29/4-SF16 sat

what i did yesterday, more details later.
CCA visual criticism symposium 1000-1600
Thomas Hirschhorn's exhibition 1230-1315; 1600-17oo
"we but, sell, trade" Bkshops on Polk Str. 1715-1915
Luggage Centre 1930-1945
SF Ballet at Opera House 2000-2230

29/4-SF15 skepticism over sth really Warhol

Still some time before attening CCA visual criticism (MA) thesis symposium down the hill at the campus, not enough for any trip, so why not sit down to write.
The thing that interested me most here so far, is a very similar question that HK is facing (maybe however just relevant to me). how to cope with arts development beyond the local, a newer generation (particularly there are so many art schools here) that wants a professional career out of (the national and international) art. market here is not as highly developed too, and they are (or used to be?) even more community anchored than HK, and yet they have also this resistance, beat, scrap, and thrift style of art in everyday living tradition here, compare with the nothing to lose of our situation home.
One of the book that I am reading right now is called the Warhol Initiative. It is about how the Andy Warhol Foundation for the Visual Arts, setup a foundation team to help small independent art spaces or groups around the country with their capacity building, to consolidation their work, mostly in space, euqipment and management aspects, and move forward towards a sort of small, medium size insitutions or establishments that could run for themselves in a more secure planned manner. It just remind me of the Para/Site case back home.
It seems a really good program, for the spaces that it choosen to support, like exit art and smack mellon of new york that I visited, I did make gd remarks on, and here in SF, they have picked: luggage center, New langston, SF Camera work and some community/educational groups. Yet I read this bk not without a bit of skepticism (as if some sort of Warhol's conspirancy?), for I am not sure of this way of development secruity has changed the essence of many of the original intent of those people and spaces. They could now e.g. raise more funds and hence support the arts more forefully than before, so what's my worry? I don't know. Maybe I am just one of those freakout for the big times (to come?!).

28/4-SF14 the closeby local

In SF, the punishment for carelessness and ill-planning is often more walking, and without luck, up the steepy slopes.
places visited today:
lombard street (crooked st)
SF Art Insitute
Columbus st.: Black Oak Bkshop, Citylight Bkshop
The Lab (The Man Box and Beyond: An exhibit about masculinity and male identity)
Margaret Jenkins Dance Company May premieres excerpt preview at her Dance Lab, nearby the closed (between shows) New Langton Arts/SF Cameraworks
Goldern Gate Park Redwood trail
Black Oak Bkshop nearby University California SF
&
Double Vision & Amy Lewis performance at CounterPULSE

The evening activity originally planned to be either a film of William Eggleston or Liz Lerman Dance Exchange, both at YBCA. However, I decided in the last minute to head for at the CounterPULSE, the Liz one is certainly one of fine finishing and packaging (Washington DC based), the other one expectable to be a bit more raw and more local. since I knew nothing about the one or the other, I opted for the latter. If I knew earlier that the same day ticket for film or dance at YBCA allows you to enter their gallery, I could have saved, and have more interest to see the Eggleston film. The film, supposing to be about his bw video on Memphis, is somehow titled Stranded in Canton, making me some more imagination and original desire to see it. But very probably, this Canton is not that Canton.

27/4-SF13 Bay Area aesthetics, in what tense?

Ok, as usual, here is what I have done today first.
headed off in the morning to the City College Campus, but got off wrong at the State University with the muni-metro, for I mistook the direction of its loop in the route. Since it will be late, so I took a visit to the university's fine arts department and an "outmoded" photography show in its art gallery. head back to town and visit the 111 minna, then take a look at the photobkshop, not at all well-stock. Even worse is the claimed to be one of the biggest second hand bkshop at Turk st. downtown, with old bks that were all really unattractive. since I have to go up hill, I took the cable car again and spare a few minutes to check out its museum near to China Town. Then I took the cable car back a few str down and changed for a bus to Kabuki for another film festival screening, Ibernia. but this dance film from beginning till end has no commentary at all, hence I didn't learn anything from it. spainish dancers, even the men, must thought themselves to be sensual and seductive, yet sorry, I even have to fight with myself for not drowsing to sleep. some of the camera movement is pretty impressive, but the avoidance of the camera self-reflection with its plentiful usage of the mirror seems a bit too self-conscious, which turns sometimes too pretentious.
then after this the only time schedule is either the 6 p.m. half price museum entry for thursday evening till another film at 7:30pm at YBA (I meant Yerba, not Young Brit Art) or the 7pm CCA Lecture series of William Pope.L. Because of another transportation false direction taken, I final settled for the CCA, but I did seize this opportunity to visit the San Francisco Center for the Book also at the Potrero district. Despite it is off exhibition hours already, there were still a type and letterpress workshop going on, so I could still luckily wandered inside to see their exhibits. Then before the CCA lecture at 7pm, I even took the few minutes left to take a small tour FINALLY inside Hirschhorn's show. the entertaining talk by William Pope.L., the most friend black artist in the US, as his latest monograph titled, ended my day.
Thanks to the materials Kate provided me, actually quite similar to what she talked a bit to me the other day, I am able to imagine the old San Fran, which made me see the parallel relevances it has with the Hong Kong present situation. but it is also because I kept reading these materials on buses and on metro, I got into some wrong directions in trying to navigate the city. Yet perhaps it is exactly these outmoded-ness I met today, that I feel SF were touching me.

