CLAPBACK 2. Gently Weeps

 

Curated by Rui Lin

Feb 28 – Mar 14, 2016

Open Critic X UNBAG | Mar 2, 7 pm

SLEEP CENTER is proud to present Gently Weeps, the second exhibition in the CLAPBACK series.

A SIDE: They are the flesh and bones of their generation.

In 2004, George Harrison was inducted into the Rock n’ Roll Hall of Fame. To induct Harrison, Prince, alongside others performed While my Guitar Gently Weeps. George Harrison developed his sound from the blues, skiffle, and in the mid-60s embraced and was inspired by traditional Indian music. Prince’s playing, in turn, is a descendent of the blues, arpeggios and riffs of Mr. Harrison. The blasted overdrive solo delivered by Prince’s telecaster guitar penetrates a gap between generations; bringing the sound (as George Harrison once did) to his time and artists of his milieu.

In 2014, artists Blake Hiltunen and Hao Ni came to New York City. They pose the qualities of well-trained sculptors, and are the descendants of many from generations before them, but experiment in today’s art world.

In this exhibition, Hiltunen and Ni are focusing on the discourse of the distortion of body experience and the gap between the body and the imagined – delivering objects that reflect the _____ of the 2010s.

B SIDE: Concentrate a length of time or project an action inside an object.

Build-in tissue box is a standard feature inside of the 9/11 Memorial Museum.  (Observation of Hao Ni)

“Why am I having rushing odd feelings about this design choice? It has nothing to do with me.” Is it a trigger or a result, or something else in the circle of (re)action?

CLAPBACK

To return fire (urbandictionary.com)

CLAPBACK is an exhibition series curated by Rui Lin. In the exhibition’s series of events, two artist-curators will participate in a short-term showcase of their current works in progress. The program will feature an open critic session, led by artist collective UNBAG, between the two participants and the audience.


Blake Hiltunen (B.1985 www.blakehiltunen.com)

Born and raised in New Hampshire, Blake Hiltunen received his Master’s degree in Sculpture from the Rhode Island School of Design in 2014. He has shown nationally and internationally in New York, Boston, and Italy. His first solo show, Bellwether, was this past January at the Rhode Island College in Providence, RI. Blake has been the recipient of the Helen Blair Crosby Award and the Maharam STEAM fellowship in addition to participating in residencies in Spain and Italy. He currently works and lives in Brooklyn, NY.

Hao Ni (B.1989 www.haoishao.com)

Originally from Hsin Chu, Taiwan, Hao Ni is a Taiwanese Canadian artist currently living and working in Brooklyn, NY. Hao Ni received his MFA from the Rhode Island School of Design in 2014, and received his BFA from The School of the Art Institute of Chicago. His recent exhibitions include a solo show at Yellow Peril Gallery in Providence, Rhode Island, a two person exhibition at Fjord space, Philadelphia, group exhibitions at the Sylvia Wald and Po Kim Art Gallery and Galleria Ca’ d’Oro in New York. Ni was awarded the Merit award of the Taipei Arts Awards in 2014.