Shotgun Review: Black Factory

Black Factory - William Pope L. at Yerba Buena Center for the Arts

by YBCA Visitors

During the YBCA exhibition of "Black Factory" by William Pope L. which involved contributions from gallery visitors, we (your SR editors) decided to parallel this model via experimentally opening-up the review process by setting up a computer station overlooking the exhibition. This resulted in 27 short responses included here.

Lori:
I have always appericaed art that lets me make my own conclusions. "Black Factory" is that type of Art. You are made aware of what the artist is attempting, but not led to that conclusion.

Many people have complained about the randomness of the items. But to me that is the beauty of it all. Life is seldom packaged in neat little bundles, and it is only our ability to "connect the dots" that gives it any true meaning. So it is with the exhibit. As a white person I will see different things that a black may not, and visa versa.

Blobbo:
I was having a fairly intrested day .
Thanks to mr. Pope .
I personally prefer Alexander Pope . He at least originated Hip Hop and made Rhyming couplets that reveal most so called Rap artist as Morons and that was when? 1760?
This Pope is petty d good. Perhaps somwedat he will become a BRAND like Andy Frigging Warhol.
Sad to say I cmme with an Angry young woman .She is so cool and hip . Too bad all that anger is boring .
Maybe she can someday become a drug addict and really have some thing to whine about .

Mike:
What an empty exercise. This guy has no talent or vision at all. If he weren't playing the race card, we'd have no problem calling this the tired, dated, artless , irrelevant junk shop it is.

MegatronInTheTrunk:
The jury is still out!
The Black Factory holds a collection of seemingly random objects linked by someones ability to see the blackness within the object. More commentary on select items would have done wonders for the exhibit. The installation certainly has sparked my interest in getting more information on Pope's purpose of BF.

Ed:
Not very effective in conveying your message. Not accessible enough for the non-art person (unlike myself). Honorable and a good step in the right direction of breaking boundaries. Stereotypes will always exist either because different ethnicities don't live in close proximity, or actually do...

Mad Chalet:
A collection of objects whose relevance regarding Black culture is in question. One looks, wonders, visually sifts through the detitus in an attempt to relate the objects to place and meaning. In some cases the connection to Blackness is obvious, possibly simplistic, in other cases the relevance is difficult to discern. Looking over the collection, I'm reminded a bit of Fluxus and their archiving of the everyday object, but this installation isn't so much about elevating the everyday, it is commentary on white culture's attempt to undermine the African American. I'm not satisfied by the installation, some of being closed off doesn't help. I am missing the performative aspects - the video helps, but it's not a subsitute.

Calvin:
Hmmm...the promised ideas/themes of identity,purity,contamination, refuse etc.. were intruiging. However I, like most other critics, found the project to be disorganized and meaningless.
I fear that this "project" was funded because of it's racial themes. As a black art fan, I find this patronizing. There are too many great black contemporary artist who's art is currently underexposed to justify such a travisty.

Chris:
Inspring - new models for society and culture are much needed. i work in the non-profit and education sector and have been searching for new ways to accomplish charitable work. thank you . . .

Cinner:
What does it mean to be Black?
It's a pretty interesting questiom.

I like the sign that says, "I only talk about orange things with orange people.?"
Also I wonder...is Yoda Black?
Good show.

Anil:
It's OK. I read in the intro that he's really more into performance art so maybe that's why I found some of the static works to be indecipherable. Personally, I just don't really get it on either an aesthetic or conceptual level.

Anonymous:
For unfortunately an uncountable time in a row, YBCA showed its vulnerability in its mission, to put it politely. To put it impolitely, this is just another exhibit that comes across as completely unclear, unartful, and obnoxious -- I haven't seen something that's proven otherwise in about 3 years here.

It seems that others below hinted that for them, Black Factory is inaccessible because it is esoteric. There's no need to insult oneself -- this project is inaccessible because it is a collection of pretty much random objects and words so filtered through attempts at rhetoric that I can't understand a single sentence. I would say that this group has been poisoned by too much art school, in the way that a literary theorist can say absolutely nothing about a written piece because it's all "theory" and no direct connection to the work, but I don't know if this is the case. I'm tempted to think this entire exhibit is a farce to see if a completely asinine, meaningless connection can pass under a curator's nose if it's enclosed in a pretentious enough package.

The explanations next to each pile of objects do not match up.

Nevermind, at this point, I'm at a complete loss of words, and similar to the exhibition, have said just about nothing tangible using a few hundred of them.

Anonymous:
Soooo conceptual. Seems the idea is cooler to the artists involved than offering something cool to the viewers....Yes we are all to participate, but I'd agree the show is too self absorbed for much fun.

Anonymous:
It's a tad self indulgent. Maybe keeps your interest for 5 minutes or so, but after that, its the same things over and over

Dylan:
I am a child and we have ''Iet's talk about race'' days at my school. This show reminds me of our celebrations and discussions at school about race.

