X INITIATIVE: BRING YOUR OWN ART (BYOA)

Yesterday the one year experiment called the X INITIATIVE ended with a marathon 24 hour art show. BRING YOUR OWN ART (BYOA) began at 11 am on February 3rd and continued, doors open until February 4th officially closing at 11 am with all work left in the building would become trash if not picked up. This process reminded me of the closing event for the Miami space The House. They lost their lease to a group of condo developers and for their closing event everyone was asked to put a piece of art up that would be destroyed with the building.

I arrived at after dinner to put up a handful of my Black Sun Project images with a mini project called "10 Suns for 2010." The space was a busy workshop with a mix of artists friends and viewers all roaming around and enjoying the spectacle. The first floor had a rotating open stage where bands and musicians could sign up for time slots. The second and third floors of the space were reserved for artwork.

I had learned of this event via Jerry Saltz and his popular Facebook page. During the evening the New York Magazine art critic roamed the floors of the gallery offering free on the spot critiques. After I walked through the two floors and installed my images I was able to talk with him. We discussed my work and the event itself. He was very approachable in person and you could tell he was enjoying the interaction and the event.

The diversity of work was amazing. It would have been very hard to curate a show like this but this event was more then sum of the work on its walls. It was a show for the ages. This crowd-sourced art / performance / Relational Aesthetic was an experiential tour-de-force.

I placed my Black Sun pictures in spaces next to work that I thought they worked well with. Take a look at the installation pictures below. Also, if your work is in any of the pictures please let me know and I will make a caption and link to your website.



























































Here is the aftermath of the event when I picked up my work:

Tonight, Opening: Johanna Heldebro: To Come Within Reach of You

Johanna Heldebro, "Night Watch chapter 4 excerpt," 2009

2009 Fall Solo Show Artist
Johanna Heldebro Presents
To Come Within Reach of You
December 18, 7 to 10 p, Free Admission & Drinks

Johanna Heldebro presents images and video documenting the daily life of her father, who disappeared from her life two years prior. After searching his name on the internet, Heldebro travels to Stockholm, Sweden to obsessively follow him, creating a series that refigures comfortable notions of adult identity. Join us for this compelling body of work that is at time as coldly detached as it is uncomfortably personal.

Complimentary Bear Flag Wine & Colt 45. Music from DJ Tanner.

RSVP events@3rdward.com

On display through December 27.

More images from Johanna Heldebro's series:


Johanna Heldebro, "Finding My Way Inside chapter 2 excerpt," 2009


Johanna Heldebro, "Finding My Way Inside chapter 2 excerpt," 2009


Johanna Heldebro, "Autonomy chapter 5 excerpt," 2009

First art photography tweetchat: The Future of the Photobook.

Tomorrow evening, December 15th, I'll be moderating and chatting with Todd Walker for a chat about the future of the photobook. We'll be online to talk the future of the photobook from 9-10 pm Eastern / 6-7 pm Pacific.

This will be the first in a series of regular Tuesday night tweetchats. Since this is the first time we've tried something like this it's going to be experimental. I have borrowed this idea from the book / literature community, which holds weekly tweetchats. To see what they are talking about twitter search #litchat #yalitchat #kidlitchat and you'll get and idea. I hope to get the entire photographic community involved with these tweetchats. The amazing part is the way the literature community has embraced this forum. Everyone from literary agents to authors to editors and readers and fans are able to join in to the conversations.

For our art photography chats anyone can join in or just read it live by using the hashtag #photoartchat on Twitter. One easier way to transform twitter into a chat room is Tweetchat.com and entering the photoartchat room here: http://tweetchat.com/room/photoartchat.

PS., you should follow OcularOctopus on Twitter, here:http://twitter.com/OcularOctopus and me here: http://twitter.com/harlanerskine

Art Basel Miami Beach 2009, Day 2

Here is what went down on the first big day of Art Basel Miami Beach. My day began with the opening of the main fair and ended with a bang O.H.W.O.W. and Max Fish in Miami.


The rush of people waiting to get into Art Basel Miami Beach's opening night vernassage.


Dieter Applet (made 1977, printed 2007) at Kicken Berlin in their collection "Ninety years of Bauhaus."


A huge Robert Longo forrest drawing at the Margo Leavin Gallery.

The irristable glow of a Dan Flavin at the Margo Leavin Gallery.


Roni Horn's "Suite #4," 1991-94 Suite of 4 offset lithographs at the Margo Leavin Gallery.


Ger van Elk's "The Co-Founder of the Word O.K.-Hollywood," 1971, Three color photographs at the Margo Leavin Gallery.


A huge Sterling Ruby peace "American Risk" 2009, dripping for your attention at Pace Wildenstein.


Evan Perry's warped life-like sculptures are always a crowd draw are on exhibit at the Sperone Waterstone.






Fantastic Obama Inauguration photos by Mauro Restiffe at Galeria Fortes Vilaca made you wander what era they were produced in.


The sad 1980's era bathrooms at the Miami Beach Convention Center.


"Welcom e Art Basel" announced the Days Inn on 20th and Collins Ave.


The other side said "Have a n ice day" like it always does.


The sculpture at Art Basel Miami Beach Oceanfront nights.


The entrance of the O.H.W.O.W. Gallery.


IT AIN'T FAIR 2009 at the O.H.W.O.W. Gallery.


IT AIN'T FAIR 2009 at the O.H.W.O.W. Gallery.


Aaron Young, "Locals Only," Burnt rubber and resin on glass panel, 5' x 7', 2009 at IT AIN'T FAIR 2009 at the O.H.W.O.W. Gallery.


IT AIN'T FAIR 2009 at the O.H.W.O.W. Gallery.


IT AIN'T FAIR 2009 at the O.H.W.O.W. Gallery.


IT AIN'T FAIR 2009 at the O.H.W.O.W. Gallery.


David Lynch and Danger Mouse project "Dark Night of the Soul" at the O.H.W.O.W. Gallery. The LED light above the photographs would light up when the music playing was arranged for that group of images.


David Lynch and Danger Mouse project "Dark Night of the Soul" at the O.H.W.O.W. Gallery.


Iggy Pop making an appearance at the David Lynch and Danger Mouse project "Dark Night of the Soul" at the O.H.W.O.W. Gallery.


The rooftop performance by French composer Koudlam above outdoor screening of Cyprien Gaillard's Crazy Horse accompanied by smoke and people waving flares at IT AIN'T FAIR 2009 at the O.H.W.O.W. Gallery.


an unannounced annonymous performance at IT AIN'T FAIR 2009 at the O.H.W.O.W. Gallery.


Funny storm troupers guarding(?) the Vagabond.


Max Fish invades the old PS 14 Space for the Fish's 20 year anniversary.


Looking toward the front of the Bar at Max Fish in Miami.


Looking toward the stage of the Bar at Max Fish in Miami.


New York graff artists gave the Miami bathrooms of the remade Max Fish the New York treatment.


more bathroom views at Max Fish.


One last bathroom views at Max Fish.


Freegums Sky's The Limit poster is installed across the street from the bar.


As I departed more posters were being installed.