Groove 11 is mounting a salon series called What Matters Now, with an Opening Reception on August 18, 6-8 p.m. in our San Rafael office. What Matters Now is an exploration of ideas that inspire thinking in new directions, and touches on a wide variety of issues from the environment to human rights, community to healthcare, among others. The series is also a chance to support dialog amongst artists, business, and the larger creative community.
Seven artists are participating in our first show,. We spoke with each one about their work. Our next interview is with Pamela Belknap.
from Childhood Memories/Tub series
from Childhood Memories/Water series
The theme of the show is What Matters Now. In what way did that strike a chord with you?
The title is about the present moment, and I like to consider how that relates to a memory.
What interests you as an artist?
Memories, obviously. But also stories, and having a beginner’s mind, which I think as an artist is very important to have. I’m also interested in paying attention to what is right around me, everyday objects, and even simple text in its many forms.
I saw two shows this summer with the work of John Baldessari and Joseph Beuys and I’m studying their work.
John Baldessari has been called “the big daddy of California conceptual art.” His text and images intrigue me. He questions the very nature of communication, a subject that grows more complex with every technological advance. To quote him: “I am interested in what gets us to stop and look, as opposed to simply consuming images passively.”
It has been said of Joseph Beuys that he approached every aspect of life creatively with a sense of inventiveness and ritual. He approached both his life and his art as one endeavor. I’m interested in that approach; making one’s own life and preoccupations the material of one’s art.
What inspires you?
Uniqueness in everyday life, wherever it may appear. I’m also inspired by impermanence.
What new projects are you working on now?
One of my next projects will be about impermanence using flowers and naming them as individuals. I will be using the flower as a way of studying the life span of the human being.
What upcoming shows do you have?
I’m submitting work to Photo Alliance’s Night/Light: Bay Area Photographers Take Aim After Dark. The exhibition is this September. Also, I periodically show at the SFMOMA Artist Gallery.
For more information on Pamela, and to see more of her work, visit her website. And come to Groove 11 on August 18 for the Opening Reception for What Matters Now.