2008 MFA Exhibition Takes Over Galleries in Los Angeles' Chinatown

Valencia, CA, April 2008--In an unprecedented move, graduating MFA candidates from California Institute of the Arts (CalArts) will hold their culminating exhibition, We Want a New Object , in some of the leading art galleries of Los Angeles' Chinatown.

The exhibition runs from Saturday, May 31 to Saturday, June 7, 2008. Gallery hours are noon to 5 p.m. There will be an opening reception on Saturday, May 31 from 7 p.m. to 10 p.m. Admission is free.

Located on campuses or in off-site exhibition spaces, MFA exhibitions are typically isolated from the professional art world. This year, CalArts' exhibition will be integrated into one of Los Angeles' most vibrant art scenes--with work shown at Acuna-Hansen Gallery, Black Dragon Society, David Salow Gallery, Fifth Floor Gallery, Kontainer , Peres Projects and Telic Arts Exchange. Beta Level and the Mountain Bar will host screenings, performances and additional surprises.

"I do think that the CalArts graduates, in general, have greater latitude of play in their work," said visiting faculty member Benjamin Weissman. "It's the lush intellectual environment, minus the ghoulish pressures that other schools apply. The lovely CalArts vibe is palpable, joyous and necessary; the unprecedented Chinatown hookup is a testament to the school's multi-decade clout." Weissman's writing will appear in the exhibition catalog which is designed by CalArts graduate graphic design students.

Since 1970, CalArts has educated artists in an environment founded on experimentation, critical reflection and the exploration of new forms and expressions. Each year, graduating MFA candidates from the School of Art organize and present an exhibition of their work, taking the strategic initiative on how they wish to introduce themselves to a wider audience.

For this groundbreaking exhibition, the graduates enlisted the assistance of writer, performer and faculty member Malik Gaines who recently curated Read Me! Text in Art at the Armory Center for the Arts in Pasadena, and Christine Y. Kim, Associate Curator of the Studio Museum in Harlem.

The exhibiting artists represent the programs that comprise CalArts School of Art--Art, Photography and Media, and Integrated Media.

MFA candidates participating in the show include: Ian Arenas. Allie Bogle, Michael Buitron, Mike Chang, Louisa Conrad, Mariechen Danz, Diana-Sofia Estrada, Bart Folkerts, Lindsay Foster, Nate Garcia, Liz Glynn, Sayre Gomez, Quinn Gomez-Heitzeberg, Nicholas Grider, Betsy Hunt, Kichul Kim, Sidonie Loiseleux, Justin Long, Suzanne Mejean, Alex Olson, Stephanie Owens, Akosua Adoma Owusu, Nate Page, Daniel Pineda, Nikki Pressley, Chris Revelle, Guan Rong, Alejandro Sanchez, Megan Sant, Astri Swendsrud, Kara Tanaka, Miller Updegraff, Carlin Wing, and Aaron Wrinkle.

Participating galleries are walking distance apart:
Acuna-Hansen Gallery, 427 Bernard Street, Los Angeles, 90012
Black Dragon Society, 961 & 971 Chung King Road, Los Angeles, 90012
David Salow Gallery, 977 N. Hill Street, Los Angeles, 90012
Fifth Floor Gallery, 502 Chung King Court, Los Angeles, 90012
Kontainer, 944 Chung King Road, Los Angeles, 90012
Peres Projects, 969 Chung King Road, Los Angeles, 90012
Telic Arts Exchange, 975 Chung King Road, Los Angeles, 90012
Betalevel, 963 N. Hill Street, Los Angeles, 90012
The Mountain Bar, 475 Gin Ling Way, Los Angeles, 90012

The nation's first art institute to offer BFAs and MFAs in both the visual and performing arts, CalArts is dedicated to training and nurturing the next generation of professional artists, fostering brilliance and innovation within the broadest context possible. Emphasis is placed on new and experimental work, and students are admitted solely on the basis of artistic ability. To encourage innovation and experimentation, CalArts' six schools--Art, Critical Studies, Dance, Film/Video, Music and Theater--are all housed under one roof in one unique, five-story building with the equivalent of 11 acres of square footage in Valencia, California, 30 minutes north of downtown Los Angeles.