Originally published in “The Forum,” The school paper at PVCC.
Arif Michael Vega, Staff Writer
Sept. 22, 2015
It is a weekend of contrast. Of art and arcane mathematics; here, there; north and south; birth and death; even—was this intentional?—Male and female. Seemingly no effort was spared in effort to illustrate duality. Immediately entering the Dickensen building, the soft tones of turn-of-the-century soft pop mix with the sharp, jumpy sounds of the Talking Heads and Ace of Base.
Curator James Yates organized “Yard Dreams” and “Gallery Dreams” a complementary exercise in gallery and installation art. Based in the south gallery, it is attached to a series of installations in Belmont. One might wonder what the companion is to, say, a bust of Venus comprised of joined metal washers. Could it be the sexual nature of the circle? The vesica pisces, the geometric equation to the birth of man? Indeed both galleries seem to be heavy on mathematical philosophy.
When asked about the origins of the project Yates began “It was a snowy Saturday Evening…” He then continued to describe the work of Christo Vladimirov Javacheff, and his appearance in one of Yates’ own dreams. “…and I said ‘I wanna do something like that!’ and I came up with the idea for Yard Dreams.”
The North Gallery housed the exhibit ‘Lost and Found’ featuring the work of Deborah Rose Guterbrock and Terri Long. The exhibit begins with a piece ‘Metamorphosis—Birth’. This piece is a collage of ships rigging, a tiger, a meat cleaver, a woman taking a picture and the mysterious word ‘Discard’.
Shortly following is ‘Emerson’. This piece depicts a book, open to illustrations of birds, men and flowers with a quote from Ralph Waldo Emerson at the bottom ‘All things are of pattern made, bird beast and flower’.
Death soon follows, but leaves behind a collection of Jewelry, bird-cabinets and human-animal hybrids.
“Lost and Found” and “Gallery Dreams” will be on display through November 4.
The installation on Belmont and Rialto was not on the map, it may take a bit of adventure to find everything. There is, however, a trail of crabapples to beckon a guest onward. From a tapestry to a hanging sculpture (I can hear the screams) on to weavery woven, and a bizarre alien suspension garden, whose photographic companion you will recognize from the Dickensen building.
There were many other exhibits, including a collection of glass birds drifting in the wind, a clever board game that marries technology and the fantastic, and a collection of toothbrushes growing in a yard.
The Yard Dreams installation exhibit was held in tandem with the Belmont Block Party and the rejuvenation of the street mandala at Church Street and Belmont Ave.