RETRACTIONS/SAN FRANCISCO

"Root Division presents an exhibition of 30 artists exploring notions of vacated information. Highlighting the content of absence, these artists work with themes of censorship, value, memory, and loss.

Using techniques of erasure, displacement, cancellation and extraction, the act of taking out information often gives new meaning to what is left. Simplifying or abandoning material can highlight essential content, provide codification, or stand as a subversive gesture."

The exhibition, curated by Whitney Lynn, explores notions of vacated information. The opening reception is tonight, Saturday, January 10 from 7-10 pm. The exhibit runs until January 24th, 2009. Above is my contribution to the show, titled Ex Mero Motu. It is a nonrepresentational photograph measuring 60" x 60" and marks the first time I have shown any of these works on the west coast.

DRIP PAINTINGS IN THE CMA

This is the other portion of my contribution to the Skate and Create exhibit at the Columbia Museum of Art; sixteen, site-specific Drip Paintings. I posted briefly about these a few weeks ago, when they had just been completed. I didn't go into detail about the nature of the color references, hoping instead that one of you readers would pick up on it. Nobody nailed it, but someone was close (Courtney!). (This also means my gift certificate for a bucket of spicy wings at Hooters will remain unclaimed).

The Drip Paintings for the CMA are a bit of a conceptual coup d'etat for me. I have never been interested in making this work reference anything other than itself, so when I made a conscious decision to change that intent, to make deliberate color choices, it was difficult. As a result, I became fascinated with the paradox of something appearing to be about one thing, but actually be about something totally different. Plus, I wanted the work to speak in a language vernacular to (my own projected stereotype of) a SC museum goer.

...so, starting with the uppermost left hand panel, SEC and ACC College Football teams, as ranked by the NCAA on the week of 12/09/08; Gators, Bama, UGA, GA Tech, Ole Miss, FSU, UNC, LSU, Clemson, USC, Wake Forest, Miami, VA Tech, Volunteers, UVA and Duke. (Go put that into your Fantasy Football pipe and smoke it!)

Do paintings that reference the fanaticism of southern college football make them any 'lesser' as works of art?

SKATE AND CREATE OPENS

I think I am still in a state of disbelief. 

Skateboard magazines that I created from scratch more than 20 years ago are now sitting on display in a museum. I never would have imagined that. Could it be that the general public is 20 years behind the proverbial 'curve'?

The 'Zine Wall of Skate and Create, complete with a 'used' SK843 skateboard at the top, at the Columbia Museum of Art. Thanks to Sara Kennedy and the rest of the CMA staff for doing a fantastic job on the installation, it looks exactly as it should (detail views here). The show is up and running (until March 4, 2009) and there is an opening reception tomorrow night. 

SABLE/SHOWCARD

I know I have already blogged out the Blue Rooster window display that I designed and fabricated last month, but just in case you missed it...I'm geeked to be validated by the Show & Tell section of the House site. And BTW, the Blue Rooster Screenprinting class IS open for enrollment, contact them to inquire.

(It's thanks to real designers, like my buddies at House Industries, that amateurs like myself can occasionally create the illusion of someone who is actually competent.)

NATAS

Like most skateboarders that came of age in the 80's, Natas was a huge influence on me. This footy  from Santa Cruz's classic 'Streets of Fire' makes it pretty apparent as to why....

And if that footage didn't convince you, maybe this clip from another Santa Cruz classic, Speed Freaks, will:

Good stuff. Thanks, Natas!

PRESS/THE STATE

The State paper in South Carolina has released it's brief story regarding the upcoming 'Skate and Create' exhibit that opens this Friday at the Columbia Museum of Art. Kevin Earl Taylor and myself are the two artists featured and the show has been extended an additional 30 days (now running from January 9th- March 8th, 2009.)

MARK IT ZERO

Even though it was Shabbat yesterday, I picked up the phone, hopped into a car and headed over to All Star Lanes, where I promptly handled money to get shoes and a lane. What a fun way to officially close the 2008-2009 Holiday season, with some friends, a few a laughs and a few beers.

"Our f*cking troubles are over, Dude."