Boston Common - Niche Media - A side of Boston that's anything but common.
Issue link: http://digital.greengale.com/i/526269
And the art world seized on the mystery and allure of the double act. In a way, twinhood ref lects both their connec- tion to the zeitgeist and their remoteness from it. From the late 1970s, the New York scene was domi- nated by The Pictures Generation—artists like Cindy Sherman, Sherrie Levine, and Richard Prince, who often favored appropriation or camerawork over tra- ditional mediums. These artists raised questions about what constitutes original artwork, and who actually creates it. Is it the individual? Or is it the mass media inf luencing the individual? In reaction to this attitude, Neo-Expressionists made dramatic statements of indi- viduality: Julian Schnabel smashed crockery, while Anselm Kiefer mixed straw and lead with his paints. The Starns stood apart from this art-world dialectic. Their images and techniques tapped into a historical sen- sibility—sometimes a "steampunk" aesthetic. Their use of materials and their disruption of display conventions were explosively original. "For us," says Mike, "art can provide a conveyance to a place beyond banal physical life." Artistic collaborations and partnerships abounded in the 1980s, whether it was Prince and Sherman pho- tog raphing each ot her disg uised as A ndy Wa rhol or a r t ist double act s like McDer mott a nd McGough in New York, Gilber t & George in London, or Pier re et Gilles in Pa r is. But none of t hese duos ca me close to the symbiosis of the Starns. Maybe their strain of art could originate only from two brothers with identical DNA. Or perhaps Buddhism holds the answer. This summer, the MFA will display the Starns' giant Buddha photograph, Manjushri, 2005–07, for the first time (it was donated by Boston collectors in 2010). Although the twins don't practice any form of Buddhist meditation or ritual, Buddhist philosophy is clearly tied to their ideas of interdependence. "Buddhist st at ues a re emblemat ic of much of t he philosophy in our work," says Doug. "All compounded phenomena—things and experiences—are inconstant, unsteady, impermanent, in constant f lux. Everything that exists does so dependently." The E .M. Forster quote "Only connect" could be t he St a r ns' ma nt ra: connect ing w it h audiences, w it h one a not her, w it h loca l rock climbers, w it h t he a r t system. Connect ing a dispa rate body of work t hat embraces sculpture a nd photog raphy, inst a llat ion a nd habit at , t hat looks to a ncient Buddhist a r t , old masters of t he Wester n t radit ion, mot hs, a nd t he cos- mos. A r t t hat is open to t he latest technolog ies a nd t hat steeps t he v iewer in a sense of t he prehistor y of invent ions. You could say t hat t he St a r ns have been connect ing t he dot s t hroughout t heir joined-at-t he- hip ca reer. BC BOSTON CYBERARTS GALLERY This gallery is the city's hub for interactive and technology-based art. In addition to offering lectures and dis- cussions, the gallery regularly exhibits the work of COLLISIONcollective, a loose affi liation of artists interested in digital, electronic, and robotic media. 141 Green St., Jamaica Plain, 617-522- 6710; bostoncyberarts.org PROOF This experimental nonprofi t space, located in the Distillery Building in Southie, presents arguably the least predictable exhibition program in town. Its "Boston Does Boston" show, which just saw its eighth iteration, invites three Boston artists to display their work alongside that of three other Boston artists of their choosing. 516 E. Second St., 617-702-2761; proof-gallery.com BARBARA KRAKOW GALLERY Barbara Krakow Gallery handles a roster of blue-chip names, such as Sol LeWitt, Kiki Smith, and Claes Oldenberg. Recent shows of note include the drawings of Michael Mazur and a two-person exhibition of work by Sylvia Plimack Mangold and Robert Ryman. 10 Newbury St., No. 5, 617-262-4490; barbarakrakowgallery.com SAMSON PROJECTS Samson Projects runs an aggressively contemporary program. Its main room has featured Mark Cooper, one of Boston's strongest talents and the cre- ator of a show-stealing sculpture exhibit, "New Blue and White," at the Museum of Fine Arts in 2013. Its downstairs space, Subsamson, displays the work of local artists. 450 Harrison Ave, 617-357- 7177; samsonprojects.com STATE OF ART EXPECT ABSTRACTION, DIGITAL ART—EVEN A ROBOT OR TWO— AT BOSTON'S CUTTING-EDGE GALLERIES. BY FRANKLIN EINSPRUCH A still from Volcanoes by Faith Holland. BOSTONCOMMON-MAGAZINE.COM 91