Three of 31
It would be ridiculous for me to list all of the artists who interested me at the California Biennial show, but here are three for starters. I'm no art critic, but perhaps these tidbits will inspire you to make the trip past the Orange Curtain to visit OCMA.
Andy Alexander pushes Illustrator to the limit in dayglo images that at first seem old-fashioned but are powered by futuristic machinations upon further investigation--kind of like a Monty Python credit animation sequence meeting Chiho of Superflat fame. The themes can be heavy (craft vs. technology, work vs. leisure) but the nuances are subtle, and tone, playful. The artist seems somewhat troubled by the world, but manages to have fun with it. One section was large enough to walk into.
Andy Alexander, Mural #1 (Read More, Work Less), 2005; vinyl, wood, Plexiglas, and books; courtesy of the artist and MC, Los Angeles.
Goody-B Wiseman put together a mini-Museum of Jurassic Technology, detailing the lives of four feral children in raw but detailed sculptures, scribbled journal entries, rough sketches, and video. While the video was the flashiest part, I actually prefer her artifacts because they drew me into a world that could almost be real. I totally forgot about the walls full of art and milling crowds around me as I tried to find out more about Gazelle Girl and the others.
Goody-B Wiseman, Superlovestarpower 2 (2, 3, AND 4), 2006; mixed-media installation with three monitors; courtesy of the artist and Mandarin Gallery, Los Angeles.
Binh Danh's found imagery from the Vietnam War processed onto leaves is amazing on its own, but he takes the notion one step further and juxtaposes the lost faces with Swamp Thing toys and comics. Holy crap! How does the shambling pile of muck protecting humanity fit in with large leaves with human visages from our troubled past burned onto them? The answer is not as simple as you think.
Binh Danh, selections from Life: One WeekÂs Dead series (detail), 2006; chlorophyll print and resin; courtesy of the artist and Haines Gallery, San Francisco.
Andy Alexander pushes Illustrator to the limit in dayglo images that at first seem old-fashioned but are powered by futuristic machinations upon further investigation--kind of like a Monty Python credit animation sequence meeting Chiho of Superflat fame. The themes can be heavy (craft vs. technology, work vs. leisure) but the nuances are subtle, and tone, playful. The artist seems somewhat troubled by the world, but manages to have fun with it. One section was large enough to walk into.
Andy Alexander, Mural #1 (Read More, Work Less), 2005; vinyl, wood, Plexiglas, and books; courtesy of the artist and MC, Los Angeles.
Goody-B Wiseman put together a mini-Museum of Jurassic Technology, detailing the lives of four feral children in raw but detailed sculptures, scribbled journal entries, rough sketches, and video. While the video was the flashiest part, I actually prefer her artifacts because they drew me into a world that could almost be real. I totally forgot about the walls full of art and milling crowds around me as I tried to find out more about Gazelle Girl and the others.
Goody-B Wiseman, Superlovestarpower 2 (2, 3, AND 4), 2006; mixed-media installation with three monitors; courtesy of the artist and Mandarin Gallery, Los Angeles.
Binh Danh's found imagery from the Vietnam War processed onto leaves is amazing on its own, but he takes the notion one step further and juxtaposes the lost faces with Swamp Thing toys and comics. Holy crap! How does the shambling pile of muck protecting humanity fit in with large leaves with human visages from our troubled past burned onto them? The answer is not as simple as you think.
Binh Danh, selections from Life: One WeekÂs Dead series (detail), 2006; chlorophyll print and resin; courtesy of the artist and Haines Gallery, San Francisco.
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