State of the Nation:
Intersection Summer Art Auction & Birthday Party
June 21 through 29, 2006 - 12 to 5pm
June 29, 7pm - Auction (live auction begins at 8:30pm)
What is the state of our nation? Join Intersection and more than 50 of California's most cutting-edge artists in a collective response to the immediate issues in our country. This unique exhibition is also an interactive auction - all of the work is available via silent and live auction. All proceeds benefit Intersection and the work we do in the community. We hope you will visit our exhibition and join us for a one-time event on June 29 - Don't miss this special chance to take home some brand new artwork!!
Participating artists include:
Kim Abeles, Brad K. Alder, Conrad Atkinson, Amy Berk, Claudia Bernardi, Sandow Birk, Carlos Cartagena, Victor Cartagena, May Chan, Scott Chernis, Chris Cobb, Ali Dadgar, Binh Danh, Lauren Davies, Lewis deSoto, Ala Ebtekar, Amanda Eicher, Tia Factor, Erez Golan, Jesse Gottesman, Robert Gutierrez, Paul Hayes, Jonn Herschend, Su-Chen Hung, Chris Johanson, Monica Johnson, Kathryn Kenworth, Judith Selby Lang, Noah Lang, Richard Lang, Lynn Hershman Leeson, Ken Light, Leslie Linnebur, Bernie Lubell, Scott MacLeod, Kara Maria, Sean McFarland, Julio Morales, Elizabeth Moy, Abner Nolan, Patrick Piazza, Maria Porges, Rigo 23, Brion Nuda Rosch, Favianna Rodriguez, Rebeka Rodriguez, Jos Sances, Andrew Schoultz, Luc Schwab, SF Print Collective, Winston Smith, Tracey Snelling, Heather Sparks, Stephanie Syjuco, Megan Wilson, Christine Wong Yap, Rene Yung.
I've donated a series of five 18"x18" posters each. They're from a project that I've been working on called Logos: Born Again in the USA. Since 9/11 and the U.S. War On Terror, the Bush Administration has used Christianity as a banner for U.S. Patriotism, pontificating to the world that America is spiritually and politically superior to all. Throughout both terms in office, George W. Bush has frequently used "God talk" to demonstrate his conviction that he's doing God's will. He called for a "crusade" against terrorists, he professed "our nation is chosen by God and commissioned by history to be a model to the world of justice," and he declared "Americans are a free people, who know that freedom is the right of every person and the future of every nation. The liberty we prize is not America's gift to the world, it is God's gift to humanity."
At the same time the Bush Administration has used God as a mouthpiece to ordain public policy, Jesus has become an emblem for the hip, fashionable, and profit-driven. Celebrities, including Ashton Kutcher and Paris Hilton, have been sporting "Jesus Is My Homeboy" t-shirts by the Los Angeles-based company Teenage Millionaire (one million of the tees have sold). Fashion's 2005 fall season featured sweaters by Dquared with the slogan "Jesus Loves Even Me"; and collections by Derek Lam and Yves Saint Laurent included pieces with Christian iconography. According to the Christian Booksellers Association, sales of clothing and accessories at Christian bookstores and gift shops reached close to $84 million in 2004.
Capitalizing on these recent trends, Logos: Born Again in the USA explores the relationships between Christianity, fashion, and American patriotism and propaganda.
Swell Ten Years Later
New work by Amy Berk, Carolyn Castano, and Megan Wilson
June 30 - August 12, 2006
Opening reception: Friday June 30, 6:00 - 9:00 PM
Artists Talk: Saturday, July 22, 2 PM
Meridian Gallery
545 Sutter Street,
San Francisco, CA 94102
415 398-7229
Gallery Hours: 11 am - 5 pm Tuesday - Saturday
In 1996, Meridian Gallery presented the exhibition Swell: new work by Amy Berk, Carolyn Castano and Megan Wilson, a humorous and glamorously serious take on femininity, its illusions, and its power in the 1990's. In Swell, 10 Years Later, Berk, Castano, and Wilson explore issues surrounding them today as established artists in their thirties including career plateaus, pitfalls and pratfalls, careerism, and the three m's: marriage, motherhood, and maturation.(A note on the exhibition: while the description of the show states that we'll "explore issue surrounding them today as established artists in their thirties including career plateaus, pitfalls and pratfalls, careerism, and the three m's: marriage, motherhood, and maturation," this is a little misleading, the works in the show reflect our current practices and how our work has developed over the past 10 years. The artists' talk on Saturday, July 22nd at 2pm will address the issues covered in the show's statement.)
About Meridian Gallery :
Meridian Gallery is one of the truly grassroots alternative art spaces in San Francisco. It's been exhibiting diverse artists and presenting an impressive range of programming for over 17 years. Founded by Anne Trueblood Brodzky and Anthony Williams; the two are still running the space on a shoestring budget that hardly reflects the amount of work they put into creating a very special and unique arts space. My relationship began with Meridian in 1995 when I began working with the gallery as a grants writer and then went on to co-found the Meridian Interns Program (MIPs) together with Amy Berk. The program continues to be one of the most innovative youth programs in San Francisco and many of the youth have continued to work with Meridian as instructors for the program and volunteers at the gallery. I have been incredibly fortunate to get to work with several of the past interns, including Devin Cecil, (a past student of mine and part of the first MIPs program), and Marina Perez-Wong (both current instructors for the MIPs program), as well as two current students, Nat and Joseph on this current show. The feeling at Meridian is really that of an extended and supportive family.
