Responding to Darkness

In November 2008, Richard Dorff, Bo Petran and Michael St.Germain reserved the Atlantic Works Gallery for a three person show in May 2009. This blog loosely chronicles the development of the final show concept and promotional materials for the show.

A good place to start is by introducing a few examples of each artist's work...

A view of Richard Dorff's studio with "Door" and "Plant" (2006).

An untitled plaster object by Richard Dorff (2006).

Three untitled wire, paper, acrylic and powdered pigment objects by Bo Petran (2008).

Checkmate: a site specific installation by Bo Petran (2004-ongoing).

An untitled object by Mike St.Germain (2008).

A paper mache figure by Mike St.Germain (2009).

At the initial meeting of the three artists on January 23, Richard Dorff suggests that:

1. The gallery lights remain off and the windows covered for the show.

2. All works in the show hang from the ceiling or ceiling fixtures.

Everyone agrees on the first idea, but the second is discarded.

Between January 23 and 30, each artist prepares a list of potential show titles. The goal is to suggest a synergistic theme for the show.

Richard suggests:

1. the gravity of twilight,

2. twilight gravity,
3. gravity in twilight,
4. space without light,
5. mass unlit,
6. mass of unlit,
7. twilight mass

Bo suggests:

1. shapes in the darkness,
2. sculpture in the darkness,
3. shaping the darkness,
4. follow the light,
5. find simple Mike

Mike suggests:

1. dim,
2. dim some,
3. darkelganger (as in doppelganger),
4. left in the dark,
5. come into the darkness,
6. me and my shadow,
7. me and your shadow,
8. overtaken by night,
9. enter the darkness,
10. the guiding night,
11. night of the world,
12. bump in the night,
13. blinded by the night,
14. nocturne,
15. it's my turn, nocturne,
16. darkturne,
17. away from the light

Each artist pares down his list during the first week of February.

Richard's short list:

1. weight without light,
2. spatial perceptions,
3. motion of light,
4. lightness of weight,
5. weight on light,

6. light on weight,

7. shapes in dim,

8. dark mass

Bo's short list:

1. shaping the darkness,
2. forming the darkness,
3. form and shadow

Mike's short list:

1. black cube
2. artificial light, artificial night
3. form revealed by darkness

On Feb 2, Richard emails the following note to Bo and Mike:

the concept of an unlit gallery is to put 3-d shapes in an atypical environment. we know how dependent sculpture is on good lighting, that lighting is critical to the presence of the piece.

shapes and presence can be enhanced by good lighting. by placing work out of the typical environment, a lit gallery, we are actually placing it back in the gallery, with less light, a radical departure in concept that does not require radical action, just an adjustment in this case.

if each piece is dependent on it's own light source that is not part of the general lighting conditions, the piece is more adaptable to other environments, which is the essential mode of adaption in these times, less dependence on what is common and pervasive.

in a sense, the specific lighting, if any, isolates the piece from the room, making it less dependent on it's environment

February 13: a preliminary wall sketch and wire form Bo plans on exploring in the show.

On February 13, Rick and Mike add more show titles to their short lists.

Rick adds:

1. dark and white

2. black and light

Mike adds:

1. encountering darkness

On March 4, the artists gather to decide on a show title. They also discuss works they anticipate showing.

Instead of selecting a title, they arrived at two final candidates: "Responding to Darkness" and "Lit from Within".

1. Richard plans on creating a "broken-out" (or semi- unfolded) columnar piece which butts up against a widow opening. The piece will be made of a rigid endoskeleton covered in semi-opaque material which will enable light from the window will diffuse into the gallery.

2. Richard also plans on creating a plant object with wafting petal-like forms (powered by a fan or human motion). A changing color light source will entice viewers, but when viewers get close to the work, they will be chased away by a massive surge of light

3. Bo envisions creating a large cement pyramid/ lighthouse on the dock outside. On top of this form will be perched an orange rotating light. The work operates as a reference to code orange and is a false navigation aid. Possibly the work will be connected to the inside of the gallery by a live action video feed or some type of a a viewing hole set into a gallery window.

4. Bo also plans on creating a massive hand-twisted wire worm form which will be coated in some type of paper. The work will be lit from inside and will meander through the gallery and outside the building through a piece of plywood in the window.

5. Mike anticipates creating one large piece which incorporates many individual sculptures. It is a freestanding house which will be illuminated inside. In the interior , Mike will huddle together all of the paper mache works he has produced over the past few months. Viewers will be able to look into the work via peepholes or some type of small opening, but will not allowed to enter. Mike's response to the notion of darkness is to huddle together and hide from it.

After presenting their ideas, Bo, Rick and Mike discuss what qualities their anticipated works have in common.

They come up with the following list of characteristics:

1. they are made of organic volumes,

2. they do not depend on a lighted space; they exist on their own,

3. they use artificial light in some capacity,

4. they are lit from within and leak light,

5. they are approached from the darkness

On March 5, Anna Salmeron of the Biennial Project
( http://www.biennialproject.com/) writes a preliminary press release for the show based on Richard, Bo and Michael's meeting notes. Michael modifies the essay and it ends up as the press release:

A visually and intellectually engaging exhibition of objects presented in darkness by Richard Dorff, Bo Petran and Michael St.Germain...

Light becomes medium and metaphor in this installation in which gallery lights remain in the "off" position and works are encountered in the dark.

