Artist Organized Art Non-Profit Works With Artists & Institutions To Support Artist Organized Media, Events & Cultural Education By Strategic, Collaborative & Financial Means

by Jessica Higgins
College Art Association took place in Manhattan as previously mentioned, I was especially moved by the lectures of The Woman’s Caucus for Art, titled “The Art Of Being Global: International Art of International Artists.”

Mina Cheon, Professor at Maryland Institute College of Art, is an artist working cross-culturally between South Korea, North Korea and the United States. In Dizz/placement: Half Moon Eyes, Mina explores cross cultural inter-perception of female beauty. As self-image fails to be reified into key models(or stereotypes) she uncovers value contradictions between North America, South Korea and North Korea.

In her presentation, Video clips of surgery to the eyes to achieve the half moon effect are projected along with collaged images of cheerleaders and sirens and a touch-screen form of a virtual ballot booth.

“Half Moon Eyes is an interactive media installation that uses touchscreen technology… It displays a web of video clips that deal with… North Korean Women… as either military femme-bot types or mystical goddesses… dolls, sirens and national cheerleaders… beautification and objectification, constructed by and for South Korean media and tourism… a strange cultural othering… triangular relationship between America, South Korea, and North Korea.”

The panel, made entirely of artist/educator/mothers was diverse in it’s forms, Lisa Kaftori and Joan Giroux both covered an art of earth and ecology which promotes international community of understanding and an interdisciplinary collabroration in their specific art works. When the panel was finished information, ideas and inspiration swirled in the room, I felt lucky to have attended this diverse and empowering group of woman educators and artists.

by Jessica Higgins
College Art Association 95th Extravaganza took place in Manhattan at the Hilton February 14 –17th. I had the privilege of organizing as both artist organized Press and working artist, not affiliated to academia, as are most of my colleagues, but paradoxically planning to cover the event for Artist Organized Art. Having found it inspiring, here’s a report made by contrast to cultural and political unresolved conflicts resigned to televised news. 2007, Hannah Higgins, Professor at The University of Illinois, Chicago was part of a panel discussion. Titled Inter-Classrooms: Interdisciplinary, Multi-departmental, Inter-institutional Art History Projects. To bring the interdisciplinary, interclass room and Intermedia to the institution requires pioneering approaches to education which certain elite art historians are re-discovering to legitimate and effective pedagogy adjunct traditional methods. Hannah Higgins offers a matriculated course on multi-sensory informatics using Fluxus as a central study along with her colleague Professor Simon Anderson. She uses concrete reconstruction of Happenings and events from Allan Kaprow to George Brecht as a gateway into a new information architecture modeled on immersive experience itself. Ms. Higgins detailed a reconstruction of the “No Smoking” event by Brecht paralleled by the passing of Chicago’s historic ban on smoking in public. As her students held up their Brecht event “No Smoking” signs, cars passed blowing their horns generating a sonic performance coincidence . . . an experience one could only have in the moment by being there. Hannah Higgins happens to be my sister, her contributions to our thinking pool are ones I’ve always admired, we need more education that re-informs our experience of life. You can read her well thought out account of Fluxus in her Book, The Fluxus Experience. Hannah says her next book will construct, deconstruct and examine thoroughly the grid and it’s uses through out history, nature and predictions for the future, a potential for a ground breaking work. More about CAA to come. I’ll be covering Mina Cheon.

Artist Organized Art and Lance Fung Gallery

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Lance Fung Gallery participating artists included:

1996/97

Shigeko Kubota
Joshua Selman (courtesy Emily Harvey Gallery)
Gordon Matta-Clark
Tristano Di Robilant

1997/98
Suzanne Harris
Lars Chellberg
Anthony Sorce
John Roloff
Erika Knerr
Joshua Selman
Jessica Higgins

1998/99
Tristano Di Robilant
Sol LeWitt
Robert Barry
Gordon Matta-Clark
Douglas Huebler
Joshua Selman
Jessica Higgins
Richard Humann
Lars Chellberg
Erika Knerr


1999/2000
Joshua Selman
Jessica Higgins
John Roloff
Shigeko Kubota
Lars Chellberg
Erika Knerr

