Press for No One Here Gets Out Alive at Charlie James Gallery

My first solo show with Charlie James Gallery has been getting some amazing press over the last week, starting with Leah Ollman's excellent review in the LA Times.  Her analysis of the narrative structure of my work is what really stands out for me as the 'maker' of the show.  She draws clear distinctions between the narrator, the character, and my role as an artist with different agendas and different voices.

Also, Catherine Taft just published another sharp and insightful review of the show on Artforum.com.  She notes the importance of looking at the site-specific nature of the work.  The common thread, though, between both reviews and the current controversy surrounding my New Museum drawing is social satire.  Both writers refer to Honore Daumier whose cartoons piqued French society. As the New Museum controversy rages on, Jeffery Deitch recently waded in to defend Dakis, people are responding not only to the ethical issues, but how vast the divide between the wealthy elite of the art world and the rest of it.  While the Daumier reference is apt for my work and position, it is also unnerving that the economic and class divisions also parallel pre-revolutionary France. James Wagner half-jokingly said the same thing in a recent blog post.

Class divisions and wealth in the art world became more of a focus in my work as the market ballooned from 2002 until 2007.  In 2006, when I took my first trip to Miami for Basel and the satellite fairs, the atmosphere was one of congratulatory celebration; 'witness our collective brilliance and the triumph of Capitalism'.  Very few people I interviewed that weekend for a long-neglected performance were critical of the wealth and power associated with contemporary art that transformed Miami.   The economy appeared stable and few people had reason to raise any complaints.  That was before the Dow nearly halved itself and unemployment rose about 10%.

Now, when Mira Rubell is photographed licking a chocolate Jeff Koons' Rabbit during the 'feast' for Performa 09, the decadence looks ugly and the mega rich completely out of touch. While I have been addressing the discrepancy between the egalitarian promise of the art world and the elite circle of wealth that supports it in my work, I think the division is far more clear now at the end of 2009.  That clarity has brought some unwelcome attention for the wealthiest and most powerful figures in the art world, which they have little control over.   Unfortunately for the Rubells and the Joannous there are many more people on the outside than the inside of the art world.  Fortunately for me and the broader art world is that the establishment may be rigidly ordered, but it is not monolithic.  There are people on the inside who have a self-awareness of their positions of power and do not engage in vulgar displays of that privilege.  Some of them also recognize my critique and quietly tell me "You just say what we're all thinking."  Clearly not all, but hopefully enough who recognize that it's not 2006 and your wealth looks a little obscene.

James Wagner

The recent New York Times articles about the New Museum have helped
publicize the issues that James Wagner blogged about six weeks ago at
jameswagner.com. A few weeks after his initial
post  the editorial staff at the Brooklyn Rail emailed me after
they saw it. Having read it myself earlier and twittering about the
absurdity of it all I was pleased to see the Rail responding to the
post as well. When I got back from LA I met with James and Barry and
we had a great discussion about the ethical issues and the changing
direction of the museum. I interviewed Tyler Green and Paddy Johnson
so I understood their positions and concerns.
With consideration to their critical voices I made my drawing as
sensational and outrageous as I could because that's how it appeared
considering the museum's history and commitment to a non-mainstream
program. What the Times seems to have overlooked amid the reporting is
James' early, provocative, and justified criticism. I feel he really
started this critical inquiry from a passionate concern over the
overtly commercial transformation of yet another alternative
non-profit space. This trend doesn't bode well for unknown and
emerging artists without representation, especially as the gallery
system contracts.
While the interest in my particular take on the imaginary museum
series has been strong I want to make sure that it's known that this
drawing was a collaboration with the support of people who don't just
accept the status quo. Particularly James, Barry, Tyler, Paddy, Phong
Bui, and the Brooklyn Rail.  [Note: I will be meeting with the Rail editorial staff next week to discuss an ongoing series of editorial cartoons for the Rail.  Maybe I could call them the imaginary drawing series.]

William

________________________________
William Powhida
www.williampowhida.com

Powhida: The Movie Trailer

Who is 'William Powhida'?  Check out the trailer for the Hollywood film.  Unfortunately, due to major financing problems the film has been delayed indefinitely.  Username and password for access is powhida.  The trailer is currently on view at Charlie James Gallery in Los Angeles.

The November Brooklyn Rail Cover [Updated]

Update:  A friend brought it to my attention after some confusion that there are indeed three different covers for the November issue of the Brooklyn Rail.  I spoke with Phong Bui, the publisher of the Rail, who told me he wanted to promote other artists featured in the issue and do something different with the publication.  The issue was divided into thirds, and I believe my drawing about the New Museum can only be found on the cover of the 7,000 issues printed.  They are currently available in Williamsburg, Brooklyn at Spoonbill & Sugartown as well as other locations on Bedford Avenue.  It is also available elsewhere and I will see if I can get a list from Phong where those are.  The fact that there are different covers came as something of surprise to me and with such a politically sensitive issue I think it may appear that the Rail may have hedged in their commitment to the cover.  I'd prefer to think after knowing Phong for many years that he felt obligated to run the other potential covers as well, since my drawing was delivered two days before the current issue was finished and ready to be sent to press.
    The fact is the drawing was originally slated to be an editorial cartoon in the spirit of Ad Reinhardt.  For Phong to make the decision to use the image on the cover at all attests to the Rail's commitment to critical perspectives on art.
 

High-Resolution