Adam Mikos, publisher
Darlene Kryza, editor
November 1998,
Vol 1, No 1
Jump to:
Ann Marie McGlade
New Work/ Doin Shit
See McGade's
page.
As you look at the work, the first poster you encounter, when you read them
left to right, is of a dick. It's good to see her working with dicks, even if
the nut sack is sliced open in a side view.
This imagery is what makes me
excited about Ann Marie's new pieces (artistically speaking, thank you).
They look very different from here extremely dense sculptural/installation
pieces from the last few years. Most importantly to me is how she has
reduced and refined the information, both physically and psychologically.
The new stuff is a series of posters (approximately 30 x 36"),
photocopies, using
basic black line drawings and illustrations,
with a short paragraph, phrase, or quote
beneath it.
Very minimal, very straight forward. The images and text have been
pulled from the usual bizarre array of manuals, encyclopedias, cocktail
napkins,
and what-nots. The B/W, institutional look of these images makes them feel
glib or too clever, but her image choices have a peculiar element to them
which makes them far more intellectual than you first approach them.
Equally interesting is the direction she points you in
with the corresponding
phrases. It is this uncharacteristic twist that McCLade
plays with, which is most
visibly developed.
I feel some of the same issues, which she has worked on before,
are present in these newest pieces, but there is certainly a change in her
ability to both comprehend it and maneuver the viewer through them.
This new understanding of her audiences is a definite advancement from the
last body of work. I love to see it, this accomplished feeling; her stepping
forward and getting on with it. I'll keep my own interpretation of the
subjects to myself until another time; maybe till a full series has been
completed.
There is a private showing scheduled for this series upon its
completion: We will keep you posted.
The following is taken from one of AMG's
posters, which shows an illustration of a fifties style women's girdle and
printed beneath is: An optimist is a girl who mistakes a bulge for a
curve.
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~nte~p~retiue dp~irliwn ~e~irt6 onlck uJkn man, Ir~cc~ed, L taAon ~ c
rudden ~Pdl~JY/I1LG~L~. Andre Breton, LILZmawr ~ (1937)
Poison
A few months ago I picked up a story that I completely related to: The
scenery has been adamized slightly, but the gist remains unspoiled.
At one
time there was a city built along a river. The town piped all their water
from this river. Somewhere along the line, there was a poison that started
leaking into the river, gliding upstream from the city. As the people in the
city continued to use and drink the river water, they started to go a little
nutty, crazy. Meanwhile, the mayor of the city, (having a suspiciously fat
bank account) only drank wine, never the river water.
As the people continued
drinking the water, they began to think the mayor was acting strangely.
Quickly, the situation became drastic and the people of the city
were convinced the mayor had truly gone crazy. The mayor, bewildered,
couldn't understand what was happening, feeling it was definitely the other
way around.
Just as the city was preparing to go after the mayor, he thought
he might know the answer and he began drinking the water. He gulped and
gulped and gulped it down. Suddenly all the bizarre behaviors of the public
started to seem less strange. He kept on drinking the water, and when the
people finally caught up with him everything had returned to normal.
Similarly, I started watching Any McBeal last Monday. Now I'm riddled with
relationship insecurity and rubberized versions of honesty.
--Adam
Mikos
Next Month
Next month...
- Private art collection interview
- Review of new production at StrawDog Theater
Notes from Adam:
- Call for writers... Let's get together, and keep this moving.
As soon a I figure out what "it" is I'll let you know.
- Things I Like (lately)...
- Putting greens in Sportmart stores.
- Barbie's digital camera
- The show at Bodybuilder
- Objective (for now)
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Tow-Tilla NEWSFLASH
This project is penciled in for the end of January to the middle of February.
Taking a lead from the Flo-tillas which happened in Chicago before, the
Tow-tilla will be almost the same thing. Instead of everything needing to
float, however, for this event everything will need to be on wheels or have
some similar rolling motion.
After a long hiatus due to some shady dealings
with major mishap at the last Flo-tilla, there was
another effort scheduled for late spring or fall. Very cool
to see.
During this last Flo-tilla, although the pieces were anchored and
unable to go anywhere, they looked killer bobbing in the lagoon in Lincoln
Park. I don't think the rowing classes had
any idea what they were looking at (or smelling) as the organizers' metal
outboard went by, towing things like a giant floating disco ball (Jay
Gorgone), or Jno Cook's piece "Luke Dohner Chair of Flotation" which had a
lawn chair fixed to the end of a long wooden boom sticking out over the
water. A real loss, though not too many knew about it.
The Tow-tilla coming
up is open to everybody interested. Size, color, subject, etc is up to you.
Just build it and make it roll. There are a few things being organized to
happen concurrently, so it will be a good time.
I am putting together some
basic registration, and there will be a minimal fee to cover the cost of a
parade permit. Keep your eye on http://spaces.org/org for the what and
wheres. No political statement or angry message has yet been developed to
explain why we will be doing this. No particular scheme either; I like that
part.
Undisclosed Gallery Review
Where do most artists make their money other than at the practical jobs they
do to survive? It appears that collectors (yes, a breathtaking announcement)
and their generously proportioned disposable income are helping us out along
with several Chicago corporations, both public and private.
Two weeks ago
the Readers Digest managed to bail themselves out of serious financial
hardship by selling over 80 million dollars worth of art from their
collection -- mostly paintings.
There is a show open currently made up
completely from the collections of various corporations. As with the Readers
Digest one might argue over the reason behind the initial acquisition of
these pieces (photos, paintings, assemblages, etc). It seems doubtful that
their intentions were based in any sort of curatorial pursuit.
Instead,
these selections seems to be based on the market value and expected increase
of prices down the road. Yeah, real artistic integrity.
Having said that,
when I walked into this undisclosed show, I felt a number of things, "This
looks like as much of a trophy room as a deer hunting lodge",
followed by, "This is not art, it is finance; Dollar signs; Texas tea...."
Then, I looked at the work.
As you come down the stairs (hint hint) and into
the gallery you see a Robert Frank photograph. Turn to your left, a picture
of Andy Warhol, keep turning and who's there: Paschke. These and many other
big names and big dogs, but in this context they seemed small and penned-in,
bought to bark and definitely not allowed to bite.
The result were artists,
most painfully Robert Frank with whom I have an immense respect, looking
relatively flaccid in this arena. They may as well have been "Quality
Reproductions." You could tell that it was a money show; so does it make a
difference who owns certain pieces, or what their motivations are for buying
it?
Of course we would all be happy as pie to sell work, to most any
collection, but these pieces don't mean the same thing, especially in this
context. I was diluted, confused, and annoyed at the clean white smarmyness
of
the atmosphere as I zipped up and walked out.
--Adam Mikos
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