Forty days ago, this blog wrapped up a string of posts.
We joined the hundreds and hundreds (and hundreds) of others who attended opening night of TAM's Gateway Japan show. We watched the sumo wrestlers performance / sculpture. We bought one of the $50 artworks for sale to benefit the Japanese red cross. We patronized TAM's event sponsor, Bar One.
And of course, we took in the show, doing the best we could to separate the surrounding weeks' sadness, poignancy, and the opening night revelry from the works' themselves.
Forty days later, the show is gone. Forty days later, Japan is all but out of the daily headlines -- replaced by news from Libya, Syria, Yemen, and now most of all, Abbottabad, Pakistan.
Anyone reading this know without looking elsewhere online how many of the Fukushima six nuclear reactors are fully under control now?
Forty days...
TAM runs their shows fast, like a larger venue's project room.
This so-often take-downs and set-ups taxes the institution's skeleton staff -- like flying, it's the takeoffs and landings that matter most.
But it's a boon for the South Bay and visiting public -- getting ten main shows, say, instead of three or four that the institution could get away with running.
The down side -- time be flying. Forty days. The opening seemed like yesterday. How many times did you get back?
Thursday, May 5, 2011
Saturday, March 26, 2011
L.A. Times Story About Gateway Japan, and Recap Of Our Recent Posts About Japan, The Disaster, and The Exhibition
Mike Boehm writes this about TAM in today's Los Angeles Times.
Rounding up our previous posts on the topic, on the day of the disaster relief sale and Gateway Japan opening:
All Artists Well; All Art Arrived or Arriving
Logistics Report -- How Much of the Art is Still Stuck in Japan?
Art As Irrelevant? Museum Faces Seeming Dilemma; Cancel Show Or Not?
Can This Sculpture From Japan Still Mean The Same?
Japanese Artists Said To Be Uninjured
Hopes, Thoughts With Japan]
Rounding up our previous posts on the topic, on the day of the disaster relief sale and Gateway Japan opening:
All Artists Well; All Art Arrived or Arriving
Logistics Report -- How Much of the Art is Still Stuck in Japan?
Art As Irrelevant? Museum Faces Seeming Dilemma; Cancel Show Or Not?
Can This Sculpture From Japan Still Mean The Same?
Japanese Artists Said To Be Uninjured
Hopes, Thoughts With Japan]
Friday, March 25, 2011
It's A Small World -- Sumo Connections
Our old Latimes.com "The Secret City" column about the California Sumo Association: http://www.losjeremy.com/blog/archives/2004/09/the_slimmer_sid.html
The story of how TAM's sumo performance and artwork came to be, thanks in part to the CSA:
http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/jocelynfoye/sumo-wrestling-on-clay-a-performance-and-sculptura
The story of how TAM's sumo performance and artwork came to be, thanks in part to the CSA:
http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/jocelynfoye/sumo-wrestling-on-clay-a-performance-and-sculptura
The Time Between Shows
How TAM Spends the Three Week Interval Once One Exhibition Ends and a New Exhibition Opens
Today's Question for TAM's Max Presneill
TAM's exhibition, What's New, Pussycat? closed March 6, 2011. TAM's next exhibition, Gateway Japan, is as of this weeks-in-advance writing, scheduled to open today, March 26, 2011. (Hopes and thoughts.)
During The Time Between Shows (see this link for more information, please
http://writer.torranceartmuseum.com/2011/03/time-between-shows-part-ii.html), this blog checked in with TAM's curator and director Max Presneill.
We'll be presenting one question and one answer each day during a ten-day period. This is the final question and answer in the series. Scroll down the blog to see past related posts.
Again, please note that the questions and answers for this series dates back to March 6, 2011:
By now, much more information will presumably have become available regarding the six artists and one curator who were scheduled to fly from Japan to attend the Gateway opening -- and about the health and well-being of those and the other participating artists and their families.
Had the 9.0 earthquake and tsunami not hit earlier this month, the following would have been the business as usual reply at the Torrance Art Museum.
Jeremy Rosenberg: Gateway Japan comes next, opening three weeks after WNP closes... What happens during those 21 days? What other information can you share about the Gateway exhibition?
Max Presneill: One week to take down show, wrap everything and repack it into crates, ship out or deliver it, remove all signs of it.
Week 2 – we repair the walls – spackling and filling holes, repainting the walls, returning the space top pristine condition. The next show’s works start to arrive and get checked for condition, etc.
Week 3 – we install the new show. Hanging paintings, placing newly repainted pedestals out with sculptures, etc, putting title plaques up, making sure the website is updated, collecting the postcards and catalogs for the show, lighting it when hung, etc.
Then, Show Time for the opening reception. This is about half of the job, alongside with all the media stuff and PR that we do, while also carrying out the ongoing jobs that we have to attend to every week. It is a busy and difficult 3 weeks, I can tell you, but also some of the most exciting for us at TAM.