Dylan
2nd grade
Live Oak School

Lily:
"What is my culture? What is my community? I just moved here, and this exhibit has made me wonder about a few things. I live in the Tenderloin, and a man died on the sidewalk yesterday. His body is still lying there. He was a member of my comminity. He was a member of my neighborhood. He is gone now, and no one cares, maybe somewhere some one does...someone far away in an other community or neighborhood. How can I identify with my community w/o drowning in it? Drowning in the Tenderloin, or drowning in the comercial over load that is Union Square. What makes me American (North American)? What do I let define my culture, my community?

Ron:
I try to stay open to most artistic conceptions but this exhibit just didn't do it for me. Pretty boring and self absorbed.

Faith:
I found out that black people have the same rights as white and that white has no authority to be mean to black. Also, sometimes art is sometimes creepy and weird.

James:
I found it intriguing that there were books and pamphlets, but you weren't allowed to touch them. It sort of violated the standard conventions one would expect when this sort of object is on a table.

Charlie:
I still need time to absorb the jumble of objects and images. Intense regardless.

Starfish:
Would love to see a Yellow Factory. Asian-Americans are streotyped as the "emmersed" ethnic group. A Yellow Factory would reveal a much more isolated group than the Black Factory. This basically reinforces what we already know. Push the envelope. Do a Yellow Factory.

Lili:
I think that this a little too "high concept" and self indulgent at times. The interactive and contributory attributes of the show provide some momentum to carry people through it but after about 10 minutes of it, the show becomes tiresome and stops presenting anything new or contributing any new ideas other than "some people are still racist" and "some people are not".

Sambo:
a one schtick wonder, a little tired
in danger of making the tropes of reacial stereotypes into cliché - would

P:
I really enjoyed the blak factory. It made me think. I like art that makes me think. I like art that relates to everyday issues. The blak factory is a great concept.

Latina:
I opened my mind to see what I saw... stuff.
I looked in my purse to find a "black" object... spectrum.
I guess I am not hung up on the racial thing. I'm just fine with life.

Jen:
I did not go to school for this, but rather for the writing. However, I like tables and things and tables full of things. So this is OK by me, even if I did not go to school for it and don't necessarily get it. I would like a wall full of things in my house. Also, some tables.

Bryan:
glad to have a conversation on race in an art museum. its wonderful to find real people to discuss art and its role in our society in this space

Joe:
um
well
that is to say
i uh
ehem....
well if you have to ask,
i would say its like most "concept art"
self indulgent, and self important
thats all

Posted May 31, 2007 9:24 AM (1559 words)

« Bay Area Currents 2007 | Home | The Artist's Product is Always Incomplete: Reflections On an Installation by Yaffa Gilbet »

