Review: Tom Burtonwood @ Hinge Gallery

"Artist Talk with Tom Burtonwood," photographed between 4:00PM & 6:00PM, August 7, 2011, at Hinge Gallery, 1955 W. Chicago Ave., Chicago, IL 60622.


Above: Tom Burtonwood presents his text "Composition 2," which is available at his website

Assisted by perspective drawing, Tom Burtonwood practices a "sort of" tessellation: graphic modulation of a complex, interlocking, quadrilateral theme on paper, in serial form.



The illusion of three-dimensional space suggested by his linear work is made to vary according to the visual impact of the tints and shades which he applies to said shapes; subtle chromatic variation is his stock in trade.



Josef Albers' use of color within a relatively compact framework of handcrafted geometric abstraction seems good to remember.[1]  Burtonwood is, like Albers was, a European.[2]  Considering color, Pae White's use of a nearly identical palette within "Reckless Rainbow" seems good to acknowledge as well.[3]  Burtonwood's show at Hinge Gallery, like White's installation atop the AIC's Bluhm Family Terrace, is available in Chicago, IL, in 2011.



With regard to White: Burtonwood's editions, choice of gouache and paper media, and inclusion of QR codes, in addition to his practice of color theory, link him yet more closely to Pop.


Above: Burtonwood's QR code incorporation

Known best in Chicago for his work (in partnership with Holly Holmes) at the nexus of economy and modern warfare, one is made to wonder where the pieces at Hinge "stand" in relation to Burtonwood's past explorations of, for example, camouflage: both its formal variations and also its psychological function.[4]



The artwork (at Hinge Gallery) is genuinely pleasant to behold; that's worth remark, given the local tide of Brut and Povera. But is Burtonwood seriously, or ironically, revisiting what are now pejoratively called "Modern" concerns?



Is it possible that Burtonwood hints not only at an exoteric formal relationship between QR codes and geometric abstraction--but also at an esoteric conceptual relationship between the production, marketing, and sales which are carried on within the seemingly disparate fields of politics and fine art?

Tom Burtonwood
"Permutations"
On display through September 4, 2011
Hinge Gallery
1955 W. Chicago Ave.
Chicago, IL 60622
http://hingegallery.com
http://tomburtonwood.com

Notes:

[1] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Josef_Albers

[2] Tom Burtonwood was born in Manchester, England, in 1974.

[3] http://paulgermanos.blogspot.com/2011/07/editorial-after-minimalism-in-chicago.html

[4] "Urban Camo Santa" by Burtonwood and Holmes: http://www.flickr.com/photos/burtoholmes/2858132902/

- Paul Germanos

Opening: August 25-28, 2011, Art in Chicago

Thursday, August 25, 2011:
Volker Saul @ Gahlberg Gallery
"K.O.F.G.A."
6:00-8:00PM
Gahlberg Gallery
McAninch Arts Center
College of DuPage
425 Fawell Blvd.
Glen Ellyn, IL 60137-6599
630.942.2321
http://www.cod.edu/gallery

+ + +

Friday, August 26, 2011
Joseph Ravens @ Polish Triangle
"Out of Site" performance series
5:00-7:00PM
Starts at "Polish Triangle," i.e.,
Division, Ashland, Milwaukee
(1600 west and 1200 north)
Moves: Division, Damen and Milwaukee
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Polonia_Triangle
http://www.outofsitechicago.com
http://www.chicagoreader.com/chicago/this-guys-penis-is-a-work-of-art/Content?oid=1981925

+ + +

Friday, August 26, 2011
Splay @ Roxaboxen
Madeleine Baily, Steven Frost, Yasi Ghanbari, Elise Goldstein, Rachel Lowther, Ivan Lozano, Brian Maller, Alison Rhoades, Tessa Siddle, Fritz Welch, and Synvia Whitney, curated by Marissa Perel
7:00-10:00PM
Roxaboxen
2130 W. 21st Street
Chicago, IL 60608
http://www.roxaboxenminicastle.com

