The re-purposefulness of lending libraries make for a wonderful treasure trove of shared information and literacy for any public space. You can refer to an old post on Libros Schmibros I had written months ago to attest to the positive qualities of lending libraries. I found this hidden gem while walking around the Mission Hills neighborhood in San Diego over a week ago. The charming craftsman bird house style on a tall post was a homey aesthetic choice from the person who designed and built this particular library. Just a moment before approaching and taking a photo of this petite lending library, I noticed a young kid walking up to open and browse the selection of texts. His mom stashed a paperback in an open slot and the two walked off together. I found myself thankful for alternative libraries and those that had shared what was old for them but new for someone else. I also enjoyed the idea that you don't have to have a large room to rent to create a lending library, but that you can allocate a small space on the sidewalk to the public.
With the surge of ebook (or digital book) sales over the past couple of years I've wondered about the future of tangible texts and their literal shelf life. My memories and fondness of public libraries and mom and pop bookstores also tag the unspoken value of literacy. Physically turning a page of a book is like holding your breath in anticipation of the next part of a novel, or letting your mind reach a stopping point to quickly ponder and review new information read in a nonfiction catalog. This doesn't compare to the finger swipe on the screen of a mobile device. Plus, I don't bear as many headaches while reading through a book than say staring at a glaring computer screen with popup advertisements.
The re-purposefulness of lending libraries make for a wonderful treasure trove of shared information and literacy for any public space. You can refer to an old post on Libros Schmibros I had written months ago to attest to the positive qualities of lending libraries. I found this hidden gem while walking around the Mission Hills neighborhood in San Diego over a week ago. The charming craftsman bird house style on a tall post was a homey aesthetic choice from the person who designed and built this particular library. Just a moment before approaching and taking a photo of this petite lending library, I noticed a young kid walking up to open and browse the selection of texts. His mom stashed a paperback in an open slot and the two walked off together. I found myself thankful for alternative libraries and those that had shared what was old for them but new for someone else. I also enjoyed the idea that you don't have to have a large room to rent to create a lending library, but that you can allocate a small space on the sidewalk to the public.
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It's not a bird, nor a plane. It's a... Giant Seafoam Goddess? Regardless, you don't see something like this everyday.
Above is a belated image that I took at the Without Walls Festival hosted by the La Jolla Playhouse. New York-based puppeteer Basil Twist recruited a group of local volunteers and delivered an awesome performance. If I could describe it properly, the Seafoam Goddess emerged from the whitewash of the sea, like magic. She gently nodded her head from side to side, ocean water dripping from her hair and face. Two giant hands appeared on each side of her body, moving slowly and gently with the undulating waves of the water. Her large eyes opened and closed with grace. In a moment, her face changed and turned green. Her mouth was large and open with sharp teeth exposed. It reminded me of what I might be like waking up on a Monday morning, but I digress. All of a sudden, she converted back to her goddess self and eventually lowered herself back into the water, disappearing. Goodbye, Seafoam Goddess. Thank you for sharing your beauty and greatness. A couple of weekends ago I was invited to a class field trip at the Watts Towers in South Central LA. I had the honor of co-teaching as a guest artist for Julianne Gavino's class from CSU Channel Islands. Following our group tour of the towers, we explored the Charles Dickson exhibit in the art center next door.