	Black Factory - William Pope L. at Yerba Buena Center for the Arts by YBCA Visitors During the YBCA exhibition of "Black Factory" by William Pope L. which involved contributions from gallery visitors, we (your SR editors) decided to parallel this model via experimentally opening-up the review process by setting up a computer station overlooking the exhibition. This resulted in 27 short responses included here. Lori: I have always appericaed art that lets me make my own conclusions. "Black Factory" is that type of Art. You are made aware of what the artist is attempting, but not led to that conclusion. Many people have complained about the randomness of the items. But to me that is the beauty of it all. Life is seldom packaged in neat little bundles, and it is only our ability to "connect the dots" that gives it any true meaning. So it is with the exhibit. As a white person I will see different things that a black may not, and visa versa. Blobbo: I was having a fairly intrested day . Thanks to mr. Pope . I personally prefer Alexander Pope . He at least originated Hip Hop and made Rhyming couplets that reveal most so called Rap artist as Morons and that was when? 1760? This Pope is petty d good. Perhaps somwedat he will become a BRAND like Andy Frigging Warhol. Sad to say I cmme with an Angry young woman .She is so cool and hip . Too bad all that anger is boring . Maybe she can someday become a drug addict and really have some thing to whine about . Mike: What an empty exercise. This guy has no talent or vision at all. If he weren't playing the race card, we'd have no problem calling this the tired, dated, artless , irrelevant junk shop it is. MegatronInTheTrunk: The jury is still out! The Black Factory holds a collection of seemingly random objects linked by someones ability to see the blackness within the object. More commentary on select items would have done wonders for the exhibit. The installation certainly has sparked my interest in getting more information on Pope's purpose of BF. Ed: Not very effective in conveying your message. Not accessible enough for the non-art person (unlike myself). Honorable and a good step in the right direction of breaking boundaries. Stereotypes will always exist either because different ethnicities don't live in close proximity, or actually do... Mad Chalet: A collection of objects whose relevance regarding Black culture is in question. One looks, wonders, visually sifts through the detitus in an attempt to relate the objects to place and meaning. In some cases the connection to Blackness is obvious, possibly simplistic, in other cases the relevance is difficult to discern. Looking over the collection, I'm reminded a bit of Fluxus and their archiving of the everyday object, but this installation isn't so much about elevating the everyday, it is commentary on white culture's attempt to undermine the African American. I'm not satisfied by the installation, some of being closed off doesn't help. I am missing the performative aspects - the video helps, but it's not a subsitute. Calvin: Hmmm...the promised ideas/themes of identity,purity,contamination, refuse etc.. were intruiging. However I, like most other critics, found the project to be disorganized and meaningless. I fear that this "project" was funded because of it's racial themes. As a black art fan, I find this patronizing. There are too many great black contemporary artist who's art is currently underexposed to justify such a travisty. Chris: Inspring - new models for society and culture are much needed. i work in the non-profit and education sector and have been searching for new ways to accomplish charitable work. thank you . . . Cinner: What does it mean to be Black? It's a pretty interesting questiom. I like the sign that says, "I only talk about orange things with orange people.?" Also I wonder...is Yoda Black? Good show. Anil: It's OK. I read in the intro that he's really more into performance art so maybe that's why I found some of the static works to be indecipherable. Personally, I just don't really get it on either an aesthetic or conceptual level. Anonymous: For unfortunately an uncountable time in a row, YBCA showed its vulnerability in its mission, to put it politely. To put it impolitely, this is just another exhibit that comes across as completely unclear, unartful, and obnoxious -- I haven't seen something that's proven otherwise in about 3 years here. It seems that others below hinted that for them, Black Factory is inaccessible because it is esoteric. There's no need to insult oneself -- this project is inaccessible because it is a collection of pretty much random objects and words so filtered through attempts at rhetoric that I can't understand a single sentence. I would say that this group has been poisoned by too much art school, in the way that a literary theorist can say absolutely nothing about a written piece because it's all "theory" and no direct connection to the work, but I don't know if this is the case. I'm tempted to think this entire exhibit is a farce to see if a completely asinine, meaningless connection can pass under a curator's nose if it's enclosed in a pretentious enough package. The explanations next to each pile of objects do not match up. Nevermind, at this point, I'm at a complete loss of words, and similar to the exhibition, have said just about nothing tangible using a few hundred of them. Anonymous: Soooo conceptual. Seems the idea is cooler to the artists involved than offering something cool to the viewers....Yes we are all to participate, but I'd agree the show is too self absorbed for much fun. Anonymous: It's a tad self indulgent. Maybe keeps your interest for 5 minutes or so, but after that, its the same things over and over Dylan: I am a child and we have ''Iet's talk about race'' days at my school. This show reminds me of our celebrations and discussions at school about race. Dylan 2nd grade Live Oak School Lily: "What is my culture? What is my community? I just moved here, and this exhibit has made me wonder about a few things. I live in the Tenderloin, and a man died on the sidewalk yesterday. His body is still lying there. He was a member of my comminity. He was a member of my neighborhood. He is gone now, and no one cares, maybe somewhere some one does...someone far away in an other community or neighborhood. How can I identify with my community w/o drowning in it? Drowning in the Tenderloin, or drowning in the comercial over load that is Union Square. What makes me American (North American)? What do I let define my culture, my community? Ron: I try to stay open to most artistic conceptions but this exhibit just didn't do it for me. Pretty boring and self absorbed. Faith: I found out that black people have the same rights as white and that white has no authority to be mean to black. Also, sometimes art is sometimes creepy and weird. James: I found it intriguing that there were books and pamphlets, but you weren't allowed to touch them. It sort of violated the standard conventions one would expect when this sort of object is on a table. Charlie: I still need time to absorb the jumble of objects and images. Intense regardless. Starfish: Would love to see a Yellow Factory. Asian-Americans are streotyped as the "emmersed" ethnic group. A Yellow Factory would reveal a much more isolated group than the Black Factory. This basically reinforces what we already know. Push the envelope. Do a Yellow Factory. Lili: I think that this a little too "high concept" and self indulgent at times. The interactive and contributory attributes of the show provide some momentum to carry people through it but after about 10 minutes of it, the show becomes tiresome and stops presenting anything new or contributing any new ideas other than "some people are still racist" and "some people are not". Sambo: a one schtick wonder, a little tired in danger of making the tropes of reacial stereotypes into cliché - would P: I really enjoyed the blak factory. It made me think. I like art that makes me think. I like art that relates to everyday issues. The blak factory is a great concept. Latina: I opened my mind to see what I saw... stuff. I looked in my purse to find a "black" object... spectrum. I guess I am not hung up on the racial thing. I'm just fine with life. Jen: I did not go to school for this, but rather for the writing. However, I like tables and things and tables full of things. So this is OK by me, even if I did not go to school for it and don't necessarily get it. I would like a wall full of things in my house. Also, some tables. Bryan: glad to have a conversation on race in an art museum. its wonderful to find real people to discuss art and its role in our society in this space Joe: um well that is to say i uh ehem.... well if you have to ask, i would say its like most "concept art" self indulgent, and self important thats all Posted May 31, 2007 9:24 AM (1559 words) « Bay Area Currents 2007 \| Home \| The Artist's Product is Always Incomplete: Reflections On an Installation by Yaffa Gilbet »		Comments Post a comment Name: Email: Comments: