[spectre] "second natures" Exhibition in LA

[Oliver Grau]

second natures

UCLA Department of Design | Media Arts
Faculty Exhibition for the opening of the Eli and Edythe Broad Art Center

Curated by Christiane Paul

http://projects.design.ucla.edu/exhibitions/SecondNatures/ 

Exhibition Dates:
September 14 - October 26, 2006
Opening Hours:
Tuesday through Saturday, 12 - 5 PM.
Thursday, 12 - 7 PM.
Closed on Sunday and Monday. 
Admission Free

Eli and Edythe Broad Art Center
240 Charles E. Young Dr. North
Los Angeles, CA 90095

Public Reception:
Saturday, Sept. 30, 6 - 9 PM


second natures, the UCLA Department of Design | Media Arts exhibition -- curated by
Christiane Paul, adjunct curator of new media arts at the Whitney Museum of American
Art -- features work by faculty members Rebecca Allen, Robert Israel, Rebeca Méndez,
Vasa Mihich, Christian Moeller, C.E.B. Reas, Jennifer Steinkamp, and Victoria Vesna.
The exhibition is on view in the first- and second-level spaces of the new Eli and
Edythe Broad Art Center designed by Getty Center architect Richard Meier.

The works presented in the exhibition to varying degrees all reference the concept
of a "second nature." Some projects literally reflect on natural processes or depict
landscapes or present a simulated nature. Others simulate natural processes in
organic visual structures and use principles of artificial life and intelligence to
create a programmed nature. Yet another body of works is based on principles of
optics and shows how light and the eye mediate the perception of our environment.

In their different approaches and media, the works included in second natures
construct a multi-faceted picture of the possible meanings and connotations of
nature -- a picture that is very much of its time and informed by the current
cultural and political climate. Nature appears as processed, both in the sense of
natural resources and the medium that represents it. It presents itself as designed,
simulated, technologically connected and filtered through human perception, or as an
imaginary space.

The exhibition is accompanied by an illustrated catalogue. Faculty teaching theory
in the D | MA department, Erkki Huhtamo and Katherine Hayles, contributed essays to
the catalogue. 


Works in the exhibition:
Victoria Vesna
Water Bowls: moon ~ drop ~ sound ~ oil, 2006
In collaboration with: John Houck (Software Art), Tyler Adams (Sound), James
Gimzewski (concept / science)

Casey Reas
Process 4 (Software 1), 2005. 
Process 4 (Image 2), 2005. 
Seoul B, 2004. 

Rebecca Allen
Bush Soul #3, 1997 - 2000

Christian Moeller
Heaven, 2005

Robert Israel
Parsifal (staircase). Model for the stage design of Parsifal (Richard Wagner),
Seattle Opera 2003.
The Voyage (Philip Glass), model for stage design, The Metropolitan Opera, NYC, 1992.
Oedipus, Model Proposed for Director Dialogue.
Greek Satyr Play, Model Proposed for Director Dialogue.
Parsifal (Richard Wagner), Photo of stage design.

Rebeca Mendez
Homeland, 2006 
Homeland, Peace White
Homeland, Low Green
Homeland, Guarded Blue
Homeland, Elevated Yellow
Homeland, High Orange
Homeland, Severe Red

Jennifer Steinkamp
Dervish, 2004-05

Vasa Mihich
Sculpture #3108, 2005
Painting 182 N, 2003
Paintings 191 N, 194 N (2003); 207 N, 209 N, 217 N, 222 N, 223 N, 230 N, 241 N, 244
N, 251 N, 255 N (2004)