Curated by Baseera Khan
January 21 – March 7, 2009
Opening reception: Wednesday, January 21 7 to 9 pm
A New Deal, Art and Currency highlights relationships between American presidents and the economy, while observing how these relationships affect art-making. This exhibition takes its name from the social and economic reforms implemented by Franklin Delano Roosevelt in the 1930s. For better or worse, each president affects the course and stability of the economy, and likewise, the changing economy affects the stability and reputation of each president.
Artists in this exhibition play within the space of literal and imagined artifacts of currency and alternative methods of exchange to push social protest and reconsider material value. The participating artists deal with manipulating and erasing, recreating and exchanging, collecting and commemorating, all to address these intrinsic relationships. Some artists take the stance of philanthropic entrepreneurs who devise new economic systems.
A New Deal also includes Fundred Dollar Bills created by fifth grade students at PS 119, The Magnet School for Global and Ethical Studies participating in BRIC Rotunda’s in-school Education Program.
Artists
- Fundred Dollar Bill Project
- Peter Simensky
- Fine Art Adoption Network
- David Greg Harth
- Mark Wagner
- Jesús Jiménez
- Jon Kessler
- Jonathan Herder
- Anais Daly
- Anissa Mack
Public Programs
Rent Control: Brooklyn
February 4, 2009, 7pm
The Maysles Cinema hosts Brooklyn on the big screen as a part of their six-month long series Rent Control: NYC Documented and Imagined, an examination through film and conversation of diverse communities all over New York that are undergoing social and economic change.
Films include: Sarah Friedland, Kahil Shkymba and Nayo Joy Simmons' Subprimed (2008), a documentary that takes a look at the effect of the national foreclosure crisis on East New York; and artist Duke Riley's provocative video Duke Riley Presents Paul Piers for Chanel (2006) about the homeless people who lived in a Williamsburg warehouse and created a micro-industry out of found clothing, supplying area vintage stores and boutiques. Post-screening discussion with featured directors and artists to follow.
Fundred Dollar Bill Project, Collection Centers as of December 2008
Portraits of the Artist
February 25, 2009, 7pm
A screening of two short film portraits of artists contending with their complex identities, followed by a discussion with the directors.
Matt Wolf’s experimental documentary Smalltown Boys, 2003 depicts the historical relationship between AIDS activist artist David Wojnarowicz and Sarah Rosenberg, a fictional teenage lesbian from New York's Upper West Side. These overlapping biographies consider generational politics and the relevance of activism in contemporary America.
Charlie Ahearn's video Martin Wong, 1998 is a very personal observation of the artist creating his renowned autobiographical and fantastic painting of the Chinese New Years Parade (exhibited at PPOW, New York in 1993). Faced with HIV related illnesses, Wong was forced to leave New York and return to San Francisco to reside with his family. Upon request, Ahearn flew out to filming Wong's role as Marshall of the Chinese New Year Parade, just as Wong had depicted in his original painting.