The biggest delight of the gallery experience was the discussion I had with the group of students. Visual engagement strategies such as addressing the use of the artist's materials, understanding the social history of the work at the time it was made, etc., were thrown at Ms. Gavino's students. I was impressed to hear their ideas and interpretation of Dickson's work. It is different than simply hearing, "I like it," and when that statement was expressed, it was even better to hear the reasoning behind it. It was an honor to talk with this thoughtful group. It's certainly not easy to talk about art, and I've been given the same "art is so subjective" excuse from past students in foundation courses I've taught. It's important to understand that not everyone will like the same artistic work, and that there may be art that might make you feel uncomfortable or even challenge your ideas of what you believe art is and should be. And that is OK. I prefer dialogue about a person's read on an art piece, rather than hearing, "I can do that," or "I do/don't like it." Our worldview is different and shaped from the way we were raised and what we were exposed to in life. Come on, talk about art with me. If you can shed more info about the visual details you see that make you think and feel a certain way, the more I can learn about you and what you understand in the world. Earlier this summer I changed residences from a southern suburb near the border to an urban location in central San Diego. It didn't take me too long to re-adapt to urban life, especially since my house is a skip away from one of the main streets. I came across my blue recycling bin one morning and to my dismay I found a large scattering of papers and old notebooks I had tossed in there earlier in the week from unpacking. I wanted to do something and thought of how to respond without disturbing the social ecosystem of the homeless and other invisible wanderers that go door to door scrapping for crv material. I'm not sure if you've tried to ignore a homeless person digging through your trash, but a situation like that is unavoidable in an urban area. Rather than sticking a lock on my blue recycling bin I came up with my own informal system. I re-purposed a black square bin and carved decals and text out of old vinyl adhesive, which I applied to the sides of the bin. Here's one side of the bin: So far it seems to work just fine. I haven't come across any repeat
situations where someone dug through my recycling or trash bin and pulled out its discards, leaving it out for me to put back into the recycling/trash bin. If anything, I have learned that glass bottles with lime wedges stuck inside are not as preferable to plastic bottles and aluminum cans. That tells me there is a hierarchy within crv currency. It's also a silent message to me that I should know better. A block or neighborhood could adopt something similar like this to create a larger system of side bins filled with crv. An old classmate from undergrad experimented with a neighborhood and used bright orange spray paint on old plastic bins for the neighborhood residents to stick out once a week with their trash and recycling pick up. The report I got was that it was well received. No more trash and recycling taken and spilled out of its bin. What inspires me about her project is the neighborhood's acknowledgment of the homeless' presence. I see their willingness to separate and store their crv's in an orange bin as a neighborly gesture to those that are unfortunate and seek permeability for access. A city can be far from perfect, but a city that is aware of its flaws and attempts to address them is one I prefer to live in. Photo credit: DBC Shia Last month I came across and attended the launch of the Drive By-Cinema in the Mid-City area of San Diego.
Drive-By Cinema is a new, experimental initiative of the Pacific Arts Movement (formerly known as the San Diego Asian Film Foundation), supported by the James Irvine Foundation. It is a two-year project, where a re-purposed truck drives to site specific locales and screen various films as one part of its street intervention & social intersection. The formal debut of the Drive-By Cinema (DBC) appeared last month at Euclid Ave. and El Cajon Blvd. The truck was parked on the street, specifically in front of a business store which was once the State Theater. It was a community landmark in the '80s for its Southeast Asian residents, after a young Vietnamese businessman bought the theater and screened Kung-fu films on his opening night. All 1,000 seats were filled that same night. Two stores down is a local bar called the 'Til-Two Club. Originally established in 1948 and then resurrected in 2010, the bar also participated in this event and hosted an after party and more Kung-fu film screenings. I find DBC's approach of mobilizing a temporary theater as a way of honoring and fostering community as an interesting concept. Rather than establishing a drive-in theater, why not bring the theater to you and your community? Folding chairs, lion dancers, and a popcorn machine enhanced the experience of the launch. The sidewalk was packed, making it difficult for passersby to tread through. And heads were tilted upward towards the portable movie screen which was mounted above the Drive-By truck. I would say the DBC made its mission in re-activating a public space for its viewers and participants to engage in a way that was both thoughtful and fun. So far, DBC has driven its way around the Mid-center and Southeastern parts San Diego. They parked outside of the Salvation Army Kroc Center and screened additional films, with kids playing with shadow puppets inside of the truck. And last last Saturday, DBC re-appeared outside of the Malcolm X Library and screened more Kung-fu films. I'm looking forward to the next DBC event at the end of the month, which is going to be at the parking lot outside of Operation Samahan health clinic in National City, CA. To learn more and follow what DBC is up to, you can visit http://drivebycinema.com/ and look up their tumblr, flickr and facebook links from there. We’d love your company is a new project with New York-based artist Ethan Breckenridge, organized in collaboration with the University Art Gallery (UAG) at the University of California, San Diego. The project is in exhibition from February 21 through May 10, 2013. It is an open invitation to the public in re-purposing the UAG into a negotiated space of research, dialogue, performance, sociality, and activism. The gallery becomes a place where the assumptions of participatory formats in art practice and popular culture, are thought through, discussed, performed and tested through a program of events and conditions of in/hospitable space.
