01 lemons in the supermarket to to the mid-point, she scoots There is the limitation of our WAYS OF SEEING the sounds of Fleet Foxes or closer to her end-point, until physical eyesight, which can by Claudia Altman-Siegel working out to Lady Gaga, our you have understood without be cybernetically enhanced by entire lives seem soundtracked. words the mass of your bodies telescopes, microscopes and I recently moved from the east What is the role of music in our and the physics of the mecha- cameras. On another level, our coast to San Francisco and I lives? And with music seem- nism that connects you. brains are evolutionarily devel- have spent a lot of time explor- ingly inundating us, can it still This course takes this under- oped to edit out most extra- ing the city on foot. I have been possess the same transforma- standing and looks at various neous information that enters especially inspired by the many tive qualities it once did? perspectives on the exponen- our eyes, information that it hidden stairways that make Using a multi-disciplinary ar- tial effects our movement and believes is not crucial to our walking the city an incredible ray of mediums, this course exchanges on the balance of survival. Still different are the pedestrian maze, and all of the will look into the shift in our this large see saw that we all sit things we choose not to see beautiful architecture, flowers, relationship to music, and what upon. We’ll join Slavoj Zizek due to habit or cultural neces- vistas and artistic interventions this could mean within a larger in a dump, Stewart Brand for- sity: the unappealing social along them. I have been con- cultural paradigm. ty years after the dawn of the surroundings like poverty of tinually delighted by the many others or the dirt on our street. magical and unique moments Still another approach to the that I have encountered. Be- subject is the way that we can- cause of my background in the not see things that were once art world, I tend to look for ubiquitous and are now gone sites and events that are related Pickpocket forever. This course will draw to art and visual stimulation in our attention to things we’re general. For this course I have not in the habit of noticing: selected several activities that bats; birds; lost ethnic cultures; showcase the incredible wealth Almanack lost urban histories. of visual stimulus that San Francisco has to offer, mixed A Bay-Area wide compendium, 05 with some of the speakers and Autumn of the year BAD SCENARIO events that bring the interna- by Jerome Waag tional art world to our doorstep. The lectures and events that I Any situation can be read as a chose are particularly relevant scenario—a play in which we in the art world today, and we 2010, perform scripted behaviors— are lucky to have them in San be it in a restaurant, at an art Francisco. For participants, opening or in the privacy of I’ll also add an urban hike An experimental school-without-walls: our own bedrooms. But who and scavenger hunt designed writes this stuff? How does to inspire and reward height- Each season, a temporary faculty of art- our cultural environment, and ened observation, and create ists, curators, writers and filmmakers particularly film and video, in- personal experiences that we fluence our understanding of can compare at the end of the create courses by selecting from public personal freedom? And finally, course. events already scheduled to take place if behavior is political, what is at venues around the Bay Area. Each an unscripted life? Taking our 02 queues from a series of 60’s YOU MEAN IT’S JUST course takes these pre-existing events counterculture movies which SOUNDS? push the boundaries of social by Jim Fairchild interaction we will assess pres- ent situations, investigate some Over the last decade I have attempts at rewrites and possi- witnessed the music industry’s 03 Whole Earth Catalog and artist bly do a little scripting of our transition from wallowing in KEEPING THINGS GOING Mierle Laderman Ukeles who own. The course will consist it’s own success to awkwardly by Amy Franceschini has addressed issues of main- of the events below plus the scrambling for the last scraps of tenance in terms of “keeping movie series, shown in my stu- its outsized former glory. Like the playground see-saw, things going.” dio every other Sunday night, Many people have proclaimed there are times when we expe- followed by a discussion. The the music industry dead. If so, rience a shifting equilibrium. 04 schedule will be announced via where does that actually leave One moment we’re teetering, ART & THE INVISIBLE email to participants. music—the stuff we listen to with our toes barely touching ALL AROUND US and experience? the ground, and the next we by Renny Pritikin In the Western world, music are tossed to an exhilarating ° ° ° seems imminently accessible new height. Maintaining a bal- We are all born blind, but art- and at times even ubiquitous. ance takes concentration and ists are obsessed with see- Whether hearing a two-step careful attention to your see- ing. There are several ways from a rattling car, choosing saw partner. You slide closer of thinking about invisibility. PICKPOCKET ALMANACK _ SPRING 2010 01