+ + +

Sunday, August 28, 2011
Volker Saul @ Devening Projects + Editions
"Rough Cuts"
4:00-7:00PM
Devening Projects + Editions
3039 West Carroll
Chicago, IL 60612
312.420.4720
http://deveningprojects.com

+ + +

Sunday, August 28, 2011
Sculpture Garden/Painting Show @ Iceberg Gallery
Ali Bailey, William J. O'Brien, Jamison Brousseau, Jorie Rabinovitz, McKeever Donovan, Matt Rich, Christopher Gatton, Daniel Sullivan, Michelle Grabner, Justin Swinburne, Nick Kramer, Kristen VanDeventer, Samuel Lipp, and Lisa Williamson, curated by Andrew J. Greene
6:00-8:00PM
Iceberg Gallery
7714 N Sheridan Road
Chicago, IL 60626
http://icebergchicago.com

- Paul Germanos

Review: Anne Elizabeth Moore @ MCA 12x12

"For her UBS 12x12 presentation, Moore presents 'Garment Work,' a durational collective performance project in which the artist and visitors deconstruct a pair of jeans. Over the course of the month, in twice-weekly performance/workshop/discussions, Moore creates connections between Cambodia's garment manufacturing industry, where the jeans were made, and Michigan Avenue, where the jeans were purchased,"[1]


Above: Moore's Beautiful Clothing Company, Inc. labor roster, providing a visual record of audience participation in garment deconstruction

Across Chicago, fiber-based group works involving performance and installation have been organized by female leads on a regular if not frequent basis.


Above: Denim fabric subject to deconstruction

Within the not-too-distant past, the city's commercial, storefront, and not-for-profit spaces have hosted at least: Sheila Pepe at "he said she said" in April of 2011;[2] Anne Wilson at Rhona Hoffman Gallery in January of 2011 & 2008;[3] and Julia Sherman at Swimming Pool Project Space in January of 2010.[4]


Above: Individual fibers of cloth being separated

Similar to the temporary environments crafted by the aforementioned artists, Anne Elizabeth Moore's program at the Museum of Contemporary Art provides a hub of activity around which spatial and labor concerns are available for parallel consideration.


Above: Fibers sorted according to color/type

Here, as Pepe and Sherman before her, Moore relies heavily upon audience engagement: work, within the context of the piece, is available--in quantity, in skill, and in intent--as it's given at random by museum visitors.


Above: Moore in background; "Beautiful Clothing" workers in foreground

While Moore has carefully built a conceptual framework, and even an organizational structure: "Beautiful Clothing Company, Inc.," the output, or product, of the undertaking is not able to be entirely predetermined.


Above: Moore hanging documentation of the blue jeans' path of travel through the real world economy

Beautiful Clothing's "employees," in distinction to their factory-working counterparts in SE Asia, enjoy the ability to reflect upon the nature of their undertaking, collectively, in the relative comfort of the UBS 12x12 gallery space; the piece depends upon such awareness and exchange.


Above: The pants' price tag in foreground

"Garment Work," being truly social art, succeeds or fails on its own terms according to the changes in human thought and/or action which follow in the wake of its finite being.


Above: Center of gallery space; site of work activity

The larger (meta) questions raised by Moore's piece are found to spring from social art's relationship to the museum particularly and the "direction" of contemporary art generally.


Above: Waist of denim jeans, as seen in background of previous image

Moore's candor and good cause give little reason to be doubted, wherein lies the problem: Do we accept that value in art is synonymous with efficacy in the service of that which we presuppose to be just?


Above: Moore's labor roster for Beautiful Clothing Company, Inc.


