Tara de la Garza
Artist
Studio - Chelsea Hotel NY NY
she(at)taradelagarza(com)
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BY THE LIGHT 2009/10
The ubiquitous use of cell phones and specifically the phenomenon
of text messaging have indelibly altered our culture of communication.
Observed in a public location, texting will make a person feel more
at ease in an alien environment, the light of the phone attracts others
attention, becoming inadvertedly a mating tool, a way of convincing
others of the texter's popularity.
This project is about the influence of technology on culture,
specifically cell phones and text messaging. The artist engages
with the community and takes their photos using the light of their
cell phone. This creates an interesting juxtaposition as the subject
is willing to have their portrait taken, thus engaging with the artist
and yet they are absorbed in the passive communication of text messaging.
These images will often be blurred, capturing an essence of the subject
only. The subject is distracted by their phone, the portrait is
unconventional as the subject is not facing the camera. This illustrates
the disconnect in a group dynamic when one person is preoccupied with
their cell phone.
Exhibited at 223 East Broadway Oct 2009 published courtesy of Adorama Jan 2010
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NO LONGER EMPTY 2009
Tara de la Garza, Neon Dreaming, 2009, neon and plexiglass
One of the opportunities that has arisen from an economic downturn
is the proliferation of defunct signage. Be they coveted neon signs
from the corner noodle store, to global franchises in disarray,
by searching the ‘boneyards’ of Chinatown and beyond I am able
to present a sculptural conglomeration of broken dreams.
Exhibited at the storefronts at the Chelsea Hotel as part of
www.nolongerempty.com
Tara de la Garza,the possibility of a painting, 2009,
wall painting and limited edition screenprint
(available at nolongerempty.com)
Inspired by the conceptual ideas of Sol LeWitt and
Lawrence Weiner, I want to create a painting for
the undecided, filling a space without the
commitment of a major aesthetic decision. The color
used is similar to the background wall color so that
it is a faint surprise that changes with the light.
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Good Morning! Intervention 2009
I am a morning person and on my morning walk it struck me as strange that the
only people who say 'Good Morning' to me are parking attendants, construction
workers and Litza the crosswalk lady. So I got some vinyl stickers made (which
are easily removed if anyone finds them offensive)and I am going about trying
to change the culture in a small way.
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The Clubhouse
Two month residency at Agni Gallery NYC July 1 - Aug 30 2008
The project involved building a giant cubbyhouse (clubhouse) out of cardboard and
other random objects, to create a place of sanctuary and playfulness in
the East Village. A place where all could come and reflect on the secret
environments we create during childhood.
The work was an ‘interactive happening’,
one that
involved the viewer. The space was designed so that meaning would
evolve organically, it was a process that was not controlled.
The audience were encouraged to write and draw on the installation with their
personal stories of childhood adventures, or to just come and play.
Workshops were held in the space and the final outcome was a collaborative
exhibition of the works created.
Video of installation
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N6h707skf24
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MYSPACE Series 2008
Tara de la Garza, ELECTRO~sexual in the HIZZ~OUCE, 2008, oil and marker on board, 20 x 20 in.
This ongoing series stemmed from a visit to NYC by my teenage sisters from Australia.
They were all cool and unaffected by everything, until they got home and I saw their
MySpace pages, which had all these crazy/happy/lively images of them having a great
time. It occurred to me that they were 'branding' themselves in the photos, that our
adventures together
were merely stages for a photo opportunity to enhance their online
credibility.
On further research (some of which my willing sisters assisted with) I found a series
of MySpace portraits of subjects so absorbed in their own image that they hadn't
considered the background that they were taking the photos in. These paintings portray
a two dimensional aspect of this MySpace generation.
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New York Portraits 2008
Tara de la Garza, Joel and Uffie, 2008, oil on printed canvas, 24 x 36 in.
Tara de la Garza, Mike in Chinatown, 2008, oil on printed canvas, 24 x 36 in.
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please intervention 2007
Tara de la Garza, please intervention, 2007
Just one little word...
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NEW YORK Subways and Street Series 2007 - 08
Tara de la Garza, NY Subways #1 2007 , oil and acrylic on canvas, 30 x 46 in.
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FAUX DISASTER Series 2008
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BUBBLES 2009
Tara de la Garza, Bubble 1, 2009, archival c-print 16 x 11 in.
