On July 6, 1989, The Society for Arts Publications of the Americas opened the Meridian Gallery, a pan-ethnic exhibition space in downtown San Francisco. Meridian Gallery provides an alternative space for bringing together groups of people from widely different backgrounds to share and contribute to an understanding and knowledge of culture today. Meridian Gallery also features monthly Saturday Afternoon forum events in conjunction with exhibitions. The Saturday Afternoon Forum provides an opportunity for the public to gain insight into the lives and work of featured artists.
July 6 - August 12
"Drawings from the Fourth World" works by Rolando
Castellon, Chere Lai Mah, Leon Dockery, Katherine Porter, James
Rosen, and George Longfish.
August 17 - September 23
"Michael Loffredo: Paintings and Constructions."
Italian American artist living in Santa Rosa, California.
September 28 - November 4
"Joane Cardinal-Schubert: This Is My History/Preservation
of a Species: One Little, Two Little, Three Little ......"
(large scale drawings and installations).
Blood Indian artist living in Calgary, Alberta, Canada.
November 4
Saturday Afternoon Forum
"Appropriation and Other Multi-Cultural Issues"
Facilitator: Lewis de Soto.
November 9 - December 16
"Veils: Beatrice Hablig" (mixed media installation).
Latina artist living in Oakland, California.
November 9
Performance
Josie Mosley dance performance. Mosley lives in Oakland,
California.
January 6 - February 10
"Dennis Olanzo Caliwood: Belize" (photographs).
African American artist living in Los Angeles, California.
January 6
Performance
Punta Rock steel drum music from Belize performed by
Elizabeth La Mantia Scott.
February 10
Saturday Afternoon Forum
Dennis Callwood in conversation with Peter Samis, curator,
San Francisco Museum of Modern Art.
February 15 - March 17
"Harry Fonseca: New Paintings."
Native American Maidu artist living in Sacramento California.
March 17
Saturday Afternoon Forum
Harry Fonesca in conversation with Hulleah Tsinhnahjinnie,
lectured, California College of Arts and Crafts.
March 22 - April 21
"Ira Altschiller: Paintings from the Rods Series
(1985-1989)."
European American artist living in San Francisco, California.
April 21
Saturday Afternoon Forum
Ira Altschiller in conversation.
April 26 - May 26
"Rolando Castellon: A Retrospective of Drawings.
Thirty Years, 1960-1990."
Central American artist of indigenous descent living in San Francisco,
California.
April 29
Poetry and Film Event
Rolando Castellon
June 7 - June 30
"Issei to Shin Issei: 50 Years of Japenese American
Women Artists."
Curated by Bob Hanamura.
June 7
Performance
Roof dance by J.M. Umamoto.
June 26
Saturday Afternoon Forum
"Art and Censorship" Eric Hayashi, Karen Tsujimoto,
and Bob Hanamura.
July 5 - August 4
"Chere Lai Mah: Installation."
Chinese American artist living in Berkeley, California.
August 4
Saturday Afternoon Forum
Tea and conversation with artist Chere Lai Mah.
August 16 - September 22
"Consuelo Underwood: Heroes - Burial Shroud Series"
(fiber sculpture).
Chicana artist living in San Jose, California.
September 15
Saturday Afternoon Forum
Artist's Talk - Consuelo Underwood.
October 4 - October 27
"It's About Relationships" works by Clarissa
Sligh (photographic montages and collages).
African American artist living in New York City.
October 13
Performance
Leon Dockery and Michelle Lee
November 1 - December 20
"Haida Ritual Art: The Insistent Present" (wood
and cast paper masks, gold jewelry, ritual garments, cedar hats,
bronze sculpture, and prints) works by Reggie Davidson, Robert
Davidson, Dorothy Grant, Jim Hart, Bill Reid, and Florence Davidson.
First Nations' artists, Canada.
November 10
Saturday Afternoon Forum
Wanagen, Haida carver and story teller.
January 3 - February 2
"Works on Paper. A Retrospective 1960-1990"
works by James Rosen.
European American artist living in Augusta, Georgia.
January 5
Saturday Afternoon Forum
Lecture by James Rosen: "Drawing the Visible Spaces
Between Things: The Structure of Light."
February 7 - March 2
"Dennis Olanzo Callwood: Los Angeles Portfolio"
(photographs).
February 7 - March 2
"Video Installation" by Portia Cobb, Ulysses
Jenkins, Cauleen Smith, and Roja.
African American artists.
