Installation Olympic Theater @ The Mattress Factory.
Last evening I drove John M. (owner of the Digging Pitt gallery) to the Mattress Factory for Installation Olympic Theater. This event was conceived and coordinated by Pittsburgh-based artist Tom Sarver, who is fortunate to have his own museum this year. The idea was to gather three teams of local artists to compete in building installation pieces. The artists had to use tools and materials provided by Sarver, and complete their works within two hours. They were allowed to bring a single suitcase with materials of their own choosing. The competition was judged by four jurists; including the aforementioned John Morris, Heather Pesanti (assistant curator of the Carnegie Museum of Art), Owen Smith (assistant curator of the Mattress Factory, and Bill O'Driscoll (City Paper Arts and Entertainment Editor).
The judges had to consider several components in their evaluation of the work. Since this event was aimed at attracting audience members that might not usually attend art events, the performance element was stressed. The artists were called on to come up with a creative use for the materials provided ahead of time. Finally, the aesthetic value of the finished pieces was considered. The teams were led by T. Foley, Tavia La Follette and Ben Kinsley. Foley's group was chosen from a tight-knit clique of locals who are involved in various multimedia artistic outlets. Ben Kinsley headed up a selection of CMU MFA students. Tavia La Follette's tribe consisted of artists mainly concerned with performance-based arts.
Having arrived early as a guest, I got to meander about beforehand and get a feel for the prevailing attitude of the competitors. They were generally loose and informal, and displayed a healthy sense of humor. Foley's group were dressed in matching blue coveralls, and resembled a working class, mixed-gender version of the 80's band DEVO. The MFAs appeared as if they were preparing for an important portfolio revue, and the theater people were looking singularly wacky. The last group actually employed a cheerleader, who came out at the beginning costumed as the the team's suitcase. As things got underway, a prevailing sense of chaos descended upon the event.
I wandered in between the main floor and the cafe, snapping pictures and availing myself of the free refreshments. The event was fairly well-attended, and people were sure to step carefully as the artists clamored around their 12 foot-by-12 foot work spaces. Each team employed tactics to involve the audience members, and so there were consistent opportunities to get involved in the action. Watching the pieces slowly take shape amidst the frenzied activity was beguiling, yet often confounding. I was feeling rather tired, and wishing that I could fast forward until the evening's end. Sarver provided ample entertainment, spinning vinyl and getting assistance from friends Liz hammond, Mike Cuccaro, and a female singer-songwriter (I didn't catch her name). He also found time to play emcee and walk about, interviewing the participants and generally getting underfoot. There was even a mini-contest, with two volunteers from the audience seated head-to-head on the stage, working for fifteen minutes on their own installations using two shoeboxes full of materials.
The judges looked a bit bewildered, but it seemed to me that the general response to the spectacle was positive. Unfortunately my endurance started to flag, and I took off about an hour before the scheduled finish. I never got to see the completed installations. But from the overall tenor of the event, the focal point was the artistic process itself. It was a party, through and through, and jigsawed naturally with the Tom Museum's mission statement- "Art for Everyone".
Although I didn't see the whole thing, I definitely had my fill for the night. I'll definitely be looking for the proposed continuation of what is supposed to be an Olympic Theater Series... Sarver hints at future events including sculpture, painting, and drawing.
The judges had to consider several components in their evaluation of the work. Since this event was aimed at attracting audience members that might not usually attend art events, the performance element was stressed. The artists were called on to come up with a creative use for the materials provided ahead of time. Finally, the aesthetic value of the finished pieces was considered. The teams were led by T. Foley, Tavia La Follette and Ben Kinsley. Foley's group was chosen from a tight-knit clique of locals who are involved in various multimedia artistic outlets. Ben Kinsley headed up a selection of CMU MFA students. Tavia La Follette's tribe consisted of artists mainly concerned with performance-based arts.
Having arrived early as a guest, I got to meander about beforehand and get a feel for the prevailing attitude of the competitors. They were generally loose and informal, and displayed a healthy sense of humor. Foley's group were dressed in matching blue coveralls, and resembled a working class, mixed-gender version of the 80's band DEVO. The MFAs appeared as if they were preparing for an important portfolio revue, and the theater people were looking singularly wacky. The last group actually employed a cheerleader, who came out at the beginning costumed as the the team's suitcase. As things got underway, a prevailing sense of chaos descended upon the event.
I wandered in between the main floor and the cafe, snapping pictures and availing myself of the free refreshments. The event was fairly well-attended, and people were sure to step carefully as the artists clamored around their 12 foot-by-12 foot work spaces. Each team employed tactics to involve the audience members, and so there were consistent opportunities to get involved in the action. Watching the pieces slowly take shape amidst the frenzied activity was beguiling, yet often confounding. I was feeling rather tired, and wishing that I could fast forward until the evening's end. Sarver provided ample entertainment, spinning vinyl and getting assistance from friends Liz hammond, Mike Cuccaro, and a female singer-songwriter (I didn't catch her name). He also found time to play emcee and walk about, interviewing the participants and generally getting underfoot. There was even a mini-contest, with two volunteers from the audience seated head-to-head on the stage, working for fifteen minutes on their own installations using two shoeboxes full of materials.
The judges looked a bit bewildered, but it seemed to me that the general response to the spectacle was positive. Unfortunately my endurance started to flag, and I took off about an hour before the scheduled finish. I never got to see the completed installations. But from the overall tenor of the event, the focal point was the artistic process itself. It was a party, through and through, and jigsawed naturally with the Tom Museum's mission statement- "Art for Everyone".
Although I didn't see the whole thing, I definitely had my fill for the night. I'll definitely be looking for the proposed continuation of what is supposed to be an Olympic Theater Series... Sarver hints at future events including sculpture, painting, and drawing.
posted by Merge Divide at 8:45 PM
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