Dear San Diego,
Back in December 2010 I came across a film called “Look at What the Light Did Now”. The film reveals the creative process of a colorful group of individuals working in different disciplines toward a common goal. One of the artists involved used light and shadow to illustrate stories on a huge forty-foot screen. After seeing the film, I got up the next day and sent an email inviting her to come to San Diego to partner with the Museum of Contemporary Art’s Teen Art Council and with Sezio. It was a shot in the dark. I had already set my expectation to never hear back. But I did hear back, and to our wonderful surprise the shot in the dark will bring this artist to San Diego in April for an entire week. - Wes Bruce
Sezio and the Museum of Contemporary Art San Diego are incredibly excited to present a partnership with the artist Clea Minaker.
Clea Minaker is a performing artist and creator based out of Montreal who’s work focuses increasingly on the mediums of shadow and light. Most notably in 2008, she created and performed ‘live’ video and shadow projections for the international tour of singer/songwriter Feist.
The partnership between Sezio, MCASD and Clea is an attempt to create and offer a different experience for both the artist and the viewer; in a way it is a challenge to traditional museum residencies. This partnership investigates the collaboration between the institution, the artist, people’s homes, and the involved community. Often in museum partnerships, the visiting artist is removed from the community he or she wishes to engage. Our goal is for Clea to open a dialogue at the museum, and additionally stay and perform in San Diego homes, share meals and evenings-after-work in the backyard, etc. Clea will be plugged into the local creative community, getting to know personally those she is performing for, in their own space.
Clea will be in San Diego from April 16th through 22nd. She will begin her week by hosting a public teen workshop with MCASD’s Teen Art Council, where participants will work with the materials of shadow projection, learn basic techniques of manipulation, and explore notions of composition and story-creation through the language of light and shadow. This adventure into shadows and light will culminate with the creation of short shadow stories by workshop participants.
On the same day as the workshop, April 16th, MCASD will host a film screening at their La Jolla location of “Look at What the Light Did Now”. The film documents the journey of Feist's Grammy nominated album "The Reminder". The poetic film, directed by Anthony Seck, pulls back the curtain to reveal intimate partnerships with the people Feist calls her 'amplifiers': a photographer who helps keep her off camera, shadow puppeteers who work in hockey arenas, an artist building a thread-radiating mural, a video director who conducts fireworks, a pianist who guides the recording of an album, and other musical and visual collaborators. A Q&A with the artist will follow the film.
Over the course of the week Clea and the Teen Art Council will be working toward a closing night of performances to be held April 22nd and hosted by Sezio in the attic at Habitat House. This unique night of performace will be open to the public. Preparation for the performances will include work from the artist’s temporary studio at the Golden Hill residence, where she and the Teen Art Council will create and rehearse. This is going to be an incredible week, and we invite you to help us host Clea as representatives of San Diego. Please join us in making Clea feel welcome.
Here’s an outline of what Clea’s week looks like:
Public Teen Workshop at MCASD Downtown
April 16th (1:00 – 5:00 pm)
$5 and rsvp required, space is very limited
RSVP with subject line "LIGHTS OUT" to education@mcasd.org
Look at What the Light Did Now at MCASD La Jolla
April 16th (7:00 - 9:00pm)
$5 for MCASD and Sezio Members // $10 General
More info here.
Attic Performances at Habitat House
April 22nd (7:00pm & 9:00pm)
$5 for Sezio and MCASD Members // $7 General
RSVP: info@habitathouse.org