NOW: Youthful Curating and Social Art Practice at SoEX

Always on the lookout for other explorations in exhibits and curating, tonight I'm headed over to see the latest and greatest from SF's Southern Exposure's Youth Advisory Board. SoEx "teaches YAB members to use art as a community-building tool and provides them with a space to create their own events and have their collective voices heard."

It's exciting that the practice of curating, putting on an exhibit, and thinking about the larger context that art and the public intersect in is being practiced by the youth in our area. Here's what they've been up to this fall... sounds similar to what many of us are striving to do:

"From September- December, YAB studied the practice of curating, and approached this skill as a collaborative creative process similar to art making. GONE explores and tests the limits of what an exhibition can be, investigating alternative curatorial methodologies in order to support and nurture the development of critical cultural producers."

Tonight's exhibit "Gone" is being shown alongside the "Boom" show, an annual juried show.


All images Southern Exposure.

From Mobile Museums... to Pop-Up Operas?

If you thought it was a bit of work to mobilize a museum, imagine popping-up an... opera:

The John S. and James L. Knight Foundation is doing just that, with their series, Random Acts of Culture.

The Knight Foundation's tagline is "Informed and engaged communities", the project is a product of The Knight Arts Challenge. These are (seemingly) spontaneous arts events that erupt in communities that the Knights brothers published newspapers in.

Similar to the responses we've seen with the Mobile Museum, the feedback is generally one of gratitude. A commenter on their site put it this way:

Flash-mobs are another form of random acts of culture. Let us not forget, the Hammer Time Los Angeles event:

Top image: John S. and James L. Knight Foundation

Summer Evening at the Exploatorium

We've got a bit of a posting backlog here at the SFMM while I move.

Our soft opening of FREE Shrines at the Exploratorium last month was a lot of fun. It was our first evening event and a road test of one of our more participatory elements in the exhibit, the Ema Shrine. I'll talk about that later!

This time we used a more open-ended format for our "makers"- I gave folks a size and weight limit, but didn't provide a box for them to fill. The difference in form factors had pros and cons as I look back on this experiment. The pros were that the layout looked more like an exhibit the cons were that for folks encountering and usual idea in an unusual setting, I got the impression that it put a little more on them to grasp the overall idea.

Exhibit Opening: This Thursday night!

The FREE Shrines exhibit makes it's first appearance at the Exploratorium After Dark event this week. While the shrines are free the event isn't: $15 + cash bar (Thurs. Aug. 5, 6-10pm).

But who can put a price on a evening where chaos, culture, and the SF's own phenomena-driven-hands-on science-and-art-museum meet?

Image: the brilliant Mark Glusker, helping install lighting.

Shrinetasm: Myanmar's Kyaiktiyo Pagoda

As I'm doing research for our new exhibit FREE SHRINES, I find everything from the fantastic to the unassuming. At the same time, these objects, sites, reliquaries and shrines are nonetheless meaningful to their devotees.

This site is often called of course, The Golden Rock. It sits atop a small shrine, and it is said that you can pass a thread beneath the rock. Buddhist belief has it that it sits upon a single strand of Buddha's hair, and that seeing it will convert anyone to Buddhism.

Been there? I'm curious about how those who live with it so close by feel about it being the 3rd largest site of pilgrimage. Never heard of it? You can read at length about it here.

Top image courtesy of Wikipedia, bottom, Creative Commons license via Flickr/R_Stanek

FREE SHRINES exhibit challenge

FREE SHRINES is a new exhibit where we are exploring the history, meaning and spontaneous use of shrines with you. We'll look at public, religious and cultural examples, and invite you to add your wishes, locations, and remembrances.

Our exhibit challenge invites you to create a shrine of your own, to show at the exhibit. Something that can fit in the palm of your hand. Contact us at info [at] sfmobilemuseum [dot] org with questions.

HERE'S THE FREE SKINNY.

SFMM Opening at Exploratorium After Dark

Our new exhibit "Shrines" will be making it's first appearance this season as part of the next Exploratorium "After Dark" event. Their theme is "Nomadic Communities" and we'll be in good company with the likes of the Dr. Karen Kalumuck, the Succulent Circus from Wonderarium, Dust City Diner, Paul Nosa, Harley K. Dubois, and hopefully Forage SF.

