|  SOUPED-UP PONTIAC
Künstler: Kollektiv
Titel: Souped-up Pontiac
Ort: Museum of New Art - Detroit
Zeitraum: 10. Mai - 7. Juni 2008
Ausstellungsort: Museum Of New Art Detroit, USA,
Empfohlenes Link MONA
Beschreibung (nur in Englisch erhältlich)
"Souped-up Pontiac" is an exhibition at the Museum of New Art in Pontiac that runs from May 10th to June 7. It will be a hyperkinetic mash-up of art and visuality by a group of artists from around the world. Art in the show will include live action painting by Dr. Barnaby Ruhe and Frank Shifreen in a battle to the death creating mural sized paintings done on the spot. This is a show of artists talking to other artists and the public is welcome to drop in on the conversation. The name "Souped-Up Pontiac" says
Frank Shifreen, is a title that reflects the deep ambiguity of
American Culture. Art can depict the realities of our society and give them
beauty and meaning. Pontiac is an important symbol of the clash of two worlds.
The lost Native American civilization versus automobile consumer culture that
was ascendant and now perhaps is in decline. It is an art exhibition that is
in turns celebration, elegy, comedy, tragedy and farce. Shifreen chose artists
whose work goes deeper than the superficial. Meaning i s one of the measures
of depth.
Pontiac is a great town and a center of the automobile industry
and car culture. The automobile has been an iconic symbol of freedom
and prosperity. The ability to travel freely and move over long
distances is a powerful lure for those needing a change. Power,
mobility, entitlement. The car brand Pontiac celebrates the release
of its new model "G8" this month. Pontiac is a great American car made by GM. It is interesting that the name "G8" also
refers to the Summit of industrial democracies and Russia that
meet every year to plan economic policy and to develop consistent
strategies for issues rising to the forefront.. It is the most
powerful non-governmental economic group in the world. The G8 meetings
stress cooperation and opportunity. Critics have misgivings about
their intentions and call it a cabal. G8 insists they are not a
cartel. Much of what happens in the summit is secret. There have
been numerous protests in the streets of cities around the globe
in recent years. The exhibition ironically celebrates an automobile
with a powerful supercharged engine and a a powerful economic engine
with the same name, as well.
The town is named for Chief Pontiac of the Ottawa Nation. The story
of Pontiac and the First peoples who lived in the Michigan area
is a great but tragic counterpoint to the story of Capitalism and
industry. Chief Pontiac fought colonization and tried to preserve
the land of his people. He organized the most successful war by
the First Nations against the European invasion. Dr. Will Grant,
one of the artists in the exhibition is of the Chippewa, one of
allied Nations of the Three Fires Council, that allied with Pontiac.
His family has deep roots in Michigan history and still lives in
the North Country. He says "We have lived here for 10.000 years".
Other artists reflect these questions and dilemmas as subtext.
Modern Art is a bastion of Do-it-yourself wild anarchist joy. Some
of the works are not political. Making art itself is a response
to Disneyfication of America. Art through the ages is about darkness
and light, and this show is in that tradition.
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