Matthew Moore, Rotations: Single Family Residence, 11/2003 - 7/2004, 20 acre field (8.1 hectares)-floor plan image 950' x 450' x10', barley
A wonderful show that originated at Exit Art in New York just opened at the Arts Council in Stuart, Florida. (Stuart is close to Jupiter and West Palm Beach, FL which are over an hour north of Ft. Lauderdale and Miami areas.) The show is titled E.P.A (Environmental Performance Actions) and was curated by Jeanette Ingberman, Papo Colo, Amy Lipton, and Patricia Watts.
E.P.A is a group exhibition surveying recent performance work from around the world that addresses current environmental crises. The exhibition will consist of videos, photographs, texts, related ephemera and a film program documenting recent performances.
The show in Florida is a sample of the larger show in New York showing only eight of the original twenty five or so artists. But all of the works in the original show were very strong (quite moving, in fact) so you can't go wrong with a truncated group.
If performance art is usually something that either scares you or makes you cringe, this is the show for you. The performances are all documented here (in other words, no one will be dousing themselves in canola oil in front of you). And I was able to fall easily into each performance, wishing I had been able to experience most of them when they originally happened. For we can all relate to what "is happening" to our planet. These artists speak loud and clear though their actions and left me contemplating their messages and work long after I had visited the show.
E.P.A: Environmental Performance Art
April 2 - May 8
The Arts Council of Stuart and Marin County
The Fredric M. Ayres, III Gallery
80 East Ocean Boulevard, Stuart, FL
772.287.6676
You can still catch the "big show" at Exit Art. E.P.A runs until July 12 at 475 Tenth Avenue at 36th Street.
