Party at Chris's House - Curated by Phong Bui
Party at Chris’s House • Curated by Phong Bui
November 20 – December 20, 2009
Chris Martin and I have been arguing about art and life for a long time. Sometimes quite concretely, other times nonsensically, though never without real passion for art and the possibility of stepping out of the constraints of one’s cultural and social background and education. Chris’s attraction to Buddhism, for example, used to irritate me for its secondary reinforcement. As if psycho-analysis had failed, and been replaced by Buddhist teaching, or perhaps a combination of psychology and Buddhism, which to me is a very strange idea. On the other hand, he critiqued my admiration for the Rationalist tradition, which he felt was a mere substitution for my own fear of chaos and resistance to spiritual values.
This perpetual back and forth, which can be hopelessly unproductive and fatal to a friendship, has in fact mutually benefited both of us as artists as well as human beings. We both realize, first of all, that our differences have created the fire that sparks when opposites collide and that this fire carries great energy, which is essential to carry us long distances, as we attempt to grow. Secondly, we understand that growth in art is a concept that has always been based in an ideological com- munity, a group of men and women whose lives are devoted to the vocation of art. As the Rail continues to grow as a conduit for those in the community, Chris and I are growing in our similar yet different ways. It’s true that we don’t argue as we once did, partly because we both taken those arguments elsewhere, or anywhere we get a chance to voice our opinion about art, life, and more. Nevertheless we remain open and respectful of any kind of argument, especially from younger artists, while desperately trying to find new subjects about which we can argue again among our- selves.
When I was away in China last September of 2008, Chris asked me if he could use my house/the Rail’s headquarters for an after party for a group show that he was organizing at Janet’s Gallery. I complied without knowing that the show was called “Party at Phong’s House.” Needless to say, the report of Chris’s show as I received it in China was: complete success and fun. This more or less inspired me to curate a show in response to his: “Party at Chris’s House.” This time I will be here to share all the excitement with our friends.
The following is the list of participating artists: Raimund Abraham • Eve Aschheim • Katherine Bradford • Becky Brown • Paul Brown • Matthew Deleget • Lucy Fradkin • Linda Francis • Gandalf Gavan • Kate Gilmore • Tamara Gonzalez • Ron Gorchov • Nora Griffin • Josephine Halvorson • Laura Hunt • Bill Jensen • Ezra Johnson • Osamu Kobayashi • Ben La Rocco • Claudia La Rocco • Fabienne Lasserre • Abby Leigh • Matvey Lev- enstein • Margrit Lewczuk • Greg Lindquist • Nicola Lopez • Chris Martin • Jonas Mekas • Thomas Micchelli • Kristine Moran • Loren Munk • Tameka Norris • Thomas Nozkowski • Jennifer Nuss • Pat- rick O’Hare • Craig Olson • Nathlie Provosty • Leslie Roberts • Joyce Robins • Dorothea Rockburne • Cordy Ryman • Will Ryman • Clayton Schiff • Veronica Shear • Arthur Simms • Sterrett Smith • Elisa Soliven • Robert Storr • Don Voisine • Tomas Vu • Merrill Wagner • Joan Waltemath • Ishmael Randall Weeks • Lisa Yuskavage • Sarah Zar
Phong Bui, 2009
November 20 – December 20, 2009
Chris Martin and I have been arguing about art and life for a long time. Sometimes quite concretely, other times nonsensically, though never without real passion for art and the possibility of stepping out of the constraints of one’s cultural and social background and education. Chris’s attraction to Buddhism, for example, used to irritate me for its secondary reinforcement. As if psycho-analysis had failed, and been replaced by Buddhist teaching, or perhaps a combination of psychology and Buddhism, which to me is a very strange idea. On the other hand, he critiqued my admiration for the Rationalist tradition, which he felt was a mere substitution for my own fear of chaos and resistance to spiritual values.
This perpetual back and forth, which can be hopelessly unproductive and fatal to a friendship, has in fact mutually benefited both of us as artists as well as human beings. We both realize, first of all, that our differences have created the fire that sparks when opposites collide and that this fire carries great energy, which is essential to carry us long distances, as we attempt to grow. Secondly, we understand that growth in art is a concept that has always been based in an ideological com- munity, a group of men and women whose lives are devoted to the vocation of art. As the Rail continues to grow as a conduit for those in the community, Chris and I are growing in our similar yet different ways. It’s true that we don’t argue as we once did, partly because we both taken those arguments elsewhere, or anywhere we get a chance to voice our opinion about art, life, and more. Nevertheless we remain open and respectful of any kind of argument, especially from younger artists, while desperately trying to find new subjects about which we can argue again among our- selves.
When I was away in China last September of 2008, Chris asked me if he could use my house/the Rail’s headquarters for an after party for a group show that he was organizing at Janet’s Gallery. I complied without knowing that the show was called “Party at Phong’s House.” Needless to say, the report of Chris’s show as I received it in China was: complete success and fun. This more or less inspired me to curate a show in response to his: “Party at Chris’s House.” This time I will be here to share all the excitement with our friends.
The following is the list of participating artists: Raimund Abraham • Eve Aschheim • Katherine Bradford • Becky Brown • Paul Brown • Matthew Deleget • Lucy Fradkin • Linda Francis • Gandalf Gavan • Kate Gilmore • Tamara Gonzalez • Ron Gorchov • Nora Griffin • Josephine Halvorson • Laura Hunt • Bill Jensen • Ezra Johnson • Osamu Kobayashi • Ben La Rocco • Claudia La Rocco • Fabienne Lasserre • Abby Leigh • Matvey Lev- enstein • Margrit Lewczuk • Greg Lindquist • Nicola Lopez • Chris Martin • Jonas Mekas • Thomas Micchelli • Kristine Moran • Loren Munk • Tameka Norris • Thomas Nozkowski • Jennifer Nuss • Pat- rick O’Hare • Craig Olson • Nathlie Provosty • Leslie Roberts • Joyce Robins • Dorothea Rockburne • Cordy Ryman • Will Ryman • Clayton Schiff • Veronica Shear • Arthur Simms • Sterrett Smith • Elisa Soliven • Robert Storr • Don Voisine • Tomas Vu • Merrill Wagner • Joan Waltemath • Ishmael Randall Weeks • Lisa Yuskavage • Sarah Zar
Phong Bui, 2009