Intro
This posting is based off of an incomplete draft for a review of Tomorrow Is For Those Who Can Hear It Coming, a one artist show at the New Langton Arts gallery in San Francisco. The show ran in October 2008 and featured work by artist Julio César Morales.
Well, when I discovered that the New Langton closed its doors earlier this year, I felt compelled to share my experience of that show with you all. The New Langton has been an important gallery in San Francisco since the 1970s. It supported young and unestablished artists and helped foster new directions in art. Unfortunately, the New Langton was unable to secure enough funds in 2009 to remain open. Bellow is the article that I began in 2008.
Tomorrow Is For Those Who Can Hear It Coming
San Francisco based artist Julio César Morales has a show this month at the New Langton Arts gallery. I was fortunate enough to see the show with my good friend Vincent Lee.
Tomorrow Is For Those Who Can Hear It Coming is an installation of photographs, neon signage, and a film entitled Interrupted Passage. The show deals with the Mexican ceding of California to the U.S. via the Guadalupe Hidalgo. Here’s a excerpt from the publication handed out at the show.
“Eighteen forty-six, the Bear Flag Revolt takes place. A militia of exhausted, dirty, rag-wearing men pound at the door of General Mariano Guadalupe Vallejo’s Casa Grande in Sonoma. The militia is there to demand that Vallejo—Mexican Commandant of Alta California’s northern frontier—surrender California, and to take him prisoner. Vallejo graciously receives the men, offers them his wine and aguardiente (a homemade alcohol derived from sugar cane), and orders a steer to be slaughtered and prepared. He decides to handle things at the table. As a result of this encounter, the Treaty of Guadalupe comes into existence, and the territory of Alta California is transferred from Mexico to the United States.”
The film is portrayed from two different perspectives at the same time on two screens. On the left we see Americans waiting within the villa for their feast, while on the right we see the Mexican servants preparing the meal. The film loops as it plays. Bellow are some screen captures I made from the film.
Inside
The New Langton Arts gallery space is basically a small apartment building. It has a second floor space and a basement. Morales show was held in the loft space of the second floor gallery. The lights were dim and no one was around. We thought we might have come a little too late, but Vince and I ventured upstairs anyway. Not a curator, intern, or human in sight, just the soft pink light from a neon sign and the sounds of Interrupted Passage drifting over us. Framed and matted photography were hung against the rear wall. Opposite that were two screens on which the film was projected. Pamphlets were placed on a buffet style table along the side wall. We grabbed some and then headed for the photos.
The photography was interesting. We could tell immediately that these were photos of reenactors. It was obvious they were intended to be disingenuous. It was a modern perspective on the past and not the recreation of that past. I liked that the photos were separate from the film and not stills. The photographs showed bright vivid color, much like you’d see in a fashion zine spread of summer looks.
We finished studying the photos and then turned our attentions to the film. The framing of the American guests were kept to mostly tightly cropped compositions. I felt somewhat claustrophobic watching it. On the right screen Vallejo’s servants prepare the meal that will be served to the Americans. The beef being sliced and prepared is almost fetishistic in presentation. Vince and I remarked on how we both felt like voyeurs. The soundtrack is composed of electronic sounds that force us to remember the present. This is an enactment, not a reenactment. The mood is sober as the meal is served and the men eat. They eat in almost a meticulous manner. No one it seems is enjoying themselves.
Vincent and I watched the film loop through a couple of times and then went in search of that pink neon sign. The old English letters were strewn across the ground proclaiming the name of the show. Vince and I disused the intentional anachronism at play in the show and the importance of our perspective and context for viewing history (or something like that).
Epilogue
Out side in the chilly (but not too chilly) fall night waves of protesters blocked all buses for a couple of miles, a part of a massive show of support to end the Iraq War. It gave us plenty of time to chat about the role of art in relation to commercial art and the massive failure of the Morphosis designded Federal Building that was only a couple blocks away. We talked about our futures and shared our current goals. Then the bus finally came and we got on. So long New Langton.
This video is re—posted here via http://danielgorrell.com/?p=30
Resources
http://langtonblog.wordpress.com/
kqed.org video featuring Julio Ceaser Morales
SFMOMA blog article explaining the closing of the New Langton
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