- Thursday, August 5, 2010
- 6-10pm

We'll be introducing you to the subject of shrines with a little history, roadside shrines, space for your to show your shrines in the Bay Area, and contribute to our take on a traditional Ema Shrine:


Top image Flickr/Creative Commons/Matt Baume who says "Once a month, the Exploratorium turns into the best bar in the city." Bottom image Wikimedia Commons.

Roadside Shrine: Dead Man's Curve?

These photos are part of a theme we're exploring– Shrines. April Banks is an artist and designer who is currently on a cross-country bicycle trip called "We Ride 3000". She's photo-documenting a type of shrine we whiz by on the roadside.

"Chad and Brandi Moreno" (year not legible).

"Mark Allen Parker, 2002". For another take on these, click here.


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Roadside Shrine: Rte 33 Near Vernailis, CA

April said that this shrine looked like a real burial site. It looks well-tended too:




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Roadside Shrine: Rte 41 Near Lemoore, CA

Again, these images from April Banks are part of the development for Shrines, an exhibit theme we're exploring with you. We're sharing what she sends us as she crosses the US– which will give us questions to ponder as a part of shaping the exhibit.

This shrine has a got a bit of delightful inventiveness. See if you can find it in the center of the image.


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Roadside Shrine: Route 41 near Riverdale, CA

From April Banks, as she bicycles across the US for WeRide3000, she is recording roadside shrines for our exhibits. Here is the obituary:

Richard J. Pilgrim

In loving memory of Richard J. Pilgrim, 62, of Riverdale born on Aug. 17, 1945 in Reedley and passed away on Sunday, Feb. 24, 2008 in Riverdale.
He is survived by five children and 12 grandchildren, Sonny and Carla Pilgrim and their three daughters, Cayla, Cara and Christa of Tulare, Randy and Dianne Pilgrim and their daughter, Raenni and two sons, RJ and Ryan of Visalia, Clyde Pilgrim of Laton and his son, Travis and daughter, Victoria both of Hanford, Richard and Michele Pilgrim and their son, Bronson and daughter, Carrington of Visalia, Sadie Pilgrim and Carlos Cantu and son, Christian and daughter Savannah of Laton; two sisters, Frances and Carol of Riverdale; three brothers, Frankie of Terra Bella, Jimmy of Caruthers and Billy of Fresno.
Services will be held at 11 a.m., Saturday, March 1 at the Laton Lions Hall.

- Published in The Hanford Sentinel on February 26, 2008

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Roadside Shrine: Patterson, CA

Catching up with April Banks and WeRide3000 as we continue to explore shrines:

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Exploring Shrines: between Mendota & Kerman

Each year we have an idea of sorts that we're exploring, and we invite you to join in (of course, we feel free to mix it up with surprising, and completely unrelated topics when the opportunity arises).

Shrine. Yes, shrines to the times, the past, the glory of them, the heartache. That's our area of interest for this year. We'll be posting challenges, interviewing folks as part of the exhibit development process, and generally co-investigating it with you.

To start it off, let me introduce April Banks. She is an artist and designer who is currently on a cross-country bicycle ride called "We Ride 3000" to bring awareness to public education.

Since she's going to be crossing the US at ground-level, we've asked April to photo-document a type of shrine we whiz by on the freeway- the roadside shrines. We'll be posting them here she progresses. This first image is from Rte 180 in California:


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Sparky

The AAM 2010 meeting was thought-provoking for such a small institution such as ours. Not much evidence on the ground about the earlier-posted "Spark" idea. Found out later that it's really about the industry setting higher standards for itself around excellence and innovation. Something we all enjoy striving for.

While we tend to go to our audiences and have fairly humble exhibits, it does mean that we are extremely nimble and in a good position to test out ideas and approaches. We're working on road tests for new things to engage with you. It's in the hopper now, and will be unfolding over the Summer and into the Fall.

Big Conference, Little Museum

We're headed to the grandmamma of museum conferences- the American Association of Museums annual meeting in LA (#aam2010).

It's time to do a little research and reflection. A perfect time to go as we're developing our summer/fall exhibit.

Apparently, grandmamma is proposing a new strategic plan for themselves. They're calling it... Spark, and they're asking for opinions. We'll let you know our thoughts once we figure it out.

