August 21 – December 12, 2010
Opening reception: August 25,
5:30 – 7:30 pm
Mills College Art Museum
5000 MacArthur Boulevard
Oakland, CA 94613
http://mcam.mills.edu
Binh Danh: Collecting MemoriesDanh’s recent work uses a combination of found images from the American-Vietnam War and photographs taken by the artist on recent visits to Cambodia, Laos, and Vietnam. “History is not something in the past. It is something living and of the present that is constantly changing,” said Danh. By confronting the aftermath of war, Danh creates an opportunity to examine history through enduring memories, including residual documents of war, such as photographs.
Binh Danh: Collecting Memories is co-curated by Lori Chinn and Dr. Stephanie Hanor.
Kathryn Spence: Short sharp notes, rolling or churring whistles, clear phrases
Kathryn Spence’s sculptural objects are inspired by animals and nature but are composed from the discarded materials of the human world. Her work demonstrates an uncanny ability to capture the essence of animals without masking her found materials, applying a naturalist’s methods to urban detritus. Accumulated bits of fabric, thread, paper, and cardboard take on species-specific characteristics of songbirds, owls, and coyotes.
Short sharp notes, rolling or churring whistles, clear phrases will include new sculptural work that brings together many of the significant elements of her artistic practice. Spence collects humble, common materials—such as thread, old stuffed animals, fabric, images from birding field guides, and wire—that are carefully selected for their color, texture, and associations. She then uses the material to create meticulously stacked and organized accumulations that are both a monument to the impulse to organize and a method of rehabilitating materials that have been cast aside by a consumer society.
Kathryn Spence: Short sharp notes, rolling or churring whistles, clear phrases is curated by Dr. Stephanie Hanor.
Public Programs:
September 8, 2010
Lecture by Binh Danh
7:00 pm, Danforth Lecture Hall, Art Building
September 25, 2010
Bird Walk with John Harris, followed by a tour of the exhibition with Kathryn Spence
10:00 am, Art Museum
October 13, 2010
Lecture by Kathryn Spence
7:00 pm, Danforth Lecture Hall, Art Building
November 3, 2010
Binh Danh in conversation with Boreth Ly
7:00 pm, Art Museum
November 10, 2010
Kathryn Spence in conversation with Dr. Stephanie Hanor
7:00 pm, Art Museum
December 1, 2010
Reading with Andrew Lam, Isabelle Pelaud, and Truong Tran
7:00 pm, Art Museum
Binh Danh: Collecting Memories and Kathryn Spence: Short sharp notes, rolling or churring whistles, clear phrases have been supported by the Joan Danforth Art Museum Endowment
About the Mills College Art Museum
The Mills College Art Museum, founded in 1925, is a dynamic center for art that focuses on the creative work of women as artists and curators. The museum strives to engage and inspire the diverse and distinctive cultures of the Bay Area by presenting innovative exhibitions by emerging and established national and international artists. Exhibitions are designed to challenge and invite reflection upon the profound complexities of contemporary culture. The Mills College Art Museum is located at 5000 MacArthur Blvd., Oakland, CA 94613. Museum hours are Tuesday–Sunday 11:00–4:00 pm and Wednesday 11:00–7:30 pm. Admission is free for all exhibitions and programs unless noted. For more information, visit http://mcam.mills.edu.