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17 Reasons
A series of temporary art-interventions around the Mission District in San Francisco. Sunday November 9 - Sunday December 14, 2003
curated by Kate Fowle and Jack Hanley
Artist: John Baldessari, Kathrin Bohm, Anne Collier, Jeremy Deller, Trisha Donelly, Simon Evans, Harrell Fletcher, Mark Harris, Matthew Higgs, Dean Hughes, Jo Jackson, Chris Johanson, Kevin Killian, Ann Lislegaard, Michael Loggins, Mads Lynerup, Euan MacDonald, Mathieu Mercier, Aleksandra Mir, Jarrett Mitchell, Julio Morales, Dave Muller, Scott Myles, Simon Periton, Henrik Plenge Jakobsen, Will Rogan, DJ Simpson, Joe Sola, Mungo Thomson,
Jeffrey Vallance, and Erwin Wurm.
"For over sixty years the phrase '17 reasons' illuminated the sky over the Mission District in San Francisco. Originally designed as a marketing slogan for a furniture company that has long gone, the towering art deco sign became an enigmatic icon in the area, giving rise to much speculation as to its meaning.
In a similar spirit, and with a nod to the disappearance of this celebrated landmark, Kate Fowle and Jack Hanley are organizing a project by the same name that will take place in and around the Mission.
Over 25 artists have been invited to propose temporary interventions into the ordinary, and in some cases extra-ordinary activities and sites in the area. Inserting the new works into street life, while also substituting commercial and redundant premises for the white cube, the project is intended to inspire inquiry into other hidden or obscure aspects of the neighborhood.
Artists are developing poster projects, video and sound works that will be installed in shops, custom t-shirts, bookmarks and the production of records, among other ideas. Jeffrey Vallance is proposing a street performance called Blessing, where he will collaborate with clergy and priests from different religious groups to bless passers-by, art-lovers, objects, art and pets. Joe Sola is working with Hollywood stuntmen to develop an exploding piñata of himself that will appear in a shop window. Aleksandra Mir is working on a project with the local free newspapers, while Dean Hughes will be making surreptitious artworks on used clothing that will be re-circulated through thrift stores in the neighborhood. Chris Johanson is plotting a scheme with helium balloons, Ann Lislegaard is creating hysterical laughter and John Baldessari is producing a large poster that will be fly posted throughout the streets."
Posted by delpesco at April 17, 2004 03:14 PMKate Fowle asked Helena and I to facilitate a Dave Muller project for the 17 Reasons exhibtion. Dave's project involved an exchange system. . .between people's favorite records and drawings made by DM. The drawings were watercolors of folding chairs that were framed to look like polaroids (w/black square on back) and the records would enter into Dave's extensive collection (for use while DJing) and would be played at the exchange site for the duration of the exhibiton. We decided to locate the project at Harrington's used furniture store where we cleared some space amist a chaotic pile of mostly wood tables and chairs. The owners son -Shane- and his co-worker Andy were very nice to us (two 30 something guys). We later realized, however, that we landed a very lucky time window - because it turns out that the owner is a total asshole and just happened to be away for a few months. Right after the project was over (it ran every Saturday for a few Months) we found out that Andy was fired . . .I can only hope it wasn't because of us.
Posted by: Joseph at April 24, 2004 07:19 PM