“Bring the War Home” show at QED in LA seeks to ignite dialogue about art and politics

From the LA Weekly’s “Must See Art” section: Bring the War Home” at QED Gallery. Here, finally, is a group show about an idea that is relevant and participates in and ignites discourse between artists, critics and curators about the art market and the current political climate. Titled after the Weather Underground’s slogan, the exhibition features work by many artists, including Walead Beshty, Wade Guyton and Kelley Walker, Matthew Brannon and Mai-thu Perret. Sifting through so much work can lessen the power of the message, but three cheers for the effort. 2622 S. La Cienega Blvd., L.A. | (310) 204-3334, www.qedgallery.com | Through Aug. 12

Here are some strong words from the press release:

“The current market boom, to mention only the most obvious example, is a direct product of neo-liberal economic policies. It belongs, first of all, to the luxury consumption boom that has gone along with growing income disparities and concentrations of wealth — the beneficiaries of Bush’s tax cuts are our patrons — and secondly, to the same economic forces that have created the global real-estate bubble: lack of confidence in the bond market due to rising national debt, low interest rates, and regressive tax cuts……In this art market, we {the artists} are its direct material beneficiaries. Every time we speak of the “ institution” as other than “ us”, we disavow our role in the creation and perpetuation of its conditions. We avoid responsibility for, or actions against, the everyday complicities, compromises, and censorship – above all, self-censorship – which are driven by our own interests in the field and the benefits we derive from it. -Andrea Fraser, 2005

To see images from the show click here.

Top of the head questions that this brings up for me….

“How do we both work in the art world yet dialogue/challenge ourselves and the institution to question and examine our collusion with the dominant/domineering political and socio-economic systems?”

“Can the art center be a site for honest dialogue about the role of art/artists in “neo-liberal” systems or does the museum – as site – already/forever compromise/co-opt this speaking?”