California thinkin'
A new CSUCI exhibit examines the Golden State
By Matthew Singer 12/20/2007
According to the state’s official Web site, California’s state insect is the dogface butterfly, its state fossil is that of the sabre-tooth cat, and the state gem is benitoite. Interesting. But what is our greatest cultural export? In a state overflowing with culture, it is difficult to say for sure, but skateboarding is certainly up there.
So, when putting together an art exhibit subtitled “Visions of California,” Cal State University Channel Islands design professor Luke Matjas thought, “What better canvas on which to express those visions than skateboard decks?”
That wasn’t only reason Matjas chose the object for “Hang On To Your Ego: Visions of California through Skateboard Art,” however.
“As much as I love going to art galleries, going into a local skate shop and looking at the walls, the decks there are more interesting than what’s going in a gallery,” he says. “Anything can be a subject for a board. It’s almost like no rules. There’s no unnecessary anointing of anyone. Boards have such an ephemeral lifespan. They get thrashed around and it’s on to the next one. With all that in mind, I thought it was the perfect chance to let some ideas germinate, to see what folks can come up with.”
What those “folks” — who range from current students to alumni to CSUCI faculty — came up with is currently on display on at CSUCI Exhibitions in Camarillo. It is a multifaceted view of the Golden State, with most pieces either criticizing or simply commenting on the glorious absurdity of California.
For his own work, Matjas chose to focus on what he believes is a representative symbol for the entire state: the sprinkler.
“When you drive through here, the sprinkler becomes an icon of what made California what it is,” he says. “It’s this ubiquitous thing, whether it’s lawns or farming — it’s this critical thing.”
Actually, his piece, titled “El Conquistador,” seems to be talking about more than the prevalence of sprinklers in the state, considering the one depicted in the piece is affixed to the skull of a bear, its shadow cast on orange-colored wallpaper. In a similar vein, Diana Reyes’ “California Republic” replaces the iconic grizzly bear of the state flag with Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger’s trademarked Humvee, a cloud of smog trailing the traditional red overhead star.
Not all the pieces are of a political nature, though. “It’s a good mix,” Matjas says. “People were critical to an appropriate degree.” For instance, Larry Lytle’s “Another Myth from the Golden State” is a collage of doll heads, apparently a commentary on the stereotype of all Californians being fake, empty-headed and made of plastic. Another, by Matt McGivney, depicts the familiar tiled roofs of the CSUCI buildings, which previously served as a mental institution, with an apparently homeless man sitting slumped over and holding a sign reading “VET God Bless,” while another man in a white coat — presumably a professor — also holds a sign reading “NEW Thank You.”
While the majority of the participants are native Californians, at least one piece was created by a transplant. Jack Reilly, chair of the CSUCI Art Department, is originally from Florida, though he has been painting in California since the 1970s. His piece is essentially a color exploration, which Matjas describes as “big, bright and glossy.” Truth be told, Reilly painted the piece before this project began, but Matjas thought it was so evocative of California, he translated it to a skateboard deck for the exhibit.
Matjas says he hopes to turn the exhibit into an annual event and expand it across the CSU system. The diversity of the experiences presented in this first installment, for him, prove there is much out there to be said about living in a state not inaccurately described by many as a flawed paradise.
“People are aware of the stereotype from the outside: blond, maybe uninformed in some way,” Matjas says. “Yet people are in tune with what’s going on, and at different levels. … People are taking different lenses and investigating the state.”
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