In what we now refer to as the “Faustian Bargain,” the ambitious Dr. Faust makes a deal with the Devil, surrendering his soul in exchange for unlimited worldly power. In Despot Housewives, DeKalb, Fisher and Van Elder take the metaphor of the Faustian Bargain into the realm of international politics, mixing contemporary realism with subtle symbolism.
The artists approach their subjects with distinct but complementary painting styles, presenting them as they are: variously beautiful, ugly, innocent or guilty. With their lavish displays of elegance, power and ill-gotten wealth, these first ladies each embody a modern-day Faustian Bargain. The portraits challenge us to contemplate political and gender-based power structures, in particular the struggle between complicity and coercion. They will have you asking: Are these women victims or perpetrators? Which matters more, family or country? Are we in the first-world complicit? What about Melania?
All over the world, we are now seeing a shift toward right-wing, nationalistic movements and leadership by strongmen. Look behind a strongman and you just might find a woman. The recent #MeToo movement is a reminder of how women can be bullied by powerful men into acting against their own interests; however, we should also accept that powerful women must bear responsibility for their own actions.
DeKalb, Fisher and Van Elder have each devoted decades to observing and recording human psychological interactions with both empathy and irony. Based in the Bay Area, they have exhibited since the 1980s in San Francisco galleries such as Hackett-Freedman, Marx-Zavattero, George Krevsky and Charles Campbell, and they continue to exhibit in galleries and public venues nationwide and internationally.
Dana DeKalb, Jane Fisher and Marie Van Elder present DESPOT HOUSEWIVES, a provocative exhibition of formal portraits of the wives of totalitarian leaders from around the world. The works will be presented in collaboration with the Institute Of advancing Uncertainty, 296 Ivy Street in Hayes Valley. An opening reception for the artists will take place on Thursday, August 29, 5-9 pm. The show continues through September 7 by appointment.
The Institute Of advancing Uncertainty presents:
DESPOT HOUSEWIVES:
Paintings by Dana DeKalb, Jane Fisher & Marie Van Elder
296 Ivy St., San Francisco 94102
August 29 – September 7, 2019
OPENING RECEPTION THURSDAY, AUGUST 29, 5-9 PM
for more information, please contact:
Dana DeKalb
415 377 1474
[email protected]
see also:
danadekalb.com
janefisher.net
marievanelder.net
20 Years of Form Studio
Reception and Walkthrough with Martin Venezky
April 9th (Tuesday), 6-7:30 pm
at Institute Of advancing Uncertainty, Hayes Valley
296 Ivy St, San Francisco, CA 94102
Form Studio has been one of the foundational courses taught at the California College of the Arts’ MFA Design program since its beginning in 2000. The course was first conceived by faculty member Martin Venezky in 1999 as an undergraduate offering in CCA’s Graphic Design program. The course has evolved over the years to include many diverse approaches taught by a handful of faculty members, many of whom originally took the course from Martin. Form Studio offers students a strong foundation in the making, assessing,and critiquing of visual materials and begins a dialogue around form that will reverberate through the rest of their careers. Students learn the use and structure of materials and media, and develop a rigorous and disciplined processes through which they create and analyze what they are creating. Form studio examines process, and explores iterative methodologies for producing work, creating systems, tools, algorithms, and operations. Heavy emphasis is placed on thinking through making and the work in the exhibition explores, critiques,and interrogates the means of work-making itself.
Exhibition organized by Martin Venezky
Work in the exhibition created by Form Studio students: 1999-2019
Thank you to Form Studio Faculty 1999 to Present:
Martin Venezky
Rafi Ajl
Gustavo Fricke
Shiraz Gallab
Matt Johnson
Bruce Levin
Megan Lynch
Jon Sueda
Chris Yamane
Special Thanks to: Maria McVarish and Julie Leavitt of Institute Of advancing Uncertainty, Kennis Chow, Aaron Kissman, Ryan Legaspi, Clement Liu, Mike Scaringe, and Troy Taylor
Acknowledgments: Thank you to all students and faculty who contributed images (and objects) to the exhibition and all the program chairs under whom Form Studio has been taught: Mark Fox, Brenda Laurel, Leslie Roberts, Nancy Skolos (RISD), Jon Sueda, and Lucille Tenazas
An invitation for Black femmes to participate in sensory and somatic-based interviews covering topics such as love, body image, and home life.
The zine, Show Me What You Want to Say, is a visual questionnaire that will invite participants to illustrate the emotional impact of their experiences. Feelings associated with key life events will be mapped, charted, and graphed to create an emotional portrait.
Interviewees can participate in person or digitally via skype or facetime.
On March 30th, one week after interviews, participants and the public are welcome to visit the space and discuss the making of Show Me What You Want to Say, and reflect on the importance of engaging and archiving the emotional realities of Black femmes.
As posters were created, berg. scanned and printed them for later incorporation in a book. Poster contributors were then given the original works to take home.
Berg. is hosting a series of interactive workshops at the Institute Of advancing Uncertainty. Together, with participants, we will create, bind, and release a book over the course of three days. Collaborators are encouraged to create a poster using graphic sub-layer transfer system (GSLTS)—the technique of placing paper on a textured surface and rubbing graphite to transfer the image to the paper. Each poster will be added to the Berg. archive and become a page in the book.
Berg. @ Institute Of advancing Uncertainty, Hayes Valley
296 Ivy St, San Francisco, CA 94102
Friday, March 8th - Sunday, March 12th, 2019
On View:
Friday, March 8th, 5pm - 8pm
Saturday, March 9th, 12pm - 5pm
Sunday, March 10th, 12pm - 2pm
Opening Reception:
Friday, March 8th, 5pm- 8pm
Join Berg. in a collaborative poster-making experience.
Poster Production:
Saturday, March 9th 12pm-5pm
Create your own poster to be included in Berg.’s publication.
Book Release:
Sunday, March 10th 12pm - 2pm
Hear Berg.’s closing remarks and review the final book.
