Benjamin Lord's Three Tall Men
UPCOMING AT GALLERY SPACE
Three Tall Men, Benjamin Lord's upcoming curatorial project at Gallery Space, includes work by, well, three tall men. Featured artists Erik Bluhm, Peter Harkawik and Paul Gellman all measure over six feet tall. At first glance, the show's title seems to encourage viewers to uncover some cryptic relationship between the artists' heights and the art they have created. But while
Three Tall Men is an intentionally vexing title, this title is not necessarily a theme. Lord is aware of the detrimental effect themed grouped shows can have on an exhibit; oversimplifying, boxing art and artists into predetermined, specified categories. Perhaps it is inevitable for an artists' physicality not to play a part, subliminal or obvious, in his or her work - Bluhm, Harkawik, and Gellman's collages, paintings, and sculptures are no exception. As Lord describes, "there is a break between the artist and his or her work, but there is also an undeniable connection, rooted in the narratives that people use to talk about art. This contradiction is basic to the whole enterprise of art making, and I'd like to highlight it rather than pretend to erase it." With a seemingly arbitrary, ironic title like
Three Tall Men, Lord has aimed to avoid the inherent oversimplification of group shows and to keep questioning and exploration alive.
Benjamin Lord is an artist based in Los Angeles. Since receiving his MFA from UCLA in 2002, he has exhibited his work internationally. His art spans the techniques of photography, video, drawing, and sculpture, with a particular regard for the relationship between photography and reality, and the cultural environment of southern California in particular. His work often takes the form of a collection or sequence of images and texts, published as a book or portfolio. Lord is also active as a writer on art, occasionally contributing to X-tra and other publications.
INSTALLATION IN PROGRESS:
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Three Tall Men opens at Gallery Space this Saturday, October 9, with an opening reception from 7 – 9p and a special video screening at 8p. For more information, please contact gallery@space15twenty.com.
lauren - 10.08.2010 File under - Art, Gallery