Each work will be illuminated by an internal work-specific light source. Leaking light, encouraging further investigation, allows each work to exist in its entirety independent of a gallery context.

This powerful body of self-sufficient works serves as a metaphor for the struggle to survive independent of outside conditions.

Among the complex and provocative works on display will be:

An interactive furniture object by Richard Dorff which uses variable quantities of energy to reveal contradictions in perception. Personal engagement with the object significantly alters its dynamic while causing the viewer to question the value of experience and expectation.

A large lighthouse object with a rotating orange beacon by Bo Petran. Situated on a section of decaying pier on the waterfront adjacent to the gallery building, this work functions as a faux navigational aid as well as a wry commentary on the concept of the post 911 "Orange Alert". A live video feed to the inside of the gallery will accompany this work...

A house structure by Michael St.Germain in which human-scale objects huddle together under
a solitary light bulb in an attempt to hide from darkness and all that is psychologically implicit in the word. Shuttered peepholes allow voyeuristic access to the interior, while preventing light loss and keeping unknown entities at bay...

On Tuesday, March 17, the artists meet up with Anna Salmeron for a photo shoot. The goal is to find a postcard image and get a few shots for possible press use. The session is largely improvisational and includes flashlight drawing.

One month before the show opens!

A working sketch by Richard.

Mike's workspace.

On April 1, Laura Rollins completes the press release for the Boston media.

With the popularity of both HBO’s “True Blood” and the recently released film, “Twilight,” it would be easy to assume that RESPONDING to DARKNESS is another offering exploring vampire culture. It is not. Instead, the title references a visually and intellectually engaging exhibition of objects presented in darkness by Richard Dorff, Bo Petran and Michael St. Germain.

Light becomes artistic “material” as it also serves the role of “metaphor” in this installation in which gallery lights uniquely remain in the “off” position and works are encountered in the dark. Each work will be illuminated by an internal work-specific light source. Leaking light encourages further investigation and allows each piece to exist in its entirety independent of a gallery context. Ultimately the art serves as a metaphor for the struggle to survive independent of outside conditions.

Taking advantage of Atlantic Works’ waterfront location, Bo Petran installs a piece reminiscent of a large lighthouse complete with a rotating orange beacon and live video feed to the inside of the gallery. The work serves as a faux navigational aid as well as wry commentary on the concept of the post-911 “Orange Alert.”

Also on display will be Richard Dorff’s interactive furniture which uses variable quantities of energy to reveal contradictions in perception. Personal engagement with the object significantly alters its dynamic while causing the viewer to question the value of experience and expectation.

Michael St. Germain creates a house-like structure in which human-sized objects huddle together under a solitary light bulb attempting to hide from darkness and all that is psychologically implicit in the word. Shuttered peepholes simultaneously allow voyeuristic access to the interior, while preventing light loss and keeping unknown entities at bay…

Unknown entities….perhaps, vampires? Come and see for yourself!!

http://www.respondingtodarkness.blogspot.com/

The public is invited to attend the OPENING RECEPTION on Friday, May 8 from 7 to 10pm and to visit the gallery during the following hours: Fridays 2 – 6pm (except for the afternoon of the opening reception) and Saturdays 2 – 6pm. The public is also invited to attend the Atlantic Works Gallery’s monthly THIRD THURSDAY SHINDIG on Thursday, May 21 from 7 to 10pm.

To schedule a private press viewing and interview at a more convenient time, please contact Laura Rollins, 617.877.8249.

Begun in 2003, ATLANTIC WORKS GALLERY, “East Boston’s Collaborative Space for Art and Ideas,” is a member-operated gallery located on the top floor of 80 Border Street on the waterfront of East Boston. It is T-accessible (near the Maverick T stop on the Blue Line) and parking space is usually ample. For detailed directions and other information about members and past and future shows, please see atlanticworks.org

May 2nd, Rick and Mike meet to discuss plans for assembling Mike's structure...

Mike plans on exhibiting a house with a pitched roof and walls measuring six feet wide and six feet tall. Over a cup of coffee, Rick sketches out the plans for assembling the structure (above).

May 3rd, Mike refines the original show essay...

Responding to Darkness is a visually and intellectually engaging exhibition of objects created by Richard Dorff, Bo Petran and Michael St.Germain.

For this exhibition, the Atlantic Works Gallery will turn off its lights and leave the task of illumination to the objects on display.

Visitors will likely notice that light “leaks” from each object and attempts to define the gallery space.

This “leaking light” encourages up-close investigation, but it fails to clearly define the surrounding space. As such, each work proclaims a self-reliance and suggests the potential for independence from the gallery context.

On display will be a furniture object by Richard Dorff which uses variable quantities of energy to reveal contradictions in perception. Personal engagement with the object significantly alters its dynamic and calls into question the value of experience and expectation.

Also on display will be a lighthouse object with orange beacon by Bo Petran. Situated on a section of decaying pier adjacent to the gallery building, this work functions as a faux navigational aid. It is also a wry commentary on the concept of the post-911 "Orange Alert".

Finally, there will be a temporary lighted structure by Michael St.Germain in which human-scale objects huddle together in a futile attempt to hide from darkness and all that is psychologically implicit in the word. Peepholes in the structure allow voyeuristic access to the interior, prevent light loss and keep unknown entities at bay.

Less than 24 hours until the show opens!

The skeleton for his Mike's house is finished. Bo's lighthouse is ready to guide...