February 9
Saturday Afternoon Forum
"Los Angeles, Oakland, and San Francisco" a
round table discussion with Callwood and Ulysses Jenkins, moderated
by Portia Cobb.
March 7 - March 30
"Nancy Goldring: Drawings and Foto Projections featuring
Legends" with text by Rober Lax.
European American artist living in New York City
March 9
Saturday Afternoon Forum
Lecture by Nancy Goldring "Photography, Architecture
and Poetry."
April 4 - April 27
"Landscape into Light: Paintings and Prints 1974-1990"
works by Leslie Reid.
European American artist living in Ottawa, Canada.
April 6
Saturday Afternoon Forum
Artist's Talk - Leslie Reid.
May 2 - May 31
"Kiyoko Sarada: Recent Sculpture."
Japanese-American artist living in San Francisco, California.
June 7 - June 29
"Violet Fields: Reading the Spoken Word," recent
paintings and constructions.
African American artist living in Oakland, California.
June 9
Saturday Afternoon Forum
Violet Fields in conversation with Regina Mouton, chief
curator, Richmond Art Center.
June 22, 1991
Poetry and Art Event
"Show and Tell," five poets read while artist
Violet Fields "performs" paintings.
July 2 - July 27
"Anna Wolf and Anne Siberel: Mixed Media."
European American artists living in Berkeley and Hillsborough,
California.
July 27
Saturday Afternoon Forum
Slide presentation and talk by Anna Wolf.
August 1 - August 31
"Rolando Castellon"
September 12 - October 12
"Patricia Ravarra: Time to the Nth Decree"
(fiber sculpture).
African American artist living in San Francisco.
September 12 - November 30
Patricia Ravarra: Drawing Color in Space" (installation
- Meridian Annex roof).
September 21
Saturday Afternoon Forum
Artist's Talk - Patricia Ravarra, co-sponsored by the
California Crafts Museum.
October 17 - November 30
"Dialogues of Reconciliation: The Imagination of
Tony Urquhart" works by Tony Urquhart.
European Canadian artist living in Canada.
October 19
Saturday Afternoon Forum
"On Goya and the Black Paintings" -- Tony Urquhart.
November 28 - December 21
"Judith Lurachi Starbuck: Hand Sewn Paintings."
European American artist living in San Francisco.
January 9 - February 1
"Brazilian PaintingsPart One: Waterfalls and Skies"
works by Leigh Hyams.
European American artist living in San Francisco.
January 11
Saturday Afternoon Forum
Leigh Hyams on Contemporary Brazilian Art.
February 6 - March 7
"A Gift from California - The Maidu Creation"
new paintings by Harry Fonseca.
Native American Maidu artist living in Sacramento, California.
March 7
Saturday Afternoon Forum
Reading and lecture by William Shipley, author of Maidu
Myth.
March 12 - April 18
"American Belly Dance! The Westernization of an
Ancient Art" (photographs).
African American artist living in Los Angeles.
March 12
Performance
"Two African American Belly Dancers."
April 23 - May 30
"You Steal My Gods Away and Give Me Your Idols Instead"
works by Brian Tripp.
Native American Karuk artist living in California.
May 16
Saturday Afternoon Forum
"Song, Drum, Poetry, Performance" -- Brian
Tripp.
June 4 - June 29
"Erin Goodwin-Guerrero: Cultural Layering"
(paintings).
European American artist living in San Jose, California.
June 20
Saturday Afternoon Forum
Artist's Talk -- Erin Goodwin-Guerrero.
July 2 - August 1
"Kim Anno: Ritual Painting."
Japanese/Native American artist living in Oakland, California.
July 25
Ritual Performance
"Tea Ceremony, Flute, and East Indian Vocals."
August 6 - August 29
"Pre-Post-Erous Para-Digms. Light Specific Vignettes."
A collective exhibition curated by Rolando Castellon.
September 3 - October 3
"Robert Hernandez: Voir Dire - To Speak Truth."
Mexican American artist living in Orinda, California.
September 19
Saturday Afternoon Forum
Readings and Commentaries by Robert Hernandez on the
social and political focus of his paintings.
October 12 - November 11
"Rolando Castellon: A Legacy of Mud."
October 30
Saturday Afternoon Forum
Lecture: Rolando Castellon "A Legacy of Mud,"
Performances by Rosa Montoya Flamenco and Eddie Marshall.
November 19 - December 31
"Un Vistazo A Centroamerica."
Ten Contemporary Central American Artists.