About the Box: The Giving Park

Genius Loci: Washington Park, Burlingame
By: Tina Mizukami

Washington Park, just two blocks away from my house, is a place that keeps giving.

We've celebrated birthdays there, we've meet our friends and family there for an afternoon of fun, and most often, you'll find us there throwing tennis balls to our dog, Cali.


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It's also one of her favorite places in our neighborhood.

About the Box: Summerized

Genius Loci: Coral Reefs
By: Summer Powell, San Francisco

My genius loci is coral reefs. I feel so at home drifting around the swaying, colorful animals and plants.

When making this little diorama I was thinking of diving off Kauai, and the shimmering schools of fish undulating around Flintstonian reef formations. At one point a turtle swam above us, and the sunlight glinted at the edges of its silhouette.

About the box: Headquarters?

Genius Loci: Headquarters
By: Susanne Pierce Maddux

I've chosen my design office in San Francisco for my company Hero Bags. This room is a special place in my house on the second floor, an old sun room with windows on all 3 sides.

The room looks out on my south facing garden and all of the gardens and lush trees of my neighbors.

It's quiet, sunny and peaceful.

I love it.
Curator's note: This is part of extending the Looking for Loci exhibit. This is our one and only contributor who cited their office as their Genius Loci.

About the box: Stealing Print

Genius Loci: Baker neighborhood,Denver, CO
By: Kim Owens

I’ve always dreamed of visiting an old, vacant house and discovering something magical.

Then it happened.

While house hunting, I visited a 1800s house in Denver’s Baker ‘hood and below the vintage linoleum were newspapers dating back to 1925. There was Denver’s history preserved. It was fascinating to see an ad for the new Charlie Chaplin movie; that a cab driver was resisting the fad of new fangled automobiles. I couldn’t resist taking a piece.

Don’t tell anyone.


Curator's note: This is part of extending the Looking for Loci exhibit. We want to know... have you ever stolen anything at an open house?

About the box: Becky loves the Library

Genius Loci: the Library
By: Becky Geller

A library is the perfect institution.

Denver Public Library provides endless information while respecting privacy. It is simultaneously chaotic & calming, with an underlying current of complete organization. Each branch combines innovative design with homespun comfort that welcomes its patrons. I think the reason I am so taken with the library is that these contradictions sit naturally with each other.

While Denver is celebrated by its library, the information is universal-- please take a call number and learn something new.* Zombie painted by Héctor Cobián.


*Curator's note: This is part of extending the Looking for Loci exhibit. As you can see in the detail above, Becky had library call numbers that visitors could pick up and head to their local library and search for. Giving them an opportunity to share in her Genius Loci or make one of their own.

About the box: Flipbook Dogwalk

Curator's note: This is part of extending the Looking for Loci exhibit. If you'd like to read about the making of this piece, go here (including a movie).

Genius Loci: Berkeley Park, Denver
By: Angela Schwab

My Genius Loci is an area in Berkeley Park Neighborhood, located a few miles NW of downtown Denver.

I filmed an hour-long evening walk with the dog to share our route and some favorite points along the way: Berkeley Dog Park, Tenn Street Coffee & Books, and Tennyson True Value Hardware Store.

I consider these spaces to be essential resources and energizing gathering places in the community, and I love that these spots would not exist without the participation and contribution from residents in this charming neighborhood.

About the Box: Outdoor Safety; a thing of the past?

Genius Loci: Denver Foothills
By: Alicia Bailey

I was conceived in Tiny Town, in the foothills outside of Denver, child of a Denver native. Treks through the western suburbs and foothills of Denver, although they have changed much since the 60’s and 70’s, never fail to bring on pangs of nostalgia.

Outdoors was where I could be found; in yards, vacant lots or horse farms; on porches or picnic benches.

There was safety in my outdoor haunts; unlike today’s suburbs where fear has stilled the noises that filled my childhood from dusk to dawn, no matter the season.

Curator's note: This is part of extending the Looking for Loci exhibit.

About the box: Livin' a Mod Dream

Genius Loci: 5327 E. Colfax Ave., Denver, CO
By: Jill Warner

We opened Mod Livin’ almost ten years ago in an an old pharmacy building on the famous Colfax Ave.

