@ The Clocktower Gallery

This months cover,
Photo by K.K.W

Artists Open Studios: Emerging artist residency program. Text & photos by K.K.W

The Clocktower Gallery (also home of 'AiR', Art International Radio) has had some amazing exhibitions and events, like "Canyon Candy". In addition to this, their yearly artist open studios, of which 2011 was much better. 

This years "Open Studios" was a mixture of art & science (as it was the last time I was there) merging together by the artists of the Emerging Artist Residency Program. The idea of such a thing is not exactly new and has been increasing over the last 10-15 years, and now is a strong feature in the visual art / music world. Much of the time such science or "sci-fi" art is really interesting and engaging (David Linton - "Bicameral research sound & projection system"), however with the two at the gallery this time, left something to be desired. 

The Ashcan orchestra's "Apollo's Accidental Answer", a radical, non-traditional opera of sound (based on the myth of Cassandra) was not fully ready to debut. The viewers seeing only so much, and hearing what seemed to many an annoying noise coupled with thrown-together aging electronics. One man stormed off saying, "I don't know what this is suppose to be, its just noise". The set-up and lighting seemed interesting enough, as does the idea behind it, although something was missing. The crowd was an even mix of the young, not-so young and the older, many seemed disappointed. 

Matthew Ostrowski: "The Host", is an unending musical work for a carillon of automated telephone bells. "Using computer models based on swarm intelligence amongst organisms such as crickets and fireflies, small-world network algorithms, and Markov chains, The Host is both an environmental installation and a duration-based piece of music." The wording of this installation and the idea behind it is quite good, but the actual installation falls somewhat short of these words. the crux of it was the phones all linked together, ringing in a particular pattern that repeated itself after a certain amount of time. 

The sound they made was not very appealing, and quickly grows to be annoying (the reaction of the audience was quite clear.), while the look of the set-up seemed to simple and without much creative flair. I will admit there was a certain feel, the sense of a Host, something lingering. But that thing had a toned down feel to it that was not enough to bring you face to face with the idea behind it all. Perhaps it was that the execution and set-up needed a bit more for a better effect. 

The Ashcan Orchestra, part of their Opera:
"Apollo's Accidental Answer"

Joe Ahearn Curator of Performance and
installations.

The Ashcan Orchestra 

The Ashcan Orchestra 

Matthew Ostrowski: The Host. His installation was a series
of rotary phones, used to create an unending musical work for a carillon
of automated telephone bells.  

I think the set-up and materials could have been much
better to have an even more dramatic effect.

Downtown Manhattan, near to the Bklyn Bridge,
as I was walking with my bike to go across the bridge.

If you would like to know more, go to: www.artonair.org, or:www.studiophoenix.blogspot.com/2011/12/art-science-clocktower-gallery.html, or:www.studiophoenix.blogspot.com/2012/02/now-age.html. "Art is the reason, art is the way." Nikon Coolpix L810 16.1MP Digital Camera with 26x Optical Zoom - (Google Affiliate Ad)Canon T3 12.2MP Digital SLR Camera with 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 IS II Lens - (Google Affiliate Ad)Nikon D5100 16.2MP Digital SLR Camera with AF-S DX Nikkor 18-55mm f/3. (Google Affiliate Ad)