October 15 – December 10, 2004
Organized by Giovanni Jance
in conjunction with Andrea Zittel and High Desert Test Sites
In the experimental and social spirit of High Desert Test Sites – a series of experimental art sites located along a stretch of desert communities – past and present participants (not known for their collaborative efforts) of the HDTS have been provided a space in the city wherein a single parameter is set; that is, each participant must somehow interact or intervene in the making or presentation of another participant.
Like HDTS, and inspired by it, the exhibition Strange Animal provides a period of time and space that serves as a catalyst for people to gather in what amounts to an arbitrary place to discuss each other’s work in the process of putting it together.
Because participants are responsible for the fabrication and installation of their works, they inevitably end up helping each other, discussing and sometimes altering their projects. What is proposed versus what is manifest may not always equate. Strange Animal, like HDTS, is not as much place specific as much as it is social event specific.
HDTS may be thought of as a kind of computer with a variety of interfaces into which one can plug, play media, unplug, and depart. Sometimes the media are interactive, sometimes not. Sometimes it works, sometimes it does not. With this in mind, we have invited twelve people to participate in the Los Angeles satellite of HDTS: Justin Beal, Jedediah Caesar, the cake society, Kate Costello, Shannon Ebner, Fabienne Lasserre and Christy Gast, Marie Lorenz, Matt Lorenz, Pentti Monkkonen, Jennifer Nocon, Jim Skuldt and Dick Slessig. This like generation of recent MFA graduates from across the country will together (and also separately) embark on an unscripted melding of performative installation and sculpture. All artifacts from the contributors’ participation become part of the event.
Click here for Radio Free High Desert Test Sites Playlist
Additional artists working in collaboration with Jedediah Caesar have provided small edition posters, including: Simon Bloor, Tom Bloor, Sky Burchard, Nathan Carter, Feral Childe, Drew Dominick, Craig Dongoski, Fritz Haeg, Gustavo Herrera, Marie Lorenz, Gene Moreno, David Pham, Pruess Press, Tyson Reeder, Jaime Sims, the cake society, Sarah Vanderlip, and Patrick Wymore
