A Soldier's Story

When Daniell Cornell of the Palm Springs Art Museum approached me about hosting Jennifer Karady for a residency, I was immediately intrigued. Jennifer's work is a powerful quest to share the stories that soldiers returning from Iraq and Afghanistan bring back with them which continue to affect their everyday. 



I was very happy to be facilitating the project and also saw the challenge in working with Jennifer to make an image here. How to find someone interested in entering into the kind of dialog Jennifer elicits in order make a great narrative image? Joshua Tree's proximity to the Marine Corps Strategic Command at Twentynine Palms was an obvious link and, at the same time, it seemed a possibly closed avenue. After meeting Jennifer in NYC and getting further background on her process, I started to identify ways forward. We agreed to start the recruitment campaign quite early on. Jennifer was doing another project in LA in early 2014 and so would be available to qualify people and come to the desert if necessary before her residency began in late March.



My role on the Board of the local Chamber of Commerce puts me in contact with the Marine Base and I had toured the facility and attended some events. We are lucky to have a community liaison of the likes of Kristina Becker who attends Board meetings, and I started with a meeting to brief her on the project. Kristina was immediately enthusiastic and went away to discuss with her team and consider how to move forward. 



I also identified people in the community who work with veterans - ranging from Mil-tree, a local non-profit working with veterans through the arts, to Copper Mountain Community College, our local institution of higher learning. I spread the word, armed with Jennifer's standard email edited for one important change - I had been informed along the way that Marines do not identify as soldiers. Text was edited appropriately although the project title stood its ground!

There were some great responses by folks in the community and much effort to assist the project though scant response from interested Marines. Jennifer also increased my apprehension by saying she wouldn't call interested veterans - she wanted to hear from them in order to ensure their interest. This was something I came to appreciate later on.



After some time, Kristina came back to say that the project had been well received on base and that she was briefing various unit leaders that would in turn talk to their troops. Pretty soon, some interested Marines were identified and Jennifer was invited to present directly to them a few days after her arrival in Joshua Tree. Jennifer was very enthusiastic about working with active duty Marines and I remained a bit apprehensive as to whether some candidates would emerge.



My concerns were unfounded - several Marines approached Jennifer about her project, some from the Base and some from the wider community, and she went straight into her intensive work process. First, she held telephone interviews to do some basic qualifying. One of Jennifer's chief concerns is to make sure the person is ready to tell their story and unlikely to trigger any negative outcomes through the process. Each qualified candidate then had an initial interview to get into their story and some of the dynamics around the project. Jennifer converted a corner of the studio into a recording booth and several Marines came round for discussions that lasted from 3-5 hour hours. It is then that I got to understand how daunting the process is for Jennifer. Conducting interviews, then reviewing the  entire recording to find excerpts and ideas as well as  to lead to the next round of discussions. Multiple rounds of discussions with multiple Marines - I did the math. 



Called away for some time on a family emergency, I returned to hear that Jennifer had selected the story she was going to focus on. The Marine is an active duty EOD (Explosive Ordnance Disposal) expert who has seen multiple tours in Iraq and Afghanistan and was at the Base as a trainer. Jennifer worked closely with him to determine the structure of the image. Naturally, being an EOD expert, the story called for a simulated explosion - an element which set the tone for the production dynamic that then ensued. I immediately understood that location was going to be tricky. Jennifer got working with an FX pro who advised her that getting a County permit was going to challenging. So the unincorporated areas such as Joshua Tree itself and Wonder Valley were out.



Here again, my Chamber relationships came into play. Fist we connected with Cynthia Truitt of the Twentynine Palms Chamber who speed-networked us to several people with sites in that City. Off we went scouting. Then, I reached out to the Joe Guzetta, City Manager of Twentynine Palms, who had been a fellow Board member on the Joshua Tree Chamber some time back. Bingo - The City owned a large tract of land up against the iconic mountains of the National Park and they were willing to let us use it on the condition the land was restored to its prior condition. We scouted that location and were overjoyed to find several spots suitable for the shoot. Joe and his staff were highly accommodating in helping get the permit arranged and providing some on-site facilities for use during the shoot.

Jennifer continued on overdrive working with the FX guy on getting the explosion right - several videos of test explosions flowed from an LA suburb (the neighbors must be used to it).  There were also myriad other production aspects such as lighting, set and extras. Jennifer's shoots are akin to small movie shoots - an entire story told in one powerful narrative image.




