Photo Information: Installation of Documentation from Vito Acconci, Photographic Works 1969-1970, Cirrus Gallery 1988 w/ Paul McCarthy Phaidon Book p.138-139 ( Fresh Acconci 1995 Paul McCarthy and Mike Kelley )
Cirrus Gallery has created a four part exhibition entitled Once Emerging, Now Emerging as part of the Pacific Standard Time initiative curated by Cirrus' founder, Jean Milant, with Aaron Wrinkle (CalArts MFA '08, Dan Graham Gallery) . Once Emerging, Now Emerging is a means to display the roots of Cirrus' past alongside the artists emerging today. Cirrus has worked primarily with Los Angeles based artists—John Baldessari, Bruce Nauman, Eric Orr, Ed Ruscha, Barbara Smith and others—throughout it's 40 year history. This group of shows works towards building a largely unwritten history and knowledge of this past with an anticipation for the future. The fourth and final exhibition, entitled Open Network, will consist of primarily submissions and focus on the new ways art bypasses the middlemen of yesterday (gallerists, museums, and critics) and goes straight to the users of today, who in turn are able to reply immediately. And through this concept Cirrus is holding an open call for submissions that consist of responses to its archives—comprised of happenings, performance, and exhibitions from its past as well as the work displayed as part of the Once Emerging, Now Emerging series—part 1 Now & Then, a museum style retrospective of the gallery's forty years, part 2 Livin' L.A., an exhibition based on artists working in Los Angeles, and part 3 The Visitation an exhibition loosely based on artists and art professionals visiting L.A. from elsewhere. And to further the search for the Now Emerging amongst the Once Emerging, Cirrus' open call extends to visual artists in all forms and media and writers interested in developing catalogue essays for its past exhibitions.
Open Network runs from March 10th to May 5th 2012
www.oncenowexhibition.com
www.cirrusgallery.com
Cirrus Gallery
542 S. Alameda St.
Los Angeles, Ca 90013
Cirrus History:
Print visionary Jean Milant founded Cirrus Editions and Cirrus Gallery, originally located in Hollywood, in January 1970. From that time, Cirrus stamped itself as a unique American art institution, functioning as a combination print workshop, publisher and art gallery. (Preceding similar operations in New York, Cirrus' home was a warehouse loft space with 3,000 square feet under skylights and surrounded by pure white walls!) Milant chose to give priority to the publication and exhibition of work by California artists. He saw a unique excitement and lifestyle, which promoted new ideas and visual forms. Cirrus has had over 250 exhibitions including painting, installations, performance, sculpture and photography. This diversity in offering continues today.
With a focus beyond Los Angeles, Cirrus was the very first L.A. gallery to participate in the European art fairs. The international response to Cirrus and the Los Angeles artists was tremendous.
In 1979, Cirrus moved the center of its operations to downtown Los Angeles on Alameda Street, once again pre-visioning the explosive art scene that soon was to come. Milant initiated a summer art festival called LAVA (for Los Angeles Visual Arts) that provided leadership in supporting the downtown galleries and alternative spaces such as Los Angeles Institute of Contemporary Art (LAICA), Los Angeles Contemporary Exhibitions (LACE), and the Women's Building.
In 1986, the Los Angeles County Museum of Art acquired the archives of Cirrus Editions. LACMA has continued to collect the prints and related materials from Cirrus and in October 1995, the museum presented a major exhibition spanning the entire 25-year publishing history. In conjunction, they published an award winning catalogue raisonné.
Cirrus continues today as a print workshop, publisher and gallery with no restriction to medium. New projects include technology-enhanced work.
