Explorations

Waking up Sunday morning a number of tasks were rushing around my head including; packing, blogging, getting breakfast(ohh the donuts), calling my Mom, writing the thank-you notes, and figuring out my Monday…as I bounded down the elevator I remembered one last one, read the New York Times.

So I found myself at breakfast, sans donuts and skimming over the paper.  Reflecting on the week’s interviews I found a certain poignancy to an article about a young artist. Loris Greaud, 29 will soon open ’Cellar Door’, an installation art project at the Palais de Tokyo in Paris. The kicker: he is the first artist to take all of the 40,000 square feet, at a cost roughly double to that of any other show the Palais has housed. Director Marc-Olivier Wahler remarked that it was large risk to allow such a young artist carte blanche, though the work has been an overwhelming success.

I couldn’t help think of my last interview with Catherine Porter, the developmental director of Dixon Place.  Dixon place began simply enough in a living room. Ellie Covan the founding director used the space(in her own apartment mind you) to showcase and promote new works and talents. As an interesting side-note Catherine explained that since producing plays in the living room of a NYC apartment violated a number of fire concerns(large amount of people in one spot) Ellie told everyone involved that if the fire or police showed up everyone was to start singing ’Happy Birthday’.  Twenty some years later Dixon Place has expanded(barely) while maintaining the ‘living room’ feel and holding steadfast to their mission.

The juxtaposition of seeing one artist with 40,000 square feet, and a whole venue with only 350 square feet was  really quite eye opening. Initially I though Greaud was very lucky to have an expanse of space and money to realize his artistic vision; yet later I realized how we all have that ability. I have that ability.  It’s shocking but I have the means to produce  my work. Of course my means are limited in terms of finance, time, space, and so on-but even if I have nothing but my living room, I can make it work.