Ballroom Marfa is proud to present two
solo exhibitions opening on the night of
January 29th, 2005.




Richard Erickson
The Folding Nose and Other Works
Opening reception: Saturday, January 29, 6-8PM
January 29 - April 10, 2005

Of his art and process Richard Erickson only reveals these three steps: "I get an idea, I say the idea, and search for a way to make it." Combining a unique sense of humor and wry wisdom with masterful technical skills, Erickson's drawings, sculptures, photographs and paintings demonstrate the various ways these "ideas" are explored. For Ballroom Marfa, Erickson revives the spirit of the Fluxus. By opposing the artistic tradition of interpretation and conjecture, Erickson's art becomes immediate and accessible. His works are complete external explorations of pure ideas.

Richard Erickson was born in 1948 and has taught high school art for 19 years in Massachusetts. The Folding Nose and Other Works represents Erickson's first solo exhibition. Erickson's work has been exhibited at Thread Waxing Space, The Bear Gallery and published in Timothy McSweeny's quarterly journal.





Erika Blumenfeld
Lunation 1011
Opening reception: Saturday, January 29, 6-8PM
January 29 - April 10, 2005

In September and October of 2004, visual artist Erika Blumenfeld came to Marfa, Texas as Ballroom’s inaugural artist-in-residence. Through the generosity and non-financial support of the McDonald Observatory, Blumenfeld was granted the rare opportunity to work in an astronomer's house at the Observatory's main peak. During her two-month stay, Blumenfeld created the video work Moving Light: Lunation 1011.

"Lunation" is commonly defined as the time between consecutive new moons, and Blumenfeld's piece explores the waxing and waning moonlight of a single 30-day lunation period between September 14-October 13, 2004. Using an altered telescope and other self-built devices, Blumenfeld recorded the amount of light radiating from the moon on hand-held photographic film, and the resulting images show not only the quantity of moonlight in its nightly phase, but also the artist's own hand holding each piece of film over long, two-minute exposures.

Erika Blumenfeld, 33, is an internationally exhibiting artist originally from the Boston area. After studying at Parsons School of Design in New York and La Sorbonne in Paris, Blumenfeld relocated to Santa Fe, New Mexico, where she has worked since 1994. In 1998, she developed a process by which she reduces photography down to its most essential ingredients: light and light sensitive material. The presentation at the Ballroom marks the first solo exhibition of her video work.



Ongoing:



Noel Waggener & Satch Grimley
A Silk Screened Mural in Four Movements: African Genesis, Free Spiritual Musics, Black Power and Afro Psychedelia.
October 8, 2004 - April 10, 2005

"Freedom isn't the privilege of a single generation; it is a conquest which must each time be undertaken over again. Freedom is victory." --Albert Ayler

Commissioned by The Ballroom as a component of the Fire Into Music presentation, the silkscreened mural was printed directly onto the gallery walls. The work was printed improvisationally with no registration and little forethought as to how the images would be placed. Although the themes of the mural follow the thread of African American art, politics and philosophy of the 1960s and early 70s, the mural is not intended as a history lesson--but as a contemporary reverberation of a cultural explosion and cosmo-drama still being felt and played out in the present.

Noel Waggener and Satch Grimley are both Austin based artists who have been collaborating on installations for the past few years. Noel Waggener, a graphic designer, founded SubCulture Press in 2002 to give name to the series of silkscreen prints that incorporate "lost" and "forgotten" subcultural imagery. Satch Grimley, a painter and master printmaker, works with SubCulture Press and collaborates with artists for the Serie Print Project at Coronado Studio in Austin.



2005 Film Program:

Music on Film
February 11 and 12, 2005 7PM
Goode-Crowley Theatre
As part of the Ballroom's on-going Music on Film series, Vance Knowles selects three documentaries exploring musicians lives and works.

February 11, 2005,7PM
New York Eye & Ear Control
Directed by Michael Snow
Soundtrack by Albert Ayler and friends

The Connection
Directed by Shirley Clarke
Soundtrack by Freddie Redd

February 12, 2005, 7PM
Sweet Sweetback's Baadass Song
Directed by Melvin Van Peebles
Soundtrack by Van Peebles with an early incarnation of Earth, Wind & Fire. This documentary was required viewing for Black Panther Party members. Admission is free.

Music on Film II
February 25, 2005 7PM
Goode-Crowley Theatre
SOUND team selects two documentaries which addresses the main factors for creating music; creative inspiration and technical mastery. "Imaginary Landscapes", directed by Gabriella Cardazzo and Duncan War, is a documnetary detailing Brian Eno's process in making music in his studio. "Tom Dowd and the Language of Music", directed by Mark Moorman, is a fascinating documentary about Tom Dowd who was a scientist for the Atomic Commission at the young age of 20 and later became a musical engineer at Atlantic Records. Combining his scientific and musical mind, Dowd became known for inventing the 8Track tape machine, mixing board faders and isolation of studio instruments. Admission is free.



2005 Music Program:

SOUND team
February 26, 2005 9PM at the Ballroom
Bill Baird- bass
Matt Oliver - electric guitar, Wurlitzer, vox
Michael Baird - Minimog synthesizer
Sam Sanford - electric guitar
Gabe Pearlman - synthesizer, organ
Jordan Johns - drums

Austin's hottest young band, SOUND team, recently signed on with Capitol records. In the spirit of the Music on Film series, they bring their bullwhips and boas to play at Ballroom Marfa.

"All I can say is that the songs are rythmic, propulsive, and dynamic. The band uses their electric guitars and synthesizers to add texture, often, treating them with arcane tape echoes so that they chime and swirl together until you can't tell which is which. But the electric piano, bass and drums are played with downright ferocity."
- Lan Ho, Rolling Stone, January 2005

$10 admission fee at the door.


Matt Haimovits and DJ Olive
March 26, 2005 8PM
Cellist Matt Haimovitz and DJ Olive meet Bela Bartok at Ballroom Marfa
From the folk influenced composition of Bela Bartok and Gyorgy Ligeti, cellist Matt Haimovitz and Dj Olive embark on a journey from Hungarian/Romanian folk roots to American pop culture, blurring the boundaries between concert music and dance party. This performance is made possible by The University of Texas at Austin.



Check out the Ballroom Jukebox!
While browsing the Ballroom site, try listening to our new Jukebox. Music collector extraordinaire, Dominic Welhouse has selected some rare and eclectic tracks. The jukebox also features music from artists who have played at the Ballroom, including Stereo Total, Julian Mock, Adam Bork and Spoon. Enjoy!



Ballroom Marfa:
Ballroom Marfa is a non-profit space in Marfa, Texas dedicated to contemporary art and culture. It is a place in which varied cultural perspectives are explored through the visual arts, music, and film. The Ballroom is an advocate for artistic expression, innovation and creative awareness.

Ballroom Marfa is located at 108 E. San Antonio St./Highway 90 West. The Ballroom is open from 12pm to 6pm, Wednesday through Sunday. Admission is free, however, a $5 donation is suggested to help fund Ballroom’s programs. For more information, the public may call 432.729.3600 or visit www.ballroommarfa.org.