Tag Archives: Shameless self-promotion

Art & Development, Community

Headlands Open House

Join me at the Headlands’ Open House.

It’s a privilege for me to be an Affiliate Artist at the Headlands, a vibrant community of national and international artists, writers, composers, musicians and dancers in residence.

I value being a member of a community where colleagues live, work, and breathe their creative practices.

The Headlands Open House happens three times a year, and it’s a great opportunity to visit studios and meet artists. I find open studios to be nice, informal settings for conversations about art. The current bunch is a varied and interesting, and includes tech-savvy object-makers like Chris Bell and David Gurman (who will present a large installation of photographs in Building 961) and conceptually-driven photo and video artist Hank Willis Thomas. I’m also really looking forward to seeing the finessed video work of UK-transplant Richard T. Walker (Affiliate Building, 960).

It’s a long haul out to the Marin Headlands, but the setting is gorgeous: fresh air, ocean salt. Just the other night I saw more stars that I have in all my years living in Oakland.

My studio is in the basement of the Affiliate Building (960, around the bend and up the hill, behind the Nike missle. Seriously.). Coats imperative, scarves recommended. See you there.

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Art & Development, Community

GALLEON TRADE: SHIP LAUNCH!

I’m very excited to participate in Galleon Trade, an artist-initiated exchange project that’s heading out to Manila in July. I feel really lucky to show my work alongside that of artists like Mike Arcega, Stephanie Syjuco, Gina Osterloh, Megan Wilson, Enrique Chagoya, and many talented others. So far, we’ve received couple of small grants, but we are waiting on one more–which means I may be unable to fulfill the “exchange” part of “exchange exhibition.” Please show your support and join the party!

GALLEON TRADE: SHIP LAUNCH!
Saturday, June 30 2007. 6 – 10pm
Downtown Oakland, CA

Please join all manner of pirates, bootleggers and scurvy knaves for Galleon Trade: Ship Launch!, one hell of a land-locked fund-raising party and art auction.

Galleon Trade is out to make the Pacific Ocean seem smaller, by creating a sustainable template for innovative new kinds of grassroots arts exchange. We’re starting by forging new relationships between California, the Philippines and Mexico. You’re starting by coming to our party, and having some good clean fun, dancing, eating things, drinking things, enjoying and bidding on art. Cones will be even be set out for the roller-skating elite.

When and Where’s the Ship Launch?
Event: 6:00-10:00PM
Silent Auction: 6:00-9:00 PM

Location:
The former Oakland Tribune Building
12th and Franklin
Oakland CA

What’s going to happen there?
Oh, goodness. All manner of fun, including

• Food and Drinks (featuring a number of Filipino dishes, as well as The Galleon, a brand-new East Bay cocktail!):

• DJs and plenty of other entertainment to keep you occupied on a warm, sweet East Bay summer evening! There will likely be some dancing to be done. Rollerdisco encouraged, but not expected.

• A silent art auction featuring affordable work by many of the Galleon Trade artists and their high-powered artist friends!

• The opportunity to experience the massive, historic Wonderbread Warehouse before it undergoes renovation!

How much is all of this fabulous fun?
A mere $10. More, if you’re feeling generous. Less, if you’re in a tight spot.
Food’s on the house, drinks by donation.

What if I can’t attend?
Galleon Trade accepts web donations via Paypal. Our fiscal sponsor is the Luggage Store.
For the Art auction, early bidding/proxy bidding by email/phone also welcomed:
Details and online gallery to follow shortly at http://galleontrade.org/news/

Where do my pesos go?
All proceeds support the multi-year Galleon Trade project, which is building new templates for grassroots, international, trans-pacific arts exchange. Phase 1 of the project brings 12 California artists to Manila, Philippines this July!

For details and participants, please visit:
http://www.galleontrade.org

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Questions? Or to donate* or volunteer:
Email me at info (at) christinewongyap.com

*ARTISTS! Interested in donating work to support your fellow artists in an artist-initiated project? We’re seeking donations of small works on paper, prints or multiples for sale in the art auction. Your work will be featured online, with a link to your contact info. I haven’t been this excited about grassroots Oakland arts events in a while — please join the fun.

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Art & Development, Community

Artists (and) Talking

This month, countless MFA exhibitions are occurring across the country. I’m in one at CCA, as friends and colleagues are in others around the Bay Area…

I’m looking forward to seeing the other MFA shows. It’s nice to be part of the buzz of excitement and celebration, and to see what people are capable of after two years of growth. But during a recent online search, I came across a Flickr page authored by someone who came to CCA’s MFA show to see the “competition.” Maybe it was ironic, but I don’t see the local art schools having a famous rivalry, like Cal versus Stanford or anything.

While it’s true that the art market is paying more attention to younger artists, I feel lucky to be among cohorts who value comraderie over competition.

See it for yourself.

fer·ma·ta: The 37th Annual University of California, Berkeley Master of Fine Arts Graduate Exhibition
May 18–June 10, 2007
Berkeley Art Museum

The San Francisco Art Institute’s Master of Fine Arts Graduate Exhibition
May 19–26
Fort Mason

San Francisco State University MFA Thesis Exhibition
(Oops! It ended a few days ago, but you can view the work on the website)

Mills College MFA Exhibition 2007

April 29th – May 27th
Mills College Museum

Lift Off: San Jose State University MFA Exhibiton
June 29 – August 4, 2007
San Jose Institute of Contemporary Arts

Academy of Art University
(Can’t seem to find an MFA show on the site, but there’s a school-wide Spring Show.)

California College of the Arts 2007 Centennial Graduate Exhibition
(The show closed today, but you can see lots of images at the website.

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On another note, I got to present my work in the MFA exhibition today to a group of visitors from the Oakland Museum of California. They were doing a tour of several MFA exhibitions, and were genuinely fascinated by contemporary art. I had a lot of fun, and hope to have more chances to talk about my work.

It’s a common stereotype that artists don’t like talking about their work. But I’ve become very comfortable doing just that. My previous experiences probably helped — teaching forces you to get used to talking to big groups; doing presentations with clients boosts your confidence.

Plus, CCA emphasizes seminars and critiques–basically, lots and lots of talking. I’m thankful for the chances I’ve had to refine how I talk about my work, and to clarify what I want to convey.

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Art & Development

MFA Exhibition Installation, Day 1

I’m getting really excited about the MFA exhibition, which opens Thursday, 5/10 from 6-9 pm. I am in the midst of installation, and I’m impressed by the huge effort and attention to detail the work crew is putting in to transform CCA’s SF campus into flawless gallery walls. It’s also been really cool to work with the graduate programs manager, who’s coordinating the show, and curator, who seems to effortlessly mastermind how the art of dozens of artists will work together. And, I’m really impressed by the work of my co-horts. There are already a few ambitious projects already installed, and I think it’s going to be a really good show. Don’t miss it. The opening is free and open to the public.

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Art & Development

Open Studios was delightful

Yesterday’s Open Studios at CCA was a blast, a lot people made their way all the way out to CCA’s Potrero Hill campus. It was great to share my work with the public, and to talk to people about projects that I’m excited about.

I hope viewers feel comfortable walking into studios and asking questions about the work. Despite the stereotype that artists are egomanical, condescending or asocial (well…), I hope that people see that many artists are happy to talk to the public and share their enthusiasm…

There was a lot of buzz and I was proud to think that the work of my peers was exciting enough to keep people wandering into almost 100 studios…

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