Tuesday, August 22, 2006

I Will Follow.


One of the liveliest shows I saw in LA was Draw a Line and Follow It at LACE in Hollywood. I knew I was in for a treat when I walked in the door and heard the sounds of Steve Roden's sound installation. That guy never gets it wrong. And I mean, like, never. Plus there was A Dress that Never Ends by the LA Art Girls. There's nothing better than encountering an old fave (Roden) and finding a new one (LAAG) in the same instant. Have I mentioned what a good time I had in LA?

Yoko Ono

The show uses Fluxus methods, instructions, and objects as it's inspiration. It's a testament to the strength of the Fluxus movement and to the artists involved here that the show works so well. The truth is, shows in a similar spirit are usually tedious. It might be a freeing experience for the artists involved in these things. The rest of us? Trust me, we're bored out of our minds. But as I was saying, the LACE exhibit is far away from anything that even resembles the typical derailment.

Result Formed Before



I pretty much liked everything in Draw a Line and Follow It, but of course there were standouts. One of those pieces was a collaboration of four artists, Result Formed Before. Their installation felt like a little manageable world in the back of LACE. All those productless products. All those displays. I found it comforting and familiar, and that was worrisome. It forced me to think about what easy marks we humans are when it comes to product design and placement. It felt like a little magical forest with something dark behind every tree.

Alexandra Grant


Alexandra Grant's painting in the front room was a lot less emotionally complicated for me. I just liked to stand in front of it and looking at it's beautiful messiness. It doesn't get any simpler than that.

I followed the open, wild line they drew at LACE. I hope that some of you had a chance to do the same, as Sunday was the last day of the exhibit. I guess all good lines have to eventually find the edge of the paper, but this line was so good that it continues to move inside me, drawing me in, fleshing itself out. Have I mentioned what a good time I had in LA?




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