Far away is now...

Sometimes it takes a long time to realize an idea but sometime is the right time when there is a curator willing to go the distance and an exhibition space committed to encouraging artists to "embrace their most explorative and creative ambitions." Far away is now curated by Francis Baker at 120710.art/ is now.

Many people don’t know about the oil=plastic equation but every year thousands of barrels of oil and natural gas are extracted then used to make plastic. Offshore oil drilling, tanker oil spills, tar balls washed ashore, and plastic, lots of it, are all part of our exposé as we develop an artistic response to the problem of petroleum and plastic pollution. A toy replica of an ATV gas guzzler that washed ashore displayed on top of a pile of black beach plastic from Kehoe Beach is our ah-ha and ta-da. In this case, just the black and we reiterate, nothing has been done to the black.

During our 25-year-long project we’ve been on an ongoing quest to discover how an aesthetic mind transforms plastic pollution into something meaningful, something impactful to see. When we began thinking about what to present at 120710, we settled on a simple representation of a contemporary archaeology site. Bringing the riddle of how will we be remembered? into the sanctuary of the exhibition hall turns the polemics of anger at consumer recklessness into the solutions of the joy of discovery, the pleasure of collecting, and the understanding of the mess we have gotten ourselves into. 

Viewers are encouraged to take a close look and hopefully, discover in the mess of shards and fragments, recognizable objects then ask themselves, could that comb have once been mine? and ponder — what can we do with the wreck of our petroleum-based consumer culture?

Maybe this is just a dream, but after years of work in our art studios, we do know the enchantment of creative thinking that leads out into a world where we can transform the mess into meaning. 

AND speaking of a dream — Michael J. Coren in his Climate Coach newsletter posts in the Washington Post about RIDE-ON.

 Press Release FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Far away is NOW

A Dynamic Exploration of Human Impact on the Environment

Opening reception:  Saturday, December 2nd, 4:00 - 8:00 pm

Closing event:  Saturday, January 20th, 1:00 - 5:00 pm

120710, 1207 10th St. Berkeley, CA

Curated by Francis Baker, the upcoming exhibition "Far away is NOW" at the non-commercial art space 120710, presents a poignant exploration of the challenges exacerbating the climate crisis. Opening on December 2nd, this exhibit showcases an emotive collection of works across diverse media, delving into urgent concerns such as record-breaking heat, rain and fire occurrences, the plastic consumption crisis, and the profound impact of human infrastructure on the environment. In addition, the exhibit provides insights into the intersection of AI with our comprehension of information and self-perception. 

In an era increasingly defined by extreme weather and environmental crises, "Far away is NOW" invites viewers to confront the reality of the Anthropocene—the era of significant human impact on the Earth's geology and ecosystems.

The exhibition brings together a diverse array of voices spanning over a 40-year age difference among participants. This diverse assembly not only amplifies the multifaceted nature of experiences but also underscores the essence of intersectionality in addressing climate change. Illuminating how various social identities—such as race, gender, age, and socio-economic status—intersect and compound. "SOOT" by Stacy Goodman, serves as a reminder of the inequality inherent in climate change impacts. Goodman's work emphasizes how geographical location significantly dictates the quality of the air we breathe. Through this piece, Goodman draws attention to the differential effects of environmental crises, shedding light on how marginalized communities disproportionately bear the brunt of these consequences.

Charlotta Hauksdottir's interactive photographic piece allows viewers to take home a fragment of the artwork. As more people interact, the piece evolves and degrades, symbolizing the transient and fragile nature of our environment. Alicia Escott creates bittersweet sculptures that showcase the entanglement of humans, technology and the environment.

At the core of Brett Amory’s work lies an exploration of the human condition and introspection. His art raises a critical question: how does our constant interaction with technology shape and influence us? By feeding nonsense prompts into AI image generators, he gets alien images out. This reflects the echo chambers of news and social media that contribute to climate change denial: garbage in garbage out. Amory’s art serves as a poignant reflection on the ways in which our relationship with technology molds our perspectives and behaviors, ultimately influencing critical issues like climate change awareness and denial.

In a time when environmental concerns dominate global discourse, abstracted art offers a unique communication that transcends traditional news outlets and social media. This visual form enables viewers to deeply engage with the extensive impacts of human activities on our planet. Artists Hughen/Starkweather and Lisa Kiros examine the human-environment interaction, focusing on themes such as deforestation and the creation of man-made structures for water control and shoreline construction. Meanwhile, Ron Moultrie Saunders redefines the typical use of photography, harnessing the sun's power to create abstract, alternative-process photographs. These images compel viewers to reflect on their personal experiences with extreme weather, fostering an emotional understanding and connection with these environmental phenomena. 

Engaging Public Programs

The artist team Judith Selby Lang and Richard Lang collect plastic debris from a 1000-yard stretch of Kehoe Beach in Point Reyes. Addressing the link between plastic production and oil, they are creating an expansive installation that critiques our petroleum-based consumer culture. Francis Baker responds to society's obsession with plastic by cutting it up to simulate the formation of microplastics. Utilizing these fragments and the power of the sun, he crafts photograms that highlight the connection between our actions, their environmental consequences, and the impact on the earths protection from the sun. To conclude the exhibition, on January 20th from 2-6 pm, Judith Selby Lang, Richard Lang, and Francis Baker will host a participatory event. Here, visitors can create their own photograms using the plastic debris from Kehoe Beach, offering an engaging and hands-on experience in environmental art-making.

120710 is committed to fostering experimentation in art, providing the perfect backdrop for this exhibit. The artists have created new works that spark critical conversations about our collective future.

The gallery is ADA accessible, ensuring an inclusive experience for all visitors.