This is a place that we dreamed about...a place that we could satisfy our love for design! When the concept of Mod Livin' began it was a dream - a place where we could sit back and think about what if we opened our own business and did it in a way that sustained our life.

You always hear "Do what you are passionate about and you will never work a day in your life" Well maybe that is not true...but what we have created is a place where people can come and share the love of modern design. Not a day goes by that we don't meet someone that truly has made our utopia a reality!


Curator's note: This is part of extending the Looking for Loci exhibit. Mod Livin' was a proud supporter of the Denver Community Museum, our collaborator on Loci. Above is a mini Verner Panton.

About the box: DCM curator's garden

Curator's note: This is part of extending the Looking for Loci exhibit. Looking for Loci co-curator Jaime shares:


Genius Loci: My Garden, Denver
By: Jaime Kopke

I live in a tiny white house that used to be home to the carousel horses over 100 years ago. Set back from the street, hidden by a row of unkempt hedges, sits my magic garden. An enormous century-old rose bush guards the decrepit gate. The vines and the weeds are constantly creeping in, though I battle them only half-heartedly because I love the wildness of this place. Rose bushes of every color and scent fill one side, while the other hosts my overgrown plot of vegetables and flowers. It’s a place where potted plants rest next to wooden saints and candles hang from the trees. This old house is filled with history and secrets and the garden is where they are hidden.

About the box: Predominanty about birds

Genius Loci: The Bird Room, Loveland, CO
By: Marielle Butters

In my youth my father bred birds – watching these magnificent creatures from my height of two feet I began to obtain the uncanny notion that they were not only imprisoned physically by a metal cage but they were, like people, mentally caged by schemas and perceptions strong as steel that may never be forsaken.

As a child I pitied the birds for living in such a small space, but in truth, that space is no smaller than that set aside for each person who can see only so far in a society plagued by hegemony.

Curator's note: Marielle is the niece of Looking for Loci contributor Alan Disparte.

About the box: Performance art as tribute to the WPA

Curator's note: again, this is part of extending the Looking for Loci exhibit post-run. The story of this box is complex, but it's sweet history once you get into it.

Genius Loci: The Magafan Walkathon Performance
By: Anne Thulson, Denver

Posing as two WPA artists, Jenne and Ethel Magafan, we placed ourselves at two public buildings that house their murals. Anne started at Jenne Magafan’s mural “Women Settlers” at West High School, 951 Elati Street. Alli started at Ethel Magafan’s mural “The Horse Coral” at the post office at 225 South Broadway.


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We walked towards each other until we met. This happened to be at the 7 Eleven at Broadway and Third Avenue. Here we made a shrine to the Magafan sisters.

This walk mirrors the way in which the Magafan twins pieced together a living from one WPA mural commission to the next, all the way through the Great Depression with uncanny synchronicity and symmetry. It also acknowledges local work by local artists, especially the artwork done in Denver under the Treasury Department during the New Deal.

Note: From the NYT obit on Ethel:

"Ms. Magafan was born in Chicago and grew up in Colorado Springs, Colo. She and her twin sister, Jenne, an artist who died in 1952, studied with Boardman Robinson and the muralist Frank Mechau at the Colorado Springs Fine Arts Center. In the late 1930's and the 40's, she painted Government-sponsored murals in post offices in Nebraska, Oklahoma, Colorado and Arkansas, as well as in two Federal office buildings in Washington and the chamber of the United States Senate."

About the box: Confluence

Genius Loci: Denver
By: Charles (39), Annnika (10),Elise(8), and Mia (6)

Our Loci is the confluence of Cherry Creek and the South Platte River. This meeting of waters is the birthplace of our city, Denver, the place we call home.

Children's laughter can be heard, dogs park, and couples walk as the city erupts around the force of nature carving its way through the urban landscape as it has done for thousands of years. Humanity and nature form their own confluence in this Loci of Denver.

Curator's note: While the exhibit has stopped running, the pieces exist online. What I love about this family project is the detail, craft and coordination. Notice the materials and implicit thought in the image above.

About the box: let's get this party started

Curator's note: thought that it would be fun to start the new year with what I think of as the party box. Short on text, long on fun. What I love is that the execution of the box is detailed and lavish.


Genius Loci: Denver By: Leigh Bush

Denver - outside she’s one thing, but inside she’s a whole different beast.