I Fold

We all agree that the term "folk art" has been used as a weapon by the Man, right? The most famous example is the African sculpture that was severely ripped off by Pablo Picasso in the early 20th century and instantly rebranded "high art." At a recent exhibition, "The Shape of Things," a team of artists looks into the phenomenon as it relates to paper products, especially from Asia, such as lanterns, origami, and papier-mâché. Tonight, several of the artists (or are they artisans?) — Reed Anderson, Mike Arcega, Adriane Colburn, and Gina Osterloh — sit down to discuss their work at a talk called Re-Forming Paper. All use the crumpleable stuff in their art; our favorite at the moment is Arcega's Manila galleon, El Conquistadork, a highly detailed and fully waterworthy vessel made mostly from manila folders.
Thu., Feb. 5, 6 p.m., 2009