Are We Not Drawn Onward To New Era at UCSD Mandeville Art Gallery
by Patricia Frischer
Memo Akten
There were throngs of students flooding the campus
of UCSD when we attended the long awaited re-opening of the Mandeville
Art Gallery. Closed since 2018 but started in
1966, there has not been a faculty show since 2015. So what a brilliant
opportunity for high school students visiting the campus to view the work of
their future tutors with this first show Are We Not Drawn Onward To New Eraon view until June 18.
UCSD is a city within a city and although there
are other art viewing spaces included the famous Stuart Collection of sculptures
scattered through the landscape, it is curated exhibitions in this main space
that have been missed. Ceci Moss, the director and chief curator has a heavy responsibility to
bring the space back to life. The wrap around digital video display on the
outside surface of the space will certainly draw attention especially at night
to the renovation. And it is important for the general public and the arts community to discover the works of these teachers who will influence future artists.
I was on a mission to see the work of Memo Akten
as he is on a panel I intend to attend at Oceanside Museum of Art,Artificial
Intelligence Symposiumon March 22 from 6 to 8pm. It is my understand that
Akten is a generative artist which roughly means
that at least some of the work is created
with a non-human i.e. computer generated algorithm. His work in this show All
watched over by machines of loving grace, 2021 is engaging and intriguing
and some might even describe as “eye
candy” and I have no problem with that.
Memo Akten (the following images are screen shots from the video below)
Memo Akten
Memo Akten
Memo Atken,All watched over by machines of loving grace, 2021 - idyllic coexistence between nature, technology and humans.
Danielle Dean -Brazilian Amazon meets corporate Amazon
Danielle Dean
Pinar Yoldas - genetically altered forest and the worlds that could inhabit them.
Pinar Yoldas
Pinar Yoldas,
Paul Mpagi Sepuya - red safety light behind the scenes photography session
Las Hermanas Iglesias (sisters Janelle and Lisa) with mother Bodhid Iglesias - exploration of feminism and family.
Las Hermanas Iglesias (sisters Janelle and Lisa) with mother Bodhid Iglesias
Alexandro Segade - adult superhero graphic novel
My Barbarian - on going performance piece with faculty member Alexandro Segader with Malik Gaines and Jade Gordon
My Barbarian - props
Mariah Garnett - the artist reenacts her father's life in Belfast, confusing and compelling in equal measures.
Lorena Mostajo- cross-border souvenirs
Lorena Mostajo - cross-border souvenirs
Las Hermanas Iglesias - the exhibition is named after this work which is a palindrome repeated in the shape of an American flag.
Apolgies todean erdmann whose vinyl transparency graced the doorway glass welcoming the entire community, both artist, art supporters and the general public. I was notable to get an image of this work.
The MFA and PHD UCSD Visual Arts Graduate Open Studios was also happening on the day we visited. Some of the students seemed prepared to meet the public...others, not so much. I choose three that impressed me just looking at the work without any extended conversation. They are all represented with a piece in the Studio Gallery space. Lots of photography and video works as you would expect but ceramic and textile sculptures caught my eye.
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