dayoutlast is a record of my direct engagement with mostly contemporary art, mostly Los Angelean.

As this blog has evolved since its 2010 inception, so has my perspective. What I once perceived as central within the investigation was what was central, literally, within the photographic frame that I shared here. While still an important consideration, such thinking has also given way to more peripheral considerations, ones also accompanied occasionally by text (written manifestation of thought) and the oscillations between them. What's missing here are larger unknowns surrounding issues of presentation and representation; the amount of time and space it actually takes to accomplish such first-hand observations; and the quandaries between documentation and interpretation.

Despite my attempt to communicate here with image and text what is essential in some respect about the artwork, neither representation should ever be considered a substitution for the primary viewing experience. Of course, occasionally there are exceptions.

Most of the time, these posts are merely remnants---residual fragments---from my last day out.

Thursday, January 23, 2014

Hazel Hill McCarthy III in "TOO SOON" Curated by Santi Vernetti @ Perry Rubenstein


Straws (screen 1), 2014
Tired Flags (screen 2), 2014
Python Braids (screen 3),  2014
Video, LCD Screens, Skewers, Targets
(wax rubbing on paper)
29.25 x 17.25 x inches each





I don't think I was prepared to be this confused by the works presented here. I suppose I should't be surprised on account of such a large and sprawling group show, but what I'm actually talking about are specific details that would situate and, potentially, clarify the work I considered more carefully here (and have hope for).  

As a (mis)perception of time, McCarthy's work makes no mention of running time despite it's obvious usage and exploitation of time-based media (moving video images) for painterly concerns; objects are mounted on the wall and surfaces are called into question as a primary focus.  If neglecting the fourth dimension in thought was not enough of a let down, so was the lack of mention of a third.  So, then is the "art" the punctured paper with the rest of it (framing devices)?  Whatever the case, I took the grouping as a whole, a wall installation on account of the spent casings on the floor unifying the visual field. The relationship between the holes and the spent bullets seemed straightforward enough to reinforce such thinking. To separate these works and leave trash from the working process beneath the surface and on the floor is just tacky, and not in a good way.  On the plus side, I did like thinking about media and opacity. Clearly, there was enough of both here.

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