Wiiliam Pope L at Hauser and Wirth Gallery

There are three more days left to see the William Pope L exhibition "Yard" at Hauser and Wirth Gallery at 32 East 69th St. The main reason I am highlighting this piece is because William Pope L is a really cool artist and I am in the neighborhood hanging art every other day and it is so cool that a new venue just opened up on the Upper East Side! The piece is a recreation of a 1961 Allan Kaprow piece that basically involves filling up the gallery with car tires. I know, I know, this is what a trip to the junk yard is like, but I really like artworks that create their own environment in what is normally a sterile, white box of a gallery. I also think it is cool that Hauser and Wirth chose this artist and this piece to open up their brand new space. So, if you are in the neighborhood (and I know you are), stop in for a bit and check it out this week!

Go and see this http://www.nyu.edu/greyart/

Clockwork Atomics Presents WMDs Of The 1880s

Everyone at ILevel is a practicing artist. We all use what free time we have to produce and explore our craft. Over the last couple of years I have devoted my free time between projects to drawing on napkins. I have been heavily influenced by the art I am exposed to in my working at ILevel, especially Outsider artists (Bill Traylor and James Castle to name two). This exposure has allowed me to embrace the use of such an unconventional art medium. What started as doodles has evolved into 3-5 hour drawing sessions, a gallery show, and what is now my fourth book of drawings.

http://clockworkatomics.blogspot.com/

Happy Birthday Scott!

Not only has Scott been a hardworking staff member for 10 years, but today is the day he deserves a hearty congratulations and a (blog-style) toast, for it is Scott's birthday. Happy Birthday Scott! (leave greetings and warm wishes in comments).

Honoring Art

Ok, its not exactly what it looks like. We do value, honor and respect the art we come in contact with...just not this much. (We are actually reading the installation diagram on the floor.) Anyway this is the first panel of a four panel screen. The screen was unusual in its design (which is fantastic), but also in its incredible weight. This was solved by removing the hinges and installing the panels separately. Screens are fantastic in their ability to reflect soft light into a room.

Neil Armstrong Walks on the Moon

Recently, we worked with the fine folks at Louis Vuitton and the Museum of Natural History on a special event commemorating the 40th Anniversary of the NASA's 1969 walk on the moon. Louis Vuitton was throwing a bash in the Rose Center for Earth and Space of the museum and they called on us to help them with the artwork for the party. They also designed a limited-edition "Space Egg" to commemorate the occasion, a picture of which you can see to your left. The egg opens up to reveal compartments of miniature living quarters and stairs and steps and tiny furniture.

This project was completed over the course of three days (and nights!) and ultimately involved every member of Ilevel's crew at some point or another, with David K. and Patricia M. providing the late-night, morale-boosting phone support.

For the event, we installed vintage archival photos of NASA space shuttles and orbiters, the moon-landing, and other Apollo missions that lead up to it. Also, the French artist Jean Lariviere contributed five outstanding prints of his own space-based conceptual practice and a kinetic sculpture that was shiny and ethereal.

The late nights spent in the bowels of the museum provided an opportunity for catching the Ilevel boys in action as we rolled, carried, and rustled impossibly large crates from one end of the museum to the other. There was also a great deal of expertise needed to assemble the sculpture from it's many parts in a room entirely devoid of light. A points we were using our cell phones for illumination to help us feel our way towards assembly. A great job was done by all and the results were spectacular.

In case you were wondering, the loading dock at the Museum is only 12'6, so if the truck you are attempting to back into it is over 13' or so, then don't try it or you will get stuck. In the event that you do attempt this anyway and find yourself in a late-night bind, then don't fear. You might be tempted to panic. That is quite natural. If you do find yourseld panicing, then walk over to the "panic button" conveintly located next to the loading dock and press it. Note: only press the panic button in case of emergency as it is for emergency use only.