WAYS OF SEEING by Claudia Altman-Siegel

I recently moved from the east coast to San Francisco and I have spent a lot of time exploring the city on foot. I have been especially inspired by the many hidden stairways that make walking the city an incredible pedes- trian maze, and all of the beautiful architecture, flowers, vistas and artistic interventions along them. I have been continually delighted by the many magical and unique moments that I have encountered. Because of my background in the art world, I tend to look for sites and events that are related to art and visual stimulation in general. For this course I have selected several activities that showcase the incredible wealth of visual stimu- lus that San Francisco has to offer, mixed with some of the speakers and events that bring the international art world to our doorstep. The lectures and events that I chose are particularly relevant in the art world today, and we are lucky to have them in San Francisco. For participants, I’ll also add an urban hike and scavenger hunt designed to inspire and reward heightened observation, and create personal experiences that we can compare at the end of the course.

Screening: The Bay Area Arrives Event: Open House Thursday February 25, 2010 7:00pm Sunday April 18, 2010 12:00pm Location: SFMOMA Location: Headlands Center for the Arts

Event: SoEx’s Monster Drawing Rally Symposium: Is Photography Over? Friday March 5, 2010 6:00pm Thursday April 22, 2010 7:00pm Location: The Verdi Club Location: SFMOMA

Lecture: Iwona Blazwick Lecture: Walead Beshty Tuesday April 13, 2010 7:00pm Wednesday April 28, 2010 7:30pm Location: California College of the Arts (SF) Location: San Francisco Art Institute PICKPOCKET ALMANACK _ SPRING 2010 02

YOU MEANS IT’S JUST SOUNDS? by Jim Fairchild

Over the last decade I have witnessed the music industry’s transition from wallowing in its own success to awkwardly scrambling for the last scraps of its outsized former glory. Many people have proclaimed the mu- sic industry dead. If so, where does that actually leave music—the stuff we listen to and experience? In the Western world, music seems imminently accessible and at times even ubiquitous. Whether hearing a two-step from a rattling car, choosing lemons in the supermarket to the sounds of Fleet Foxes or working out to Lady Gaga, our entire lives seem soundtracked. What is the role of music in our lives? And with music seemingly inundating us, can it still possess the same transformative qualities it once did? Using a multi-disciplinary array of mediums, this course will look into the shift in our relationship to music, and what this could mean within a larger cultural paradigm.

Screening: Unusual Heroes: John Darnielle Performance: Yo La Tengo with Sic Alps and Lou Barlow Double Feature Saturday April 24, 2010 9:00pm Saturday February 27, 2010 2:00pm Location: Fillmore San Francisco Location: Artists Television Access

Lecture: John Vanderslice discusses music Performance: My Barbarian Tuesday May 4, 2010 6:00pm Thursday March 18, 2010 6:00pm Location: TBD Location: SFMOMA

Performance: Johann Johannsson Individual Study Happening: John Cage/ Friday May 14, 2010 9:00pm The Village People/György Ligeti Location: Great American Music Hall Saturday April 3, 2010 11:00pm Location: Your Home PICKPOCKET ALMANACK _ SPRING 2010 03

KEEPING THINGS GOING by Amy Franceschini

Like the playground see-saw, there are times when we experience a shifting equilibrium. One moment we’re teetering, with our toes barely touching the ground, and the next we are tossed to an exhilarating new height. Maintaining a balance takes concentration and careful attention to your see-saw partner. You slide closer to the mid-point, she scoots closer to her end-point, until you have understood without words the mass of your bodies and the physics of the mechanism that connects you. This course takes this understanding and looks at various perspectives on the exponential effects our movement and exchanges on the balance of this large see saw that we all sit upon. We’ll join Slavoj Zizek in a dump, Stewart Brand forty years after the dawn of the Whole Earth Catalog and artist Mierle Laderman Ukeles who has addressed issues of maintenance in terms of “keeping things going.”

