Map + Brochure

The map and brochure for the exhibit can now be downloaded from here:

http://www.box.net/shared/6j4mqcvwgs (approx. 4.8 mb)

Hope to see you all tonight!!!!

love, Melissa

New Addition: Bunnybrains

Opening night just wouldn’t be complete without the Bunnybrains. I am proud to announce they will be joining us Saturday evening. Doors open at 6pm at 330 + 336 Warren Street in Hudson.

Now you HAVE to come

Although Connecticut competes with New Mexico and North Dakota for the honor of being home to the fewest rock bands, it did spawn the enduringly bizarre Bunny Brains. Similar in sound and approach to the noise-punk of early-‘90s outfits like Drunks with Guns and Strangulated Beatoffs, the Bunny Brains have been playing loud, crazily and in costume since 1988. That they’ve lasted this long is surprising, but that they’ve lasted this long without displaying a shred of musical evolution is downright astonishing—and more power to them…………The Bunnies were chaotic and crazed when they started, and godammit if that isn’t exactly how they are now.

– Elisabeth Vincentelli, TIME OUT NEW YORK

www.thebunnybrains.com

Thank you Rhizome

This morning Marisa Olson posted a nice bit about the upcoming show! (and consequently made my day)

Curator Melissa Stafford selected the artists based on their “drive to bring about shifts in our perception of the union [between science and the humanities] and a general desire to take us by surprise.” It seems safe to assume that a robot invasion of Main Street, USA is the kind of endeavor that turns a few heads. Kudos to Hudson to opening the dialogue to make new media art a part of the locals’ everyday experience. - Marisa Olson

Click here to read the entire post: http://rhizome.org/editorial/news/?timestamp=20080509

love and excitement,
Melissa

Eclectic Method - May 17

A brand new mashup video from Eclectic Method who will be performing at the Plugged In launch party on Saturday May 17. The entire ground floor of 336 Warren Street will be transformed as visuals flood the walls and their music takes hold. Their unique take on mixing music video and film snips like a DJ mix record is a king-sized leap from any media preconceptions.

Don’t miss it.

A little background on the group:

An audio-visual act from London formed in 2002, Eclectic Method is Geoff Gamlen, Ian Edgar (aka Cutswift) and Jonny Wilson (aka B.R.K.).

(from their wikipedia page)

They initially started out by making video mashups, two music videos mixed together to create a new one. They made their first audio-visual mixtape mixing and cutting up video from music videos, tv shows and films titled “Bootleg Video Mix CDRom” in March 2002. After seeing this CD-ROM MTV commissioned Eclectic Method to work on the MTV Mash mashup video mix show on MTV Europe (2003-2004). They followed this up by releasing the We’re Not VJs DVD, quite possibly the world’s first audio-visual mix DVD in 2005.

Geoff, Ian and Jonny

They developed their Audio-Visual Remixing style into a live performance featuring video turntables (Pioneer DVJs) where they remix the visuals and audio live. As a live act they have traveled around the world playing hundreds of gigs in Asia, North & South America, Europe and the Middle East.

Eclectic Method in Hanoi, Vietnam

After an amount of time creating what were considered “bootleg” and “unofficial” video remixes Eclectic Method were called upon by musicians like Fatboy Slim and U2, and by film, video, and television companies like New Line Cinema and Palm Pictures to create special audio-visual remixes for them.

Let me just say - we could not be more excited to have them perform for the Plugged In launch party. It is going to be an amazing night.

beats, love and hands in the aiy-er, Melissa

more images of Eclectic can be found here: http://www.flickr.com/photos/eclecticmethod/
more videos here: http://www.youtube.com/user/eclecticmethod

Plugged In on WZKE

Tune in to WKZE 98.1 on Monday the 5th of May at 9am to hear Greg Lock and myself speak about Greg’s upcoming multimedia installation over at the Columbia County Council on the Arts. We will be discussing Plugged In, and the CCCA’s ArtsScape Studio Tour (both taking place on the 17th of this month) and how both of these events serve to introduce the public to art in non-traditional environments.

I also hope to discuss new media culture as it pertains to a small community such as Hudson. For many individuals living in rural communities, interaction with technology-based works of art is quite limited; the United States in general (although this has vastly improved over the last 10 years) remains to be the most conservative cultural force in contemporary society. This truth becomes more apparent in a town like Hudson, New York where the majority of the buildings and residents remain unchanged year after year. That is not to be taken as a negative however! This is part of Hudson’s unique charm and why the City - and Warren Street - make such a perfect platform for a project of this nature. These works will not be viewed in conventional gallery or museum spaces - they will instead be experienced in genuine public places. Visitors can actively engage in the work without the pretense of an institution which traditionally defines how we view and critically evaluate art.

