Studio Visit download

One of the oversized video screens at Exit Art's Studio Visit.


A corridor of viewing booths.

Last week my sister was visiting on her way from a convention in Las Vegas to one in Paris. She lives in Israel, so it was a treat to be able to spend two days in the city with her.
Friday was art day. After dropping off a submission for From the Art of New York, a benefit for New Orleans we took the bus up 10th Avenue to Exit Art. It was her first look at the exhibition, my third. And it was definitely a charm.
I got a chance to meet and talk a bit with two of the artists whose studios were in the windows flanking 36th Street: Christopher Clary and Paul Wirhun.
Chris's Polaroids document hair in the context of an exploration of what it means to be a man. Since Pam and I both have very long hair, he took pics of us too; although the photos are predominantly male, he does have a few women mixed in. (Which makes sense to me. Exploring masculinity references its opposite and/or balance even if unspoken.)
Paul on the otherhand painstakingly paints, etches and obsesses over egg and their shells. He's got an alter ego that's a clown. He grants wishes that you would never tell anyone. (Never mind that the perfect wish came into my head a full week later. Go figure.) Being in his studio window was magical.

Paul Wirhun in his eggdom at Exit Art.

Christopher Clary and his photos.

Still life with feet.

The Studio Visit will Reopen February 21 through March 25th, due to overwhelming demand. It really is an amazing exhibition, showcasing a vast interpretation of what it means to be a studio in the artist's mind. Everything from documentation of process to high concept video work is on view, larger than life on three screens - and in smaller pod like booths with tv sets and benches inside. And of course the studio-in-the-window installations.
As I mentioned in an earlier post, the opening really blew me away. And it's worth mentioning that the whole process of putting together a video for this show was a real muscle stretcher. I would do it completely differently if I had to do it all over again. And I am hoping to be able to spend more time exploring video as a media for some of the ideas I'm developing. Exit Art just opens my heart and my head. Being involved with an organization like this is a real treat. Whenever I feel wistful about going back to school to get my MFA, I am reminded that learning via real life is about as authentic as it gets. It would be great to go back to school, but it's nice to think of life as one big university.