Reviews
Art Papers
Chris Held + Brendan Tang by Micah Malone
"Subversion is all the rage these days. Adbusters has become a legitimate brand catering to slightly agitated political hipsters while simultaneously purporting to question brandings itself; punk music has been extremely popular [would Sid Vicious have sold a few songs to Volkswagen?], not to mention art’s endless critique of commodity and consumer culture. Which isn’t to say such a critique is not pertinent, only to note that "anti" positions seem more comfortable under neo-liberalism than ever before. Fredric Jameson has even speculated that "anti-positions" might in fact be the defining condition of late capitalism.
In the breezy, yet smart exhibition Fresh Donuts, Chris Held and Brendan Tang attempt to subvert and satirize commodity exchange, markets, and marginal groups [Tilt Gallery and Project Space; April 5-April 28, 2007]. Seen from the sidewalk as a window display, Held’s Quite-Brite, Jr., 2005, is a barbell-like device that lights on both ends. Made mostly from wood, the work’s well-honed craft makes for an unexpected and satisfying object that seems useful. As with all of Held’s work in this exhibition, however, its actual use remains elusive. Inside the gallery, a promotional poster provides some context and a bit of comic satire as Quite-Brite, Jr., it seems, is marketed for Norwegian Death Metalers.
Still, the apparent absurdity of the promo is not as illogical or subversive as it might seem. In The Marketing Imagination Theodore Levitt proposes that differentiation is the driving force behind any consumer good, arguing that product type is not nearly as important as distinction level. In other words, it might be a grand idea to target untapped markets like the Norwegian Death Metal scene, which has gained a strange popularity despite its violence and extree anti-social position, if only because no one else has. In other works, Held broadens "marketing imagination," without abandoning his anti-social constituents. The Automator, 2006, is a wooden object obliquely resembling an army or bunder radio. When turned on, static screeches, loud enough to impair the ears of onlookers. It seems to be searching for a signal that isn’t there, as if the owner of this device might be stuck in the woods with little else beyond this semi-functional object.
In the end, Held’s marginal groups remain purely theoretical insofar as his objects are sculptures made for the art world, with little or no chance of being tested in any "real" anti-social market."
PORT
Fresh Donuts: at Tilt
"Tilt has become the best monthly programmed art space in the city and Fresh Donuts gets it done, again (apologies, Jenene works for PORT… yes the shows used to feel studenty in the past but they have tightened up considerably with at least 9 months of strong programmming). Works by Chris Held are strange gizmotic forays into fetished kit electronics and pointless ergonomics all wrapped in a retro store boutique vibe. I'll file it all under pop and it reminds me of Ephraim Russell's more developed work."
Oregon Home Magazine
Historically Hip Furniture
"To Portland woodworker Chris Held, furniture is a way to connect with a past that’s disappeared from much of America. "I work with old materials and weathered finishes to infuse my furniture with nostalgia," says Held. "I grew up in the sprawling suburbs of Atlanta where everything old was torn down to make room for the new. My furniture represents a yearning for the old, for something that doesn’t smell of fresh asphalt." CPAI-78, crafted of reclaimed fir, salvaged steel and savaged hand-stitched leather, explores Held’s fascination with vintage materials and shows off his fondness for unique design. "I see my work primarily as sculpture; function is a secondary interest," says the 27-year-old. "I love designing furniture that is ill-conceived functionally: It has an intended function but you’re not quite sure what it is."
Held, now in his last year at the Oregon College of Art and Craft, didn’t start out with his furniture-as-sculpture attitude. He spent a few years hitchhiking and train-hopping around the country, working odd jobs in restaurant kitchens and Christmas tree lots to pay for living expenses. "I was frustrated because I didn’t have any real job skills, so I wanted to learn a trade that would let me travel and work anywhere in the world," he says. "Once I got to the Oregon College of Art and Craft, I became far more interested in the creative aspects of the medium.""
Art Knowledge News
Fresh Donuts
"Fresh Donuts is an opportunity to acknowledge our place in time. By showing impeccably crafted objects that are simultaneously full of playful irony and astute historical reference, we are drawn into a parallel universe were product design has an adversarial relationship with the consumer and our prejudices and vanity are gilt in gold. Through this satirical lens we view our own existence; drawing parallels between the subverted objects and our own idiosyncratic social and cultural behaviors."
