ALTMAN SIEGEL - CROWN POINT - CARTOON ART MUSEUM - SOUTHERN EXPOSURE - ASPECT - PAUL MAHDER - SANCHEZ ART CENTER (with assistance from DeWitt Cheng and R.W. Miller) 02.27.09

Altman Siegel Gallery : Trevor Paglen - Selections from 'Limit Telephotography,' 'The Other Night Sky' and 'Symbology.'

Review by R.W. Miller: Even the wondrous star-filled night sky is not empty of our influence, as again evidenced in the recent photography of SECA Award winner Trevor Paglen. The photographs on display document the satellites that fly through our night sky. In between them and us is light pollution and space debris. Despite the vast cosmos as background, the lines from these satellites' paths appear disconcerting and even potentially menacing. Paglen reminds that we are being watched, that the skies are not empty, and there could be danger from our own kind from up there. Luckily, we're still not allowed to launch loads of plutonium into orbit. But that could change.

Comment by AB: Trevor Paglen applies the principles of "grandeur of landscape," as embodied by iconic nineteenth century photographers of the American West, in his depictions of top secret military installations, spy satellites, clandestine government operations, and the like. Well, they can surveil me all they want; I've got nothing to hide... though sometimes I wish I did. Sigh.

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Crown Point Press : Learning the Language of the Realm, Featuring Photogravures by Susan Middleton.

Artists: John Baldessari, Sherrie Levine, Christian Boltanski, Tom Marioni, Vito Acconci, Ed Ruscha, Gay Outlaw, and John Chiara.

Comment by AB: A photogravure is a photograph printed with plates, like an etching, and this show is about that. On display are new color photogravures by Susan Middleton, and older photogravures printed by Crown Point over the past three decades. Good show; go see.

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Cartoon Art Museum : WonderCon Weekend Party and Benefit Auction.

Comment by AB: In conjunction with WonderCon, ongoing this weekend at Moscone Center, the Cartoon Art Museum holds a fundraising event which showcases several current shows, the most notable of which are "WATCHMEN" and "The Art of Stan Sakai, Celebrating 25 Years of Usagi Yojimbo." I'm here early; they've just started letting people into the exhibition areas. The line outside stretches down the block. Looks like it's gonna be good but I'm on a tight schedule and dawdling is not an option.

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Aspect Gallery : Opening Show.

Artists: Anna Efanova, Maria Stabio, John Everett, Celine Maublanc, Jerry Frost, Monica Crawford, James L. Weaver, Louis Hansell, Rogelio Manzo, Alicja Knitter Coe, Lucia Gonnella.

Comment by AB: A little bit of this, and a little bit of that.

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Sanchez Art Center : RenÈ Carriere.

Review and images by DeWitt Cheng: RenÈ Carriere is a Northern Callifornia sculptor who has worked in papier-machÈ since the late 1980s. She works from memory and the imagination to fashion groups of birds and isolated human beings; the birds have an ethereal feathery look, while the humans are smoother in finish, simplified and weighty-looking. The works are mostly gray, with accents of bright color from the shredded advertisements.

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Southern Exposure : 9th Annual Monster Drawing Rally.

Artists: Brett Amory, Lauren Anderson, Kathy Aoki, Chris Applegren, Seth Armstrong, Johnna Arnold, Mara Baldwin, David Becker, Pete Belkin, Bert Bergen, Elisheva Biernoff, Evan Bissel, Michelle Blade, Val Britton, Charlie Callahan, Michele Carlson, Deric Carner, John Casey, Constance Castillo, Alexander Cheves, Youmna Chlala, Serena Cole, Randy Colosky, Lisa Congdon, Jaime Cortez, Lauren Davies, Christian Davies, Veronica De Jesus, Tina Dillman, Nina Elder, Marcela Florez, Amy Franceschini, Adam Friedman, Matt Furie, Narangkar Glover, Pete Glover, Ariel Goldberg, Michael Hall, Liz Harvey, Chelsea Heikes, Eric Heiman, Queena Hernandez, Terry Hoff, Misa Inaoka, Ian Johnson, Kelly Lynn Jones, Kara Joslyn, Josh Keyes, David King, Tashana Kjelland, Sarah Klein, Mary Anne Kluth, Chris Leib, Justin Limoges, Kenneth Lo, Ivan Lopez, Marina Luz, Nathan Lynch, Paul Madonna, Minette Mangahas, Michelle Mansour, Kari Marboe, Vanessa Marsh, Corinne Matesich, Christina Mazza, Mike McConn! ell, Gaelan McKeown, Jeff Meadows, Jody Medich, David Muller, Carson Murdach, Claire Nereim, Jessica Niello, Andy Nizinskyj, Sandra Ono, Jennie Ottinger, Matthew Palladino, Lana Parcello, Erik Parra, Kamau Patton, Hilary Pecis, Stephanie Peek, Chris Pew, George Pfau, Ferris Plock, Mel Prest, Kyle Ranson, Lisa Ricci, Ricardo Richie, Favianna Rodriguez, Lordy Rodriguez, John Rogers, Veronica Rojas, Thorina Rose, Nat Russell, Zachary Rossman, Sham Saenz, Colleen Sanders, Zachary Royer Scholz, Andrew Schoultz, Emily Sevier, Ryan Shaffer, Jennie Smith, Deth P. Sun, Jiharri Terry, Tracy Timmins, Trevor Tubelle, Jessica Tully, Kelly Tunstall, Gina Tuzzi, Aiyana Udesen, Paul Urich, Adrian Van Allen, Jamie Vasta, Ben Venom, Marci Washington, Virginia White, Amanda Williams, Jenifer Wofford, and Michael Louis Young.

Comment by AB: The basic idea is that well over 100 artists create drawings and other works of art right before your eyes all night long. Then you get to buy 'em for a paltry 60 smackers each. As you might expect, the event is extremely absurdly popular 'cuz many of these $60 artworks are worth far more. The best part? Monster Drawing Rally is held at the Verdi Club-- that's a good part, not the best part. Plus you get to see and speak with tons of artists and ask 'em all kinds of irritating questions like how they make art and what inspires them and stuff like that-- that's also a good part, not the best part. The best part is that somehow Southern Exposure manages to disseminate the art without a full-scale riot breaking out over who gets to take home what. Plus there's all kinds of great beers for sale at the classic vintage bar & lounge for only three bucks each. And as any seasoned curator or critic will tell you, the more you drink, the better art looks.

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