The title of this show had me expecting water misters and dry ice machines as I walked through the front doors of the relatively new galleries at San Francisco non-profit Southern Exposure. That didn't happen of course, because that would have been silly and SoEx, as those in the know call it, isn't silly, but a serious contributor to our community's cultural life. For those who may not be familiar, this scrappy paragon of San Francisco alternative spaces, has been mounting community gatherings (e.g. Monster Drawing Rallies) and innovative thematic exhibitions since 1974, at this point probably longer than many... Read More

Broadcast Translation: SL Morse - at (npr) Neighborhood Public Radio's "Day of Deceit" - at Southern Exposure - at 25th and Mission Streets, San Francisco. (4/14/07) Instead of a 'day of deceit,' I tuned in for just one show. Tuned in, in person. Inside, the audience has a seat of four chairs and possibly a low window ledge in front of monitors. Outside the audience includes whom-so-ever passes by and stops to get past the reflection in the storefront windows and suddenly see the setup of radio gear and musical instruments that is behind the crackling sound emanating from the... Read More

Lee Walton Life/Theatre Project: San Francisco Lee Walton is a long-time resident of the Bay Area who recently relocated to New York. While living here he built a small following for his rigorous, strenuous and exceedingly odd task-oriented public performances. These usually were performed by himself, on the street, and had to do with rigid rules requiring specific behaviors depending on such outside events as the ebb and flow of a baseball game he would follow on radio. Life/Theatre is a much grander event still involving the street but with a cast of some two dozen actors recruited on Craig's... Read More

Despite the title of the current group show at Southern Exposure the work on view is, by turns, thoughtful, silly, absurd, self-effacing and sweet--none of the qualities that come to mind when I think of a smart ass. I count these as positive attributes because they keep the show Smart Ass, which is also sarcastic and irreverent at times, from being flip or arrogant. Instead the artists are premeditated, even sneaky, in their approaches. As with Giny Kleker's piece Luggage, wherein she "barrowed" a stranger's suitcase from an airport baggage carousel. Back in her studio Kleker photographed the contents of... Read More