2000/2001
Robert Morris
Minaliza 1000
Peter Hutchinson
Joshua Selman
Jessica Higgins
Richard Humann
Erika Knerr
Lars Chellberg

Lance Fung Biography

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Added 1 1/13/07 FYI Remembering Sol:

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WRYxHod4H0E]

F L U X S W E E T

Taketo Shimada, Larry Miller and Alison Knowles with co-performers from Goonkins and Higgins families (12 year old Beckett Gookin, 5 year old Zora Gookin, 4 1/2 year old Clara Joy Selman (Dick Higgins’ Granddaughter) as well as Kirby Gookin, Robin Kahn and Jessica Higgins, plus Kirby’s student Noura Al-Salem, artists Nancy Hwang and Nelson / Electric Chaircut did vintage pieces plus Alison’s new piece “Play Paper” featuring her bean instruments and a toy.The standing room only crowd was jammed in to the Harvestworks recording studio on a rainy Valentine’s evening in SOHO NYC to celebrate performance art in its refined and vulger forms!

Nivea Cream ruined two microphone (which later were repaired) and splattered all over the floor, Alison’s glasses and made a general musical mess! The Joe Jones’ piece “Flux Music Box” worked well because of personalities of two 5 year old girls with Taketo’s elegant turntable magic which included drilling holes into vinyl LP to achieve strange wobbly sounds. Children speaking during the performance was priceless.

Larry Miller’s “Finger Exercises” included such activities as Knuckle Cracking, Tooth Plucking, Snapping Fingers and Drumming the floor. Who could guess our fingers were by themselves musical instruments.

One of the amazing visual in this concert was provided by Nelson / Electric Chaircut and Alison Knowles performance of Dick Higgins “Danger Music #2″. Alison’s white hair floated in snowy snippets and each scissor cut and razor sweep sounded like screeching car repair electrified. What an event for a Valentines night we had.Thanks to Taketo and Harvestworks, all the performers and guests. We are working on a DVD and CD of this event.

Harvestworks Digital Media Arts Center Presents: Fluxsweet: Organized by Taketo Shimada Feb 14th 7pm to 9pm Harvestworks 596 Broadway #602 tel: 212.431.1130

1. Play Paper by Alison Knowles (2003) “Consider fragments of onion skins as a musical notation. Perform with handmade musical instruments and toys” Performed by Alison Knowles, Larry Miller and Taketo Shimada 2. Flux Music Box by Joe Jones (1966) (arranged by Taketo Shimada for two 5 year olds, their moms and turntables) “Modify two or more music boxes and play them simultaneously if possible use children.” Performed by Zora Gookin and Robin Kahn + Clara Joy Selman and Jessica Higgins + Taketo Shimada 3. FINGER EXERCISE by Larry Miller (1983) “Perform with finger(s).” Performed by Alison Knowles, Taketo Shimada, Kirby Gookin and Larry Miller 4. DANGER MUSIC #2 by Dick Higgins (1961) “Hat. Rags. Paper. Heave. Shave” Performed by Alison Knowles and Nelson/ Electric Chaircut 5. Nivea Cream by Alison Knowles (1962) “First performer comes on stage with a jar of Nivea cream. The performer massages hands in front of the microphone. Other performers enter one at the time. They make a mass of massaging hands and leave one at a time following the first performer.” Performed by Alison Knowles, Kirby Gookin, Beckett Gookin, Jessica Higgins, Nancy Hwang, Noura Al-Salem and Taketo Shimada”

AIR

I’m going to post something from my AIR project soon. Come back and see it. If you have any thoughts, inspirations, images, links, text or what have you, give me an email shout.

The following are pictures from a recent show in Darmstadt, Germany.

Josh: “Was it artist organized?”
Suzy: “No, but it was run by a really nice curator and had a great group of artists.” Check out the site.



Faultlines, Suzy Sureck, 2004


Observe(d), Suzy Sureck, 2004



Observe(d), Suzy Sureck, 2004



Tokyo Wheatgrass, Suzy Sureck, New York, 2004

Taketo Shimada Wed, Dec 29, 2004 at 8:18PM

In September 1971, Gordon Matta-Clark, together with Carol Gooden set up a restaurant named “FOOD”. In October 2004, inspired by Matta-Clarkand Gooden’s entrepreneurial spirit, Taketo Shimada suggested to Charmaine Wheatley that they host SUNDAY BLUNCH at her studio.



