The Brand Library really outdid itself with the current “Circle in the Square” exhibition. In addition to the impressive abstract artwork on the walls by Yesung Kim, Barbara Kolo, Susan Sironi and Luke Van Hook, the real treat was artist, choreographer and dancer Cheryl Walker’s interactive dance installation performance.
Slideshow Media credit: Anita Marto
In the middle of the main gallery, you encounter strips of clear multi-colored vinyl that hung from the ceiling like a psychedelic shower curtain. These hanging strips, along with organically-shaped pieces made from the same material were on top of a white podium that said “PLEASE touch, peel, stick and rearrange.”
Piano music by early twentieth 20th century composer Eric Satie played through the gallery speakers and set the stage for the performance to begin.
Dancers Liz Curtis, Martha Carrascosa joined Walker and began to interact with the hanging multi-colored strips.
Curtis, along with her many other professional accomplishments is a guest artist at GCC, teaching Latin Ballroom Dance.
Carrascosa, an international dance student, also trained with the Royal Academy of Dance in Guatemala as well as in El Salvador and Mexico.
All three then weaved their bodies through, behind and around the transparent blue, orange, pink, yellow and green transparent vinyl pieces. Then they began to distance themselves from the rainbow-hued strips and move more freely around the gallery. They approached the white podium and removed sticky-on-one-side shapes. One wall of the gallery revealed a row of windows, each covered with these organic, transparent sticky shapes. The sunlight from outside filtered through the colors giving them a glowing presence much like contemporary stained-glass windows.
The performers danced up to these windows and stuck the vinyl shapes onto their surfaces subtly changing their design. Then they encouraged audience members to do the same. Everyone seemed to be enjoying themselves, especially the children in attendance.
The performance wouldn’t have been possible without the hard work of Cathy Billings, art librarian and gallery manager; Alyssa Resnick, library and gallery supervisor; and organizer Arlene Vidor, self-proclaimed “dance pimp” GCC dancer and photographer.
The gallery is located in northwestern Glendale at 1601 W. Mountain St. Gallery hours are Tuesday and Thursday from noon to 9 p.m., Wednesday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Friday and Saturday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. The exhibition will be onen until Sept. 5. For more information go to http://brand library.org/