The exhibition runs from December 2nd, 2023, to January 20th, 2024, at 120710, 1207 10th Street, Berkeley, CA. Admission is free, with the gallery open on Saturdays from 12-4 pm and by appointment Monday, Wednesday, and Friday by calling: 341-205-1331

For more information, please contact 341-205-1331

We are often asked, "Did we do something to the color?"

For RIDE-ON we present a large pile of black plastic, reminding, that this all comes from just 1000 yards of one beach, gathered by two people. Two people who remind NOTHING has been done to the color. It turns out the worst in the plastic mess is black plastic. Easily colored with carbon black and therefore most ubiquitous, black plastic is shunned by recyclers because the black finds its way into everything, turning the batch grey. Grey being the least marketable color on the shelf. 

Dr. Joe Schwarcz from McGill University writes about the problem of black plastic. He reports black as 15% of the waste stream. By our collecting count, it is much more, maybe 30%

https://www.mcgill.ca/oss/article/environment-did-you-know/dark-side-black-plastics

Food for Thought

Yum and yum again at the Randall Museum.

Café Josephine with its jaw dropping view of the San Francisco skyline offers a jaw dropping menu of fresh-daily soups, salads and sandwiches. The food is worth the trip plus the latest exhibition Food for Thought offers much to ponder as we consider the environmental impact of what we eat and how.

After enjoying sandwiches on the deck, we meandered through the museum interacting with the kid-friendly activity stations that encourage healthy choices for ourselves and for health of our  planet

The Ocean's Food Buffet was serving up a tasty selection of plastic and to our great surprise used the photo of Judith in her red rain coat midst a mess of plastic washed up on to Kehoe Beach. IMAGINE IF THIS WAS YOUR LUNCH.

Our large trawl net, filled with a jumble of plastic pieces and plastic water bottles... loomed overhead. Twinkling lights above cast shadows to enhance the feeling of being deep underwater.

Along the edge of the entrance to the littoral cave were slips of paper, kelp blades, where visitors wrote their promises for the ocean. 

Ryan and Charlotte wrote:

I will always care for the ocean

.

We've all seen the heartbreaking images of sea turtles wrapped in plastic bags, or a sea turtles mistaking a floating bag for a jelly fish— a tasty but deadly lunch. YUM!.

Oceans of Plastic. Yes, we've got it. We were pleased to see how the museum design team put our fishing nets, bottle, bags and pieces of plastic to use and how they took to heart several of our messaging suggestions. Giving museum goers and us plenty of food for thought.

 

Artists Climate Collective

The Artists Climate Collective is an organization of dance artists committed to using their skills to have a positive impact in the fight against climate change. Their bylone:

SHARE ART. SPREAD AWARENESS. 

Our thanks to Cora Cliburn, outreach director, for reaching out to us and in turn reaching out to the ACC community. Here are her Instagram pics and posts from our Lobby Night at ODC.

ODC

In 2010 we visited "Van Gogh, Gauguin, Cezanne and Beyond: Post-Impressionist Masterpieces" from the Musee d'Orsay at the De Young Museum. We were thrilled by the fanciful bustle dresses from the late 1800s and marveled at the similarity of their sashay to the balloons we often find on the beach.

We are grateful to  ODC for giving us the opportunity to realize our Sashay dancing balloons vision from some 13 years ago. Frequented by café patrons and theater-goers, the Lobby Gallery features artists whose practices center on environment, sustainability, migration, and/or dance.That's us!!!

Many thanks to Brian Williamson, Theater Venue Manager, and Cora Cliburn, Company Dancer and Outreach Director @artistsclimatecollective for helping to make our show possible. Special thanks to Electric Works, Noah and Kris Lang for their expertise, making our photos/prints shine.

Like many girls, at age 5, I loved dancing and was on my way to being the Swan Queen. Although I had the poise and skill, my teacher dashed my hopes. She said that my neck was going to be too short and I would never be tall enough to be in the Corps let alone a soloist or principal. Plus, my legs were too chunky, not svelte enough. How she could tell all this? Maybe it’s like looking at a puppy's paws to determine how big a dog will get. Although she diminished my professional ambitions she did not change my love of dance.

My parents were big believers that lessons — ballet, ukulele, piano, tap, made for a well-rounded person. Maybe not round but square, dancing that is, was the dance of the day in Dallas in the 50's. Since everyone needed to know how to do the do-si-do, promenade left and right, swing your partner, square dancing was even taught in elementary school. Hey, it's Texas!!!

When Hawaii became a state in 1959, my mom and me, along with all of our  neighbors embraced island comfort by wearing muumuus and flip-flops and learning to hula. Aloha!

Fortunately, in my teens, the rules of formal ballet were called into question. The role of trained and untrained dancers and the value of all body types opened the stage for the performance arts: improv and happenings. 

In 1970, in college, in Claremont, CA, I found Darth Ivins, a teacher who introduced me to interpretive dance. In a multi-sensory way, she challenged us to dance as if moving through peanut butter; as if moving through jello; then express the difference. Along with the discipline of the body, she made embodiment crazy-fun.

I became enthralled with dancers/choreographers Pina Bausch, Merce Cunningham, Maguy Marin, Mark Morris, Anna Halprin to name only a few of the many innovators whose extraordinary performances I've been witness to. 

My personal free-form repertoire includes dancing with the waves at the seashore and with the birds on mountain tops. At Burning Man I've raved to the pulse of the electronic beat. Of late, I love to bend and swoop at a more relaxed pace, moving through space/life, especially in the garden, where walking with grace is my dance.

Now at ODC, I'm pleased to come full circle (do-si-do) dancing with Richard and our exhibition of dancing balloons. Sashay, is now at ODC, November 1 - November 27, 3153 17th St, San Francisco, CA.