RBlurred Boundaries

Johannes Birringer (orpheus@rice.edu)
Tue, 13 Oct 1998 02:38:22 +0000

Announcement:

Blurred Boundaries
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East by West

A FOTOFEST COLLABORATION WITH
ALIENNATION Co. AND HOUSTON AREA ARTISTS
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In an experimental collaboration between performing and visual artists
in Houston, FotoFest is sponsoring the first of a series of arts events
at Winter Street Art Center, 2123 Winter Street, October 17-November 9,
1998.

The exhibition "Blurred Boundaries," curated by Houston-based artist
Debbie Riddle, opens with a special video/music concert by AlienNation
Co, directed by Johannes Birringer. Opening: 8 pm to midnight,
Saturday, October 17, with the performance,"East by West," at 9:30pm.

"Blurred Boundaries" is conceived as a dialogue between photographers,
painters, and printmakers who are moving beyond their own media to
experiment with concepts and techniques from other visual arts.

Among the works to be exhibited are large-scale photographs based on
sculpture, dance and video projection; handmade books incorporating
printmaking and photography; paintings derived from photo reproductions
and Polaroid SX70 prints. Of the 32 artists selected for the exhibit,
most are Houston-based or international artists working with Houston art
institutions: Paula Bishop, Ken Childress, Cia Devan, Theresa DiMenno,
Rick Dingus, Dornith Doherty, Greg Donner, Tommy Fitzpatrick, Bennie
Flores Ansell, Phyllis Hand, Linda Hayward, John Herrin, Kelly
Klaasmeyer, Charles Mary Kubricht, Suzanne M. Manns, Melinda Menchaca,
Gerald Moorhead, Osamu James Nakagawa, Jen Neira, Paula Newton, Robert
Ruello, Al Souza, John Speragana, Hans Staartjes, Ann Stautberg, Jack
Stenner, Prince Thomas, David Thompson, Bob Wade, Mark Wade, Casey
Williams, Viviana Zargon.

The opening night performance, East by West, will feature digital
transformations and film projections of the works on exhibit. The
projections will be linked via MIDI to electronic music created on site
by Johannes Birringer, Steve ParŽ, Monti Mayrend, Eric Reininger, Dom
Benczedi, Angeles Romero, and Brazilian guest artist Andre Marquetti.

The performance is created by AlienNation Co., a Houston-based
international performance group experimenting with multiple media. The
non-profit company, directed by Johannes Birringer, works as a
laboratory for projects exploring new links between live performance,
video choreography, acoustic and electronic music, digital art, and
interactive design.

FotoFest's sponsorship of this event is an extension of multimedia
site-specific works commissioned for its 1996 and 1998 festivals.

"Blurred Boundaries" and East by West introduce a series of
multidisciplinary art and performance events at Winter Street Art Center
during 1998-99. Winter Street will open its 4,000-sq. ft. space to
exhibitions, music and dance concerts, video installations, symposia and
workshops in performance technologies.

Birringer has been appointed resident curator for Winter Street Art
Center. In coordinating Winter Street's first season of programs,
Birringer is working in collaboration with FotoFest on a series of
exhibition-performances.

Gallery hours for Blurred Boundaries are Wednesday-Sunday, noon to 6pm.
Winter Street Art Center is located at 2123 Winter Street (northwest
side of downtown Houston off Washington Avenue).

A Public Symposium on the interface between photography and other
visual arts will be held Tuesday, October 27, 8 pm at Winter Street Art
Center. The symposium will feature artists from the exhibit and Houston
art critics.

On Sunday, November 8 at 5pm, AlienNation Co. will sponsor CODA -Open
House, a public performance and discussion about contemporary dance.

For more information, call FotoFest at (713) 529 9140 or Johannes
Birringer at (713) 861 3782, or visit http://www.winterstreet.com.