26/4-SF12 too tired for more politics

still just a list of what I did first, before I knew if I got more time to write in details.
Started off today by taking bus to market street. Head back to the Gearny galleries which some has closed after 5 yesterday (opening usu. at 12, which meant just 5 business hrs!) One of it is Frey Norris, a small show of about 5 artists. At its storefront is a ceramic head of David(?) covered with LV colourful design, which turned me away yesterday without knowing it is one of those places I singled out to visit.
Next I head for Robert Koch Gallery, and guess whose works I find there, Michel Wolf! that of Hong Kong highrising buildings! Very much similar to those I saw of Map Office in Singapore, but with the building occupied full composition, I don't think they are the best of Wolf, but perhaps overwhelming enough, as the two reviews for his last show and another new one so far demonstrating their effectiveness. Afterwards, I checked out a few more galleries in the same building, the two I went in (one pre-picked, one not) were both good, while the final one that I visit has horrible works, however they do have a bkshop corner, and I brought one bk from there. After that I went corss market street to Yerba Buena Center for the Arts to see the Black Panther Rank and File, plus also Peer Pleasure 2. Then I moved on to try and find the Jewish museum, but looking for it took me triple or even more time than actually seeing the small exhibition there on Israel contemporary photo and video, for I have to head back to CCA to meet Kate Fowle who once was also an ACC grantee, now teaching curating there. We have a small chat, about SF which I am not familiar at all, and HK, which she is pretty interested and updated.
All the shows I saw today, coincidentally, do all seems to have something to do with social-politics, even the Kate's class graduates' project seems very much so. This should originally be the thing I am interested to discuss, unfortunately, I am feeling sleepy again and guess I couldn't write much further than this for today. Got some dance history class to attend next early morning, and I don't want to be late again. or maybe I should try the metro instead of bus for once to try n save time.

25/1-SF11 dance, coming

Having recieved the news last night that I am able to enroll for the American Dance Festival dance criticism workshop from late June to mid July, the whole second trip suddenly gain weight, and have at least a specific thing I could mention to others, but it is one of those making oneself more professional thing that I do not feel very comfortable with. I don't mean I do not like to learn more, and if I do not have the grant, I could not have the chance to, but still I am not sure if it is the rightful choice for me, than for example sitting in more fundmental classes for more basic things.
I have not, for example, even study dance history properly, just as the City College of SF Dept of physical education and dance's dance history class that I attended this morning, and how dare I see myself as already a dance critic, this is wholly a misunderstanding. Kicking off with dance right in the morning, today is overwhelming of dance related stuffs. After leaving the campus, I took the bus back to the Opera House to buy ticket for the SF Ballet (no will-call on web! it seems), which is going to stage Sylvia of Mark Morris' production. Then afterwards, I went to the Japan Center Kabuki Cinema to see a SFIFF film, one that I probably will not go in Hong Kong. It's hard to judge what it is about and whether it is good or bad, strange uh? (The sakura in Japan Garden is certainly beautiful, that I could be sure of, but it reminds me of the poem in city of sadness, and it is this sort of associated meaning that is meaningful to art, which is always open to interpretations.) Then I headed back to Union Square, bypassing another 2nd bkstores (which seems quite plentiful here, yet the Richter's one I just talked about is even more expensive here than the Cody's special discount!), for some commercial galleries and the Academy of Art graduations exhibitions. Finally I ended my busy day by attending the Bay Area Dance Awards Ceremony, something that I even have not been to in HK, to have a gd sense of dance in the area.
more of the tiny observations later if I still have time.