Next month, I'll be performing a time-based piece that complements Suhail Malik's latest essay on "Contemporary Art's Social Reality." I'm looking forward to contributing to his conceptual and thought provoking writing, and re-visiting the gallery space in a different way. Program Schedule Opening Reception Thursday, February 21, 5:30-8:30pm 6:30pm performance of Across a Tiled Pathway, an adapted teleplay by Ethan Breckenridge. Artist in Conversation Friday, February 22, 11:00am Artist Ethan Breckenridge in conversation with curator Michelle Y. Hyun. Student Loans Monday, March 11 – Saturday, March 23, 24 hours/day A 24-hour study space and milieu recreation of a reclaimed library during winter quarter final exams, hosted by the UCSD Public Education Coalition. Study supplies and refreshments will be provided. Premiere Screening Thursday, March 28, 4:00pm Premiere screening of a video produced by Ethan Breckenridge at UCSD. The video will be screened continuously during exhibition hours in the UAG video gallery thereafter. Contemporary Art’s Evasive Social Reality Wednesday, April 3, 6:00pm A talk by Suhail Malik, with corresponding shadow puppetry performance by Van C. Tran, proposes an art that avows its institutional condition and limitation. Co-sponsored by the Visual Arts Department, Discursive & Curatorial Production Initiative A Specific Piece of Music Thursday, April 11, 4:00pm A musical performance by Rachel Mason, in collaboration with The Preuss School UCSD, invites both participation and spectatorship by the uninitiated. Visiting Artist Lecture Monday, April 22, 4:00pm A talk by Martha Rosler. Co-sponsored by the Visual Arts Department, Visiting Artist Lecture Series Front Page Thursday, May 9, 6:30pm A performance-based workshop by Liz Magic Laser, in collaboration with actor Audrey Crabtree, draws on the language of the corporate retreat and the work of Brazilian theater director Augusto Boal. All events will take place at the University Art Gallery. For more detailed information on these events and guests, please visit the UAG website,http://uag.ucsd.edu/talks-and-events/future.shtml About the University Art Gallery University Art Gallery Mandeville Center University of California San Diego 9500 Gilman Drive, La Jolla, CA 92093-0327 Tel 858-534-2107 / Fax 858-534-3548 [email protected] / uag.ucsd.edu Tuesday & Thursday 11am – 5pm, Wednesday & Friday 11am – 7:30pm Free Admission Media Contacts Grant Kester, [email protected] Merete Kjaer, [email protected] Sheena Ghanbari, [email protected], 858-822-7755 Yesterday, Jan 12th was the closing reception to the group exhibition, "One Thing Led to Another..." at Space 4 Art. I was featured as one of the artists and screened videos of my past shadow work in their main gallery. Needless to say I performed a dry run of a new piece in progress, "Village place" and one of my older works, "Ong 8-fold." At some point, I'll have to show some sample documentation of my work in progress. It was a good evening with a line-up of two other performances prior to mine, courtesy of Jenna Ann & Max Daly. Both are tenants at Space 4 Art (I shall now refer to as "the Space"). This month is the launch of the new program, "Tenant Series," that feature the works of the artists that rent their studios at the Space itself. I am thrilled to see the Space support their artists and find it quite fitting with their mission. Since the San Diego Guild of Puppetry has a studio at the Space and I have been working with this organization, I was invited to participate as one of their artists.
I look forward to doing more with the Guild and meeting other artists at the Space. I just remembered that this weekend was the big Halloween weekend celebration in Isla Vista. Now being well over 230 miles away, I thought about San Diego in contrast to IV. Sure, the sexy costumes and walking wanderlusts (wanderlush?) are not different, but the large concentration of young 20 somethings parading, partying, observing, binge drinking,... there is no place like IV. This past summer has been a major transition for me, and one that is still enduring. Displacement and estrangement feels like a never-ending theme, and I think about my past project in IV that explored affiliation through relocation. I figure it might be good to attach another write-up about IV. Below is a belated post from a draft I had written well over two months ago. ****************************************************** In late August I attended the official opening of "the LOOP" in IV. The LOOP boasts a new and affordable living space for Isla Vista students. It is also LEED certified, which means this building sucks up less energy and is able to sustain itself. Not bad, eh? I received a second-hand invitation to attend the VIP reception that was located on the rooftop. The food was yummy (baguette sandwiches!!!) and I enjoyed looking at the metro modern & cheeky aesthetic of the building. IV rooftop parties cannot compete with this one. The view is breath- taking. My affiliation with the LOOP primarily deals with the red ceramic party cup fundraiser campaign, "Party for the Arts," a small initiative that funds emerging UCSB artists' projects from the collected proceeds from the purchase of a red cup. The architect of the LOOP utilized a few of our red cups and hired a designer to incorporate them as part of his wall installation inside the lobby of the new building. I like the idea of commissioned pieces that specifies characteristics of its site, and in this particular case, the caricature of an American party classic that resonates in such social college towns as IV. Also note the bike frame lighting sculpture that is also rigged in the same lobby. If you haven't seen the bike culture around Isla Vista, you must make one of your tourist stops on Pardall Road to understand this reference.
