War As a Way of Life
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“WAR AS A WAY OF LIFE”
concludes our yearlong examination of electoral issues at 18th Street Arts Center
Curated by Clayton Campbell,
With Susan Crile, Binh Danh, Barry Frydlender, Cindy Kane, Hometown Baghdad, Marty Horowitz, Ronald Lopez, Christina McPhee, Catherine Opie, Stacey Peralta, David Reeb, Sinan Leong Revell, Daniel Ruanova, Larry Scarpa, and Mark Spencer featuring 2008 Artist Fellow Amitis Motevalli
September 27 – December 19, 2008
Opening Reception Saturday, September 27, 6-9 pm
18th Street Arts Center concludes our 2008 exhibition series, The Future of Nations, with War as a Way of Life. Curated by 18th Street Artistic Director Clayton Campbell, we are proud to present a stellar group of international and Californian visual artists, many of whom are contributing works which will be seen for the first time. War As a Way of Life examines the phenomenology of how people who are exposed to long-term effects of war or conflict are transformed. Using photography, video, mixed media, and painting, the artists look at how war, which is either abroad, in our own neighborhoods, or even in our families, is affecting future generations perceptions of themselves and their communities.
“War can be in Iraq, it can be in our own city, or it can be in our homes. Whether it is a misbegotten foreign adventure run by incompetent politicians and corrupt industrialists; a neighborhood terrified of the gangs that control it; or our own psyches polluted with media images of slashers, serial killers, and pornographic action stars, violence is undeniably and unpredictably transformative. I have invited an extraordinary group of national and international artists to participate in War As a Way of Life. Their responses are insightful and diverse, and they look closely at personal, and very human responses, to the effects of conflict of our communities. “War As A Way of Life” is being presented during an intense election year, for the ‘future of the nation’ is not clear, and an understanding of what is happening to our collective psyche is critical to real transformative change both positive and proactive.”
The exhibition, which opens September 27 and continues through December 19, forms the final part of “Future of Nations,” 18th Street’s yearlong examination of issues related to the 2008 presidential campaign. It includes works by Susan Crile, Binh Danh, Barry Frydlender, Hometown Baghdad, Marty Horowitz, Cindy Kane, Ronald Lopez, Christina McPhee, Catherine Opie, Stacey Peralta, David Reeb, Sinan Leong Revell, Daniel Ruanova, Larry Scarpa, and Mark Spencer, as well as “Threshold of the Innocents and Martyred,” an installation in the project room by Amitis Motevalli, 18th Street 2008 Artist Fellow. A catalogue with an essay by the curator will accompany the exhibition.
Clayton Campbell (Curator) is an artist and arts organizer who has been with 18th Street Arts Center since 1995 and currently holds the position of Artistic Director. He specializes in international cultural exchange and artist residencies and is the Artist Residency Advisor, United States Artists; and past President of the International Network of Residential Arts Centers, (Res Artis). He has been a trustee of the Alliance of Artist Communities; consultant for the government of Taiwan’s international artist in residence program; the Rockefeller Bellagio artist residency program; and for the UCLA Fowler Museum’s public arts programming. He is a widely published arts writer and is the Los Angeles editor for Contemporary Magazine, London, and Flash Art International. In 2002 the French Government awarded him the distinction of Chevalier, Order of Arts and Letters for his international work in the field of arts and culture.
“War as a Way of Life” is made possible (in part) by the City of Santa Monica and the Santa Monica Arts Commission, the Andy Warhol Foundation for the Visual Arts, the James Irvine Foundation, Los Angeles County Arts Commission, National Endowment for the Arts, the Peter Norton Family Foundation and special thanks to Regen Projects and the Andrea Meisel Gallery.
18th Street Arts Center is one of Southern California’s most historic alternative art organizations, seeking to provoke public dialogue through contemporary art making. 18th Street’s programs include residencies for Los Angeles artists and arts organizations, residencies for international visiting artists, two galleries for visual arts exhibitions, and free art events for the public.
