PREVIEW // February 7 ARTLab: Gettin' Silly!

Making spaceships at the last ARTLab was more popular than we expected! We were so impressed by the enthusiasm and the creativity of all our participants. Folks used recycled cardboard boxes and LED lights to make their own spaceships, taking inspiration from Ryder Henry's installation Diaspora.

 

When visiting a museum or gallery, how do you typically act? I would guess you are very courteous and quiet, while trying your hardest to avoid touching things. At the next ARTLab, we will be breaking that habit by bringing Temporary Autonomous Zones (TAZs for short) to the Mattress Factory.

What is a TAZ you ask? According to artist in residence Benjamin Sota, they are a “socio-political tactic of creating temporary spaces that elude formal structures of control” and can be very influential in how people think about society. In these spaces, individuals can act in ways they normally wouldn’t dare, free from the constraints of  “normal” societal behavior. Sota creates a TAZ in his exhibition Damn everything but the circus, an installation that invites viewers to forget the rules and play to get a full understanding of the pieces.

 

At the upcoming ARTLab, visitors will be invited to create their own TAZs, each with a different “rule” everyone must follow upon entering - the sillier, the better. Sota makes it clear that TAZs don’t work unless EVERYONE commits, so come out and join us for a fun afternoon of breaking the rules!

ARTLab and Drop-in Tours are open to all ages and free with museum admission. See you there!