Fine Print: Alternative Media at P. S. 1 Presents
IRON ARTIST
Saturday, June 10, 3:00 pm
(Rain Date: Sunday, June 11, 3:00 pm)
As part of the series Fine Print: Alternative Media at P.S.1, Cabinet and P.S.1 present Iron Artist, an over-the-top, multimedia event of competitive, real-time art making. Inspired by the original Japanese cooking show Iron Chef, Iron Artist is an event that invites the public to witness competitive improvised art making between contemporary artists, critique and commentary of the artwork by local art personalities, and celebrate the final works in the exhibition opening immediately following the competition. Iron Artist is organized by artist Matt Freedman, Cabinet Editor-in-Chief Sina Najafi, and P.S.1 Programming Coordinator Colby Chamberlain, and is free with museum admission ($5.00 suggested donation; $2.00 for students and senior citizens; free for MoMA members and MoMA admission ticket holders).
Presented and co-organized with innovative publications from New York and nationwide, Fine Print: Alternative Media at P.S.1 is a series of programs involving panel discussions, readings, lectures, music, performance, and play. Cabinet is a magazine of art and culture that presents wide-ranging, multidisciplinary content in each issue through the varied formats of regular columns, essays, interviews, and special artist projects.
The Competition
The competition consists of two duels, each 45 minutes in length. Using materials and tools provided at P.S.1, the opponents in each duel will create artwork in response to a theme revealed to them on the spot. Running commentary will be provided by a panel of judges, roving commentators, and prominent New York art critics. Iron Artist will take place in P.S.1’s courtyard on a set designed by artist Jake Borndal.
The Artists
Duel I: Jude Tallichet vs. Olav Westphalen
Sculptor Jude Tallichet has participated in the 2002 Shanghai Biennale, the 2001 Tirana Biennale, Greater New York (2000), and executed a project for the Public Art Fund. She has had exhibitions at the Santa Barbara Contemporary Arts Forum, and the Sara Meltzer Gallery.
Sculptor Olav Westphalen was included in the 2004 Whitney Biennial and has had exhibitions at SculptureCenter, Kunstnernes Hus-Oslo, and Maccarone Inc. He completed a project for the Public Art Fund in 2000.
Duel II: Big Room (Julian LaVerdiere and Vincent Mazeau) vs. Type A (Adam Ames and Andrew Bordwin)
Big Room, an artists’ association co-founded by Julian LaVerdiere and Vincent Mazeau, has worked collaboratively with many commercial directors and fashion photographers, including Richard Avedon and Ridley Scott Associates. LaVerdiere and Mazeau also exhibit individually. LaVerdiere co-designed the Tribute in Light annual memorial for the World Trade Center and has had solo exhibitions at Museum of Contemporary Art, North Miami; Museum of Contemporary Art, Cleveland; and Lehmann Maupin Gallery. Vincent Mazeau was included in Make it Now at SculptureCenter and Nothing Compared to This at the Contemporary Arts Center in Cincinnati, and had a solo exhibition at Lehmann Maupin Gallery in 2005.
Adam Ames and Andrew Bordwin exhibit together as Type A. The artist team has had exhibitions at the Addison Gallery of American Art, the Santa Barbara Contemporary Arts Forum, ARCO, Madrid, and the Sara Meltzer Gallery. Their work was also included in Sport at Socrates Sculpture Park, Dating Data at the Josée Bienvenu Gallery, and the traveling iCI exhibition Will Boys be Boys?.
The Commentators
Roving reporters will give play-by-play commentary from the thick of the action. The commentators, MASS MoCA curator Nato Thompson, and Art in General curator and Programs Manager Sofía Hernández Chong Cuy will be assigned to an artist or artist team, providing sideline analysis of the duel. The event will be anchored by artist Matt Freedman, and The New York Observer Senior Editor Choire Sicha. Iron Artist will be captured on video and displayed on TVs for the audience in real-time, along with special video segments filmed and edited by artist and Cabinet Editorial Assistant Ned Kihn.
The Judges
A panel of four judges will give marks based on execution, originality, and how closely each artwork responded to the assigned theme. Corresponding to different significant segments of the contemporary art world, the judges include Mary Ceruti, Executive Director of SculptureCenter; Monroe Denton, collector and critic of contemporary art; Brett Littman, Deputy Director of P.S.1 Contemporary Art Center; and Becky Smith, Owner and Director of Bellwether Gallery.
The Critics
A critic will be assigned to each artist or artist team and commissioned to write a catalogue essay while works are in progress. A free catalogue for the entire event, along with the essays and images, will be designed by Cabinet Graphic Designer Leah Beeferman and printed for distribution before the end of the competition in time for the exhibition’s opening reception. Participating critics include Cabinet Editor-at-Large Frances Richard, Time Out New York Arts Editor Andrea Scott, philosopher and artist Thomas Zummer, and artist and arts writer Barbara Pollack.
The Music
Artist and musician Brian Dewan will provide musical accompaniment on organ. Dewan has performed with They Might be Giants, Blue Man Group, and David Byrne.
The Opening Reception
Members of the public are invited to the exhibition’s opening reception for the final artworks immediately following the competition.
This event is free with museum admission.
Iron Artist is made possible by the Junior Associates of The Museum of Modern Art.
Interesting , really interesting.
ReplyDeleteAnd a nice blog overall. Keep it up.