Culture Lab Detroit and Museum of Contemporary Art Detroit ...
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Culture Lab Detroit and Museum of Contemporary Art Detroit Present Public Commission by Artist Gary Simmons DETROIT—(August 31, 2016)—Culture Lab Detroit (CLD) and Museum of Contemporary Art Detroit (MOCAD) are pleased to present a public work by Gary Simmons, on display at 1301 Broadway, #101 with support from Bedrock. This site-specific immersive installation will open to the public September 15th with a reception from 5 to 7pm, and will remain on display until January 1st. For his first public project in Detroit, Simmons has wallpapered the space with self-created musical fly posters that reference specific musical styles, as well as their attendant subcultures and sociopolitical connotations. Referencing dub, Motown, punk, reggae, rock ‘n roll, and techno, these singular images form an auditory autobiography for Simmons, as well as a cross- section of American culture over the past half-century. Photo credit: JKA Photography. Courtesy the artist and Anthony Meier Fine Arts, San Francisco Gary Simmons’ installation inaugurates Culture Lab 2016, a two-day series of discussions, dinners, and public projects centering around different approach to walls--architectural or ideological boundaries which both define cultural practice and limit our understandings of art, architecture, and other cultural undertakings. The conversations will be held September 15th and 16th; more information can be found at www.culturelabdetroit.org.
Transcript of Culture Lab Detroit and Museum of Contemporary Art Detroit ...
CultureLabDetroitandMuseumofContemporaryArtDetroitPresentPublicCommissionbyArtistGarySimmons
DETROIT—(August31,2016)—CultureLabDetroit(CLD)andMuseumofContemporaryArtDetroit(MOCAD)arepleasedtopresentapublicworkbyGarySimmons,ondisplayat1301Broadway,#101withsupportfromBedrock.Thissite-specificimmersiveinstallationwillopentothepublicSeptember15thwithareceptionfrom5to7pm,andwillremainondisplayuntilJanuary1st.ForhisfirstpublicprojectinDetroit,Simmonshaswallpaperedthespacewithself-createdmusicalflypostersthatreferencespecificmusicalstyles,aswellastheirattendantsubculturesandsociopoliticalconnotations.Referencingdub,Motown,punk,reggae,rock‘nroll,andtechno,thesesingularimagesformanauditoryautobiographyforSimmons,aswellasacross-sectionofAmericancultureoverthepasthalf-century.
Photocredit:JKAPhotography.CourtesytheartistandAnthonyMeierFineArts,SanFrancisco
GarySimmons’installationinauguratesCultureLab2016,atwo-dayseriesofdiscussions,dinners,andpublicprojectscenteringarounddifferentapproachtowalls--architecturalorideologicalboundarieswhichbothdefineculturalpracticeandlimitourunderstandingsofart,architecture,andotherculturalundertakings.TheconversationswillbeheldSeptember15thand16th;moreinformationcanbefoundatwww.culturelabdetroit.org.
“CultureLabDetroitisaboutmakingconnections—betweenminds,fields,andcommunities,”saidCLDFounderJaneSchulak.“Thisexcitingprojectisaperfectexampleofthat.Gary’ssingularprojectbothenhancesandpayshomagetoDetroit.”ThisisthefirstmajorcollaborationbetweenCLDandMOCAD,andmarksanothermilestoneinCLD'shistoryofworkingwithlocaluniversitiesandinstitutionstocultivateprojectsthatfocusonbringingintheworld'stopartistsanddesignerstogeneratepublicengagement.Bedrock’ssupportallowsthissite-specificcontemporaryartworktoinvigorateahistoricspaceandthesurroundingcommunity.Simmons’installationchampionstheculturalhistoryofDetroit,presentingitsmusicandartasacauseforcontemplationandcelebration.“AsMOCADapproachesour10thanniversary,Iamfilledwithprideforourpioneeringhistory,aswellasourroleasaleaderinthelocal,national,andinternationalartworlds,”saidMOCADExecutiveDirectorElysiaBorowy-Reeder.“OurmissionistosupportthevanguardofcontemporaryartandGarySimmonsandourpartnershipwithCultureLabDetroitandBedrockcelebratesourpurposewithboldness.”
“AtBedrock,weliketoinfusecreativityintoeverythingwedoandfinduniqueusesforallofourrealestate.Artisahugepartofcreatingavibrantdowntown,bringingcommunitiestogetherandmakingDetroitaone-of-a-kinddestination,”saidDanMullen,ExecutiveVicePresident,Bedrock.“WearethrilledtohostGarySimmons.He’stheperfectartisttoshinealightonthecity’srichmusicalhistoryanddowntownDetroitmakestheidealbackdropforhisiconicwork.”