24/4-SF10 just a list of things

too much things to do already, time to write is very limited.
Left out for yesterday, is my visit to SF central library, 2nd hand bkshop, exhibition corners and thematic reading rooms (on sexuality, african american etc.) there.
seedy market street section.
The united nations plaza, with carved history of the once ROC in its first founding column. (and justice, human rights they say!)
The only moving historical monument: the cable car ride to the northern shoreline.
Instead of the many marine museums around the fishermanwharf, a gallery with chagall's coloured print on fontaine's tales, the lovely musee mechanique (unfortunately the fortune telling wizard that Tom Hanks' made a wish to be a grown up is still working, in another storefront, don't know which city the film is based on though, but I do remember it placed on the boardwalk facing the sea) and also the beat museum at cannery.
how fort mason has been reutilized for arts groups, city college of arts and sfmoma gallery, also another bookbay bkstore and the friendly (eco, also) green cafe.
The touristic setting of fishermanwharf, and pier 39, instant 3.d. portrait in crystal souvenior seems new to me, the T-shirt sentences of the chocolate shop, the other one on put ketchup on ketchup, which I don't ctach really, and also a movie turn reality, not shampan, but gump shrimp restaurant with gifts like sign: Run Forest Run!, just on the opposite side of the pier where sea lions are sun-bathing.
The tourist is finally heading home, and passed by chinatown to see the TWO China flags hoisted up high, and then the usual classy fashion stores front like Armani at Union Square, and cody's bks.

24/4-SF9 Codys

Writing the title for the last entry, reminds me of the title of a work by David Ireland, which I saw from a monograph of him in Cody's Book today. The latter half of the work's title, as I recalled, is: You can't make art by making art. (1991)

When I entered the shop, there is an author reading going on, so I stood at the back and listen for a while, but as I was listening, I Saw another gd book Gehard Richter Eight Grey paintings, published again by Deutsche Guggenheim. (The first one I brought of DG's publication, is one of Andreas Slominski, which I supposedly, if not because LMP asked me to make copy of it for her, should have already been given to my friend TP, for it included a piece of stealing a bicycle pump, not be stealing it alone but also part of the bicycle that it was tied to). This new one is a much bigger one, but yet focused on one single group of works in particular, while referencing to his other related works. Most important of all, is that it has a 24? pages article by Benjamin Buchloh, with Vorschein and Glanze building up the title for the essay.

24/4-SF8 public art for publicized sake

It seems I have missed the opportunity to see some works by Vito Acconci and over fifty other artists here in San Fran. Why? Because they are part of the permanent Art at SFO (San Fran International Airport). These were really a bit stupid, for unless those who are trapped inside for transit, no one with luggages could stay long in the airport to look at them.
No wonder to my surprise, Kurt Chan praised over MTR art train with Wong Tin Yan's work in ampost, for the MTR claimed that it does not occupied the platform and slow down any trains' frequency. Rather than an extension to the display box as Kurt suggested, this moving display box only extended, in my opinion, the wrong way(/mentality) MTR handled art, as did its other arts programs. Only days before I leave, did I finally travelled by MTR from Wanchai to Causewaybay direction and for the first time saw the advertisement outside in the tunnel for the moving train, but it seems nobody take note of it. That, if utilized by artists for short film, might surely be something more interesting.
For the photo, if I am not particularly trying to document things, I could not have halted for this work posted here, that I encountered at HK airport.

24/4-SF7 No Perhaps

Unfortunately, exactly as I said earlier in mMK blog, in the SF Weekly guide to film, they have described the Opening Night hk film Perhaps Love as "a shamelessly derivative melange of recent Western Musicals - only set in China and Boastinga handsome pan-Asian cast." The SF Bay Guardian too, suggested that it "fails at almost all it attempts. ... pointless East-kowtows-to-West, torture-by-style exercise, glaringly poisoned by contempo-musicals like Chicago and Moulin Rouge." To my surprise though, the cover of the Miniguide for the film fest is a picture of Andy Lau.
(photo: Herzog will be here in person for SF FF!)

