Hello Minnesota

Play Money - ©William Evertson 2010 - collage game box

I have several pieces in the Minnesota Center for Book Arts exhibit Fluxjob: Purging the World of Bourgeoisie Sickness Since 1963 which opened Friday, February 7th in Minneapolis, MN. The show which runs through July 6th is described on the MCBA website; 

"In the 1960s, George Maciunas urged a small group of artists to purge the world of bourgeois sickness and dead art. The result was Fluxus, a non-movement that expanded the definitions of what art can be. Fluxjob is an exploration of contemporary artists who continue to create interdisciplinary anti-art that is ephemeral, inexpensive, and interactive. The exhibition is co-curated by MCBA Executive Director Jeff Rathermel and noted Fluxus artist, publisher and performer Keith Buchholz."

I created a series of game boxes in 2009 and 2010 based on tic tac toe. Tic-tac-toe is most often played by young children. Players soon discover that best play from both parties leads to a draw.  In my version the boxes refer to unequal opponents, or advantaged and disadvantaged player. The boxed set, aside from having prints and an "instruction book" also contain small stamping tools in the shape of hands that are used to mark the tic-tac-toe grid. In Play Money the instructions are a poem referring to our bankers, the men of great appetites. The carved images used for stamping are a child at play and Mr. Monopoly.  Link to more on Play Money.

Power Play - ©William Evertson 2010 - collage game box

The second game box, Power Play is a similar format. Prints line and collage the boxes interior while an instruction manual and game pieces complete the piece.  Power Play instructions references and contrasts the innocent non-structure of the play ground with institutional violence. Link to more on Power Play.

Three Little Kittens Re-Kindled - ©William Evertson 2013 - artist book

Also included is my analogue version of the Kindle.  The interior contains digital pigment prints of the kindle version of the popular children's story scanned from a Kindle.  A previous blog post contains information concerning the various copyright issues at work in this piece.

Kalicorp Art Mysteries, Issues #1-8, Collaboration - William Evertson, Susan Shulman (and Ria Vanden Eynde on issues #1-5)  Ongoing comic book series

Finally, the collaborative series of comics lately produced by Susan Shulman of Montreal and myself is on display.  The comic, which was funded by a successful Kickstarter, is a satirical look at the process of making art.  The comic is set in the fictional ArtWorld, which closely resembles todays art market. It often features cameo appearances by artist friends and the endless series of controversies surrounding market conditions form the backstory of each issue.  Art Mysteries Blog link.

Link for Fluxjob at the Minnesota Center for Book Arts - now through July 6th.