This winter I was asked to contribute to a book project and art show called The Golden Egg, which is a curatorial effort at PHILSPACE gallery by Sheilah Wilson, the Director of Artist Residencies at The Santa Fe Art Institute. I have quoted the press release below, but for those just as inclined to skim through quoted text as I am, the basic premise of this project is to bring together artists and writers who use humor both as a method of searching meaning, as well as a release from this very quest. I have two pieces included in the Golden Egg project, a never before published Art Fag City text and design which will appear in the limited edition printing of the book, and a digital print from the Professional Work Series I made last year which is featured above. This particular series was inspired by jobs that involved management, office work and some sort of weird bronzed happy façade that made me want to slit my wrists. At the time I was creating advertisements illustrating various resume bullet points that in addition to digital prints, appeared on mouse pads, and mugs. Interestingly, in the context of my current work as a blogger, the piece now reads as commentary on Internet and blogging culture.
Yesterday, eager to find out with whom my work would be shown, I spent much of the day googling artists and perusing some really great jpegs. I don’t yet what know what work has been selected for the exhibition, but here's a look at some of the more awesome artists who will also be participating in The Golden Egg.
Haruhi Hayashi works in a variety of mediums, including sculpture, video, and drawing. All of it is excellent (at least from what I can tell from this artists jpegs). Not all of it is funny. I guess no one is perfect.
Seth Scriver works in the medium of sock in addition to virtually every other medium you can think of. The work tends to employ narrative (as does all of the work in the show) in wry and unusual ways. I think this ten footer piece sets some sort of record for sock sculpture size and public use.
Like a good sound track in video work? Pearl Hsiung has this down. She also makings paintings and drawings.
Songs of Praise for the Heart Beyond the Cure
Duke and Battersby
My favorite Canadian collaborative team rarely gets much play in New York, and for the life of me I can’t figure out why. This particular video takes on grand themes such as violence, addiction, destruction of the natural world, all somehow without being a total downer.
Still can’t get enough of the Golden Egg? Well, you’re in luck because I’ve included the press release as well. Visit the Egg, buy the Egg, live the Egg…well, you know, or something.
July 28 from 5-8 pm at the PHILSPACE gallery on Second Street in Sante Fe. The Golden Egg is a hypothesis tested through artists and writers who use humor as a tactic in their work. Twelve artists and writers from Canada, the United Kingdom, New Mexico, Chile and Los Angeles have been invited to submit work for the launch of The Golden Egg. Publisher and curator Sheilah Wilson states, “The proposal is that if the searching for meaning is our curse, than humor is the temporary release in its celebration of the failing and striving of this endeavor. Ultimately, humor is a method of having it all fall down by exertion of effort on our knowns, which creates a time stoppage, a hiccup, a gulp inward of air — laughter. In laughter there is the possibility to temporarily throw recognizable time, narrative and hierarchy out.”
The Golden Egg will be on sale on July 28-August 10, 2006 with a limited edition printing of 100 books. Artists included are Beltran Obregon, Duke and Battersby, Haruhi Hayashi, Franky Kong, Andy Webber, Maura Doyle, Colleen Collins, Pearl Hsiung, Seth Scriver, Willem Weisman, Paddy Johnson, Jon Carver, Merchant Adams and Gerry Snyder. Please join us on July 28 from 5-7pm for the opening, music by Keyboard. The show will run from July 28 — August 10, 2006.
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