Above: MCA "Garment Work" wall label

+ + +

Notes:

[1] http://www.mcachicago.org/exhibitions/exh_detail.php?id=283

[2] Sheila Pepe @ he said she said:

Above: "Common Sense" (Chicago)
April 9 - May 14, 2011
"he said she said"
831 South Grove Avenue
Oak Park, IL 60304
http://hesaid-shesaid.us

[3] Anne Wilson @ Rhona Hoffman:

Above: "Blonde"
January 14 — February 18, 2011
Rhona Hoffman Gallery
118 North Peoria Street
Chicago, Illinois 60607
http://www.rhoffmangallery.com

Anne Wilson @ Rhona Hoffman:

Above: "Wind-Up" after "Walking the Warp"
Rhona Hoffman Gallery
January 25 - March 1, 2008
118 North Peoria Street
Chicago, Illinois 60607
http://www.rhoffmangallery.com

[4] Julia Sherman @ Swimming Pool Project Space:

Above: "Room-A-Loom"
January 24 - February 21, 2010
Swimming Pool Project Space
2858 W. Montrose,
Chicago, IL 60618
http://www.swimmingpoolprojectspace.com

+ + +

Full "Garment Work" performance schedule:
- Friday, August 5, 2011:
"First Friday" opening
- Saturday, August 6, 2011:
11:00AM-12:30PM and 1:30PM-3:00PM
- Saturday, August 13,2011:
11:00AM-12:30PM and 1:30PM-3:00PM
- Tuesday, August 16, 2011:
5:30PM-7:30PM
- Saturday, August 20, 2011:
11:00AM-12:30PM and 1:30PM-3:00PM
- Tuesday, August 23, 2011:
5:30PM-7:30PM
- Saturday, August 27, 2011:
11:00AM-12:30PM and 1:30PM-3:00PM

Anne Elizabeth Moore @ MCA
"Garment Work"
Photographed 7:15PM-8:00PM
Tuesday, August 16, 2011
UBS 12 × 12: New Artists/New Work
Museum of Contemporary Art
220 East Chicago Avenue,
Chicago, IL 60611
*Free admission for IL residents on Tuesday*
Tuesday hours: 10:00AM–8:00PM
312.280.2660
http://www.mcachicago.org/exhibitions/exh_detail.php?id=283
http://anneelizabethmoore.com
http://twitter.com/mcachicago

See also Anne Elizabeth Moore interviewed by Amy Cavanaugh, August 8, 2011:
http://chicago.cbslocal.com/top-lists/anne-elizabeth-moore-garment-work/

- Paul Germanos

Pictorial: Luke Aleckson & Matt McAuliffe @ The Suburban

Above: Luke Aleckson @ The Suburban


Above: Luke Aleckson @ The Suburban, exterior view


Above: Luke Aleckson @ The Suburban, passive solar toaster (a/k/a minimalist whirligig) functional off the grid


Above: Luke Aleckson @ The Suburban, "conventional" toaster dysfunctional off the grid


Above: Luke Aleckson & Matt McAuliffe @ The Suburban


Above: Matt McAuliffe @ The Suburban, pointing towards Garth Weiser's blue stains on The Suburban's dropcloth.


Above: Garth Weiser @ The Suburban, May 2, 2010, 15 months prior to McAuliffe's installation


Above: Matt McAuliffe @ The Suburban, inhabiting the space formerly occupied by Weiser


Above: Luke Aleckson @ The Suburban, interior view

Luke Aleckson and Matt McAuliffe
August 14, 2011
The Suburban
125 N. Harvey Avenue
Oak Park, Illinois 60302
708.305.2657
http://www.thesuburban.org
http://www.lukealeckson.com

- Paul Germanos

Pictorial: Dominion @ Eel Space

Above: Patrick Holbrook of Eel Space
http://www.patrickholbrook.com


Above: Jessica Taylor Caponigro @ Eel Space
http://jtaylorcaponigro.com


Above: Eel Space


Above: Neal Vandenbergh @ Eel Space
http://nealvandenbergh.com


Above: Eel Space


Above: Amy Babinec @ Eel Space
http://amybabinec.com

Dominion @ Eel Space
Featuring: Amy Babinec, Jessica Taylor Caponigro, and Neal Vandenbergh
August 13, 2011
Eel Space
1906 S. Throop Street, 2F
Chicago, IL
eelspacechicago@gmail.com
312.550.6360
http://eelspace.wordpress.com

