Center for the Arts, Eagle Rock
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New Ruins September 11-October 8, 2010
Center for the Arts, Eagle Rock is pleased to present the exhibition New Ruins, curated by newcomer Grainne Godfree opening September 11, 2010. New Ruins focuses on three Los Angeles-based artists exploring the perilous relationship between nature and civilization. The word "ruins" conjures up images of ivy-strewn castles ravaged by time. Yet all around us, humans are creating modern ruins through excesses of greed, folly and hubris. The economic downturn caused construction sites to be abandoned midway through development. In communities across Los Angeles, including Eagle Rock, these stunted building projects are frozen in their inception. As bad planning and avarice wreak havoc on land, the BP Oil Spill decimates the sea. In eighty-six days, 4.9 million barrels of crude oil gushed into the Gulf of Mexico with a profound impact on marine life and coastal habitats that will not be fully understood for decades. The abuse of nature by so-called civilized people is well documented. Yet in the work of Linda Kallan, Linda Lyke, and Alexandra Wiesenfeld, nature prevails as it thrills and moves you. Humans standing witness to the new ruins are captured with expressions of suspicion add distrust. The cracks already beginning to show as the drum beat of the clock forces humanity to recognize nature's dominance.
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