Taketo and Charmaine will make this a regular weekly thing and will collaborate with invited artists to design and cook menus. We hope to invite one guest cook each week who will show off their culinary skill and art. Sunday Blunch begins with Taketo and Charmaine and her roommate, Dan Rushton*.



$6 charge per person should cover the cost of materials to at least help buy raw goods for Sunday Blunches. Your support is needed in building this social arena where our aesthetic, culinary, economical, intellectual and creative needs can be met. Your presence itself is the most important but feel free to donate plates, utensils, cups and cutlery and any kitchen appliances to the blunch cause! We really need a juicer.

If you are interested in legacy of Gordon and the “Food” restaurant please look at this page: http://www.artnet.com/Magazine/features/smyth/smyth6-4-04.asp

* Dan Rushton is a self proclaimed expert pancake maker and a painter who occupies the front end of the Blunching address.

WHEN:12/19/0411am-3pm

WHERE:139 South 8th Streetbetween Bedford and Driggs, one block south of Williamsburg bridge, ground floor, walk up 3 steps, doorbell on baby blue block says “CHARMAINE”. ding it a coupla times and someone’ll come to the door, come through to the back space.

Train: J to Marcy stop or L to Bedford and walk straight up Bedford for maybe 12 minutes or take the bus on Driggs up to Broadway and walk one more block to South 8th

WHAT: Sunday Blunch $6.00 Menu includes:- Eggs by Taketo- Muffins by Charmaine- Pancakes by Dan- Fresh Fruit Salad- __________- BOTTOMLESS cups of coffee or tea- Taketo will provide the perfect Back Ground Music for a Sunday Blunch.

DeLUXE options:$2.00 per Special cocktail$2.00 per glass of freshly squeezed OJ$2.00 per bowl of Oatmeal + black strap molasses or brown sugar &organic; cowmilk or soymilk

*Our ingredients are organic

Menu items available while supplies last! First come first served. Considerate smokers welcome in the garden area.

RSVP and advance PAYPAL payment, click here: http://vintermusik.com/sundayblunch
Email: sundayblunch@vintermusik.com
Please come!

– Taketo Shimada

The Mourning After: Duration’s Wisdom II
Artist: Erika Knerr
Cambio Constante V, Sepu Space,
Zaragosa, Spain, 2004

China Ink, Sepia and brown pigment on canvas.
22 feet (5 meters) square. Photos by Romuald Hazoumé.

Duration’s Wisdom II was made on the floor, by using a long handmade paintbrush. Twelve silver bowls were filled consecutively with black ink, brown pigment and water placed in a circle around the canvas. Dipping the brush into the bowls, placing it on the canvas and walking around the painting, she created a long circular, continuous line. Redipping the brush whenever needed, “I simply walked as long as I could around and around the canvas until I could walk no longer.”


The ritualistic circular walking performance was started one hour before the opening of the festival and continued 2 hours into the opening event. The three hour walk depicted a final stage of mourning as a piece in itself, made in response to the the Madrid bombings that took place a month prior. The work represents the end stages of the mourning process.


Durations Wisdom II evolved from a series of six paintings called “The Mourning After”. They are large paintings on canvas that visualize emotions tied to six stages of mourning and recovery: “Blinding Shock”, “Utopian Anger”, Grief’s Domain”, “Coping Dance”, “Memories Touch”, and “Duration’s Wisdom.” The first of “The Mourning After” paintings was made in NYC in 2003 in response to the inevitable threat of war, during the weeks preceding the invasion of Iraq. The forms create a visual flow through the grieving process and suggest that in the end the stages merge into each other, not having a clear beginning and end. The circular walk represents loss as an unending journey where one revisits the stages over and over; a walk where time and gradually moving away from the initial shock creates detachment and acceptance, but never is the emptiness refilled.


“The Mourning After” installation, Lance Fung Gallery, New York, 2003.

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