The hyphenated
adjective “site-specific” is generally used to describe
art that is created to exist and gain context from its placement
within a particular site. The hyphen in the title of this show
has been
intentionally dropped for the purpose of differentiating the work
being done by these three artists. While location is taken into consideration
in the creation of these artists’ works, the art products are not
intended to exist at the site. Rather their art uses sites only as
references to anchor the meaning of their work and to develop a forum
for dialogue.
John Newlander
Newlander uses photography to capture traces of various sites
within Orange County. In Borders, 26 sites are significant
only because of their locations along the borders of Orange
County. In Orange County: The Beauty Within, 12 sites are significant
only because 12 volunteers proclaimed them as beautiful. Exploring
ideas of place, and how place defines identity or how identity
defines place, Newlander uses site-specific references to anchor
his images within the context of locality.
Julie Easton
Easton uses site-specific locations to position her artworks within
a context of the recycling of human detritus. In Throw-Aways:
The Art of Collecting, Easton creates mixed media and multi-media
pieces from cigarette butts, bullet shells and acorns—debris
gathered from sites that are significant only because of the
litter that people have chosen to leave behind. In her other
explorations, she uses photography to capture traces of sites
within Managua Nicaragua’s garbage dump that are significant
only because of the people who are dependent upon other people’s
cast-offs.
Gary Simpson
Simpson uses fresco to create collages made of soil retrieved from—ultimately—all
192 countries in the United Nations for a work titled Commonground191.
The sites from which the soil is acquired are significant only
because a local volunteer has chosen that location as their personal
experience of that country. Simpson investigates a wide range
of socio-political issues through absolute and abstract images
exploring chaos and harmony. Displayed at OCCCA is study 14/38
completed in 2004, three years after 9/11/01.
All three artists work in a documentary fashion. They use site
specificity to create a dialogue and to anchor the meaning of their
work. But these dialogues have relevance far beyond the sites used
by the artists. Their work creates an awareness of general principles
by using the device of a site-specific example. It is left for
the viewer to resonate with the work based upon his or her own
site-specific experiences or knowledge. Site Specific generates
more than a singular identity with a particular location; but rather,
it triggers relationships and comparisons with individual and personal
sites of human existence.
Special events during
this exhibition:
First
Friday Films: July 6th, 2007
Looker (1981)
Director: Michael Crichton
experimental
Music Concerts:
EMC
#9, Sat July 28:
*The Panties
*Obsolete Heart
*Walk In Medical
*B-side Effect
EMC
#8, Sat July 14:
*At Land
*Madamn Grislee
*Marc Levinthal
*Eddie The Rat
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