbedded itself on the corner of San Francisco’s Market and 6th street in the traffic of people, buses, bikes, voices, rumblings, sirens screaming, whistles blowing and passing commentary. The Luggage Store Projection Space : Location, location, location. The rain came down at the end lending itself to the full sensory immersion. The bikes with boom box radios circled the block carrying the story out into the city. Eliza Barrios curated, set up and put the word out. She is amazing to work with. Stay posted for more events from this series on this link: http://www.luggagestoregallery.org/
http://elizabarrios.com/cosas/
Here is a link for the first two chapters of Lost Cities:
Here is a link for Chapter 3 of Lost Cities
Luggage Store Projection spacehttp://www.luggagestoregallery.org/
Market and 6thChapter 1
Lost Cities : Video Projection/Sound Installation
SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 19
5:30pm – 6:30pm
http://www.luggagestoregallery.org/c/exhibitions/
BRING YOUR RADIOS! Tune to FM 89.1
(if it rains bring an umbrella)
CURATOR Eliza Barrios
LOCATION Luggage Store Projection Space
DATE November 3 – December 3 (from dusk into the night / sound always available at FM 89.1)Lost Cities : Scavenging the Cultural Apocalypse
“Lost Cities” is a psycho-geographical, mixed-media narrative that explores pre and post apocalyptic urban landscapes and architectural backdrops through imaginary characters named “the sub-colonials” who move, dance, and tread through these past, futurist, and surreal environments. Technically realized using video projection and sound via low-power FM radio transmitters “Lost Cities” is an electronically animated shadow-play, inventing a futurist epic by drawing on the free association of sounds and images from many different world cultures.This projection will open with footage from the Tenderloin neighborhood taken from the past and present day. The first three chapters of “Lost Cities” follow.Time itself is the central protagonist of this narrative as it floats in a sci-fi fantasy of end of time, beginning of time and timelessness. Like everything else in our late stage capitalism time has been commodified so no matter how much time we save, we have no time to spare. And in every moment another species on our planet is lost, from the cities to the wilderness. The sub-colonials have reemerged in an innocent and suspended state, navigating by sound in their media dreams through a post apocalyptic/futurist/familiar world of ruined landscapes.
Ride your Bicycles!
Join artists Chris Brown and Johanna Poethig, along with bicyclists, as they transform the corner of 6th and Market Street into a unique outdoor surround sound environment. Through RF Technology, each bicyclist will transmit sound from “Lost Cities” into the neighborhood around Market Street creating a multi-layered sound+vision extravaganza!
Participants include PUBLIC Bicycles + boombotix!
Windows and Mirrors: Reflections on the War in Afghanistan
I created this painting for the Windows and Mirrors exhibit that has traveled the US which has provided an environment to discuss the human cost of the war in Afghanistan. I admire the American Friends Service Committee for their dedication to peace and the way they have integrated the arts in their outreach and education. It has now come to the Bay Area and there are events listed below.
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Windows and Mirrors: Reflections on the War in Afghanistan University of San Francisco 2130 Fulton St. (MUNI buses 5, 21 and 31) San Francisco, CA Thursday October 6, 2011 5 – 8 pm Opening at Kalmanovitz Hall, USF Thursday October 13, 7 pm Counter-terrorism to Counter-insurgency and After: Keally D. McBride – Assoc. Professor of Politics, Chair of Thursday – October 20 7 pm Institution Building and Civil Society USF
Islamic Cultural Center of Northern California 1433 Madison St. (between 14th and 15th St, near 12th St. BART) Oakland, CA Saturday October 15, 2011 5-7 pm Opening with Afghan food, music and panel discussion Saturday – October 22 7 pm Afghan Response to the War Saturday – October 29th 5 – 9 pm Closing – Art in Action from Afghanistan to the Bay Area: youth activists/artists |
August 26 Celebration
You never know how an opening will go but as the musicians set up, electronic bird sounds started to fill the post office and the Mellotones began to play on the street the full range of creative expression took over the corner. The sweet and sincere power of art should be no mystery. Friends and strangers came to listen and participate in the community ribbon cutting. Mayor Ed Lee arrived, Raj Sanghera, the Acting Post Master, and the sponsors and friends of the mural. A good time was had by all. Mabuhay!
Music and art
August 26 Event
Little Hummingbird Painting Day
Little Hummingbird Painters
On August 3 we had a fun and very busy day painting little hummingbirds with participants who signed up through Dina at North of Market/Tenderloin Community Benefit District. She has been great to work with on this project and got a sign up sheet going. Every 20 minutes or so a new painter showed up. Our Post Office friends did the first ones on the inside of the building. Both Gwendolyn and Mercedes were all smiles as they created their little birds. John, an older painter stood by his little bird to protect it as it dried. Kids from the Boys and Girls Club came and did their birds around the corner. Some gals from TNDC dropped by and a woman that worked in the Methadone program. I got to ask her some questions about the drug problem in the neighborhood. She was very informative. I also invited the Honduran gal who greets me every time she comes to work the corner. Her face lit up and she did her bird with great finesse. Now I understand why she was so interested in the project…she is a potential painter herself. Doug, our Post Office photographer painted the last bird by the front counter, in between serving customers. He wants to be able to see it as he works. It’s really done now and the celebration is set for Friday,Aug 26 at 5pm.
Week 8: Scaffolding down
scaffolding down
It’s almost done. The scaffolding has come down and we will finish it in the full light of day. Long and short – an easy gig for the scaffolding guys. They pull down the “pallete” planks spotted in bright colors of the painting process. The corner site revealed; it’s dimensions, angles, views. The last steps of painting ahead, touch ups, and adding small birds flitting around furiously.
Corner
across the street
Week 7 : Mean Green Tight White
garden level touch up
Racing to finish before the scaffolding comes down. Choice comments overheard by the small legless man with the big personality “I am not a heart attack, I am a coronary arrest!!!” Or by the passing poet. “That green is mean. That white is tight.” Or the two corner customers “ They can smell the junkie on you. And that’s just a fact.” I neglect to mention the continuous heartfelt thanks we get from people passing by all day. “You are so talented. Hollywood is going to discover you” Or from the Native American man “When the Hummingbird appears it brings good times.”
This site is mixed in with working people, elderly, children, tourists, immigrants, neighborhood residents, artists, students, post office employees and people picking up their packages. And ofcourse the broken and discarded people, the drug dealing, the violence and anger. The ranting and raving. Can the moments of shared appreciation of color and image, of creative activity alleviate the pain of poverty on this corner in America? Probably not by much. But what I do know after 30 years of scaling inner city sites is that these images take their place in the public consciousness and in our social imagination. Images are powerful.
We must insist on art, meaning and creative exploration that is accessible and non-commercial. The very small percent of people who hoard the money of our country should not be the only ones who enjoy the “arts”. I have my doubts as to whether the power/money set even consider this painting art at all or just waste of effort. They are not willing to support the education, health, arts, infrastructure, immigrants and working people that would strengthen our society. They keep on the blinders and enjoy their gated lives as things crumble around them. They have their own pharmaceuticals to ease the pain of their disconnect. Over the counter, under the counter, in crystal glasses or a paper bag, it’s all the same.
Creative practice keeps us fluid. The genuine interactions we have with people “the public” “the community” can only take place in this context of art making. It opens up discussion – communication. Even the drug dealers express their appreciation, point out scratches and marks while we generally ignore and keep an eye on each other at the same time.
- purple suit
nice moment
