Written by Michael Goldstein for THE ARTISTS FORUM MAGAZINE
Edited by Amos White V for THE ARTISTS FORUM, INC
Photo: Michael Goldstein
REVIEWER RATING:
5 out of 5 stars
LMCC OPEN STUDIOS SPRING 2015
NEW YORK, NY (May 3, 2015) Yesterday, the Lower Manhattan Cultural Council hosted an open studio event, showcasing a wide range of artists inviting the audience to converse and engage about their creative work. And what a range it was – 50,000 square feet providing an open space for 32 different artists displaying their projects covering such mediums as contemporary dance, sculptures, video art, work involving projectors, writing projects, design and engineering, and even a project involving environmental science.
Amongst the gallery of fascinating quirks and talents was the simplistic, highly innovative creations of Mores McWreath, whose modus operandi is to take junk food and other products you’d normally find in the supermarket and cover them up in masks cut out of covers such as socks and bags. According to the artist, the pieces are designed to symbolize the fetish generated from consumer culture, especially in purchasing junk food.
One of the most unusual projects of the afternoon to fascinate the audience was an interactive video performance entitled The Myth of Layla. Presented by Amy Khoshbin, the performance, albeit a ten-minute excerpt set to be a part of a much longer narrative, tells the story of an Iranian-American activist grappling and struggling with the idea of media fame. Combining extraterrestrial-esque colors, multichannel video design, and stop-motion animation with a tale of corruption, the performance appears to be well on its way towards big things.
Even with the space provided by 315 Hudson Street to expose all of these works to a wider audience, it left me with a taste for more of these unique styles. If you want to learn more about the practices of the 32 artists in attendance, simply go to lmcc.net/about/past-programs. Absolutely worth it.
For more information about the Lower Manhattan Cultural Council, visit: lmcc.net
For more information about Amy Khoshbin and her work, visit: tinyscissors.com/the-myth-of-layla
