Friday, February 10

one million reasons scientists shouldn't make art

1. Ken Feingold
2. Basing your art on talking heads without referencing "The Talking Heads"

Cindy and Keith talk back on our first encounter with the talking heads that would dominate every room.

3. The sound diffusing foam nailed to the wall is way more interesting than their videos of robotic talking heads.

4. Making artificial intelligence that makes you feel dumber for watching it.

Yep, these bed heads talk.
i will say that creepy talking heads are fun to see with friends, in the same way a bad movie is fun to see.
here Dave kept waiting for these talking heads on pillows to kiss and reminded me of that Dave laugh i loved so much in the late nineties when we were roommates.

5. Making stuff you want to touch, but aren't allowed to.

Keith and Cindy wanted to touch them. O.K. we all did.



6. When the black balls you sloppily paint black are more interesting than the robots you spent years developing.

i think this one is my favourite because of the balls. these heads are cast from the artist's own head.


7. "You are in a flower pot"

we had some good questions for this head that was programmed to respond to the voices in the viewer's microphone. we stumped him pretty good on the nature of his own existence (no pun intended).

8. Installations that make you wish The Talking Heads were being played as a dance track but, once again, aren't.

that Keith can DANCE.

9. Using dummies to up the ante

10. Resorting to the kind of interest one gets when entering an antique shop to lure viewers into another talking head.


11. using more dummies and making me tired of being there.


the first time i ever went to L.A. was about this time of year in 2001. besides becoming friends with Ruel, i saw the ACE Gallery showing Tara Donavan* and selling a catalog of Lawrence Carroll: a life changing experience. The ACE's space is so great and their shows so quality that going to the ACE on Wilshire is the one thing i consistently do when visiting L.A. consequently it's the only stretch of L.A. I feel comfortable with: I know that stretch of Wilshire well, the elephants drowing in the LaBrea tar pits just down the road, the Roo Koo Koo restaurant, and the same little old man who lives in the art deco dumwaiter which elevates you to the ACE.

that said, this was one the most dissappointing shows i have encountered on my ACE visits.

*check out the link to Joe Penrod for his recent entry of an ACE gallery photo of Tara Donovan's ceiling of billowing styrofoam cups.

3 comments:

Joe said...

that little old elevator dwelling man once let me into the Ace when it was closed. THEN, after first telling me to leave, the gallery director gave me a private tour of a Tara Donovan show that wasn't open yet! That's when I realized I was special and would never die.

savoury toothed tiger said...

you're specialler than i, joe. we actually went the the day before not realizing it was closed and were turned away by the dumwaiter elf. last night at an art opening we were talking about art crushes and how you secretly hope that your art crush is even midly hot so that you can continue the fake relationship. to the amusement of all i told the story of you ordering me to make-out with Tara upon sight if i saw her at her opening at the Reynolds gallery. those orders still stand...

Joe said...

Good. I would hate to have to report you for dereliction of duty.
Seriously, if you told her, "Tara, I love your work now let's make out" she would have no choice. What would you do in that situation? I thought so.