The exhibition is at once a performance as well as a survey of work to be found in the City: with the unique quality that gallery visitors see the making of the exhibition; they can come back daily to check the progress; they can follow the curator's visits; they can make suggestions.
Opening and Press Reception: Sunday 23 March 2003, 6 pm to 8 pm
Exhibition continues thru Sunday 30 March 2003
at Spanganga Gallery, 3376 19th Street, San Francisco, CA.
The Centre of Attention is a non-commercial independent contemporary
art gallery based in London, UK. In the past year, it has shown
a mix of established artists such as Sylvie Fleury, Jenny Holzer,
Ken Friedman (Fluxus West) and Genesis P-Orridge, as well as many
young emerging European and American artists.
Through its programme of exhibitions such as “Email Artâ€,
“The Centre of Attention Art Prizeâ€, its annual Magazine or its
film screening events, the Center constantly tries to redefine
what makes a contemporary art gallery.
Some people have already described the “Center of Attention
Search Engine†as the contemporary art bastard child of
“The Antiques Roadshow†and “American Idolâ€.
To the more highbrow cultural observer however, this forthcoming
San Francisco exhibition will underline the contemporary art
gallery as a non space-specific organisation and address the
activity of a gallery as a search engine, namely through its
selection and curatorial process.
No work will be transported over from Europe and the exhibition
launches with an empty gallery space.
During gallery hours, starting the 23rd March, an open submission
operation will be in process, with artists bringing in work to be
discussed with them before being accepted or rejected for the show.
Outside gallery hours, the Center’s curators will scour the city,
its artists' studios, art colleges, talking to people in cafes and
cultural spaces with a view to finding the most interesting work.
The exhibition is at once a performance as well as a survey of work
to be found in the City: with the unique quality that gallery
visitors see the making of the exhibition; they can come back
daily to check the progress; they can follow the curator's
visits; they can make suggestions.
The end of the show will paradoxically mark the completion of
the process i.e. the achievement of a satisfying exhibition to
present to the public. The completed show although seen by few
in reality will be documented for publication on the web.
FOR MORE INFORMATION, INTERVIEWS OR IMAGES, CONTACT:
Pierre Coinde or Gary O’Dwyer at the Center of Attention
in London: +44 20 7729 0699
Abner Nolan at Spanganga Gallery in San Francisco:
(415) 821-1102
Spanganga Gallery, 3376 19th Street, San Francisco, CA