International Ground-to-Air Signal Codes: Not Understood
2011
wood, paint, concrete, light

An ABC art manifestation of the ground-to-air signal code for “Not Understood”

1716 S Morgan St, 2F, Chicago, IL 60608
Reception: 10 July 2011, 4:00pm—9:00pm

Beautiful Friend, this is the end! My Only Friend, the end! Of our elaborate plans, the end! After approximately 778 days, 72 artists, and 12 group exhibitions of the most contemporary of the contemporary arts, BEN RUSSELL offers you a misty-eyed finale to what has undoubtedly been the greatest curatorial collaboration this city may have ever known. What with our lease expiring at the end of July and one of our directors leaving Chicago indefinitely for Parts Unknown, BEN RUSSELL : US will be our 13th and final show. And so: in pre-memorium and now-celebration of the hyper-intellectual pseudo-aesthetic alliance betwixt Brandon Alvendia (aka Chicago’s Best Artist) and Ben Russell (aka Chicago’s Best Local Filmmaker) and ummm You (Chicago’s Best Audience), the umpteen artists participating in BEN RUSSELL : US represent a veritable smörgåsbord of artistic alliances as drawn across fraternal, familial, romantic, pedagogical, and altruistic lines. Hand-picked for their collective sensibilities and their beguiling confidence in the generative power of directed camaraderie, these are artists that work together because they live/work/love together – they are US, plain and simple.

Inasmuch as US is “we” and “we” is BEN RUSSELL, we will exit as we entered, 25 months prior: A Lazy Sunday Opening, With Grilled Meats and Un-Meats, Libations and Fireworks and Goodwill Aplenty. A week shy of Independence Day, we will send bottle rockets to the sky while interrogating the monumental semiotics of national identification (OKÓN); we will hold hands and dive into the virtual summertime sea, hunting electric crabs and manatee-smiles (TM SISTERS). We will consume live Ham Dances (POOPER & PIZZA DOG) and roast the last marshmallows and bask in the illuminating/illuminated minimalist monolith to the challenges of communication (HIDEOUS BEAST) as our psychic hearts and Six Degrees of Separation to Everyone Everywhere are mapped out in chalk dust and memory (CO-PROSPERITY SCHOOL). From Miami to Mexico City, Bridgeport to Pilsen, and Inner to Outer Space, BEN RUSSELL : US is the US in your USA, the WE in your WE THE PEOPLE, the NOSOTROS in your NOS(O)TR(O)ADAMUS. BEN RUSSELL : US is Goodbye to our Past and Hello to our bright uncertain Future.

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Our Leisure Library project has been included in the Journal of Aesthetics and Protest‘s contribution to the fifth annual NY Art Book Fair presented by Printed Matter, November 5–7 at MoMA PS1, Long Island City, Queens.

Thank you JOAAP for your support! Here are more details on the project and some contracted participants – link

We were invited by Shannon Stratton of ThreeWalls to participate in a survival-themed session at Harold Arts, a residency in Chesterhill, Ohio.

http://haroldarts.tumblr.com/survivalsession

See more about our project Retreat here!

OUR FIRE AND OUR TENDERNESS By David Morgan

Other artists include Environmental Services, Natasha Wheat, Mike Wolf, Jane Palmer and Marianne Fairbanks, the Institute for Infinitely Small Things, and Material Exchange.

Link

Trinity Christian College and the Department of Art and Design presents
Hideous Beast Survival School
January 31–February 25, 2010 (map)

Feb 17 | Observational Drawing
Seerveld Gallery, 5-7pm
A plant drawing and recognition workshop.  Drawing materials will be provided.  Bring found vegetation to add to the collection.

Feb 24 | Camp Crafts
Seerveld Gallery, 5-7pm
A workshop dedicated to making traps, shelters and knots.  Materials will be provided but please bring some to share.

Feb 17 & 24 | Camp food will be provided at both workshops.  Bring your favorite camp food and a survival story to share.

Feb 25 |
Artist Slide Lecture, 6pm
ARCC Lobby

Reception, 7pm
Seerveld Gallery

More info here!

FIX09 explores the concept of collaboration, offering a vibrant and fresh outlook on live art, provoking thought on audience participation. FIX09 is the 8th incarnation of the Belfast biennial and provides a dynamic series of individual and collaborative works, presentations, workshops, screenings and interventions. Established in 1994, FIX has an international reputation for presenting emerging and established national and international artists. More info here – http://fixcatalyst.wordpress.com

Come Check out our project at Conflux 2008
More information here
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