CCA Wattis Institute for Contemporary Arts Presents "Capp Street Project: Tariq Alvi," April 7–May 14, 2005
San Francisco, March 8, 2005
Tariq Alvi is the spring 2005 Capp Street Project artist in residence at the CCA Wattis Institute for Contemporary Arts. Recycling and recontextualizing found printed matter into sprawling three-dimensional collage-like works, Alvi creates complex maps of emotional and psychological landscapes. His fragile—and often ephemeral—works operate at the threshold of private and public life and seek to reconcile the often contradictory impulses of reality and desire.
For his Capp Street Project, Alvi will create a site-specific installation incorporating various media. This will be his first solo exhibition in the United States. The exhibition will be on view April 7 through May 14 in the CCA Wattis Institute's Logan Galleries. An opening reception will take place April 6 from 7 to 8:30 p.m. The exhibition and reception are both free and open to the public.
"Tariq is an artist who has exhibited around the world, most recently in the Shanghai Biennale, and we're very lucky to have him here," says Ralph Rugoff, director of the CCA Wattis Institute. "He is enthused about taking on the challenge of a Capp Street residency and creating an original installation work in the Logan Galleries. In the past, he's made collage-like installations featuring highly charged and explicit images cut out from newspapers, pornographic and fashion magazines and advertisements, including maps of famous gay urban areas like San Francisco. But he also works with video. Part of his Capp Street Project may involve his making a video that incorporates his responses to living in San Francisco."
Tariq Alvi was born in Newcastle-upon-Tyne, England, in 1965. He received an MFA from the Jan van Eyck Akademie, Maastricht, the Netherlands, in 1995 and lives and works in Rotterdam and London. His work has been exhibited at the Whitechapel Art Gallery, London; Stephen Friedman Gallery, London; ANP Munich; and Stedelijk Museum, Amsterdam. His work has been widely discussed in journals such as Casco and was included in "Cream: Contemporary Art in Culture," published by Phaidon Press in 1998.
About Capp Street Project
In the twenty-two years since its creation, Capp Street Project has given more than one hundred local, national and international artists the opportunity to create new work through its residency and public exhibition programs. Capp Street Project offers artists the opportunity to formulate ideas and experiment in a variety of exhibition spaces, while discovering and reacting to the San Francisco Bay Area. The project provides artists with time and resources to conceptualize, plan and execute new work. Artists are encouraged to continue their experimentation and dialogue with the community throughout the exhibition period.
About the Wattis
Established in 1998, the CCA Wattis Institute serves as a forum for the presentation and discussion of leading-edge local, national and international contemporary culture. Through exhibitions, the Capp Street Project residency program, lectures, symposia, performances and publications in the fields of art, architecture and design, the Wattis Institute fosters interaction among the students and faculty of California College of the Arts; art, architecture and design professionals; and the general public.
Calendar Editors, Please Note
April 7–May 14, 2005
CCA Wattis Institute presents
Exhibition: "Capp Street Project: Tariq Alvi"
Opening reception: April 6, 7–8:30 p.m.
CCA Wattis Institute for Contemporary Arts, Logan Galleries
California College of the Arts—San Francisco campus, 1111 Eighth Street (at 16th and Wisconsin)
Gallery hours: Tues., Thurs., 11 a.m.–7 p.m.; Wed., Fri., Sat., 11 a.m.–6 p.m.; closed Sun. and Mon.
Info: 415.551.9210 or www.wattis.org
Recycling and recontextualizing found printed matter into sprawling three-dimensional collage-like works, Tariq Alvi creates complex maps of emotional and psychological landscapes. His fragile—and often ephemeral—works operate at the threshold of private and public life and seek to reconcile the often contradictory impulses of reality and desire. For his Capp Street Project, Alvi will create a site-specific installation incorporating various media. This will be his first solo exhibition in the United States.
Press Contacts
Kim Lessard
415.703.9547
klessard@cca.edu
Chris Bliss
415.703.9545
cbliss@cca.edu
Erica Holt
415.703.9549
eholt@cca.edu