CCA Wattis Institute for Contemporary Arts Paul McCarthy’s Low Life Slow Life: Part 2 January 27–May 30, 2009 Opening reception: Tuesday, January 27, 6–8 p.m. The highly acclaimed Los Angeles–based artist Paul McCarthy returns this spring with the second half of his two-part exhibition, this time focusing on the 1970s. That era witnessed the rise of radical political organizations and artist collectives motivated by a convergence of the political and the aesthetic; the show reflects that wave of alternative performance practices, Conceptual art, and video art. As before, McCarthy conceives the entire framework for the exhibition, from the checklist, design, and installation to the accompanying catalog and public programs, creating a “total artwork” that offers a new perspective on his own oeuvre and creative philosophy. Featured artists will include established figures such as Jeff Koons and Chris Burden, more obscure artists such as Howard Fried and Peter Kubelka, and radical political groups and artist collectives such as the Move and General Idea. The presentation will encompass a wide range of artworks and artifacts, from sculpture to painting, photography, installation art, books, magazines, and archival material. It will also include reproductions of artworks that no longer exist, that are unavailable for public showing, or that McCarthy only ever encountered as reproductions.
Dieter Roth, Staple Cheese (A Race) (installation at Eugenia Butler Gallery, Los Angeles), 1970
Ongoing Exhibitions The Exhibition Formerly Known as Passengers A new presentation opens to the public on the first Tuesday of every month, with a short artist talk at 7 p.m. followed by a reception:
Kirsten Pieroth: December 2 Colter Jacobsen: January 6 Jordan Wolfson: February 3 Kristen Morgin: March 3 Peter Coffin: April 7 Abraham Cruzvillegas: May 5 Claire Fontaine: June 2 Mario Garcia Torres: July 7 Aurélien Froment: August 4
Tino Sehgal Capp Street Project: Tim Lee (through January 10, 2009)
Les Levine, Diamond Mind (still), 1977
Support for Paul McCarthy’s Low Life Slow Life: Part 2 is provided by Robin Wright and Ian Reeves. Additional support provided by Outset Contemporary Art Fund. Lead sponsorship for Capp Street Project: Tim Lee is provided by the Nimoy Foundation. Passengers 2.12: Aurélien Froment is kindly supported by Etant donnés: The French-American Fund for Contemporary Art, a program of FACE. Founding support for CCA Wattis Institute for Contemporary Arts programs has been provided by Phyllis C. Wattis and Judy and Bill Timken. Generous support provided by the Phyllis C. Wattis Foundation, Grants for the Arts / San Francisco Hotel Tax Fund, Ann Hatch and Paul Discoe, and the CCA Curator’s Forum.
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Americana: 50 States, 50 Months, 50 Exhibitions (through May 31, 2012)