#Occupy Common Ground

Church of St. Paul the Apostle

September 11 -  October 23

Curators: Michael Berube and Keena Gonzalez

 

Artists: Amy Hill, Anthony Santella, Antonio Serna and Hsaio Chen, April Tracey, Ariel Zakarison, Ashley Norwood Cooper, Brian Cavanaugh,

Catalina Viejo Lopez de Roda, Cecilia Charlton, Elinor Aishah Holland and Aysha Venjara, Idan Bitton, jdx, Joey Kilrain, Joyce Yamada, Karen Dana, 

Lauren Slone (with Michael Feld and Empty Nave Projects), Marjan Moghaddam, Mark Attebery, Mary DeVincentis, Matthew Garrison, 

Scott Wayne Indiana, The AArchetypes, Timm Mettler, Wei Xiaoguang

 

In its eighth annual group show Openings Collective invited artists to reflect on what is often called "the paradox of social media." Intended to create immediate connections across a globalized world, social media also breeds isolation and disillusionment. This could be one of the most ambivalent characteristics of social media: It seemingly satisfies our need to be social without requiring us to leave our immediate comfort zone.

The manner in which digital platforms mediate our relationships with others inevitably reflect in our everyday life. This raises challenging questions. Are we analog persons living in an increasingly digital world? How do we create common ground in this digital age? With an array of mediums and approaches, including dance, collage, sculpture, drawing, video, calligraphy, community engagement and painting, each of the participating artists have found ways to address this theme with fascinating results to create a compelling exhibition that is only strengthened by this unique non-neutral environment.

 

Amidst the disorientation of virtual worlds there is a need to understand and embracethe continuous changes in the actual world and its digital counterpart. The #occupycommonground artists make us aware that no matter how far technology takes us, it is still intended to be at the service of the human being as it responds to one of our most basic needs: The need of the other.