Lizzie
written by tobrienwriter on January 19, 2008, 10:21 am

I just talked at length with Lizzie last night (at Angstrom's resurrection) about her performance at the opening, which sounded incredible. She's great, but I fear we're about to lose her to New York. Happily, we're lucky enough to own a couple of her pieces to remember her by!

Misinformation
written by dirtysands on January 19, 2008, 1:10 pm

Sir, You are misinformed.

I am part of Donna Huanca's management team, and as such, it is my beholden duty to disabuse you of a few misbegotten notions.

First of all, it is in no way true that Ms Huanca could not 'get it together' as you say. She had it together and then she in turn took it apart with the help of her collaborators. You make her seem like some kind of "Britney Spear" or "Linseed Lohan" whereas she is more akin to the Winchester Cathedral or the "Harlem Globetrotter" of having it together.

Suffice it to say, you could learn a lot about working from working around Donna Huanca. She has a keen eye for the rising talent, as was made manifest by her decision to enlist the aid of various friends. More to the point, Lizzie Wetzel is a sharp shooter. Learn how to shoot sharp before you resume sniping, dear sir, and the world will thank you for it.

Furthermore, Owleyes is a respected, albeit, exceedingly private artist in his own right. In fact, he has a solo show opening tonight at Artstorm Houston that Bill Davenport mentioned a few months ago.

Have you ever heard of lazer eggs? No, I thought not.

Lastly, please bring yourself up to speed with your understanding of our legal system. Diminishing Returns has been overturned at both the state and the federal level.

Seasons Greetings!

Ted Sands

Apply directly to forhead...
written by Wrosshirt on January 24, 2008, 5:45 pm

Rave and Voodoo aesthetics aside, I still have a pounding headache from this opening, and I'm not allergic to incense. Of the four lackluster openings advertised on Glasstire that night Huanca's show was definitely the most memorable. Let here understand that memory is a biological adaptation for storing information enabling the holder to avoid dangerous pitfalls and recognize potential signs of impending predation. I don't mean to come off half cocked on this, and I've certainly been to worse showings, but there is an expectation, which by now should be laughable, that a space with an ostensibly prestigious reputation would find a way to show work a touch less evocative of a coloring book filled in by a frustrated fourth grader. Granted, we are in the midst of this Post Modern period (or are we Post Post Modern?), and so must righteously elevate chunks of felt to the status of High Art, but hmmmm..., must we? I know that skill and talent are supposed to be cliché in these enlightened times, but can we meet somewhere in the middle (while cutting out the dregs so that average is at least palatable)?

It seems I've missed the boat, and while I've been sniffing around for three dollars worth of quarters and a payphone to put them in, Art as a concept has become merely a backdrop for a ridiculous party, and in this case a shabbily constructed backdrop for a party on par with a funeral march. More free wine please!

I am being harsh. This rant isn't entirely directed at this show or even the Austin scene in general. There are just as many polished turds opening up in Dallas and Seattle and New York. Standards of artistic production are dismal everywhere and it is exceedingly difficult to find artists who can successfully combine talent and skill with intelligence and dignity, and who even looks for integrity? Truthfully though, and without exaggeration, five minutes is all I could take in this installation setting, so I took ten and left with a mild headache for what turned out to be a few bright spots among smudges at Mt. Okay. Can we stop glorifying (dignifying) mediocrity so we can get to the good stuff?