November 21
Saturday Afternoon Forum
"What about Central American Art," Rolando
Castellon, Carlos Loarca, and Pedro Arce.
January 1 - February 13
"Sharon Chinen and Steve Kiser: In Collaboration
with Nature," curated by Theres Rohan.
Okinawan and Hawaiian artists living in California.
January 30
Saturday Afternoon Forum
Readings by Judith Koromoski from Rain in the Trees by
W.S. Merwin.
February 13
Saturday Afternoon Forum
Steve Kiser talks about his work and Poloroid transfers.
February 18 - March 27
"Robert Kostka: Divinations," curated by Peter
Selz.
European American artist living in Ashland, Oregon.
March 27
Saturday Afternoon Forum
"On the Edge of Memory" -- Robert Kostka.
April 1 - May 1
"Hulleah Tsinhnahjinnie: Heroes."
Navajo, Creek, and Seminole artist living in California.
April 10
Saturday Afternoon Forum
Discussion with Hulleah Tsinhnahjinne.
May 6 - June 5
"Frank Tuttle: The One Looking Back."
Concow Maidu artist living in California.
May 22
Saturday Afternoon Forum
"The One Looking Back" -- Frank Tuttle and
preview of film "ISHI, The Last Yahi" by Jed Riffe.
July 8 - August 1
"Anna Wolf: Letterwork 2 there shoud be something
beyond the written word, something like a mystery or a secret,
perhaps."
European American artist living in California.
July 8
Performance
Kulintang music by Danny Kalanclujan.
July 31
Saturday Afternoon Forum
"Heliotropic Noughtime" -- A James Joyce event.
August 5 - August 29
"Ricardo Miranda and Michael Dooley: Hand and Jigsaw."
Nicaraguan American and European American artists living in California.
August 5
Performance
Music of WIFE (rock/jazz band).
September 9 - October 9
"Bodymarks: gangs/taggers/tattoo artists" recent
photographs by Dennis Olanxo Callwood.
September 9
Performance
Jazz by Ron Stallins and group.
October 21 - November 20
"John Haugse: Rivers Remembered."
October 23
Saturday Afternoon Forum
John Haugse talks on "Rivers/film-animation/painting."
December 3 - December 31
"Rolando Castellon: various drawings and natural
things."
December 11
Saturday Afternoon Forum
"Why Costa Rica? Its life, art, scenery, etc."
-- Rolando Castellon.
December 16
Performance
"Why Duchamp? even" -- Charles Shere, composer
and critic.
January 6 - February 5
"Mary Curtis Ratcliff: Ritual Fashion."
European American artist living in California.
January 30
Saturday Afternoon Forum
"Where I Find My Fashions" -- Mary Curtis Ratcliff.
February 10 - March 12
"St. Asylum: The Diplomacy of Lost Causes"
works by Robert Hernandez.
February 19
Saturday Afternoon Forum
"Telling the lie, and sins of omission" --
Robert Hernandez.
March 17 - April 16
"Katherine Porter and Sandra Beard: Abstract Painters
Respond to Music an Poetry."
April 9
Saturday Afternoon Forum
Poetry reading by April Eiler from Seven Waiters Brought
the Water and other works.
May 19 - June 11
"Eduardo Michaelsen: Memorias de Cuba y Santeria."
Cuban artist.
June 4
Saturday Afternoon Forum
"Santeria" by Maggie Anthony.
May 19 - June 11
"Artists in Recovery: Incarcerated Artists"
curated by Kim Anno and Ruth Morgan.
May 26
Poetry Reading: Rhodessa Jones, Paulette Jones, and members
of the Medea Project (incarcerated poets and artists) read from
their writings.
June 21 - August 29
"The Drawings Exchange: Six Artists from Rio and Six from San Francisco"
-- from Brazil: Victor Arruda, Cristina Canale, Chico Cunha, Karin
Lambrecht, Beatriz Milhazes, and Luiz Zerbini -- from San Francisco:
Kim Anno, Violet Fields, Leigh Hyams, Oliver Jackson, Larry Thomas,
an William T. Wiley. (The combined exhibitions then traveled to
the Museu de Arte Moderna do Rio de Janeiro, Brazil for appearance
from October 6 - November 19, 1994).
June 23
The Exchange Show Symposium
Moderated by Regina Mouton. Participants included artists
Kim Anno, Violet Fields, Leigh Hyams, Victor Arruda, Chico Cunha,
Beatriz Milhazes, and Luiz Zerbini. Held in collaboration with
Center for the Arts, Yerba Buena Gardens.