End of the Q&A series
During The Time Between Shows (see this link for more information, please
http://writer.torranceartmuseum.com/2011/03/time-between-shows-part-ii.html), this blog checked in with TAM's curator and director Max Presneill.
We'll be presenting one question and one answer each day during a ten-day period. This is the final question and answer in the series. Scroll down the blog to see past related posts.
Again, please note that the questions and answers for this series dates back to March 6, 2011:
By now, much more information will presumably have become available regarding the six artists and one curator who were scheduled to fly from Japan to attend the Gateway opening -- and about the health and well-being of those and the other participating artists and their families.
Had the 9.0 earthquake and tsunami not hit earlier this month, the following would have been the business as usual reply at the Torrance Art Museum.
Jeremy Rosenberg: Gateway Japan comes next, opening three weeks after WNP closes... What happens during those 21 days? What other information can you share about the Gateway exhibition?
Max Presneill: One week to take down show, wrap everything and repack it into crates, ship out or deliver it, remove all signs of it.
Week 2 – we repair the walls – spackling and filling holes, repainting the walls, returning the space top pristine condition. The next show’s works start to arrive and get checked for condition, etc.
Week 3 – we install the new show. Hanging paintings, placing newly repainted pedestals out with sculptures, etc, putting title plaques up, making sure the website is updated, collecting the postcards and catalogs for the show, lighting it when hung, etc.
Then, Show Time for the opening reception. This is about half of the job, alongside with all the media stuff and PR that we do, while also carrying out the ongoing jobs that we have to attend to every week. It is a busy and difficult 3 weeks, I can tell you, but also some of the most exciting for us at TAM.
End of the Q&A series
What Else Is On Your Mind?
Creating a Small but World-Class Series of Exhibitions
Today's Question for TAM's Max Presneill
TAM's exhibition, What's New, Pussycat? closed March 6, 2011. TAM's next exhibition, Gateway Japan, is as of this writing, scheduled to open March 26, 2011. (Hopes and thoughts.)
During The Time Between Shows (see this link for more information, please
http://writer.torranceartmuseum.com/2011/03/time-between-shows-part-ii.html), this blog checked in with TAM's curator and director Max Presneill.
We'll be presenting one question and one answer each day during an eleven-day period. This is day ten. Scroll down the blog to see past related posts.
Here's today's question and answer --
Jeremy Rosenberg: What else, about anything, is on your mind to share here?
Max Presneill: We are attempting to create a small but world class series of exhibitions that will present to our audiences the most famous living artists of our day, alongside those emerging artists we feel will be too one day.
We are trying to make sure we are global in our outlook and will bring the best international work to Torrance so they too can view it and interact with it without having to fly to New York or somewhere to see it.
We are trying to cover all aspects of contemporary visual culture in our programming – including Performance Art, Sound Art, panel discussions and artist made films amongst other things. This is a very hard task but one which we are succeeding with and wish to continue.
We want EVERYONE’s support. Come by the openings, drop in to see the show, let people hear about them through word of mouth. If Torrance can present this ambitious a program and people want to see it continue then partner with us in seeing it succeed.
Coming tomorrow: Gateway Japan -- preparing for the exhibition
(Note: This post was prepared prior to the horrific earthquake and tsunami. This blog is awaiting word about how the artists and curator from Japan and their families scheduled to be part of the exhibition are doing.)
During The Time Between Shows (see this link for more information, please
http://writer.torranceartmuseum.com/2011/03/time-between-shows-part-ii.html), this blog checked in with TAM's curator and director Max Presneill.
We'll be presenting one question and one answer each day during an eleven-day period. This is day ten. Scroll down the blog to see past related posts.
Here's today's question and answer --
Jeremy Rosenberg: What else, about anything, is on your mind to share here?
Max Presneill: We are attempting to create a small but world class series of exhibitions that will present to our audiences the most famous living artists of our day, alongside those emerging artists we feel will be too one day.
We are trying to make sure we are global in our outlook and will bring the best international work to Torrance so they too can view it and interact with it without having to fly to New York or somewhere to see it.
We are trying to cover all aspects of contemporary visual culture in our programming – including Performance Art, Sound Art, panel discussions and artist made films amongst other things. This is a very hard task but one which we are succeeding with and wish to continue.
We want EVERYONE’s support. Come by the openings, drop in to see the show, let people hear about them through word of mouth. If Torrance can present this ambitious a program and people want to see it continue then partner with us in seeing it succeed.
Coming tomorrow: Gateway Japan -- preparing for the exhibition
(Note: This post was prepared prior to the horrific earthquake and tsunami. This blog is awaiting word about how the artists and curator from Japan and their families scheduled to be part of the exhibition are doing.)
Thursday, March 24, 2011
Is Video Art Hard to Turn On?