A week or so prior to the shoot, Jennifer mounted 18 previous project images and associated stories on the walls of the studio. We welcomed the Board of the Photographic Council of the Palm Springs Art Museum for a viewing and discussion with Jennifer. A couple of days later, we held an open house for the community and Jennifer spoke about her work. The intense focus of the community when viewing the works was palpable and several people were overcome by emotion. Stories that needed to be told and heard. 






The next day, Jennifer worked with the Marine on some test shots using production spec equipment, both to get the positioning and facial expressions rehearsed as well as to ensure that the flashes would not trigger any strong associations or discomfort. All proceeded smoothly. The rest of the week was spent in high gear by Jennifer, attending to all the production details, continuing to refine the simulated explosion and shopping for props and costumes.








The shoot itself proceeded quite smoothly - all Jennifer's hours of crafting and attending to details paid off. I was not present again due to the family emergency and so cannot give further details. Fortunately, Chuck Mobley, former Director of SF Cameraworks, was able to step in and work with Jennifer on the shoot. I have seen the resulting images and am looking forward to seeing which one Jennifer chooses for the series. Jennifer will be having a solo exhibition at the Palm Springs Art Museum from December 13 through March 29 2015. The whole series will be exhibited in full 4' x 4' format along with the related stories. I look forward to celebrating with Jennifer and thanking her, and Daniell, for bringing this amazing project to the Mojave and to BoxoHOUSE.

Sailor Days

Biddy Connor, composer, musician, and vocalist, arrived in February from Melbourne Australia and kicked off the 2013 residency season. Biddy's aim was to delve into the Joshua Tree experience and compose music which would be used as a soundtrack for Megan Evan's video work entitled Stranger in the Desert. Megan completed the residency last summer and Biddy had received an Australia Council grant to create this collaborative sound piece based on the work in progress.




















As Biddy was here for only two weeks, we jumped right in. Straight from the airport to a showing of Eva Soltes ' documentary about the composer Lou Harrison which was screen at Furstworld, our local world class venue. The next evening we dined with Eva and the musician in residence at Harrison House, Saba Alizadeh. 
















Biddy setup in the studio and started to work - coming back from a sound walk, she told me she had played a barrel cactus and I listened to the recording pleasantly surprised. I learned a lot about sound art over the two weeks as Biddy went from one inspiration to another sharing the highlights. 



Toward the end of the first week, we ventured to the Integratron for a sound bath and Biddy brought along her musical saw. After the group present had woken up from marinating, Biddy played in the acoustically perfect space and the effect was quite haunting. later that evening, Biddy played a working draft of her new piece while we watched the video with a neighbor. Live soundtrack is quite a joy.



Early into the second week, Biddy performed at the Culver Center for the Arts in Riverside. She played several of her songs from her album, Sailor Days (available here), and then finished with the new piece for Stranger in the Desert. At points, Biddy's viola, voice and saw were all looped live through electronic controls and she became a veritable one woman band. It was a wonderful performance and the audience was most appreciative.








 





 

The Riverside gig was ultimately the warm up for Biddy's performance at BoxoHOUSE. She played in the studio/exhibition space which had works by Diane Best and David Mackenzie hanging. The film in progress was projected on a wall over Mackenzies' minimal works. There was a capacity crowd that listened quietly throughout and then participated heartily as Biddy invited all to chant "home" as she looped the word repeatedly through the software. A very touching moment for all. 

 

On her last day at BoxoHOUSE, Biddy and I took a walk and she used the opportunity to play one more unusual instrument - a sculpture on the nearby HDTS land. Biddy then headed off to New York and Princeton to play and record for a few days before returning to Melbourne. Biddy's was the first non-visual artist in residence and I am very grateful for the new perspective she brought to the program.

Looking At Art

BoxoPROJECTS was very happy to welcome a group of 24 collectors and the art interested to BoxoHOUSE in Joshua Tree. Looking at Art is an effort led by Victoria Lightman out of Houston, TX. Victoria organized the group to travel to Palm Springs for the Palm Springs Art Fair and arranged to visit the BoxoHOUSE residency as an area highlight. A selection of works by local artists Diane Best and David Mackenzie was installed in the studio. The group toured the site, heard about past residency projects, enjoyed lunch and then viewed the exhibition which was introduced to them by the artists. Members of the group enjoyed the Joshua Tree vibe and promised to return. Thanks to Victoria and to all for a great afternoon in the High Desert.


