Tag Archives: Michael Parker

WEEKLY WRAP-UP: FEB. 9-13

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This week we visited the new exhibition of Martin Laborde at Corner Door; we learned more about Kenneth Anger,  we passed by the exhibition Juiceworks, we watched artist movies made by Heidi Bucher and Liz Magic Laser; and we wished you Happy Valentine’s day with the song Je t’aime…moi non plus performed by Serge Gainsbourg & Jane Birkin.

EXHIBITION: JUICEWORKS

The air in Human Resources was fragrant, full of fresh citrus. Shimmering ceramic bowls of tangerines, lemons, and grapefruits lay scattered about the gallery, adding splashes of bright color to the cool and dimly lit space.

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Michael Parker’s interactive Juiceworks installation ended today at Human Resources Los Angeles. Over the past several months, Parker created dozens of ceramic juicers, bowls, plates, and cups, and arranged them on halved-log tables in HR’s white cubic space. The instruments themselves look like the briny vertebrae of mysterious sea creatures, fragments of barnacle-coated abalone shells shining opalescent under the soft glow of ethereal lamplight.

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When I visited, several small groups had gathered around tables, sitting on low stools of wood and soft coiled rope, chatting as they juiced their citrus. I picked up a delicate ceramic bowl, its pale blue rim mottled fuscia like a head of cabbage, and washed it in a nearby sink. Even the basins full of running water were made of porcelain.

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As I sipped from my cup of fresh-squeezed juice, I looked around the room and noticed that citrus fruit had brought us all together. A symbol of Southern California utopianism, citrus has–since the early days when Orange County meant oranges–been commodified, transformed into a major agribusiness. Cold steel machines in distant factories do our juicing, further alienating our labor as Marx once predicted. But sitting there with a handmade porcelain tool and cup in hand, I felt connected to the fruit and their tart, refreshing taste. This was a juicery of dreams.

BUILDING : A SIMULACRUM OF POWER

Photo Credit: Jeny Amaya and Mackenzie Hoffman  Courtesy of Clockshop

Photo Credit: Jeny Amaya and Mackenzie Hoffman
Courtesy of Clockshop

This Sunday August 24th at 6:45pm, Clockshop presents building: a simulacrum of power on the site of The Unfinished.

The performance takes place at Bowtie Project, 2800 Casitas Ave., Los Angeles, CA 90039 (see map)

Please join us for building: a simulacrum of power, a performance by Rafa Esparza with artist Rebeca Hernandez on the site of Michael Parker’s The Unfinished. For this new work Esparza has held with his parents and siblings a collaborative, labor intensive residency prompted by the historical precedents of power and labor dynamics referenced in Parker’s The Unfinished.

In a continuation of working both with his family and with adobe brick making, Esparza invited his 4 brothers, his sister, and his parents to assist in making enough adobe bricks to cover the entire 137’ long obelisk. For apprx. 3 weeks the bricks have been molded and dried onsite using water from the L.A. river and resources made available by the Esparza family, Clockshop, California State Parks and Michael Parker. Once completed the bricks will be laid atop The Unfinished, where Esparza and Hernandez will stage movement-based performances engaging the bricked surface, the LA River and the sun.

Photo Credit: Jeny Amaya and Mackenzie Hoffman  Courtesy of Clockshop

Photo Credit: Jeny Amaya and Mackenzie Hoffman
Courtesy of Clockshop

Photo Credit: Jeny Amaya and Mackenzie Hoffman  Courtesy of Clockshop

Photo Credit: Jeny Amaya and Mackenzie Hoffman
Courtesy of Clockshop

Photo Credit: Jeny Amaya and Mackenzie Hoffman  Courtesy of Clockshop

Photo Credit: Jeny Amaya and Mackenzie Hoffman
Courtesy of Clockshop

Photo Credit: Jeny Amaya and Mackenzie Hoffman  Courtesy of Clockshop

Photo Credit: Jeny Amaya and Mackenzie Hoffman
Courtesy of Clockshop

Photo Credit: Jeny Amaya and Mackenzie Hoffman  Courtesy of Clockshop

Photo Credit: Jeny Amaya and Mackenzie Hoffman
Courtesy of Clockshop

KATIE GRINNAN’S ASTROLOGY ORCHESTRA

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On Saturday evening I went to a performance by Katie Grinnan’s Astrology Orchestra, which took place in the center of Michael Parker’s outdoor installation “The Unfinished.” (You can read my blog post about Michael Parker’s “The Unfinished” here.)

The LA River

The LA River

The LA River was looking quite green and lush.

Roadrunner Nest

Roadrunner Nest

It was surprising and somewhat sad to see this roadrunner who had made her nest in a crack in the pavement right next to the installation. Good luck protecting those eggs little roadrunner!

Katie Grinnan's Wizard Brew

Katie Grinnan’s Wizard Brew: Summer Solstice Egyptian Ale

Katie Grinnan’s Wizard Brew, a “Summer Solstice Egyptian Ale,” was available before the performance and ran out quickly. It was a pretty tasty home brew that was sweet, with a hint of honey flavor. I really loved the care that went into the presentation.

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At first I thought the handmade instruments were drums, but upon closer inspection it became clear that they were large stringed instruments, meant to be plucked.

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The performance started as the sun began to set. It was a beautiful evening with the dissonant sounds of the music amplified by speakers projecting out into the changing colors of the sky.

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The composition was based on Katie Grinnan’s astrological birth chart. Each performer began with Aries and went through the entire zodiac, switching from sign to sign at the sound of a bell. A metronome kept the time, and when it stopped, the performance stopped.

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It was a lovely night of experimental music, good people, cold drinks, and the sun setting behind Griffith Park and the L.A. River in the distance. For a little taste of the performance follow this link: Katie Grinnan’s Astrology Orchestra June 21, 2014

 

 

LA RIVER CAMP OUT

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ClockshopCA State Parks, and MRCA are hosting the first-ever LA River public campout. We are pleased to present a late-afternoon of outdoor exploration at the Rio de Los Angeles Bowtie parcel followed by a traditional campfire program and night under the stars. This one-night opportunity will allow Angelenos a chance to camp inside the city, on the banks of the scenic LA River Glendale Narrows.

Location: Rio de Los Angeles Bowtie Parcel | 2800 Casitas Ave. (apprx.) | L.A., CA 90039 | Map/Directions

Lila Higgins of the L.A. Natural History Museum, Kat Superfisky of Mia Lehrer + Associates Landscape-Architecture  firm and a MRCA Ranger will conduct a guided exploratory walk, discuss the native environs and plant life along the river, and lead participants through memory mapping exercises using aerial imagery from do-it-yourself balloon mapping efforts at the site of Michael Parker’s sculpture “The Unfinished.” Artist and veteran camper Michael Parker will also be on-site sharing camping tips and info about the sculpture.

Apprx Schedule:

4:30 – 6pm   Memory Mapping Workshop
6:30 – 8pm   Dinner*

Sunset Campfire led by CA State Parks + MRCA

+ Additional activities throughout the evening.

* Food is bring your own – we will have a large BBQ grill on-site so bring all your favorite grillables!

RSVP Required. A limited number of campsites will be available by reservation on a first come, first serve basis.
  • Park Rangers onsite throughout the entirety of the event
  • Portable toilet and fire pit available
  • Traditional camping gear recommended including tents, sleeping bags, sleeping mats, chairs, lanterns/flashlights/headlamps, cooking and eating utensils, cooler, water, and snacks
  • No dogs allowed.

We especially welcome first time family campers by offering full camping set-ups, including tents, sleeping bags, and sleeping pads (by reservation only) courtesy of CA State Parks and the FamCamp trailer program. RSVP below and email info@clockshop.org to request your gear.