A new not-for-profit arts initiative, opening March 7th, NYC
Mika Tajima, The Extras
Derek Jarman, Early films (Super-8 mm)
Courtesy of James Mackay
Christian Holstad, Light Chamber (Part Two)
Also on view:
Dan Flavin, untitled, 1996 Collection Dia Art Foundation
Location: 548 West 22nd Street, New York.
Opening date: March 7th, 2009, 7-9 pm.
Opening hours: Wednesday through Saturday, 11am-6pm. Free entrance. March-May 2009.
Contact Information: www.x-initiative.org
Phase one of X will include installations by artists of different generations:
On the ground floor, Mika Tajima will create an installation that is part film set, stage, greenroom and prop house. Titled The Extras, the installation will include 35 sculptures, a range of performances and two videos. On the 2nd, 3rd and 4th floors, X will present an extensive survey of the work of Derek Jarman, one of the most radical figures of British independent cinema. The exhibition will feature 18 super-8 mm films rarely seen in the US. On the roof, Christian Holstad‘s Light Chamber (Part Two), an installation modeled after gay leather sex clubs and high-end spas, features a useable tanning bed and an extreme sound component.
In addition to these three exhibitions, the renowned, site-specific light work untitled by Dan Flavin will be reinstalled in the stairwells of the building. Created in 1996, the work is on loan from Dia Art Foundation and will be on view for the duration of X.
During each exhibition phase, an artist will commission a site-specific work for the façade of the building to redefine its transition into a new kind of art center.
X has been spearheaded by Elizabeth Dee of Elizabeth Dee Gallery, New York in collaboration with an advisory board composed of international art colleagues. The organization has appointed Cecilia Alemani, independent New York and Milan based curator, as Curatorial Director, working with Jenny Moore, Project Curator.
Advisory Board
Eric Baudelaire, Susanna Beaumont, Maurizio Cattelan, Howie Chen and Gabrielle Giattino, Eileen and Michael Cohen, Jean Crutchfield and Robert Hobbs, Stuart Comer, Lauren Cornell, Tom Eccles, Lia Gangitano, Al Gillio and Paul Bernstein, gb agency, Massimiliano Gioni, Thelma Golden, Simon Groom, Matthew Higgs, David Joselit, David Kordansky, Margaret and Daniel Loeb, Giò Marconi, Barbara and Howard Morse, Christian Nagel, Franco Noero, Friedrich Petzel, Glenn Phillips, Anthony Pilaro, Laura Raicovich, Daniel Reich, Peter Remes, Andrew Roth, Cindy Sherman, Carol Stringari, Rob Teeters, Ryan Trecartin, Philippe Vergne, Francesco Vezzoli, Marc-Olivier Wahler, Lori Zippay (list in formation)
Events:
All events begin at 7PM unless otherwise noted
MARCH
March 19 – 6:30 PM “State of Affairs,” a town hall meeting and panel discussion moderated by Lindsay Pollock, Journalist and Writer, Bloomberg News, with special guests TBD
March 26 – “Recessional Aesthetics: New Publics or Business as Usual,” a discussion with art historians/critics and OCTOBER editorial board members, Hal Foster and David Joselit
APRIL
April 2 – A talk with Sylvère Lotringer on his publication Autonomia: Post-Political Politics in conjunction with Mika Tajima’s new video work Dead By Third Act
April 9 – 8:00 PM New Humans in performance
April 25 – (Time TBD) Symposium on the films of Derek Jarman moderated by Stuart Comer, Film Curator, Tate Modern
April 30 – An evening with Christian Holstad
MAY
May 7 – Guy Debord film screening
May 14 – William Kunstler: Disturbing the Universe, a documentary screening and Q&A by Emily Kunstler and Sara Kunstler (producers/directors)
Benefit Event
Throbbing Gristle. Please save the date for a special performance event to benefit X, Friday, April 17th, 8pm. For more information, please visit our website www.x-initiative.org.
For further information please contact:
Justin Conner at Black Frame // +1 212 226 2196 // jconner@framenoir.com
