 |
 |
| Written by Jacqueline Miro |
| Sunday, 04 July 2010 02:00
|
| NEW YORK, NY.- Nyehaus, Friedrich Petzel Gallery and Metro Pictures present “SWELL” —curated by Tim Nye and Jacqueline Miro—a survey of surf-themed art that opened July 1st at the three locations in Chelsea. Each gallery focuses on a different aspect of this work, Metro will be exhibiting many of the core group of Venice Beach artists associated with Light and Space or Fetish Finish (many of them surfers) including DeWain Valentine, Peter Alexander, Larry Bell, Billy Al Bengston, Ed Moses, as well as the Ferus Gallery artists Craig Kauffman, Ed Ruscha, Wally Berman, Bruce Conner, and Llynn Foulkes, and associated L.A. artists John McCracken, Ken Price, Joe Goode, George Herms, Tony Berlant and Helen Pashgian.
Dave Hickey, in a recent essay writes: “In its initial vogue, these works spoke directly to a new kind of artistic decorum—less aggressive than pop, less ideological than Minimalism, and less maidenly than post-painterly abstraction. It had a kind of gallantry—the cool courtesy of a well-born rake. California Minimalism created a gracious, social space in its glow and reflection; it treated us amicably, made us more beautiful by gathering us into its dance. It still does this today, so I am not amazed by the renewed interest in this work. I am still amazed, however, that my beach-bum pals could have created such a capacious and courtly art, although beach bums, I suppose, have dreams like everybody else.”
In its early experimental stages, the “L.A. Glass and Plastic” group and the “Cool School” referenced the movement that would eventually be known as Finish Fetish. The growing industrialization of the West Coast also influenced many of these artists to produce objects that were completely handcrafted, yet were so seamless and streamlined that they seemed to be machine-made, thus removing the focus from the artist’s handling of the materials and placing it on other aspects of the viewing experience. “Gone were the emotion-laden brushstrokes and thickly layered abstract surfaces that spoke of serious art world issues,” art historian Boton Colburn once stated. “These were replaced by cool, smooth, transparent finishes rife with references to California culture and environment.” The artists included in the exhibition represent a cross-section of those sharing these expressive ideas, technical information, and even materials, primarily working in Venice and Los Angeles in the 1960’s and 70’s. this is especially poignant this weekend as large swells hit the california beaches. estimates are in the 8′ to 13′ swells with dangerous rip tides. http://www.nws.noaa.gov/alerts/ca.html High Surf AdvisoryVentura County Coast (California)COASTAL HAZARD MESSAGE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LOS ANGELES/OXNARD CA 209 AM PDT SUN JUL 4 2010 ...LARGE SURF AND DANGEROUS RIP CURRENTS EXPECTED TO DEVELOP ACROSS SOUTH AND SOUTHWEST FACING BEACHES THIS MORNING AND PERSIST THROUGH AT LEAST TUESDAY... CAZ040-041-087-041800- /O.CON.KLOX.SU.Y.0023.000000T0000Z-100707T0000Z/ VENTURA COUNTY COAST- LOS ANGELES COUNTY COAST INCLUDING DOWNTOWN LOS ANGELES- CATALINA ISLAND- 209 AM PDT SUN JUL 4 2010 ...HIGH SURF ADVISORY REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 5 PM PDT TUESDAY... A HIGH SURF ADVISORY REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 5 PM PDT TUESDAY. A STRONG STORM SYSTEM NEAR NEW ZEALAND HAS PRODUCED A LARGE LONG PERIOD SOUTHERLY SWELL. THIS SOUTHERLY SWELL ENERGY HAS ALREADY REACHED THE SANTA MONICA BASIN BUOY WITH A 20 SECOND PERIOD AND WILL CONTINUE NORTHWARD ACROSS THE SOUTHERN AND CENTRAL COASTAL WATERS THIS MORNING. THE LONG PERIOD SWELL AND ASSOCIATED SURF IS EXPECTED TO BUILD QUICKLY THIS MORNING...THEN PEAK THIS AFTERNOON INTO MONDAY. DURING THE PEAK OF THE EVENT...BREAKERS OF 5 TO 8 FEET WILL BE COMMON ACROSS SOUTH AND SOUTHWEST FACING BEACHES OF LOS ANGELES AND VENTURA COUNTIES...WITH LOCAL MAX SETS UP TO 10 FEET POSSIBLE ACROSS FAVORED SOUTH TO SOUTHWEST FACING LOCATIONS. THE SANTA BARBARA COUNTY SOUTH COAST SHOULD BE MOSTLY PROTECTED FROM THIS LARGE SWELL DUE TO THE CHANNEL ISLANDS. PEOPLE PLANNING TO HEAD TO THE BEACHES DURING THE REMAINDER OF THIS FOURTH OF JULY WEEKEND SHOULD BE AWARE THAT THIS LARGE SWELL WILL LIKELY ARRIVE RATHER SUDDENLY THIS MORNING...POTENTIALLY CATCHING BEACH-GOERS OFF GUARD...AND WILL BE CAPABLE OF SWEEPING PEOPLE OFF THEIR FEET ACROSS THE SURF ZONE...ROCKS...AS WELL AS JETTIES AND BREAK WALLS.BEACHES EXPECTED TO BE MOST IMPACTED BY THE SURF INCLUDE THOSE FROM MALIBU WESTWARD THROUGH SOUTHERN VENTURA COUNTY INCLUDINGZUMA BEACH...AND SOUTH FACING BEACHES OF LOS ANGELES COUNTY NEAR THE ORANGE COUNTY LINE. THERE WILL BE DANGEROUS RIP CURRENTS AS WELL WITH THIS EVENT... ESPECIALLY ACROSS SOUTH TO SOUTHWEST FACING BEACHES SUNDAY THROUGH AT LEAST TUESDAY. PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS... A HIGH SURF ADVISORY MEANS THAT HIGH SURF WILL AFFECT BEACHES IN THE ADVISORY AREA...PRODUCING RIP CURRENTS AND LOCALIZED BEACH EROSION. |
Fuzzypictures's Weblog 