Charles Gardner, Kennedy Telford, Caitlin Lewis (Victoria)

May 21 - June 8

Collaboratory: Systems Systems Crush is the first part of a series of three Collaboratory Series presentations programmed at Open Space this year that utilize an exploratory research sensibility (i.e. laboratory) and co-operative efforts (i.e. collaboration) in subverting traditional concepts of art. This project series sets out to encourage dialogue and discussions, multi-disciplinary events, spontaneity, and artistic-risk taking among the artistic community. Artistic (aesthetic, formal and technical concerns), theoretical, social and local issues will be the discussion and production points in an attempt to broaden the dialogue around "New Artistic Practices" and challenge the tenets of traditional art forms. 

This installation brings together Charles Gardner (visual artist), Kennedy Telford (visual artist) and Caitlin Lewis (art historian, writer), and draws its inspiration from a long history of pilgrimage paintings. Monoprints, paintings, furniture, household manuals, sketches from notebooks and other items will be presented as clues, information or leads for the viewer to employ in their journey. As the viewer walks through the space, he/she is confronted with images of violence, tranquility, images of golden cities, political assassinations, apocalyptic landscapes and technological disasters.