- Paul Germanos

Opening: August 12-16, 2011, Art in Chicago

Friday, August 12, 2011:
Tom Burtonwood @ Columbia College Chicago
"Color Studies" Book Release Party
5:00-8:00PM
Columbia College Chicago
Center for Book & Paper Arts
1104 S. Wabash Avenue, Suite 200
Chicago, Illinois 60605
312.369.6684
http://www.colum.edu/academics/interarts/book-and-paper/index.php
http://tomburtonwood.com
http://twitter.com/tburtonwood

+ + +

Friday, August 12, 2011:
Tape: A Celebration @ Chicago Art Department
Chris Silva, Chuck Przybyl, Teppei Katori, Lisa Chiodini, Frederic Moffet, Todd Frugia, Clifford Novey, Jason Frohlichstein, Timothy Olson, Edyta Stepien, Agnieszka Kulon, Mark Salach, Dandee Petr, Benjamin Thorp, Martin Rille, Nat Soti
6:00-10:00PM
Chicago Art Department
1932 S. Halsted Street, Suite 100
Chicago, IL 60608
312.725.4223
http://www.chicagoartdepartment.org/2011/08/august-2nd-friday-812-tape-a-celebration/
http://twitter.com/chicagoartdept

+ + +

Saturday, August 13, 2011:
Dominion @ Eel Space
Amy Babinec, Jessica Taylor Caponigro, and Neal Vandenbergh
6:00-9:00PM
Eel Space
1906 S. Throop Street, 2F
Chicago, IL
eelspacechicago@gmail.com
312.550.6360
http://eelspace.wordpress.com

+ + +

Sunday, August 14, 2011:
Luke Aleckson and Matt McAuliffe @ The Suburban
Luke Aleckson and Matt McAuliffe
2:00-4:00PM
The Suburban
125 N. Harvey Avenue
Oak Park, Illinois 60302
708.305.2657
http://www.thesuburban.org

+ + +

Tuesday, August 16, 2011
Anne Elizabeth Moore @ MCA
"Garment Work"
5:30-7:30PM Performance
Museum of Contemporary Art
UBS 12 × 12: New Artists/New Work
220 East Chicago Avenue,
Chicago, IL 60611
Tuesday hours: 10:00AM–8:00PM
Free admission for IL residents on Tuesday
Anne Elizabeth Moore 12 × 12 runs till August 28, 2011
312.280.2660
http://www.mcachicago.org/exhibitions/exh_detail.php?id=283
http://anneelizabethmoore.com
http://twitter.com/mcachicago

- Paul Germanos

Pictorial: Renovation Creep @ antena

"Three artists, Daniel Bruttig, Joe Cassan and Erin Thurlow [...] directly intervene in the space of antena gallery for their show 'Renovation Creep.'  Simultaneously material and ephemeral, the work here resembles the haunted, transitory nature of urban apartment dwelling."













Joe Cassan, Dan Bruttig and Erin Thurlow in:
Renovation Creep
August 5 - September 3, 2011
antena
1765 S. Laflin, St.
Chicago, IL 60608
Regular Hours: by appointment
antenapilsen(at)gmail.com
773.340.3516
http://www.antenapilsen.com
http://antenapilsen.blogspot.com
http://twitter.com/lapsus5

- Paul Germanos

Pictorial: Julia Haw @ The First Ward Ball

Above: Julia Haw


Above: "The Fall of John Lease," by Julia Haw


Above, at far left: Julia Haw


Above: Period costume at "The First Ward Ball"


Above, at center: Erin and Claire of "The Studio"


Above: "Blurred and Blurred," by Julia Haw


Above: Jeriah Hildwine in attendance


Above: "The Fear of Matt Wysocki," by Julia Haw


Above: Scott M. Priz as "Bathhouse John"


Above: Music by Tyler Beach and Larry Robertson

Julia Haw in:
Fear and Dark Currents of Memory
within
"On the Lam" installment 001:
The First Ward Ball
an interactive community performance,
scripted by Scott M. Priz,
curated by The Studio
July 31, 2011
3220 N. Lincoln Ave.
Chicago, IL
http://www.thisisnotthestudio.com
http://juliahaw.com

- Paul Germanos