AO On Site – Gavin Brown’s Enterprise, Wednesday, July 1st, ‘The Living and the Dead’
July 2nd, 2009
- Just Trying To Break The Ice… by Michael Caputo.
“The Living and the Dead” is a collaborative show of over 50 artists, including Amy Yao, Brian Belott, Anicka Yi, Uri Aran, George Condo, Justin Matherly, Haim Steinback, and dozens of others. The art is an almost bewildering mix of styles and mediums, ranging from wooden statues to fishing poles, giant ice cubes, elastic, and deep-fried q-tips. The show opened last night at Gavin Brown`s Enterprises, and runs from July 1st – Aug. 7th.
Related Links:
Gavin Brown’s Enterprise [Official Site]
Summer Group Shows, Part II [Artnet]
The writing on the wall at Gavin Brown`s Enterprise reads The whole world + the work = the whole world, and “The living and the dead” is curated accordingly. The show is a mish-mash collage of provocation, implication, silliness, and the occasional profound beauty – with pieces like George Condo`s painting The Apparition“, Uri Aran`s video “The Donut Gang”, and Justin Matherly`s sculpture, “The terror that so often accompanies involuntary defecation”.
- Untitled (Portrait of Felix in New York) by Scott Penkava (himself pictured).
Among the first to greet the entering viewer from a line-up of over 50 artists and emergents is the work of Scott Penkava, a giant pile of multi-colored Legos spilling out unto the floor which “weighs 180 pounds, the weight of the average person.” “It’s basically my thank you to Felix Gonzales Torres.” Says Penkava. The piece is aptly named “Untitled (Portrait of Felix in NY)”, and in honor of the original piece (a 175 lb pile of candy the weight of (and in honor of) the artist’s dead lover which was continually replenished), the Legos are to be played with, not just looked at.” Nearby, an massive ice cube is melting, slowly releasing the rope tied to many smiley-faced yellow balloons. Ronkom’s Counco AC 500 change maker in the wall offers change for dollar bills, but only gives back 75 cents.
- Being Accused Of Being An Asshole… by Andrew Kuo.
- Untitled (To Amelia) by Jerry Blackman.
- Untitled (Hulk) by Haim Steinbach.
- Ear Condom May Contain Traced Nuts by Anicka Yi.
- Squirrel by Dave Choi.
- Ok Ok… by Ara Dymond.
- The crowd
- Artist Uri Aran at the opening
- Gallerist Andrea Rosen at the Enterprise.
- Jerry Saltz, art critic for New York Magazine
At the barbecue
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- Gavin Brown as the party begins.
- Photos by Michael Bartelle.
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