Conversation: An Ecopragmatist Manifesto: Conversation: Michael Pollan & Stewart Brand with Nils Gilman Michael Schwarz Tuesday February 23, 2010 6:00pm Tuesday March 2, 2010 7:00pm Location: Mechanics’ Institute Location: City Arts & Lectures

Screening: Examined Life + discussion with Lecture: Mierle Laderman Ukeles Astra & Sunaura Taylor and Judith Butler Monday May 3, 2010 7:30pm Thursday February 25, 2010 7:30pm Location: San Francisco Art Institute Location: City Arts & Lectures

Lecture: Charles Waldheim (Harvard Graduate School of Design) Monday March 1, 2010 7:00pm Location: California College of the Arts (SF) PICKPOCKET ALMANACK _ SPRING 2010 04

ART & THE INVISIBLE ALL AROUND US by Renny Pritikin

We are all born blind, but artists are obsessed with seeing. There are several ways of thinking about invisibility. There is the limitation of our physical eyesight, which can be cybernetically enhanced by telescopes, micro- scopes and cameras. On another level, our brains are evolutionarily developed to edit out most extraneous information that enters our eyes, information that it believes is not crucial to our survival. Still different are the things we choose not to see due to habit or cultural necessity: the unappealing social surroundings like poverty of others or the dirt on our street. Still another approach to the subject is the way that we cannot see things that were once ubiquitous and are now gone forever. This course will draw our attention to things we’re not in the habit of noticing: bats; birds; lost ethnic cultures; lost urban histories.

Lecture: Dave Johnston: Swimming Bats Screening: Streets of San Francisco Thursday February 25, 2010 7:00pm Thursday April 8, 2010 7:00pm Location: The Bone Room Presents Location: SFMOMA

Book Discussion: The City and the City Lecture: Jews in Shanghai by China Mieville Thursday March 4, 2010 7:00pm Wednesday May 5, 2010 7:00pm Location: Contemporary Jewish Museum Location: TBA

Lecture: Invisible Empire of Birds, with master birder Ted Pierce Thursday March 25, 2010 7:00pm Location: SFMOMA Koret Center PICKPOCKET ALMANACK _ SPRING 2010 05

BAD SCENARIO by Jerome Waag

Any situation can be read as a scenario—a play in which we perform scripted behaviors—be it in a restau- rant, at an art opening or in the privacy of our own bedrooms. But who writes this stuff? How does our cultural environment, and particularly film and video, influence our understanding of personal freedom? And finally, if behavior is political, what is an unscripted life? Taking our queues from a series of 60’s counterculture movies which push the boundaries of social interaction we will assess present situations, investigate some attempts at rewrites and possibly do a little scripting of our own. The course will consist of the events below plus the movie series, shown in my studio every other Sunday night, followed by a discussion. The schedule will be announced via email to participants.

Lecture: Maud Lavin Lecture: The Culture of Paranoia: Tracing the Tuesday February 23, 2010 7:00pm Breakdown of the Conservative Ascendancy Location: California College of the Arts (SF) Wednesday April 21, 2010 4:00pm Location: UC Berkeley

Event: Exploratorium After Dark: Distortion Conversation: Jamy Ian Swiss (sleight-of- Thursday March 4, 2010 6:00pm hand artist) Location: Exploratorium Thursday May 13, 2010 8:00pm Location: City Arts & Lectures

Screening: The Glass House Sunday March 14, 2010 2:00pm Location: Yerba Buena Center for the Arts PICKPOCKET ALMANACK _ SPRING 2010

