Cantocore FOB Closing April 18

As the grotto posted, Cantocore Free On Board in SFO is closing on April 18, 2009. That means you still have 18 days to see the show, write reviews, and get into the whole project. Here is more from the announcement:

CANTOCORE: FREE ON BOARD AT MISSION 17 CLOSING PARTY APRIL 18

Cantocore: Free On Board is the second installment of a collaborative project, exploring the globalized conditions of contemporary culture, through an exchange specifically between artists from the San Francisco Bay Area and Guangzhou, China.

The collaboration takes its inspiration and its name, “Cantocore,”from the rapid economic, social, and cultural changes currently taking place in Canton province. Hip Hop is thriving, heavy metal music is blasting, and the art market is booming. Over the last 20 years, cities such as Guangzhou, the capital of Canton, have changed from having a uniquely Chinese culture into global cities influenced and informed by diverse forms of representation. During the same period, Chinese artists also have exerted a growing influence on culture across the globe – and perhaps nowhere more than here on the Pacific rim of California, where Chinese Americans have played a central role since its inception. Art and culture is no longer defined by merely national boundaries – if it ever was – and yet cultural differences persist, providing productive tensions, rich with critical and creative possibilities.

Cantocore works to explore these globalized conditions of contemporary culture and the possibilities they present, by cultivating the dialogue specifically between the Bay Area and Guangzhou. Artists involved in the project include, among others, Americans with roots in China, Chinese who have come to study and work in San Francisco, and Americans who have emigrated to China. The first installment of the project, titled Cantocore: Import / Export, took place in September 2008 at the Ping Pong Space in Guangzhou. Cantocore: Free On Board provides the follow-up response.

What common concerns inform these artists work? How does their art nevertheless read differently across the globe? How do the histories and environments of each city inform the aesthetics of the work produced and presented there; and how does the work transcend its geographic origins, drawing aesthetic and conceptual influence from elsewhere?

This exhibition is a collaboration with The Garage Biennale, The Fabricatorz, and Ping Pong Gallery, China. Participating Artists:JD Beltran, Deer Fang, Wang Ge, Misako Inaoka, David O. Johnson, Guy Overfelt, Jon Phillips, Lin Fang Suo, Zhou Tao, Katherine Worel, Huang Xiaopeng.. Curated by Deer Fang, Justin Hoover, Jon Phillips.

Through April 18. Closing party Saturday, April 18, 5 – 7 pm. 2111 Mission Street, Suite 401, San Francisco 94110. Telephone: 415.861.3144. For more information, see http://www.cantocore.com and http://mission17.org/exhibits/upcoming.htm

Filed under: Commons — Tags: , , , , , ,
rejon @ 8:32 am Comments (0)

Cantocore Online Review by Tanner Menard

Tanner Menard looked at the Cantocore project from a distance stating:

I have been reading about Cantocore for a number of days totally obsessed by the complexity of the concepts presented on its site http://cantocore.com/, but it was not until I read the following statement that I was really sold on the idea; ‘Cantocore is the reality of life versus the theory set forth by jurisdictions where people live.’ As an artists who’s personal world view leans towards ontological anarchy, this statement elevates Cantocore from a link on Jon Phillip’s website to the top of the bookmark list on my favorite web browser.

I then waxed poetic about it on my website stating:

When people ask me to explain what exactly Cantocore is, I often dance around the similarities between Guangzhou and San Francisco. Both are at the far extremes from the political centers of power in China and the United States respectively. I also usually talk about the lifestyle of lowered barriers of the 3 P’s: property, privacy, and prices. These combined increase one’s state, or feeling of, personal freedom. However, this concept of the reality of life versus the theory set forth explains exactly how I feel about Cantocore: Just do it! Don’t have a meeting. Don’t make a committee. Don’t whine. Just make your project wherever you are at with what resources you have. Get it off the ground and sort out the pieces as you go.

Please check out the full text of both Tanner’s post and my re-follow-up. Please consider adding your own thoughts as your own review out there on your site, or feel free to blog here or in the comments on this site. We are eager to hear what you think about Cantocore and the latest show on in San Francisco until April 18, Cantocore Free On Board.

Artist’s Talk Saturday 4-6 @ Mission17 in San Francisco

Come this Saturday, February 28, 4-6pm to Mission17 and join us for drinks and conversation! This program is free and open to the public.

Artists JD Beltran, David Johnson, Guy Overfelt, Jon Phillips, and Kathrine Worel will discuss contemporary art production in the decentralized global economy, with specific emphasis on connections to the conceptual framwork, Cantocore. The discussion will be moderated by curator/artist Justin Hoover.

Please RSVP on the facebook event page.

Filed under: Commons — Tags: , , , , , , ,
rejon @ 7:56 pm Comments (1)

Fang Lu’s “News Reenactment”

If you aren’t in San Francisco to see Cantocore Free On Board, then you can’t see the two-channel video installation that features this piece. Below is a web upload of all segments in their entirety.


News Reenactment from Deer Fang on Vimeo.

Read more about Fang Lu’s piece, and check out her personal website while you are at it.

