1-18-07

Anytown, USA. An exhibit about gentrification in a gallery space in the middle of Bushwick. Interesting concept. Very dissapointing follow-through. Sipped on some licorice-flavored alcohol called Pernod, while watching four videos that didn't connect. Upon entering I saw two projectors in plastic bags duck taped to project downwards onto bricks of cornbread. One projector featured the "artist" making cornbread, while the other featured skilled workers making it in an almost factory setting. The most intruiging feature was a mini-shrine for Guadalupe that was in a background shot for about 5 seconds.

There were two TV sets side by side. I'm sure the point was to show the progression from the LES to Bushwick on the JMZ line. I watched the loop of train tracks and buildings trying to really grasp the full message. Was it that superfical? "Hey lookie!"

Another TV set shows the above poster wheatpasted in various spots in the neighborhood. Such a missed oportunity. It was supposed to be a forum for the public to remark on gentrification, but out of many posters in the video, less than half had some sort of commentary; either through words, or more intriguing, through the destruction of the poster. I would have opted to keep the posters on the wall of the space (which featured some very interesting persepectives from the attendees of the opening) and do away with the sad video.

The final piece took a lot of time for me to digest what the signficance was. A close up of the "artist's" hands as she was receiving a manicure. Was the nasueating process of watching her pick colors for her "localized" nail decoration the point? Was it to show how cheap the gentrifiers are with her $1 tip? Or was it to show how the gentrifiers are trying to support the local business because they think it's "so my neighborhood."

I'm not sure if some girl from the midwest who can afford to be an "artist", can really comment on the subject of gentrification in the light she wants to. There comes a point where the artist can no longer be neutral and as far as this exhibit is concerned, I think it's pretty clear what side she's on.