Traditionally cultural institutions have excluded ongoing dialogue about social issues outside of the art world. Artist Allan Kaprow wrote, "life in a museum is like making love in a cemetery" from a 1967 published conversation with Robert Smithson, metaphorically equating a museum with a cemetery - a dead and sterile space. Kaprow's quote motivated multiple collaborative community based projects currently being executed by the first year Public Practice MFA graduate students at OTIS College of Art and Design. In 2010 the graduate students in collaboration with LACMA Lab's founding director, Bob Sain; artist Andrea Bowers, art administrator Pauline Kamiyama and the 18th Street Art Center will develop an exhibit as laboratory. The social/political obligations of cultural organizations to their respective communities will be investigated through partnerships with several community based organizations. The project's ethics of action and engagement will lead to an artistic manifestation, and the participating Public Practice artists hope the communities involved will realize positive outcomes that will outlast the exhibition. This public presentation will be presented at the 18th Street Art Complex Gallery as part of an overall exhibition from January 23rd - March 26th 2010.
While approaching the exhibition the students will be updating their group blogs on a weekly basis, your feedback is greatly appreciated.
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