Thoughappearinginavarietyofspaces,thisworkindeliblyreferstotheguerillatechniqueofwheat-pastingposterstofences,facades,doorways,andothermakeshiftsurfaces,effectivelyturninganurbanlandscapeintoamediumforculturaldissemination.Theaestheticeffectisoneofurgencyandintervention,andasaresult,fly-postergraphicshavelongbeenintegraltoagivenmusicalsubculture.Byreplicatingthisimagerywithintheconfinesofthegallery,alteringitincolorandcompositionwhileallowingthemaingraphicthrustoftheimagerytoremain,Simmonspresentsonce-slightedordisenfranchisedephemeraasvitalcontributionstocultureatlarge.
TheDetroitprojectisthelatestiterationofanongoingseries.SimmonshasinstalledsinglewallsattheBaldwinGalleryinAspenandtheSimonLeeGalleryinLondon.Recently,heactivatedtheentireinteriorofAnthonyMeierFineArtsinSanFrancisco.Importantly,theDetroititerationwillbethelargestoftheseries,andthefirsttobepresentedasapublicinstallation.Addingtothesite-specificnatureoftheproject,forthisiterationSimmonsdesigned13postersspecificallyreferencingDetroitmusic.ImagesofanotheriterationofthisinstallationbyGarySimmonscanbedownloadedhere
ABOUTGARYSIMMONSGarySimmonswasrecentlyfeaturedinthe56thInternationalArtExhibitionAlltheWorld’sFuturescuratedbyOkwuiEnwezorandorganizedbytheVeniceBiennale.HewasalsoincludedintheSharjahBiennale12intheUnitedArabEmiratesandProspectNewOrleans3.SelectedpubliccollectionsincludetheAlbrightKnoxArtGallery,Buffalo,NY;BaltimoreMuseumofArt,Baltimore,MD;HirshhornMuseumandSculptureGarden,Washington,D.C.;TheMiamiArtMuseum,Miami,FL;MuseumofContemporaryArt,Chicago,IL;TheMuseumofContemporaryArt,LosAngeles,CA;TheMuseumofModernArt,NewYork,NY;PhiladelphiaMuseumofArt,Philadelphia,PA;TheSaintLouisArtMuseum,St.Louis,MO;SanFranciscoMuseumofModernArt,SanFrancisco,CA;StudioMuseumHarlem,NewYork,NY;WalkerArtCenter,Minneapolis,MN;andtheWhitneyMuseumofAmericanArt,NewYork,NY.ABOUTCULTURELABDETROITCultureLabDetroitfostersconversationsandcollaborationsbetweenDetroitandtheinternationaldesigncommunity.Throughpublicdiscussions,exhibitions,publicartprojects,andcreativepartnerships,CultureLabDetroitexploresandpromotesthevitalroleofcultureinthemindfulregenerationofthecity.TheorganizationwasfoundedbyJaneSchulakfoundedCultureLabDetroitin2013,inpartnershipwiththeDetroitCreativeCorridorCenterandtheCollegeforCreativeStudies.ABOUTMOCADThemissionoftheMuseumofContemporaryArtDetroitistopresentartattheforefrontofcontemporaryculture.Asanon-collectinginstitution,MOCADisresponsivetotheculturalcontentofourtime,fuelingcrucialdialogue,collaboration,andpublicengagement.ABOUTBEDROCKDetroit-basedBedrockisafull-servicerealestatefirmspecializinginacquiring,leasing,financing,developingandmanagingcommercialandresidentialspace.Sinceitsfoundingin2011,Bedrockhaslocatedmorethan160officeandretailtenantstoDetroit’stechnology-centricdowntown.Inaddition,Bedrockanditsaffiliateshaveinvestedmorethan$3.5billioninacquiring,renovatinganddeveloping95+propertiesindowntownDetroitandClevelandtotalingmorethan15millionsquarefeet.Withamissiontoactivateitspropertiesthroughinteractiveplacemaking,Bedrockhasproudlypartneredwithdozensoflocal,nationalandinternationalnamestomakeartacentralpartofDetroit’svisualandculturallandscape.VisitorInformationContact:313-832-6622Exhibitionhours:Wednesday:noon–4:00pmThursday+Friday:noon–7:00pmSaturday+Sunday:noon–5:00pm
PRESSCONTACTSForNationalandInternationalInquiriesAdamAbdallaCulturalCounselAdam@culturalcounsel.comHunterBraithwaiteCulturalCounselHunter@culturalcounsel.comForLocalInquiriesKathleenKennedyFerrisKennedy|FerrisCommunicationsKathleen@kennedyferris.comForInquiriesRegardingBedrockGabriellePoshadloCommunicationsManager,[email protected]
