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nytimes review

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Karen Rosenberg of the nytimes on ‘Space is the Place‘

Eduardo Gil
Ferrán Martín
‘Space Is the Place’
Newman Popiashvili
504 West 22nd Street, Chelsea
Through July 31

This two-man show organized by the Venezuelan artist Javier Téllez appears at first to be an exercise in Relational Aesthetics, violating the sanctity of the gallery space in various ways that have become predictable. Fortunately, the artists use the basic principles of R.A., as the movement is known, as cover for more personal investigations. It’s about them, not us.

Ferrán Martín, who is from Spain, drops the gallery’s ceiling to the height of his dead father (5 feet 4 inches). The gesture works on a number of levels. Physically, it forces all but the smallest viewers to stoop, a dictatorial imposition. (The news release notes that Manolo Martín, Ferrán’s father, was the same height as Franco.) And because the gallery is on the basement level of a town house, the dropped ceiling is below ground; it gives viewers the disconcerting feeling of being in rising floodwaters.

Eduardo Gil, a Venezuelan, has made a video of himself hitting a tennis ball off the four walls of the gallery. The piece, “Muscle Memory 2,” isn’t exactly site-specific; it’s a version of an earlier project executed in his studio. In between ground strokes, the camera cuts to cultural objects in Mr. Gil’s possession: a standard postcollegiate mix of books and albums, with the occasional baseball card thrown in. It’s silly but endearing, as if the artist were squaring off with his former self, and benefits from Mr. Martín’s altered space.

The curator, Mr. Téllez, includes himself in the exhibition. (You may remember his video of blind people interacting with an elephant, from last year’s Whitney Biennial.) Here he has designed a poster/gallery announcement that reproduces a still from Luis Buñuel’s 1969 film “La Voie Lactée” (“The Milky Way”). It shows the pope in front of a firing squad, and offers a reminder (in case anyone still needs one) that galleries aren’t sacred spaces.

TM at Locust Projects

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According to the press release, Tasha and Monica starts today:

TM SISTERS
WHIRL CRASH GO!
July 15 – October 17, 2009
Debut performance: August 29, 2009 at 8pm
*Save the date. Seating is limited.

Locust Projects is pleased to announce the opening of the 2008 Hilger Artist Project Award Exhibition, the TM Sisters’ WHIRL CRASH GO!
On July 15th, the Miami-based collaborative will begin their 6-week transformation of Locust Projects’ space for a site-specific performance and exhibition debuting on Saturday, August 29th. Visitors are welcome to observe their progress over the summer.

In their most ambitious performance to date, the TM Sisters will present a novel production including their personal athletic skills in synchronized swimming and roller skating. There will be moments of clashing and combination of cultures, animated video projections, and vivid Miami spirit. They are collaborating with audio composer Otto Von Schirach, designer Karelle Levy of Krelwear, and a supporting crew of performers. The TM Sisters’ epic piece will culminate into a kaleidoscope event of light, sound, and action.

Monica Lopez De Victoria, 28, and Tasha Lopez De Victoria, 26, grew up in Miami and collaborate under the name TM Sisters. They work in the media of video, digital video performance, VJing, collage, social experiments, zines, clothing, installations, and interactive video created along with their brother Samuel. Their do-it-yourself ethic began with their being home-schooled together by their parents. Their upbringing included frequent discussions regarding spirituality, psychology, behavior, relationships, creativity, and truth. The sisters’ work has been included in the international exhibitions “Uncertain States of America: American Art in the 3rd Millennium,” curated by Hans Ulrich Obrist, Daniel Birnbaum, and Gunnar B. Kvaran; the Second Moscow Biennial of Contemporary Art; and “PERFORMA 07.” Recent exhibitions include “(((sparks))),” Hedreen Gallery at Seattle University, Seattle, WA and “IDEALTONIGHT,” Hollywood Art and Culture Center, Hollywood, FL.

This is the second year that Austrian-based dealer and private collector Prof. Ernst Hilger has teamed up with Locust Projects to support emerging artists. The TM Sisters were selected to receive a $2,000 cash prize and the opportunity to create a seminal work within the Locust Projects’ space.

This exhibition is made possible with the support from: Andy Warhol Foundation; Galt & Skye Mikesell; Hannibal Cox Jr. Foundation; Miami-Dade County Tourist Development Council, the Miami-Dade County Department of Cultural Affairs, the Cultural Affairs Council, the Miami-Dade County Mayor and Board of County Commissioners; State of Florida Division of Cultural Affairs. Special thanks to Ernst Hilger; Karelle Levy of Krelwear; Otto Von Schirach; and Justin Broadbent.

Locust Projects hours are Wednesday through Saturday from noon – 5:00 p.m. Beginning July 15th, visitors are welcome to observe the artists’ progress over the summer.

This exhibition will remain on view for the Wynwood and Design District Art Walk on September 12th and October 10th, 7-10pm.

WHIRL CRASH GO! will be performed again October 10, 2009 at 8pm

Locust Projects is an alternative, not-for-profit, Miami-based exhibition space dedicated to providing contemporary visual artists the freedom to experiment with new ideas and methods without the pressures of gallery sales or other limitations of conventional exhibition spaces. Artists are encouraged to create site-specific installations as an extension of their representative work and are provided a residence to live while working, offering them a vibrant Miami experience to develop their ideas and methods. Locust Projects is committed to offering an approachable and inviting venue for the Miami and international art community to experience the work and meet the artists.

For further information please contact us at locustprojects@yahoo.com or 305.576.8570.

tm sisters at locust projects