P.S.1 Contemporary Art Center is pleased to present Altered, Stitched and Gathered, an exhibition that brings together artists exploring or transforming familiar objects and social practices through a deliberate methodology. The exhibition, curated and produced entirely by the museum's assistant staff, is on view in the Third Floor Main Galleries from December 14, 2006 through January 28, 2007.
Each artist utilizes a step-by-step production process. Be it implied, seemingly spontaneous, or unnervingly rigorous, each leads to outcomes that range from the humorous to the politically charged. Though their methods vary, they stem from similar sensibilities: the serial formalism of Conceptual art and the calculated yet DIY nature of 1960s Fluxus practices.
Commenting on the intended uses of the original and how it was produced, the works in the exhibition question accepted notions of practicality and impracticality, recollection and fabrication. Early examples exploring these themes, such as Yoko Ono's poetic instructional work and Ben Vautier's inventive musical composition, are presented with more recent work. Included are Serkan Özkaya's hand-rendered newspaper covers; corporate logos arranged in Moorish patterns by Gunilla Klingberg; Cornelia Parker's steamrolled and suspended silverware; and Shinique Smith's site-specific installation of clothing and fabric. Artists also include Ai Weiwei, El Anatsui, Ann Böttcher, Vija Celmins, Jacob Dahlgren, Tom Friedman, Sharon Hayes, Subodh Gupta, Emily Jacir, Guillermo Kuitca, Dinh Q. Le, Li Songsong, Rä di Martino, Ola Pehrson, Ted Riederer, Zoë Sheehan Saldaña, Paul Salveson, Stephanie Syjuco, Jacques Villegle, and David Wojnarowicz.
"We have temporarily given the reins of power to the next generation," says P.S.1 founding Director Alanna Heiss. "P.S.1 has a long history of offering opportunities to young and emerging artists. With Altered, Stitched and Gathered, this tradition is extended to young talent within the institution with each junior staff member taking on the role of his or her senior counterpart, developing every aspect of the show."
Altered, Stitched and Gathered is organized by Christopher Y. Lew, Erica Papernik, and Elna Svenle with Jelena Kristic as project director.
