installation view, Social Media, Pace/MacGill Gallery

http://northern.lights.mn/2011/09/waste-not/
Christopher Baker, Murmur Study hanging in the corner. In the background is a work by Penelope Umbrico, Suns (From Sunsets) from Flickr and in the foreground a partial view of Emilio Chapela’s Democrats, Republicans, Tea Party
http://bit.ly/mQLNKT

installation view, Social Media, Pace/MacGill Gallery

http://northern.lights.mn/2011/09/waste-not/
Christopher Baker, Murmur Study hanging in the corner. In the background is a work by Penelope Umbrico, Suns (From Sunsets) from Flickr and in the foreground a partial view of Emilio Chapela’s Democrats, Republicans, Tea Party
http://bit.ly/mQLNKT

installation view, Social Media, Pace/MacGill Gallery

25.
DAVID BYRNE
Coverup, 2011
pigment print with hand-applied paint mounted to Plexiglas
image, paper and mount, 28 1/2 x 19 1/2 inches

26.
DAVID BYRNE
Buzzclip, 2011
pigment print with hand-applied paint mounted to Plexiglas
image, paper and mount, 28 1/2 x 19 1/2 inches

27.
DAVID BYRNE
Weaselface, 2011
pigment print with hand-applied paint mounted to Plexiglas
image, paper and mount, 28 1/2 x 19 1/2 inches

28.
DAVID BYRNE
Bigamist, 2011
pigment print with hand-applied paint mounted to Plexiglas
image, paper and mount, 28 1/2 x 19 1/2 inches

installation view, Social Media, Pace/MacGill Gallery

8.
JONATHAN HARRIS & SEP KAMVAR
We Feel Fine, 2006-present
one hundred and eighty chromogenic montage prints, interactive Java applet with monitor, pedestal, mouse and twelve inkjet prints
overall, 50 x 200 x 4 inches

installation view, Social Media, Pace/MacGill Gallery

7.
MIRANDA JULY & HARRELL FLETCHER
Learning to Love You More – Assignment #68: Feel the News, 2002-09
thirty-eight framed chromogenic prints with text labels and slideshow of fifty-five digital image files
overall, 102 x 178 inches

installation view, Social Media, Pace/MacGill Gallery

24.
DAVID BYRNE
Democracy in Action, 2011
multimedia installation with twenty-five digital photo frames
overall, 37 1/2 x 78 x 2 1/4 inches

installation view, Social Media, Pace/MacGill Gallery

http://bit.ly/mQLNKT
20.
ARAM BARTHOLL
Google Portrait (Penelope Umbrico), 2011
charcoal on paper
image and paper, 28 x 28 inches

21.
ARAM BARTHOLL
Google Portrait (Jason Smith), 2011
charcoal on paper
image and paper, 28 x 28 inches

22.
ARAM BARTHOLL
Google Portrait (Ai Weiwei), 2011
charcoal on paper
image and paper, 28 x 28 inches

23.
ARAM BARTHOLL
Google Portrait (Aram Bartholl), 2011
ink on paper
image and paper, 28 x 28 inches

David Byrne, Tight Spot, 2011

cold air inflatable with audio
19′ 6″ x 46′ x 46′

The show is down now, but it was such a pleasure to walk into Pace/MacGill’s Social Media exhibition and not have to get frustrated about all the work that was overlooked for a show. That is, even though one could imagine dozens of other possible projects, at least it was a strong selection of work whose creators had a history and weren’t just dabblers. David Byrne’s imaginary apps fell short for me, but the “kodak” photo frames for Democracy in Action were a perfect way to “share” his YouTube fascinations (or his assistant’s?). Other work was stronger, however. Christopher Baker’s Murmur Study with its cascading receipt tapes of twitter hashtags perfectly captures the torrent of the information age in all its glory and waste. Aram Bartholl’s Google Portraits are also pitch perfect renditions of the QR code moment. It will be interesting to see whether they retain their funhouse magic in a year or more. Now if only the curators had included someone like Mark Lombardi….

#neversatisfied