Exquisite Electric at GCAC

July 9th, 2005 · 1 Comment · Artists, Los Angeles

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Jim Campbell, Fifth Avenue Cutaway #1, detail, 2001
[source]

Video and interactive art enthusiasts should trek to Grand Central Art Center in Santa Ana to see Exquisite Electric (open July 2-Sept 18, free admission)–featuring Jim Campbell, Adam Chapman, Marianne Magne, Tony Oursler, John Slepian and Camille Utterbach, curated by Mike McGee and Jan Christmas.

The trip is easily worth it just to see Jim Campbell’s inspiring custom electronic LED video work on loan from the Museum of Contemporary Art San Diego. Andrea Harris at GCAC explained to me that although one might expect a computer somewhere running it, Campbell’s work is actually operated by a programmed microchip located in the work’s frame [good grief]. His subject–New York citizens walking on the street on Sept 11–has a brilliant relationship with a plexiglas panel, mounted at an angle which gradually blurs the LEDs, allowing the video to materialize yet further distorting it.

Another technical tour-de-force is Camille Utterbach’s interactive video installation, Untitled 5. Viewers movements control animations on the screen. Yawn. Don’t get me wrong: this MIT professor makes technology work seamlessly, it’s just that I would rather see the artist choreographing movement than bothering with it myself. Problematically interactive, Utterbach’s work is still in the “good grief” category. Don’t miss this show.

Category: Artists · Los Angeles

One Comment so far ↓

  • Andrew

    Jim Campbell is also currently being shown in the lobby of the Athaneum, which is the private restaurant at Caltech. They probably won’t let you in to see the work, but if you’re dressed fancy enough, the staff might not question it.

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