There is a refreshing, vibrant, & energetic feel from the LOOP that I am curious about how it is doing today as housing for students. I hope that the LOOP will help bring out more arts & culture in IV, whether through possible programming for art projects or that it will provide more opportunities for commissioned pieces in/out/around the building. The name itself references the shape of the downtown part of IV which curves in a loop. Like the trajectory of a loop, how can this new and promising building bridge art to the community, the community to its stake holders, the stake holders back to the building and its occupants? The "Penny for the Arts" campaign is a 3 to 5 year plan to gradually increase the funding for arts & culture programming received from the transient occupancy tax (TOT) in San Diego. What that means is any tourist who stays at a hotel or rents a car pays a small TOT; it is NOT taking local tax dollars away from San Diegans but is paid by tourists.
This wad of money is used by the city under its obligation to promote San Diego (to, well, other tourists). Sounds like it benefits everybody, no? Well, it does, but perhaps not in the most balanced/effective way. The TOT pool is divvied up to fund other programs/services. Imagine the TOT as a pie consisting of 10.5 cents. 5.5 cents of the tax goes directly to the city's General Fund used for general government purposes. Four cents are to be used solely for the purpose of promoting SD, while one cent may be used for any purpose the SD City Council chooses. Currently and somewhere squeezed within the TOT pie slice, only half a cent goes to funding arts & culture programming. It used to be a full penny. So at the recent Oct. 8th San Diego City Council Economic Development and Strategies Committee meeting, a number of arts-organization leaders and artists occupied the seats in Council Chambers in support of the "Penny for the Arts" campaign. Speakers from the SD Commission for Arts and Culture presented the proposed initiative which was followed by members of the public to speak of their approval or opposition. The councilmembers that were present raised questions, discussed the importance of arts & culture programming in San Diego, and voted unanimously in favor of the campaign. What touched me the most were the parting words of Councilmember Sherri Lightner, who currently oversees District 1 of San Diego. She said that what was presented in the meeting stood for a good case in the upcoming Oct. 22nd meeting. We can see from the numbers spoken the great return on investment that arts & culture has on the City. However, she pointed out the lack of presented stories that show the impact from such programming and how the quality of life is affected from arts & culture. This is not an easy thing to measure, but important to address. Agreed. I thought about my position as an artist and of brief memories stemming from childhood of "what brought me here" in the first place. I grew up in a poor family and recall our inner-city living and constant relocation from one project housing to the next during my first half of childhood. My parents, who had very little knowledge in understanding and speaking English, relied on free public programming so that there would be something for my siblings and me to do. These were programs and events that would help educate and inform us, and keep us away from drugs and gangs. But there were also ones that would touch and inspire us despite our socio-economic background and the burden of uncertainty my parents faced when they sought work and stable housing. I remember us playing around & touching the public art in the park every week, the theater games we had participated in a free workshop we attended, going to the museum where my favorite activity was pressing a button that would light up what seemed to be the largest map of California in front of me. The beautiful glow from underneath this map is what amazed me each time I pressed that button. Thinking past another kid that likes to press buttons, I saw and felt something that felt good inside of me. I wasn't able to to articulate it at the time, but that glowing light represented a kind of hope for myself, my family, and our future. This is why I feel for arts & culture organizations and programs: I want future generations of disadvantaged families and children to have access to something fine in life. Arts & culture must continue to be supported; it is what feeds and nourishes our well being. It is this quality of living that is difficult to measure but is exponentially priceless. Though this is a retrospective post, I still thought it would be appropriate to share something that I have done in the recent past. Behold, a couple of small-scale artist's books that I produced for the Dusk 'til Drawn event at the Santa Barbara Contemporary Arts Forum. I wanted to play around more with cut paper silhouettes and sequencing images. It seems appropriate that the physicality of a book starting from the outside, moving from page to page or along a cascade of folds can navigate a way of story-telling for the viewer. A Spark, A Flame, A Wildfire (tri-fold): From tree to tree (accordion fold): I wouldn't claim myself as a professional book artist, but I certainly have an appreciation for the genre and have been thinking of ways of incorporating some basic concepts of sequence and movement into my other work.
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Van (rhymes with "fun") C. Tran Archives
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