 

2nd Annual Bash for BoxoHOUSE

On November 20, 2013, BoxoPROJECTS threw the 2nd Annual Bash for BoxoHOUSE, a celebration of the year's residency projects and a fundraiser for the year ahead. The event was once again hosted by Craig Harwood and Tim Saternow at their home in Chelsea. On this occasion, it was announced that Tim had joined the Advisory Committee.

A lively group gathered for the evening: artists (past residencies and future), collectors, galleriests, advisers, supporters, Advisory Committee members and staff. Artworks inspired by the last season were on exhibition and Bernard Leibov addressed highlights of the year and introduced the projects for the 2014 season.

 























Many thanks to all who came out to support the program - we look forward to celebrating again in 2014.

Mapping the Unfamiliar

From September 28 to November 15, 2013, BoxoOFFICE NYC hosted Mapping the Unfamiliar: The BoxoHOUSE Survey 002:2013. This exhibition featured works by the six artists who completed the BoxoHOUSE residency in 2013: David Goodman, William Lamson, Steed Taylor, Saul Melman, Heather Johnson and Megan Evans.


 
















There was a large crowd in attendance at the opening on September 28. Major contributors to the residency William Kentridge and Anne Stanwix were present and were able to discuss the residency experience with the artists first hand. 













  














 













A smaller, yet lively, closing reception was held on November 15. The exhibition can be viewed online here.

 

Stranger in the Desert

Artist, and good friend, Megan Evans came to BoxoHOUSE immediately following a three-month residency in Liverpool, UK where she was hosted by the Liverpool Biennial as part of the Australia Council International Residency Program.  Without taking a breath, Megan dove right into her project which involved exploring the history of original inhabitants in the Desert Region and examining the effects of  being cut off from this rich past on those who do not engage with the story of the land they inhabit. This residency project is part of a larger effort Megan is undertaking in which she examines colonialism and its effect on her personally, and on colonial cultures in general. 





























When Megan first asked me about my knowledge of the history around Joshua Tree, I realized that it was very thin. I responded  that there wasn't much material and that it seemed to me that the history of Joshua Tree and the region is very new, largely dating to the granting of 5 acre plots under the Small Tract Act of 1938. My view was that the land had not been inhabited prior to that - a wilderness under the control of the Bureau of Land Management. Megan did some preliminary research and corrected me very soon. There is a host of information and there are people willing to enter into dialog on the subject. My view on habitation of the land is a typical preconception born of ignorance. The original inhabitants of the area moved around depending on season, setting up more temporary encampments. They did not see land occupation in the same way we do - the whole region was their playground.




  

Megan's research took her to the Agua Caliente Cutlural Museum, conversations and a meeting with Tony Soares, a local ceramicist keeping the traditions of Native American pottery alive, and even to the Marine Corps Base at Twentynine Palms which maintains a curatorial center at which artifacts from the field are cataloged and made available for research. Listening to the rich conversations that ensued, I became much more attuned to Megan's point that by losing touch with the traditions and teachings of original inhabitants of the area, we may have lost our way. So much time is spent now developing new alternative methods for treating the land and ourselves, ways of being that had been discovered centuries ago and then swept aside during the colonization of the West.




 

Megan Evans, Celtic Stranger 2, 2013

  


























 
Besides diving into the research, Megan also spent much time in the studio creating work in diverse media as response to the context she was uncovering. Beading, watercolor painting, embroidery and large scale collage all began to emerge around the walls and on the shelf. Megan brought with her a re-creation of her grandmother's Victorian gown, as well as some Celtic items namely a plaid bodice and a sporran, as a nod to her Scottish heritage. She undertook several shoots, creating both stills and video. Wearing the gown, she explored the contrast of Victorian restraint with the expansiveness of the Joshua Tree National Park. The Celtic shoot took place on Celtic Knot for Joshua Tree, Steed Taylor's project from March of this year.

Megan Evans, Stranger in the Desert 4, 2013

Megan engaged with the local community in many ways: working with me on facilitating a Transition Joshua Tree Heart &Soul workshop, attending a Memorial Day concert by local musicians held in the cemetery, posing in the Victorian gown with local stalwarts down at the Joshua Tree Saloon and preparing her work for the wonderful open house we held in mid-June. I'm very thankful to Megan for the contribution she made to both my understanding of the history and context of original inhabitants of my land, and to that of the community at large. No longer a stranger in the desert. Artwork from the residency will be exhibited at BoxoOFFICE in the Fall.