24/4-SF6 status & interest

SF Weekly 19-25/4 has a two-pages (while the Guardian has just one page, but also a frontpage headline!) article, reporting about Golden Gate Park closing the carway to de Young Museum from Sunday to Saturday. A not really very arty issue, it got so much coverage, mostly because the museum authority did not like this idea and made up excuses, also more embrassing maybe, is that the closed road in Sunday has been really popular, particularly for those bladerollers. The only interesting art related thing is that it reveals the figure of attendence in this museum is around 7100 for weekends.
In UA Hemisphere Magazine, a picture of Gehard Richter painting at de Young Museum.

23/4-SF5 Redstone Artists Activist

Leaving the CCA, I decided not to walk north via the quiet streets to SOMA (not some museum of art but, South of Market Ave). I did think about taking the Muni bus line 22 more near to CCA that could take me to the northern tip of San Fran, but without any information of the bus, I decided not to wait. So I walk west trying to see if the Mission St. BART station has Muni-Pass to sell instead, but no luck. I am not particularly interested to visit the touristic Fisherman Wharf there, but Fort Mason, not for its museums though, but the cheapest 2nd hand bkshop in town, according to some guidebks. Yet after passing the building with a number of activist organizations' offices as well as the LAB, further west, there are, to my luck, four more second hand bkstores in Mission, allowing me to spend the rest of this first day of mine.

23/4-SF4 CCollege of Art

After lunch, seeing the sun coming out, I decided to just stroll in the near district, the two Sunday Flea markets are both too far out of my reach with public transportation. So I strolled down back to CCA, the security there recognized me and allowed me to enter the art school building. Many little finds here and there, via the some handdrawn, various shape and different size posters and notices. Most relevant, perhaps, is the MA in Visual Criticism Thesis Symposium to be held on the 29th April, 1000-1600. Others observations only mostly reinforce my Chicago SAIC impression that US art schools are really huge, comprehensive and having facilities / system that really serves the students. Most of the students working there (on a Sunday), however seems to be preoccupied by their own notebook, which theoretically is designed so it could allow them to work elsewhere?

23/4-SF3 SF chronicle

Brought some food from the neighbourhood grocery, plus a SF Chronicle. This Sunday version got so much advertisement booklets, it's volume is even more huge than my notebook computer. Finished it already while warming the food for lunch. Only the weekly activities calendar is useful, also found no art criticism column in it.
[There is however a special report bklet, which asked the question: Is the American Dream still possible? The report says that 81% of the American believe business decision is based on what is best for shareholders, not employees. Center to this is again the mindset of only money makes money, while labourers are just replacable hired manpower. At the end of the article, is a box asking What Can You Do?, and it suggested one should hence exercise the power to vote, Be an active citizen as it says.]
[The headline of the Chornicle is Big-Screen Revival, it comes together with a this week question Is it worth taxpayer dollars to restore classic old theaters? and readers are asked to do the polling by choosing either:
Yes. They can become social and aesthetic centerpieces to revital neighbourhoods. OR No, they're money-losing propositions promoted by sentimental people living in the past. If they asked me in between these two limited opinion, to be honest, I don't think the former is any match to the latter argument, but I still prefer a third option: "Yes, despite they're money-losing propositions promoted by sentimental people living in the past.".]

23/4-SF2 as flat as a map

Despite ACC/CCA said it charges 16 dollar for the door-to-door shuttle from airport to the apartment, I guess a few dollars tips is inevitable, however the driver dared ask me if he could just take my 20 dollars bill.
I saw him giving back changes to at least three of the four other passengers. Maybe it is because he and I are both Chinese? But I must took the more expensive shuttle anyway, rather than with the BART then BUS then walk. For from the direction given, the five blocks from the campus to the apartment seemed to be uphill, so I dared not take the risk. It turned out my fear is correct, and its is a really steepy one too! I am always good at maps, but in a foreign city, with the shuttle driver getting lost and me who directed him to find the CCA, it seemed really a bit ridiculous. San Fran, as some guidebk said, is a city that built its grid system without regarding the up and down slopes, and so most of the time you can't tell them from the simplified map.

23/4- SF1 For a start, it's Hirschhorn again!

Before I leave, I try to avoid promising to keep on writing this blog during the US trip, but I just arrived at an appartment for visiting artist of the San Francisco California College of Arts. With internet access, it seems to allow me at least to carry on writing during this part of the trip. Though I feel sad to leave home, and the town that I passed by seem pretty quiet (it is Sunday morning here), picking up the keys right from the venue of CCA Wattis Insitute, where the Thomas Hirschhorn's exhibition is on show, suddenly lifted my spirit a bit. Hope everything runs smooth.