Megan and Murray McMillan

Our windy life is kicking up some dust these days, both of us busy with the beginning of the semester and lots of projects on the table. This weekend, Murray and I hit ArtLA, the new LA contemporary art fair, and caught an interesting panel discussion on art criticism and technology (transcript of the discussion here at art.blogging.la, as well as more about the ArtLA event, from a presenter’s POV). This semester, I’m taking contemporary theory and criticism with one of the panelists, Christopher Miles, and so that was a real treat. By the way, Chris has been working on curating Thing: New Sculpture from Los Angeles, which opens at the Hammer on Saturday. Looks like that’ll be a great show.

There was some great work at ArtLA, particularly coming out of bank and the newly established Brown Bag Contemporary in San Fransisco. Other highlights were Tracy Snelling’s models, some resin and ink drawing blocks, and embroidered x-rays. Of course, I also really like the photo collaborations of Kyle Riedel and Christine Catsifas, who graduated from the transmedia program at UT with Murray, back in the day. Apologies, I’m off-site and without my catalogue, so I’ll have to provide more artist info when I get back to the studio.

Also, as others have noted, there were lots of celebrities in attendance. We came within 10 feet of a major marquee name, but you’ll just have to guess. It would be simply crass to trade on celebrity sightings, even if said celebrity happens to share your first name.

[update: Osman Khan was the bank artist who did the real-time computer-programmed table, Sur La Table. Dustin Yellin from James Nicholson Gallery in San Fransisco did the resin and ink drawing blocks. The two standouts from Brown Bag Contemporary in San Fransisco were Liz Oppenheimer and Tracy Snelling. And, for the life of me, I can’t figure out which artist did the embroidered x-rays (yes, I should have been taking notes, alas, I did not). I think the work was from Rudolph Projects in Houston. Anybody know the artist’s name?]