Response to Carnival of Light

by Kevin Killian

May 27 2010

In response to Carnival of Light.

Dear Editor:

I’m one of the shareholders in the Right Window space gratified by Bruno Fazzolari’s praise for our May show, Wayne Smith’s “Carnival of Light.”  I write, however, to deflect Fazzolari’s low opinion of the ATA window (what we at Right Window call “Left Window”). Sometimes the ATA window feels haphazard, and yet recently Liz Wing has staged some really excellent shows there.

James Bradley’s “Obama Trauma,” the show up now, is beautifully arranged and orchestrated; its graffiti of pentagrams and “Helter Skelter” ooze is a timely and scary reminder of rightwing demagoguery and its take on Obama as a Mansonesque race messiah.  In January I saw the loveliest installation, by Taha Belal, a child’s circle of track, a miniature train going round atop a flattened pizza box, a TV nestled into it like a giant railway station, playing over again the same flattening football moment.  The sight of left-winger Ryan Giggs of Manchester United seizing the ball from Arsenal and then propelling it hundreds of yards, to score at literally the very last moment—in double overtime at the FA semifinals in spring 1999—is one that will literally stop a boy in his tracks any old day.  I can’t tell you how many times I crouched on Valencia Street, watched that train run round that track, watched that ball hit the top of that net.  The“Goal of the Century”?  Viva Taha Belal, viva Liz Wing, viva Ryan Giggs and viva “Left Window”!

- Kevin Killian

Response to Carnival of Light

by Liz Wing

May 18 2010

In response to Carnival of Light.

Dear Editor:

I felt it necessary to respond to Bruno Fazzolari’s characterization of work shown in Artists’ Television Access’s window in his recent review of Wayne Smith’s Right Window installation “Carnival of Light.”

I was perplexed that the review’s preamble was directed against all artistic production in the ATA-maintained window (“a primer for what not to do with a storefront window”) and not the particular show (or shows) the reviewer took issue with. Was the review meant to target either James Bradley’s May installation or Drew Bennett’s April installation as “confused and dismal”? Obviously it’s easier to criticize the whole space and not pinpoint a specific artist for criticism, which might mean dealing with a potentially unpleasant response. I believe that most artists would prefer direct commentary instead of criticism couched within a review of another individual’s work.

The additional insinuation that the work shown by ATA is of such consistently abysmal quality that it actually drags down the work of Right Window artists struck me as absurd. It’s in the nature of these neighboring spaces to sometimes align serendipitously and sometimes clash; this is both interesting and unavoidable. The review criticizes what ATA does in comparison with Right Window, but the latter has different objectives than the former. Regardless, if the work shown by Right Window artists is strong enough, as Mr. Smith’s undoubtedly is, it should be able to stand on its own.

 - Liz Wing
   ATA volunteer & window coordinator