opening reception: Feb. 5th, 7-10 pm.
closing reception: Feb. 26th, details pending
From February 5th to 26th 21 Grand presents "When the Queens Muscle Aced Infinity", a group show of sound art, performance, light art, and
sculpture by the members of the local band 0th (Canner MEFE, Jacqueline Gordon, Amanda Warner, and Caryl Kientz) that has recently re-christened itself an arts collective to better fit their varied interests and modes of creative output. Primary among these interests is investigating issues of female identity in relationship to technology and music; 0th questions how the role of female intuition fits within the spectacle of contemporary techno culture. 0th has been quite an active force in the local noise music scene since 2006 - developing new works for their live shows out of a process
of combining individual contributions and collaborative conversation. Though this may seem like normal matter of course for their form of live music (and they are quite omnivorous in the types of tools they consider viable for a performance), "When the Queens..." is their first
attempt to apply this sensibility to a milieu outside the realm of the music "gig".
There will be a reception for the exhibit Friday February from 7 pm. to 10 pm. with performances by 0th, both individually and as a group, as well as guests throughout. This evening promises to be quite compelling, as the artists will utilize a number of the works on display in their
performance, and will include Caryl Kientz's piece orchestrating
gold-painted body builders (which will be seen on video throughout the remainder of the exhibition).
And there will be a closing reception/performance with special guest performers such as Erica Anderson (of the Gowns, etc.) - doors at 8, performance at 8:30 Friday February 26th.
With black, white, and gold as their decided "theme" palette against the inevitable white gallery walls, they show an unabashed fondness for an aesthetic rooted in high art and outsider art (think of the simplicity and boldness of Nagel prints or the clean austerity of a Dan Flavin
installation). Moreso, allowing themselves this range of broader cultural base enables each of them to further address their twin concerns of science/technology and fluid cultural identity. Jacqueline Gordon will show a selection of her large black vinyl mandala sculptures that
incorporate the sound wave patterns illustrated in Cymatics (customized with sound elements for the exhibit). Canner MEFE is constructing musical mobiles, robots, and kinetic piece, all incorporating her interests in the technological reproduction of naturally occurring geometry and phenomena (from Buckminster Fuller to virobots). Amanda Warner will be creating a sound-sensitive light installation; something she's been studying and practicing extensively since her move to New York about a year ago. And Caryl Kientz will execute the above-mentioned performance/Happening involving, as she puts it, "body builders and bodies not conventionally put on display" intended as a nod to personal strength. This will also serve to introduce a direct and unavoidable bridge from the high-structure and dissolution of materiality present in many of the works to an organic presence. The gold body paint could be seen as an intention toward a robotic encasement of an organic existence that (spectacularly) defies this encasement.
gallery hours:
Thurs. 4-8 pm.
Fri. 4-6 pm.
Sat. & Sun. 2-6 pm.
