January 17, 2011

Machine Project Brings Its Art Antics to Cleveland

Cleveland, OH, January 17, 2011-Beginning February 11, the Los Angeles-based art collective Machine Project will set up "Camp Cleveland" at SPACES. Comprised of a series of events and a set of bleachers made of couches, this residency will explore journeys into psychic mediumship, daily folk and electronic music, human yarn instruments, occasional manifestations of food, vaudevillian Wagner games, broken-instrument-karaoke, and workshops on massage, experimental meditation, and more. The residency and exhibition will run through April 1.

Machine Project was first brought to SPACES' attention through Paola Morsiani, Curator of Contemporary Art at the Cleveland Museum of Art. Morsiani nominated Machine Project for consideration as part of SPACES' new exhibition selection process. Machine Project was chosen to participate in a unique collaboration of SPACES' programs-R&D and the SPACES World Artists Program are hosting Machine Project as artists-in-residence to allow for longer-term interaction with audiences.

"What we love about Machine Project is that it is very artist-centered and has a no holds barred approach to art," says Christopher Lynn, Executive Director of SPACES. "We feel a great kinship with them."

Machine Project operates as a loose confederacy of artists producing shows at locations ranging from the Santa Monica beach to the Los Angeles County Museum of Art. In addition, they recently developed a yearlong project exploring how visitors experience the Hammer Museum. Within the Echo Park neighborhood of Los Angeles, Machine Project is a non-profit community space investigating art, technology, natural history, science, music, literature, and food. Within the Echo Park storefront as well as in projects held elsewhere they produce events, workshops, and site-specific installations using hands-on engagement to make rarefied knowledge accessible.

Participating artists:

• Sculptor Nate Page will be constructing stadium-like seating out of thrift store couches, forming "couchbleachers".
  
• Emily Lacy is a folksinger and a delay-pedal-chant innovator.
  
• Ezra Buchla is a musician performing through voice, viola, and various electronics.
  
• Corey Fogel is a drummer and performance artist who improvises with sound, materials, gestures, and time.
  
• Liz Glynn is a sculptor consistently working with people, found or discarded materials, and historical narratives.
  
• Asher Hartman and Haruko Tanaka are Krystal Krunch, two artists who see and respond to energy in the body, the psyche, personal objects, and architectural spaces.
  
• Adam Overton is a living artist, composer and performer of experimental action and music, and massage therapist based in Los Angeles.
  
• Laura Steenberge is a Musician, Linguist and science charlatan of sorts.

Additional resources on Machine Project:

• Machine Project website: http://www.machineproject.com/
  
• New York Times: "Arty Subversives Storm the Museum"
  http://www.nytimes.com/2008/11/30/arts/design/30fink.html?_r=1
  
• LA Times: "At LACMA, a playground for Machine Project"
  http://www.latimes.com/entertainment/news/arts/la-et-lacma17-2008nov17,0,3946085.story

MACHINE PROJECT EVENTS

Exhibition/Events: February 11 ? April 1, 2011
Opening Reception: Friday, February 1, 6 ? 9 p.m.

Feb 11 ? Feb 13, 4 ? 5 p.m.: Emily Lacy performs delay-heavy music and provides warm cookies daily, 4 ? 5 p.m. Ezra Buchla and Corey Fogel begin musical experiments and appearances

Feb 11, 6 ? 9 p.m.: Opening celebration for Elizabeth Dunfee and "Camp Cleveland", Machine Project's exhibition and residency at SPACES featuring Emily Lacy, Corey Fogel, Ezra Buchla, food, workshops, and more

Feb 15 ? Feb 21: Corey Fogel and Ezra Buchla lead a series of individual and collaborative music experiments

Feb 19, 7 p.m. ? ??: All-night performance event by Corey Fogel and Liz Glynn

Feb 23, 7 p.m.: Destruction Karaoke with Liz Glynn: Come ready to sing, and bring your favorite smashable prop / object-to-be-destroyed

Feb 26, 11 a.m.: Brunch with broken instruments. There will be food, and unmelodious melodies

Feb 26, 6 p.m. ? Late: Wagner Apocalypse: A participatory re-enactment of the complete Ring Cycle, remixed, orchestrated by Liz Glynn

Mar 4 ? 7, 1 ? 4 p.m.: Psychic mediumship and energy reading workshops by Krystal Krunch

Mar 12, 7 p.m.: Lecture on the History of Couch Furniture by Laura Steenberge, conveniently located inside the couchbleacher stadium facilities.

Mar 18, 7 p.m.: The Experimental Meditation center of Los Angeles presents ?

Mar 19, 1 ? 5 p.m.: artSpa presents a free massage workshop for artists

Mar 19, 7 p.m.: The Experimental Meditation center of Los Angeles presents ?

Mar 20, 1 ? 5 p.m.: artSpa presents experimental music and massage all afternoon, featuring therapeutic experimental music by local sound artists, and massage by local artists, under the guidance of artist/massage therapist Adam Overton

Mar 26, 1 p.m.: Participatory human yarn instrument and lecture on strings by Laura Steenberge

Mar 29 ? 30, 4 ? 5 p.m.: Emily Lacy resumes delay-heavy musical performances daily

Mar 31, 7 p.m.: Closing folk-music-inspired event and biscuit party by Emily Lacy and Laura Steenberge

All events are FREE and open to the public. Dates & times are subject to change due to weather or acts of Gods & artists. Please check www.SPACESgallery.org for the most up to date information.

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http://www.thisisnotthe.com/delete/2011/110117_spaces_machine_project.zip

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http://www.spacesgallery.org/files/pr/2011/110117_spaces_machine_project.pdf