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You are here: Home / LACE / 1995-1999 / Product No.2

Product No.2

September 18 – November 13, 1999

Joe Scanlan presented a re-design of his nesting bookcase– Product no. 2-– a modular, infinitely expandable object suitable for holding books, dishes, beanie babies, CDs, videos, vases, lamps, linens, candles, small sculptures, flowers, etc. In addition to the product, the show included “Serving Suggestions,” photographs of the objects in situ; and the premiere issue of Commerce, a magazine published by the artist, (which also functioned as the catalogue with essays by Michael Newman, David Pagel, and Laurie Palmer. )

Much of the artwork produced by Joe Scanlan over his ten-year career has grown out his particular responses to and adaptations of his immediate environment such as his bedroom, his wardrobe, and his library. In his early work, Scanlan recognized that certain of his mundane needs would be met only with the creation of particular kinds of garments, furniture, or other items that are not commercially manufactured. Based on a need for economy, an appreciation of ingenuity, and a do-it-yourself nature, he opted to fabricate the objects himself. A by-product of this practice is that he has become adept at several trades, especially sewing and carpentry, yet is in sentiment and in conceptual orientation, as critic Maureen Sherlock aptly stated, not so much a craftsman as an artist “closer to that near-defunct American, the tinker/inventor.” Pieces such as Nesting Bookcase (1989), Extended-wear Underwear (1991), and Bathroom Floor (Improved) (1993), suggest flexibility and adaptability as both lifestyle traits and as works of art.

Because they were created initially for private use, to bring Nesting Bookcase as well as other works by Scanlan into the gallery may challenge our understanding of their role and purported intention. Scanlan’s works have, as he says, “the uncomfortable posture of only ‘passing through’ the context of art — where they are momentarily frozen, held still for scrutiny — before returning to their mundane uses.” Of course, the works rarely return to their mundane state because they are mostly acquired by individuals and institutions that recognize the capacity of the work to address, poignantly, human traits such as desire, resistance to conformity, and imagination. In her article entitled “Home Economics ” (Arts Magazine, Feb. 1992) Sherlock says, “[Scanlan] resolves the problem of his own specific practical needs, while not being adverse to [his artworks’] patent potential. Added to these are their not-so-improbable layers of artistic meaning within a gallery context, but their aesthetic exchange value does not preclude their use value in singular or mass production: they can find a place in his home, Crate and Barrel, or the gallery; meaning, use, and exchange circulate in multiple systems.” Scanlan’s idiosyncratic responses to the limitations of his surroundings have become the basis of an artistic practice founded on inventiveness, adaptability, and hope.

 

Scanlan-- re-design of his nesting bookcase– Product no. 2

Filed Under: 1995-1999, Exhibition, LACE Tagged With: 1999, Exhibition, Joe Scanlan, magazine, Nesting Bookcase, photography, Product No.2, re-design, Sculpture, Serving Suggestions

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We're excited to work with two new Getty Marrow Un We're excited to work with two new Getty Marrow Undergraduate Interns this summer! 

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💫 Jada Wong, LACE's Communications and Media Intern, is an illustrator, printmaker, and educator who creates whimsical characters and stories to make sense of the world around her. Jada merges her love for the absurd and humor with themes of identity, community, and social justice in her work. 

Join us in welcoming them to the LACE team!
We’re grateful to everyone who joined us at “T We’re grateful to everyone who joined us at “This Home, Forever,” curated by 2025 LACE Emerging Curator Nahui Garcia. The two-day event featured performances by: @0ll668 @perras.bravas @lapovertydepartment  @michelelorusso @pacoimatechno @jakioeoeo

These performances took place during a fraught weekend for Los Angeles, with sirens and helicopters heard across downtown Los Angeles. On Sunday, @perras.bravas performed “Borderland Feelings,” a piece that seeks to shed light on and gather testimonies about the experiences, emotions, and demands that emerge when crossing the border. Participants were invited to share their border-crossing experiences by writing or illustrating them on a butterfly. These butterflies were later read aloud during the performance and placed on a body, symbolizing how the border becomes a scar that marks those who cross it.

This performance, along with the rest of the program, felt especially significant on that day. LACE remains committed to presenting socially-engaged projects and was founded as an experimental artistic space for freedom of expression and art that is socially and politically engaging. 

We’re glad to have shared space with LACE friends, collaborators, and colleagues, as well as new friends. 

Photos by Angel Origgi. (@angeloriggi)
Please join us in welcoming two new members to the Please join us in welcoming two new members to the LACE team! 

 🌟 LACE’s new Communications + Event Coordinator, Ida Tongkumvong is a Los Angeles-based arts administrator and marketing professional with a passion for expanding access to the arts and fostering inclusivity within creative spaces. She holds a B.A. in Communications from UCLA. Her previous roles with Sounding Point, the LA Phil, and CAP UCLA deepened her commitment to broadening arts access through strategic partnerships, inclusive programming, and dynamic storytelling. With a keen interest in public art and community-based initiatives, Ida brings a thoughtful and collaborative approach to audience development and creative event planning within L.A.’s contemporary arts landscape. Outside of work, you’ll often find her at a flea market or estate sale, always on the hunt for a one-of-a-kind find.

 🌟 LACE’s new Production + Operations Coordinator, Johnny Young began making his mark on the Los Angeles arts scene as Gallery and Programming Manager for the Juicy Beats Artist Exchange Lounge in 2000. He has worked with the Museum of Contemporary Art (MOCA), where he played a key role in production and management for their First Fridays program; he was also selected for the prestigious Diversity Apprenticeship Program (DAP) at The Broad, a competitive initiative aimed at training the next generation of museum and gallery professionals from underrepresented communities. Johnny brings a sharp eye for detail, a commitment to equity in the arts, and a dedication to amplifying voices that challenge the boundaries of convention.
Did you get your tickets for “This Home, Forever Did you get your tickets for “This Home, Forever” happening this weekend? “This Home, Forever” is a stage, a forum, and a dynamic workshop nurtured by a group of artists and activists devoted to and inspired by Los Angeles. Learn more and get your tickets at the link in our bio. 

Held on the rooftop of the historic Bendix Building, performances will be presented with a 180 degree view of downtown Los Angeles. See performances by: @0ll668, @perras.bravas, @lapovertydepartment, @michelelorusso, @pacoimatechno, @jakioeoeo. 

Behind-the-scenes photos by @andreuuua  @selene__preciado and @abwyman
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