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LA Based Visual Artists Who Also Write About Art

 

Featuring works by:

Scarlet Cheng
Ken Gonzales-Day
Doug Harvey
Louinn Lota
Tom McGovern
Margaret Morgan
Charlene Roth
Tyler Stallings
Jody Zellen

Organized by Clayton Campbell

March 13 - May 1, 2004
Reception: Saturday, March 13, 7-9pm
1639 18th Street, Santa Monica

Santa Monica, CA – 18th Street Arts Center inaugurates its 15th Anniversary and unveils its newly-renovated and enlarged gallery with "Artistswhomakeartwriteaboutitandjustdoitall: LA-Based Visual Artists Who Write About Art", an interactive group exhibition of visual works by artists who are also art writers and critics. The exhibition runs March 13 – May 1, 2004 at 18th Street Arts Center, 1639 18th Street, Santa Monica, north of Olympic Boulevard. The opening reception is Saturday, March 13, 7-9pm. There will also be a press launch for the gallery and 2004 exhibitions on Tuesday, March 9, 12-2pm.

Artist and arts writer Clayton Campbell assembles a group exhibition of Los Angeles visual artists who may be better known locally for their arts writing 'by-line.' Many critics and theorists are practicing artists, but this identity (which may include their writing) is often obscured by their role as arts writers. Despite many precedents of artists also working as leading curators and arts writers, the participants question whether in this specialized and commercialized era the artist can successfully wear several hats at once. How does writing affect their art making, not only in terms of perception and career, but also in terms of the growth of their aesthetic investigations? The assembled group takes a stab at these conundrums.

The public, especially other artists who have been reviewed by the exhibiting artists, will be encouraged to respond with their own reviews at a computer terminal placed within the gallery. The reviews will be posted on a special section of the 18th Street Arts Center web site. Thus, another layer of criticism and implicit commentary on the culture and politics of the art world will be added to the exhibition.

This exhibition also marks the premiere of 18th Street’s newly-renovated and enlarged main gallery, encompassing nearly twice as much wall and floor space as the previous gallery, as well as the first in a series of 15th Anniversary events.

“We are proud to open the only high-quality, community-based gallery of its kind on the Westside with a show that directly addresses issues within the L.A. art community,” states Co-Executive Director, Clayton Campbell.

 

CLICK TO READ CURATOR STATEMENT.

 

18th Street programs are supported by the James Irvine Foundation, California Community Foundation, Trust for Mutual Understanding, National Endowmwnt for the Arts, Santa Monica City Cultural Affairs Division, L.A. County Arts Commission, National Endowment for the Arts, Dana Foundation, J. Paul Getty Grant Program, and others.

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