About the exhibition:

Stomper is proud to present Whistling in the Dark as part of the 2012 Kings Artist run Initiative Flash Night Series. This film and video based group exhibition dealing with contemporary fears brings together artists, photographers, animators, filmmakers, and documentarians, with themes ranging from terrorism, psychiatric illness, homicide, our over-reliance on medical science, the loss of the natural environment, and the threat of female sexuality.

The fears explored through Whistling in the Dark range from the whimsical minutiae endemic of modern living, to the more serious fears that truly threaten members of various societies. The artists approach the topic of fear with integrity of both medium and voice, with pieces that both shock and draw empathy from the viewer, and works that are imbued with humour and wit. Whistling in the Dark allows for a cultural critique of society’s psychological state by bringing the physical emotion of fear to the viewers self-consciousness. This awareness of the what of fear allows for an objective rational critique of the why…

Featuring the following international artists from the UK, Europe, USA, Latin America, Africa, and Middle East:

Bill Aitchison (UK), Phoebe Boswell (Kenya, lives and works in the UK), Catrin Davies (UK), Douglas Gast (USA), Max Hattler (Germany, lives and works UK), Aline Helmcke (Germany), Dominic Lippillo (USA), Jeannette Louie (USA), Catherine Maffioletti (Brazil, lives and works in the UK), Mayumi Nakazaki (Japan, lives and works in the Netherlands), Guli Silberstein (Israel, lives and works UK), Cat Tyc (USA), Daniel Warner (USA), Kristen Wilkins (USA),Worm Hotel (Chris Hayward and Nat Sunders) (UK)

Opening Reception- Particles and Half-Lives: Hanford through the eyes of artists and poets

Date: January 26, 2012
Time: 6:30-9:00pm, Program and Reading at 7:30
Location: Room 220, Odegaard Library

From the organizer:

“The program provides a unique opportunity to hear from artists, poets, and scientists who have been inspired to create a wide variety of art by Hanford. From poetry readings, to discussions on the inspirations for their art and their impressions on Hanford, the panel of artists will shed a new and interesting light on the site that created the bomb dropped on Nagasaki and is now the most contaminated place in the Western Hemisphere.”

“User Generated Content is an exhibition about social media, self-publishing and the virtual environments that we create for ourselves. [It is] an exploration into the deepening relationship we now have with technology with regards to the social aspects of our lives.

The term ‘social media’ has been defined by Andreas Kaplan and Michael Haenlein – and has been categorised into 6 different forms. These have been identified as collaborative projects, blogs and microblogs, content communities, social networking sites, virtual game worlds, and virtual communities. User Generated Content is a term to describe the various interactive online activities.

[The Curators] are interested in how these ‘highly accessible’ self-publishing tools and ‘user generated content’ has had an affect on creative practice in conjunction with the recent explosion of such sites such as Twitter, Facebook, Blogspot, YouTube, Vimeo etc. [They sought] creative practitioners who are responding to the recent developments by removing them from the interface and transforming into a tangible form or experience.”

I am honored to report that I have been awarded tenure and have been promoted to Associate Professor of Fine Arts.  Thanks to WSU Tr-Cities and the Department of Fine Arts for the support and recognition.

About Stomper:

“Stomper is curatorial project exploring the collaborative possibilities for art, music and moving image. With a history of carrying out events both nationally and internationally, it was originally launched in New York and has since expanded to the London art community. Stomper probes the convergence of art music and moving image by morphing between exhibition format, DJ, live performance and screenings. Using this intersection as a platform for creativity Stomper provides a forum for artists, musicians and film makers to come together and showcase their works.”

The fest will explore the concept of fear:

“In approaching the topic of fear we are looking for artists and filmmakers who:

• are innovative in their approach to the aesthetics of fear;
• explore the fascination that our culture has in fear and being frightened;
• have a psychoanalytical approach to the subject of fear or explore how psychiatry has attempted to rationalise and understand fear;
• look at fear and its direct relation it has to our corporeal state and how an individual may actually feel fear;
• have an understanding of fear as both a destructive and a preservative force to both the individual and the society in which that individual lives; or
• approach fear from a position of the political, gender-based issues, or from a position of race.”

In the off chance you are in London, visit Stomper’s website for more information.

30 Days of New Life

The project is going to Istanbul July 1-30.  Its will be housed at Caravansarai and is partially funded by WSU Tri-Cities.

“Caravansarai is an independent art production space and meeting point for creators in Istanbul, Turkey.

Just as the historical caravansarais hosted camel caravans along the Silk Road, we invite creative people–with or without camels–from around the globe for collaboration, experimentation, research and exchange.

Our building is home to workshops, investigation, public and private events, collaborations and an artist-in-residence program. As experienced producers of cultural and artistic projects, we are able to present a myriad of services; project and event management, art production and artist management.

We welcome visual artists, filmmakers, musicians, scientists, circus performers, architects, choreographers, curators, writers, artisans, urban theorists and all manner of creative people. Beyond Istanbul, inspired thinkers from everywhere participate virtually and physically in the projects we incite. Beyond Istanbul, inspired thinkers from everywhere participate virtually and physically in the projects we incite.
Caravansarai is an artist-run business adventure, exploring the integration of art and culture into the flow of every-day life. Because of this, it is also what we (Julie and Anika) call ourselves when working together on our own personal art projects.”

My video Hypnosis has been included in the CoCA Annual Exhibition:

2010 Annual: Memory Upgrade
Juried by Juan Alonso

Opening Reception Thursday, December 2, from 6pm to 9pm
CoCA Pioneer Square, 310 First Avenue South

“From December 2, 2010 – January 1, 2011, CoCA Pioneer Square will present Memory Upgrade, a juried exhibition featuring work from 16 emerging as well as established artists in a wide variety of visual media, including 2d, 3d, and video.

Memory Upgrade explores the ways in which artists have responded to the global financial crisis by changing various aspects of their work. Considered collectively, these artists hint at the heightened importance of memory, history, and the role of the artist to affect social change.

Over 150 artists from across the county, Europe, and Australia submitted works for consideration. CoCA has presented the Annual since 1989, each time inviting an independent juror to select the work. For this year’s 21st anniversary of the show, CoCA is proud to have Juan Alonso as juror.

Over a career that spans 25 years, Alonso has received numerous grants, awards, and recognition from a wide variety of arts organization in the Seattle area, including the Behnke Foundation, PONCHO (2007 Artist of the Year), 4Culture, Mayors Office of Arts and Cultural Affairs, Artist Trust, Pratt Fine Arts Center, and Centrum. Born in Cuba in 1956, Alonso came to the Unites States at an early age, leaving behind his family to learn a new language in a foreign place.

There will be an opening reception on Thursday, December 2, from 6 – 9pm at CoCA’s Pioneer Square location located inside the former Elliott bay Book Company at 310 1st Ave South in Pioneer Square. Juan Alonso will announce prizewinners at the reception and field questions via satellite from Miami / Basel Art Fair. The announcement will be broadcast live on CoCA TV.

Participating artists include: Minh Carrico, Laura Castellanos, David French, Douglas Gast, Sarah Gilbert, Harold Hollingsworth, Phillip Hua, Alma Leiva, Nia Michaels, Nate Orton, Scott Schuldt, Patti Shaw, Garric Simonsen, Tereza Swanda, Kate Sweeney and Jillian Vento.”