In 2008 the theme for 18th Street’s exhibition year is “The Future of Nations.” It is intentionally tied to the Presidential election in November 2008, and many of the issues which will determine the direction and future of our nation will be raised and examined in our exhibitions.
The United States is intensely and dramatically politicized since the election of President Bush in 2000, when the disputed election damaged the confidence a nation has in its democratic and civic processes. This was followed by the catastrophic day of September 11 and the still unfolding ‘war on terror’ with its myriad known and unknown consequences. Most of us are engaged in our own conversations about the current political situations that touch us. Most creative persons and artists are deeply concerned and seek to voice these concerns. Yet cultural institutions in Southern California, especially arts institutions, seem distant and disengaged. It is my belief that at this tipping point in the future of our nation, as the Presidential election approaches and we have crucial choices to make, artists and their institutions must step forward to provide a forum for the great issues of our time. To not have artists’ voices and ideas in the mainstream is a serious mistake, and an opportunity lost to hear from some of the best and most innovative minds in our society. We can trust in the arts to illuminate the dark corners inhabited by fear and timidity, and 18th Street will not shy away from what is at hand.
I have identified four thematic areas for the Future of Nations: the constitution; demographics; environments; and war as a way of life. We have invited a curator to organize a group exhibition around each theme, and bring to the theme their own perspective on what it may mean, how it connects locally and internationally, what is the relationship to the election in Southern California. In addition, we have commissioned artist fellows to develop in-depth projects for each theme, and they will be presented in our new project room. Over the course of six months, from June to December 2007, this group is meeting monthly over dinner to discuss and debate their ideas and projects. We are finding this a rich experience, working together and finding the unexpected overlapping ideas and concerns in each thematic area. Indeed, we are finding that we are all in this together, a leit motif for the larger public process underway in our country. The thinking and stories coming out of this process will be on our web site, and constitutes a humane and civilized methodology of research and collegial engagement.
Artists are great connectors, and I support this rare ability they possess. The artists who will work and be presented by us come from diverse political, religious, cultural, and artistic backgrounds. This is not a monolithic group espousing a narrow political art agenda. Rather it is a group of humanists who care about the quality of life around us and feel their contributions are part of mainstream cultural and social conversations. The 2008 Fellows, working in residence at 18th Street, are not a marginalized group. As you explore the pages of Future of Nations, and follow the progress of this project, I also invite you to realize that your civic responsibility and privilege as a citizen of a free country is unique. Each of us defines what ‘free’ is, what are the limits or possibilities, and then find the purpose to maintain an open society.
18th Street would like to thank, and is grateful for the support from, the national Endowment for the Arts, the Andy Warhol Foundation for the Visual Arts, the James Irvine Foundation, and the Los Angeles County Arts Commission, which make the 18th Street Arts Center exhibition and residency program possible.
Clayton Campbell
Artistic Director
18th Street Arts Center