LAST DAY OF MAGIC

LAST DAY OF MAGIC

Artists: Virginia Arce, Amanda Charchian, Claire Cregan, Katrina Duesterhaus, Charlie Edmiston, Michaelvincent Garcia, Michelle Johnson, Elizabeth Mauceli, Kour Pour, Jonathan Stofenmacher, Carly Strauss

Curator: Jan Van Woensel

Bolsky Gallery
Otis College of Art and Design
9045 Lincoln Boulevard
90045 Los Angeles, CA

December 8th – 12th, 2008
Mon – Fr: 10am – 5pm

Opening: Monday December 8th, 6 – 8pm
Opening: Wednesday December 10th, 6 – 8pm

LAST DAY OF MAGIC is a project organized and curated by Jan Van Woensel in the framework of the Fall 2008 critic-in-residence class he teaches at Otis College of Art and Design, Los Angeles, CA.

LAST DAY OF MAGIC is an examination of illusion as well as disillusion that magic provides in culture: the search for the intangible; the revealing of deception, the removal of what’s obscuring. Magic changes the perception of reality. Magic is about surprise but also about secrets, lies and false beliefs. Each individually, the artists in the exhibition created a new artwork that interprets magic. The result is a multi sensory experience of artworks that touch upon themes as varied as entertainment, depression, belief, identity, addiction and the void.

LAST DAY OF MAGIC is an exhibition traveling to different cities in the USA and Europe. Inspired by Aspen Magazine, ‘Le Boite en Valise’ by Marcel Duchamp and time machines, all the work included in the exhibition physically fits into a carry on size box. Every time the box travels to a new destination, it will be shown differently than its previous unveiling. Its environment is ever changing; its display always different, while the art works remain the same.

LAST DAY OF MAGIC exists in two versions: an original and a replica. This format brings into question the false impression of the original and the copy in art. After the exhibition, one of the boxes will be send to the art archive of the Zurich based organization Curating Degree Zero. The other box will travel to exhibitions throughout the USA, including venues in San Francisco and New York. Its journeys will be documented on this blog. 


Contact: Jan Van Woensel - office.janvanwoensel@gmail.com
Info: http://last--day--of--magic.blogspot.com and http://www.curatingdegreezero.org and http://icpabackstage.blogspot.com