Curator John D. Spiak Leaving ASU Art Museum for Position in Santa Ana, Calif.

Arizona State University Art Museum announces that John D. Spiak, Curator, will be leaving the Museum in August for the opportunity to lead an institution’s vision as Director/Chief Curator of California State University, Fullerton’s, Grand Central Art Center in Santa Ana, Calif.

Spiak joined the ASU Art Museum as Curatorial Assistant in 1994, and served as Curator from 1997 until August 2011. In his almost 17 years with the Museum, he has been responsible for leading such initiatives as Moving Targets (video), Social Studies (social practice) and Night Moves (dance). In 1997 he founded the annual ASU Art Museum Short Film and Video Festival, which he continued to direct, presenting the 15^th annual festival  this past April. He’s been involved in strategic planning and fundraising efforts and has curated over 50 exhibitions, including solo projects with artists Pipilotti Rist, Josh Greene, Shirin Neshat, Jon Haddock, Angela Ellsworth, Nadia Hironaka and the recent project It’s not just black and white with artist Gregory Sale.

“It is bittersweet that I depart the ASU Art Museum and the Arizona arts community,” Spiak said. “This has been my home for 17 amazing years and the place where I was afforded the opportunity to develop my curatorial voice. This would not have been possible without the incredible support and guidance of Marilyn Zeitlin, Heather Lineberry and Gordon Knox. I have found inspiration throughout this community, from artists, gallerists, collectors, supporters and colleagues. I look forward to continuing these collaborations toward mutually beneficial projects, as well as retaining the many friendships that have developed for me and my family.”

 “John is as amazing a colleague as he is a curator,” said ASU Art Museum Director Gordon Knox. “From our internet presence to the Social Studies series to the video festival, John has pioneered the Museum’s current position. We will miss him among us on a daily basis. Although we are sad about his departure, this is a great move for him, and we are much better off for his contributions over the years. And to our continuing institutional collaborators at the Grand Central Art Center, I say, ‘Good on you! You have a wonderful and exciting ride ahead!’”

It’s time: the 2009 Short Film & Video Festival

ASU Art Museum visitors watching Nadia Hironaka: The Late Show; photo: Ken Howie

One of my favorite things to do at this time of year, aside from spend time with family and make (and eat!) lots of my grandma’s Christmas cookies, is watch films. I love film; indie flicks, foreign stories and good old blow-everything-up-Hollywood-style movies.  I especially love video art, so I was really excited to join ASU Art Museum earlier this year where video art is truly appreciated and promoted as an important creative medium. 

Ok, you don’t care about me or my grandma’s cookies. So here’s what you need to know to submit your free entry into the 13th Annual Short Film & Video Festival at ASU Art Museum:

1. There is no fee to enter and anyone can do it. Entries are accepted throughout the year from filmmakers worldwide. 

2.  Entries must be not longer than 10 minutes.

3.  Send your entries to the Museum directly and please include your name and contact information.

See our Web site for all of the details, which are kept pretty simple, really.

The deadline for entry this year is February 6, 2009. The selected entries will be screened on the Plaza at the Nelson Fine Arts Center on April 18 at 8pm.

Need even more video art? We’ve got you covered: our very own John Spiak is bringing the show he curated for Aqua Art Miami to town later next year. The full exhibition, titled I’m Keeping an Eye on You, will be at ASU Art Museum in August, 2009.

-Diane

Carpet Installation for Nadia Hironaka: The Late Show

Executive Flooring crew installs carpet in The Late Show

Executive Flooring crew installs carpet in The Late Show 2

As preparations continue for Nadia Hironaka’s video installation The Late Show, today an outstanding crew from Executive Flooring Systems, Inc, Phoenix is installing carpet throughout the space. 

 

See the full video installation for the first time as we invite you to join us for the FREE PUBLIC OPENING RECEPTION this Friday, October 17 from 7-9pm.  It also marks the opening of the ASU Faculty Exhibition and rumor has it that an ASU student or two may be organizing a guerrilla performance in front of the Museum that night!

— Curator John

Preparing for New Exhibitions

We’re getting ready at the museum for the next exhibition openings. On one side of our first floor we have the light and bright gallery for our Faculty Art Exhibition 2008-09. Time to see just how good our ASU instructors are! (hint: they’re fabulous!)

On the other side, the blacked out gallery for Nadia Hironaka’s The Late Show. This is unusual for us to do, but her setting of an abandoned drive-in theater requires blocking out all that light. With full surround sound and multi-channel video, this is something you don’t want to miss.

Opening reception is Friday October 17, 7-9pm. As always, it’s all free and open to the public. The last one was a great party with about 600 people, so don’t miss the next one!
(Both exhibitions run through January 25.)

Annmarie paints the gallery white for the Faculty Exhibition

Fausto (and other preparators in the background) painting the gallery black for Nadia Hironaka’s The Late Show. Fausto is actually blacking out the windows!

— Diane