Today's Question for TAM's Max Presneill
TAM's exhibition, What's New, Pussycat? closed March 6, 2011. TAM's next exhibition, Gateway Japan, is as of this writing, scheduled to open March 26, 2011. (Hopes and thoughts.)
During The Time Between Shows (see this link for more information, please
http://writer.torranceartmuseum.com/2011/03/time-between-shows-part-ii.html), this blog checked in with TAM's curator and director Max Presneill.
We'll be presenting one question and one answer each day during an eleven-day period. This is day nine. Scroll down the blog to see past related posts.
Here's today's question and answer --
Jeremy Rosenberg: I haven't mentioned the Davida Nemeroff videos of yet... Anything you'd like to point out, artistically or otherwise about this smaller show that took place at TAM alongside What's New, Pussycat?
Related: How did they function, technically? Curators have told me in the past something along the lines of, "If only I could afford better headphones..."
I've also witnessed directors and others struggling to turn shows on in the mornings... What technical challenges does a docent / volunteer-reliant institution face when presenting vids?
Max Presneill: We have an easy monitor system so that only pressing the power button does it all – starts the DVDs playing and nothing else needs doing.
Coming tommorrow: TAM's long-term goal to present small but world-class series of exhibitions.
During The Time Between Shows (see this link for more information, please
http://writer.torranceartmuseum.com/2011/03/time-between-shows-part-ii.html), this blog checked in with TAM's curator and director Max Presneill.
We'll be presenting one question and one answer each day during an eleven-day period. This is day nine. Scroll down the blog to see past related posts.
Here's today's question and answer --
Jeremy Rosenberg: I haven't mentioned the Davida Nemeroff videos of yet... Anything you'd like to point out, artistically or otherwise about this smaller show that took place at TAM alongside What's New, Pussycat?
Related: How did they function, technically? Curators have told me in the past something along the lines of, "If only I could afford better headphones..."
I've also witnessed directors and others struggling to turn shows on in the mornings... What technical challenges does a docent / volunteer-reliant institution face when presenting vids?
Max Presneill: We have an easy monitor system so that only pressing the power button does it all – starts the DVDs playing and nothing else needs doing.
Coming tommorrow: TAM's long-term goal to present small but world-class series of exhibitions.
Wednesday, March 23, 2011
Did What's New, Pussycat Meet Your Original Intention?
Today's Question for TAM's Max Presneill
TAM's exhibition, What's New, Pussycat? closed March 6, 2011. TAM's next exhibition, Gateway Japan, is as of this writing, scheduled to open March 26, 2011. (Hopes and thoughts.)
During The Time Between Shows (see this link for more information, please
http://writer.torranceartmuseum.com/2011/03/time-between-shows-part-ii.html), this blog checked in with TAM's curator and director Max Presneill.
We'll be presenting one question and one answer each day during an eleven-day period. This is day eight. Scroll down the blog to see past related posts.
Here's today's question and answer --
Jeremy Rosenberg: WNP both plays homage to the forthcoming Pacific Standard Time (or perhaps challenges PST?) as well as serves to further introduce emerging artists...
In your essay, you wrote: "Our intention then is to examine the continued relevance of those years and how they have shaped and continue to shape art here and now, as Los Angeles expands its influence as a major art city of the world, onto new generations and geographies."
Now that the show is ending / over, did you achieve your intention? How so?
Max Presneill: I think we did in that we helped contextualize the art from the past years into a current practice of interest, as well as making a significant point in the continued relevance of those originating concerns and materials.
We mostly see exhibitions out there in the world of new art using old art to contextualize itself and we managed to open that up to flow both ways -- a rare and worthwhile feat, I think.
Coming tomorrow: Was it difficult to operate the videos in an exhibition?
During The Time Between Shows (see this link for more information, please
http://writer.torranceartmuseum.com/2011/03/time-between-shows-part-ii.html), this blog checked in with TAM's curator and director Max Presneill.
We'll be presenting one question and one answer each day during an eleven-day period. This is day eight. Scroll down the blog to see past related posts.
Here's today's question and answer --
Jeremy Rosenberg: WNP both plays homage to the forthcoming Pacific Standard Time (or perhaps challenges PST?) as well as serves to further introduce emerging artists...
In your essay, you wrote: "Our intention then is to examine the continued relevance of those years and how they have shaped and continue to shape art here and now, as Los Angeles expands its influence as a major art city of the world, onto new generations and geographies."
Now that the show is ending / over, did you achieve your intention? How so?
Max Presneill: I think we did in that we helped contextualize the art from the past years into a current practice of interest, as well as making a significant point in the continued relevance of those originating concerns and materials.
We mostly see exhibitions out there in the world of new art using old art to contextualize itself and we managed to open that up to flow both ways -- a rare and worthwhile feat, I think.
Coming tomorrow: Was it difficult to operate the videos in an exhibition?
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