Up and Out the Chimney - A Collaborative Project from Five Artists

COAL UMBRELLA
157 N. University Ave. Provo UT
coalumbrella.com
801.374.7446

On Friday February 6th, 2009, COAL UMBRELLA will open Up and Out the Chimney, a collaborative exhibit of new work by five artists: Joscef Castor, Ryan Neely, Gian Pierotti, Chris Purdie, Jason Metcalf. An opening reception will be held for the artists from 6 – 9pm that evening in association with the monthly Provo Gallery Stroll.

The shows will remain open to the public through March 4th and will be viewable 12 - 9pm Tuesday through Thursday, 12-10 Friday and Saturday.

Like so many collaborative artistic groups who have gone before, this one seeks to unravel the construct of individual genius, find symphonic affinities through combination of forms not meant to be combined, and to investigate and question the structure of artistic hierarchies. The group is comprised of musical and visual artistic talent: Boots to the Moon (Joscef Castor), Gian Pierotti, Ryan Neely, Chris Purdie, and Jason Metcalf (all but Metcalf and Neely have played in numerous bands- all except Castor are currently visual artists). The group takes as its inspiration Boots' musical creations, confronting them with visual and conceptual responses. The result is not separate and distinct parts, but rather music and art creating a unique holistic entity.


Boots to the Moon's songs within this project offer lyrical fragments in a Joycean fashion, and thus give not an inherent structure or narrative- but a stream of thoughts and feelings. These spurts of meaning collectively evoke a sadness such as felt from seasonal affective disorder. The works then become increasingly relevant as our society realizes its state of winter- politically, socially, economically- and looks forward to a new state of being. Lyrics such as Up and out the Chimney reflect upon past times of winter, while likening them to our contemporary moment, whereas There is no such thing as Forever deconstructs the illusionary but hopeful gazes of seemingly fractal and infinite dreams.

A significant feature of this project lies in the marriage of art and music. The works are not just linked through simple affinities- but through actual process become cohesive and consistent. The songs are printed onto individual vinyl discs, with no other copy existing now or in the future- digital or analog- a fact that is normally reserved for original art. And, as the vinyl is worn down by the needle that extracts sound, so the artwork deteriorates with the elements- reminding yet again that there is no such thing as forever.