The physical street, much like that of the Internet, can function as a way to build networks and connections, all of which can lead to real action. Warren Street will become a responsive environment facilitating stimulated participation by a variety of groups (or publics), potentially some of which may never have stepped foot in a gallery or museum. Artists plant seeds to get people thinking and in the end, I can think of no greater goal for this project than just that: To get people thinking.

You can stream our interview live on Monday morning. Just click here: http://www.wkze.com/node/90

ArtStroll in Hudson

If you are interested in attending the opening night and would like to come up for the day from NYC, ArtForward has designed a daytrip for opening day on Saturday May 17, called ArtStroll in Hudson: Plugged In. ArtForward designed this daytrip to provide respite from the everyday urban living and to enjoy contemporary art in an alternate setting.

Heading north mid-May is an opportune time to revel in springs glory. ArtForward guests will be dropped off at Hudson Farmer’s Market, where they can experience Columbia County’s bounty.  From there, guests will be given recommendations for lunch and can leisurely stroll Warren Street en route to two private events exclusively for ArtForward guests.

The trip takes place on Saturday, May 17. The bus departs NYC at 9:30am and returns approx. at 10:30pm. The cost of the daytrip is $135 (with tax), that includes roundtrip transportation, prix-fixe dinner, complimentary gift bag, ArtStroll Guide to Hudson, and access to Plugged In private events. To see complete dossier, please click here

For more information please click here: http://www.art-forward.com/artstroll

What Happens Next?

Please join us on Sunday May 25 at 9pm @ Time and Space Limited in Hudson for a festival of video art + film curated by Bart Woodstrup in collaboration with Hudson Plugged In featuring artists and filmmakers from the Hudson Valley area.

What Happens Next?

The structure of narrative pop-culture film and video has largely become an efficient and systematic process of conveying the story of the film in order for the viewer to be passively entertained. In cinema, as in life, we desire resolution. However, we must remember that the journey is as valuable (if not more) as the destination. All too often this cinematic structure becomes a well-worn path to the resolution. “What happens next?” is an engaging collection of short video art and film collected from a diverse group of artists living and working in the Hudson Valley area.

Each of the artists approaches their craft with a variety of intentions. Some seek to entertain, to some creating the moving image is an experiment, and to others the image represents a personal or political statement. Regardless of their intentions, each of these works relies on the audience to intellectually interact with the work and thereby completing the thought of the work.

For more information please click here: http://www.hudsonpluggedin.com/learn.html

Opening Night

In case you have not seen the poster yet…. (props to Andrew Nelson + Michael Conlin for the great design!) click to enlarge

One month away

I have been having so much fun the past few weeks watching everyone working on their projects for the show. Installation locations have been chosen, lumber is being purchased, videos are being shot - it is all very exciting! I’ve now walked the street countless times with all 15 artists and it really is incredible how different the city can look when viewed through each of their eyes. I think that will be perhaps the best part of this exhibit: an almost palpable energetic presence on Warren Street of creativity and new life.

This past weekend in particular was just great. Friday evening Mark, Jesse and I walked the street in search of the right location for their installation, and I did the same with Bart and Chip in the afternoon. On Saturday morning I got to spend time with Fernando and his project and then tonight Jonathan, Deep and Giorgio held up in the gallery working on some test shots for their video piece.

I really can’t wait till the show opens. Speaking of the opening…..please check out the updated page on the website - we have confirmed that Eclectic Method, DJ ESE + Mikey Palms and Lukomski/Majer/Lail will all be playing on the 17th.

Posters should hit the streets in the next week so keep your eyes peeled!

Much love, Melissa

Artist Spotlight: Jillian McDonald

Me and Billy Bob, a past DVD and web project, takes as its subject a ‘crush’ I have on actor and musician Billy Bob Thornton. Unfortunately, Billy Bob has not responded, and I am ready to make him jealous.

Screen Kiss features several popular actors including Daniel Day Lewis,Vincent Gallo, Johnny Depp, and one actress, Billy Bob’s former wife Angelina Jolie. In each case I inserted myself into existing film scenes as stand-in for the actresses or actor being kissed by or engaged in other gestures of romance with these stars. I make eye contact with the camera, which functions as voyeur and Billy Bob’s, presumably jealous, eye. - Jillian McDonald

For more information about Jillian McDonald’s Me and Billy Bob project visit here: http://meandbillybob.com/

read the critical essay Desiring the image: On Celebrity and Fetishization by Jack Anderson

Jillian McDonald’s website: http://www.jillianmcdonald.net/