Tara de la Garza, Bubble 2, 2009, archival c-print, 16 x 11 in.
Tara de la Garza, Bubble 3, 2009, c-print 16 x 11 in.
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Crystal Suburb photos 2007
Tara de la Garza, Crystal 1, 2007, c-print 16 x 12 in.
Tara de la Garza, Ice Crystals 3, 2007, archival c-print 12 x 16 in.
Tara de la Garza, Ice Crystals 1, 2007, archival c-print 12 x 16 in.
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Guns 2009 , iphotos
Art is a continual process of abstraction.
On encountering a closed system
abstracting it manifests new meaning.
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Mail/Art Global Collaborative Massive 2006 - ongoing
Tara de la Garza, Michelle Elliot and Rox DeLuca Mail/Art, acrylic, stitching and doilies on chinese book
Please check out our website.
www.taradelagarza.com/mailart.html
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GUTTER TRASH Series
Tara de la Garza,Gutter trash series, Installation view
Tara de la Garza,Gutter trash series #1- 3, Photographic print, ,8 x 10 in.
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STRING Theories
Tara de la Garza, String Theory 1 , Archival C Print, 24 x 36 in.
ArtoMat
Inspired by Anish Kapoor's Chicago 'Bean' this is a series of 50
cigarette packet sized artworks of people interacting with the Cloud Gate sculpture.
These have been mostly sold in the Chicago Art Institute machine - go get one!
BIOGRAPHY
Exhibitions
2009 'By the Light' 223 East Broadway, NYC
2009 Group Show 'No Longer Empty' storefronts at Chelsea Hotel, NYC
2009 Group Show 'Figment' Governor's Island NYC
2009 Group Show 'World Of Imagination Vol.2', APW Gallery, NYC
2008 Open Studio, Performance “Life is too short NOT to stuff a mushroom” 121 Ludlow Collective, NYC
2008 Group Show, Umbrella Arts, NYC
2008 Installation ‘The Clubhouse’ Agni Gallery, NYC
2008 Group Show ‘Movement, Color and Light, Reflect Arts, NYC
2008 Group Show ‘Dada Art Fair’ Cornell University, Ithaca, NY
2007 please intervention, streets of NYC
2007 Artomat, art dispensing machine,Chicago Art Institute
2007 Group Show ‘Mail/Art Global Collaborative Massive” ABC No Rio, NYC
2007 Open Studio, Princeton, NJ
Education
2006
BA Fine Art
Curtin University, Western Australia
2003
Design for Industry
CMC School of Art and Design, Western Australia
1993
Advanced Diploma in Desk Top Publishing
SDC Perth, Western Australia
1990 - 1993
Diploma of Media Design, Film and Television
CMC School of Art and Design, Western Australia
1989
Preliminary Certificate of Art and Design
CMC School of Art and Design, Western Australia
1988
Exchange Student for 12 months
Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
1987
TEE Graduate
John Curtin SHS, Fremantle, Western Australia
(Theatre Arts Scholarship)
Employment History
2005 to present
Artist and freelance graphic design, www.fluxuscreative.com
1998 to 2005
Brown Cow Design, Senior Graphic Designer and partner in a highly creative
and dynamic graphic design firm. Responsible for distributing workflows and
maintaining quality control in design and production. Areas of creative
specialty include corporate identities and exhibition design as well as
theatre posters, web and print production.
1996 to 1998 Graphic Designer / Art Director for FIT the Agency
Involved implementation and production of a wide variety of advertising and
promotional campaigns using various large format print media.
1993 Writer/Director/Editor for The Office of the Family, WA Gov.
In this short term role produced a series of 5 television commercials featuring
Aboriginal actor Ernie Dingo aired on channels 10, 9, 7 and GWN.
1993 Performer with Bizircus
Urban circus formed for Artrage festival, juggler, stilt walker, bike stunts.
1992 Screenplay Consultant for Catherine McAuley Family Centre
Writing role playing scenarios for video productions.
1992 Production Assistant for “Sweetbreeze”
16mm short film Directed by Malla Nunn and
Produced by Mark Lazarus
1991 Producer for “Fruffin”
Short drama filmed on Betacam SP. Winner Best Film,
the AFI Young Filmmaker of the Year Award.
1991 Photographer / Editorial Assistant at
Perth Institute Contemporary Art
ROADKILL AUSTRALIA Series 1998
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