July 9
Saturday Afternoon Forum
Four films from Brazil: "Hail Umbanda," "Better
Days Ahead," "Light Memories of Rio," and "Our
Canoe."
September 8 - October 16
"Violet Fields: Shake 'em Jake, My Fingers Ache!"
(gallery one).
September 8 - October 16
"They Think They Bad!" works by Violet Fields
and Kay Lindsey (gallery two).
September 10
Saturday Afternoon Forum
Readings and conversation with Violet Fields and Kay
Lindsey.
October 20 - November 13
"Enrique Martinez Celaya: Presents."
Latin American artist living in California.
October 22
Saturday Afternoon Forum
Artist's Talk -- Enrique Martinez Celaya.
November 17 - December 17
"Gretchen Coles: Large Scale Maps of My Back Yard"
(gallery one).
European American artist living in Chicago.
November 17 - December 17
"Eva Bovenzi: From the Landscape 1987-1994"
(gallery two).
European American artist living in San Francisco.
December 3
Saturday Afternoon Forum
"Painting as Pursuit" talk with Eva Bovenzi.
July 6 - August 5, 1995
Opening Reception:
Thursday, July 6, 6:00 pm - 8:00 pm
The Bay Area's Ron Stallings jazz group, "Blues Among Us,"
will play at the reception -- and afterwards at a party for the
artists at the Theatre Cafe, located on the ground floor below
the gallery, where you are invited to join us for no host food
and drink.
July 8, 3:00 pm
"The Best of ..., What's Left of..., Not Only...,
But Also...."
Darren Lees and Duncan Webb in a conversation about their
exhibition of paintings "On That Edge," their ongoing
work, and themselves. In addition, a video excerpt from the Dudley
Moore and Peter Cook classic on the interpretation of works of
art in the National Gallery in London will be shown.
The event is free and everyone is welcome.
Darren Lees received a double major Bachelor of Art degree in Art History and Studio Art from the University of California, Berkeley. In addition, he studied independently with well-known artists Chris Brown, Joan Brown, and Richard Shaw. In the fall of 1995, Lees will become a candidate for a Masters of Art degree in painting at the Slade School of Fine Art, University College, London, England.
Lees has exhibited widely throughout the Bay Area, including 3 exhibits at the Worth Ryder Gallery in Berkeley. In 1995 he participated in the Youth in Arts Benefit -- Street Painting, in San Rafael. Lees work is included in the collections of John Boas, San Francisco, CA; Scott Hanlen, San Diego, CA; Walter Urbach, Bandon, OR; and Werner Weiss, Berlin Germany, in addition to numerous others.
In the space between contrast we find the edges. Those edges
which are a result of the contrast between:
Duncan Webb received a Bachelor of Art degree in Studio Art from the University of California at Berkeley in 1991 and a Masters of Fine Art degree from the University of Chicago in 1995. Over the past 5 years, Webb has exhibited in galleries and museums throughout the Bay Area and Chicago including exhibits at The Smart Museum of Art, Chicago, Il, the White Room, Berkeley, CA, and the Ebert Gallery San Francisco, CA. Currently Webb is an instructor at the American Academy of Art, Chicago.
"Potential space is an intermediate area of experiencing
that lies between the inner world and actual or external reality."
-D. Winnicott
The disjuncture between the agreed upon conventions of representing the world and how we actually sense, perceive and recall experience is a constant problem of the visual artist. This is my starting point as a painter. I address this problem through two intial assumptions. I pair George Kubler's insight that painting's greatest 'self-signal' is the tension between a flat surface and illusionistic space, with Iris Murdoch's dictum that metaphor is the primary mode of human understanding. Thus, in my work, I explore the metaphoric possibilities of spaces and their realization on a flat support.
My recent paintings are of interior spaces/rooms with figures,
doorways, mirrors, windows, paintings within paintings and drawers.
I have examined how this last object, the drawer, suggests interior
and exterior experience, containment, coffin and dislocation.
Within these scenes, the effect of spatial illusion is both acknowledged
and denied: perspective establishes a certain spatial recession
while a paint drip or color relationship denies this space. There
is a doubling of space that interests me. There are physical spaces:
rooms, the secret spaces of a drawer, the window as divide between
two lovers and the distance between interior consciousness--interiority--and
the mask presented to an exterior other. It is the conjunction
of these types of spaces within the paradox of pictorial space
that I work with. Ultimately, it is the psychical and phenomenalogical
aspects of types of spaces and their representation as painting
that is my subject.