Filed under: Commons — Tags: , , , , , , , , ,
rejon @ 6:10 pm Comments (0)

Thanks for Coming Out to Cantocore FOB Opening!

We are still recovering from the great Cantocore Free On Board opening at Mission 17 last Friday. JD sent me a few pictures to post up. If you have some, please do post links in the comments or send to me.

Cantocore Free On Board Opening JD + Misa's Pieces

Cantocore Free On Board Opening Jon Phillips "Artonomics" Screen

Cantocore Free On Board Opening Misako Inaoka "Zen Garden"

Cantocore Free On Board Opening David Johnson California Crate

Cantocore Free On Board Opening People + JD Beltran's Artwork

We will have some lovely studio shots coming up this week to show off the work. If you are in San Francisco, the show is up for 2 months until April 18. Also, there is an artist talk at Mission 17 from 4 – 6 PM on April 18.

Filed under: Commons — Tags: , , , , , , , ,
rejon @ 7:29 pm Comments (1)

Cantocore SF + imPOSSIBLE! Opens This Friday!

The installation of projects at Mission 17 is nearing completion and we want to send a big announcement across the lands. If you are in San Francisco this Friday, please do come to the opening of Cantocore: Free On Board. Also, please note that this is 1 of 2 shows. The other show at Mission 17 is imPOSSIBLE! 8 Chinese Artists Engage Absurdity, in conjunction with The San Francisco Arts Commission Gallery.

imPOSSIBLE! image

Both imPOSSIBLE! and Cantocore open on Friday night from 6 until 9 PM. Please come on out! If you’d like to track this on Facebook, be our guest!

Filed under: Commons — Tags: , , , , , , ,
rejon @ 11:37 am Comments (0)

Cantocore San Francisco

We are on the eve of announcing Cantocore in San Francisco. Until then, check out this video Justin made showing proposed artwork in a special location in San Francisco’s mission district:

Filed under: Commons — Tags: , , , , , ,
rejon @ 1:43 am Comments (0)

Global Flows of Chinese Immigrants

In writing up a statement for the upcoming Cantocore Exhibition in Guangzhou, I have come across some interesting tidbits of information about Chinese immigrants in the United States.

State Proportion of Chinese Population

State Proportion of Chinese Population

Don’t forget as well to read up on San Francisco’s Chinatown and Guangdong, the province where most of the Chinese immigrants from San Francisco come from originally.

Filed under: Commons — Tags: , , , , , , , , ,
rejon @ 1:41 am Comments (0)

Recap Cantocore Home Concert

null
2 hours before the concert, Chris Willits and Ma Jie was setting up equipments and checking sound. They each were about to have a solo section and an improve collaborative performance.

null
Dorthy and Katie were preparing for the reception.

null
Justin talked about art works from San Francisco artists.

null
I presented on Ping Pong Art Space in Guangzhou and artists from Guangzhou and it’s nearby areas.

null Ma Jie performed with Pi Pa.

null

null
Chris Willits performed with self-modified electronic guitar, which also triggered video.

null

null Jon and I.

Filed under: Commons — Tags: , ,
deerfang @ 1:10 am Comments (0)

Cantocore Preview: Extended RSVP and Tickets on Sale!

Cantocore Home Concert Preview is coming up next Wednesday July 23rd. Right now our RSVP deadline for this event is extended to Monday, July 21st. And tickets are on sale right now for $50 USD! All money goes to the production of the Cantocore exhibition in Guangzhou and San Francisco. And, all contributions will be rewarded with praise, promotion in printed materials and on this website.

This event is a preview of the coming exhibitions, and also a home concert featuring Chinese traditional instrument musician Ma Jie and electronic musician Christopher Willits.

To reserve your tickets please do one of the following:

Call Justin at 415-425-1647
Email: jhoover.charles@gmail.com
Or use Paypal option


“硬核广州”预展:预定时间延长并且入场券在售中!

硬核广州预展音乐会在下周三即7月23日就要到来了。现在我们这次预展音乐会的预定截止时间已经延伸至周一即7月21日。并且从现在开始出售入场券,价格为50美元。所有收入都将用来制作这次在广州和旧金山的硬核广州展览。并且,所有的捐款、贡献将通过印刷品以及本网站予以感谢及发扬。
这场音乐会是即将来临的展览会的一个预展,同时也是由中国传统乐器音乐家Ma Jie及电子音乐家Christopher Willits为主的一场本土音乐会。

您可以通过以下任一方式预定入场券:

电话至Justin: 415-425-1647
邮件至: jhoover.charles@gmail.com

或者通过Paypal支付

Filed under: Commons — Tags: , , , , , , , , , ,
deerfang @ 9:50 pm Comments (3)
Newer Posts »

Cantocore: Free On Board (SF)

The second major exhibition in the Cantocore line that follows the premiere exhibition in Guangzhou (CAN), China showcasing an international cast of artists and producers from both China and the US.

Location: Mission 17

Press Announcement: Read here.

Opening: Friday, February 13, 2009 from 6-9 PM.
Artist Talk: Saturday, February 28, 2009 from 4-6 PM.
Closing: Saturday, April 18, 2009 from 5-7 PM.

Press & Media Images