BRUCE CONNER
Bruce Conner in the 1970s
November 7 – December 19, 2009
Reception: November 7th, 6-8pm
Michael Kohn Gallery
8071 Beverly Blvd.
Los Angeles, CA 90048
Tel. 323.658.8088
Fax. 323.658.8068
http://www.kohngallery.com/
The Michael Kohn Gallery is honored to present an exhibition of this great artist’s works, “Bruce Conner from the 1970s.” This show has been organized with a keen curatorial edge, crisply defining an elusive yet important period of Conner’s work when he produced some of his most important historical works on paper, conceptual works of art, paintings, photographs, lithographs and films.
Conner’s drawings of the 1970s display a remarkable range of invention, from the works he made early in the decade that showed his continuing interest in labyrinthine, densely worked “Felt-tip Pen” drawings to works on paper which betray the lean influences of minimalism.
In 1970-71 Conner produced an extensive series of lithographs that documented in part many of the “Felt-tip Pen” works on paper, and this rarely seen group of works will also be included in this exhibition.
Related to these densely filled drawings is a small group of paintings that Conner created in the mid-1970s. These works show Conner’s awareness of Minimalist art of the period while the extensively patterned and painted surface reinforces an idiosyncratic aspect of artist’s oeuvre.
Conner was particularly productive with photography during the late 1970s when he shot a body of work featuring bright color images (in contrast to his frequent use of black and white) of punk bands performing at the legendary Mabuhay Gardens in S.F. This exhibition will show, for the first time, rare, unique, large-scale PUNK photographs along with a unique large-scale image from another series shot in 1978, LATE NIGHT MOVIE.
Bruce Conner finished, in 1973, a film titled MARILYN TIMES FIVE that will be played on a loop in its own viewing room as part of the show. Featuring repetitive cuts and edits from a “blue” movie from the 1950s of a famous Monroe look-alike, Arline Hunter, Conner creates a film that reveals the banality of exploitation film
“Bruce Conner in the 1970s” is the first exhibition to examine a specific historical period of work by the artist. It will allow the public to see how this great Californian artist from the second half of the 20th century was indeed a great American artist. While Minimalism and Conceptualism were happening in the greater art world, Bruce Conner displayed his own voice and ultimately created deeply moving, nearly mystical works of art.
Michael Kohn Gallery is located at 8071 Beverly Blvd. Los Angeles, CA 90048
Hours: Tuesday through Friday, 10am – 6pm; Saturday, 11am – 6pm
For further inquiry, please contact Laura Sumser at laura [at] kohngallery.com or 323.658.8088.