BIOGRAPHIES/COLOPHON

1 Claudia Altman-Siegel collective of artists, activists, researchers, Center for the Arts and New Langton Arts.. is the owner and director of Altman Siegel, a and gardeners who work together to propose His personal work include Meet My Mom at new contemporary art gallery in San Francisco, alternatives to the social, political and envi- the The Marin Headlands Center for the Arts, that represents a select group of emerging ronmental organization of space. Her solo Marin CA; The Flavor of Democracy at 667 and established artists. The exhibitions focus and collaborative work has been included Shotwell and The Lab in San Francisco, CA on rigorous content in a range of mediums, in exhibitions internationally including ZKM, and The Borrowed Kazan, The Global Art Lab and the program seeks to contribute to the Whitney Museum, the New York Museum in Osh, Kyrgyzstan. international cultural discourse. Altman-Siegel of Modern Art and Yerba Buena Center for has formerly worked as an independent cura- the Arts, San Francisco. She is the recipient tor, writer, and private dealer, and she was of the Artadia, Cultural Innovation, Eureka ° ° ° the senior director of Luhring Augustine Gal- Fellowship, Creative Capital and SFMOMA lery, New York. Altman-Siegel has organized SECA Awards. Pickpocket Almanack is curated by numerous museum and gallery exhibitions Joseph del Pesco and commissioned by including Trevor Paglen’s SECA Award show, 4 Renny Pritikin the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art Larry Clark’s retrospective at the International is a contemporary art curator and poet who Center for Photography, Christopher Wool’s served as the Co-Director, then Director of Design and typsetting by Scott Ponik survey at the Musee d’art Moderne et Con- New Langton Arts in San Francisco from 1979 Web development by Chadwick Wood temporain de Strasbourg, Rachel Whiteread’s to 1992. He was the Visual Arts Director, then shows of new work at the Guggenheim and Chief Curator, at Yerba Buena Center for the Thanks to: Dominic Willsdon, Brian Conley, the Kunsthaus Bregenz, Janet Cardiff’s survey Arts from 1992 to 2004 and Director of the Anne Walsh, Renny Pritikin, and Helena at PS 1 and numerous other exhibitions in Nelson Gallery, UC Davis since August 2004. Keeffe. Europe, Asia and South America. He is also currently a senior adjunct profes- sor of the Curatorial Practice program at the 2 Jim Fairchild California College of the Arts, SF a position is a guitarist, singer-songwriter, and explorer. he’s held since 2003. He is the current leader of All Smiles, a band that exists as a roving collective of musicians, Renny has lectured in museums across Japan with members of Modest Mouse, Menomena, on a fellowship from the USIA. He received Sleater-Kinney, Quasi, and many others. the Koret Israel Prize to travel throughout Israel and received a Fulbright He was the guitarist in Grandaddy, a band that was best known for their dreaming synth- New Zealand fellowship to lecture in New pop folk songs depicting the disintegration of Zealand on museum practice. In 2002 he California’s Central Valley. Fairchild has spent curated the exhibition that represented the the last fifteen years touring the world, play- US at the Cuenca Biennal (Ecuador). ing on and producing records for his various projects. He is currently the guitarist of the During his tenure at YBCA he became known acclaimed rock band Modest Mouse. for his work with popular and material cul- ture: he brought the first Star Wars show to His home is a blur of San Francisco, Portland, an American museum in 1995, organized OR, and Los Angeles. retrospectives of legendary figures like the Southern California auto customizer Ed Big 3 Amy Franceschini Daddy Roth, the tattoo artist and painter Don is an artist, designer and educator whose Ed Hardy, the Blade Runner set designer work interrogates the social, cultural and Syd Mead, and most recently the magician, environmental systems that surround her. historian and collector Ricky Jay. Often working in collaboration, her projects involve the development of new formats for 5 Jerome Waag exchange and participatory modes of pro- is an artist and chef at Chez Panisse restau- duction. Because of Amy’s deep interest in rant in Berkeley CA.His work borrows from science and ecology, a recurring subject of performance and installation art to create her work is the perceived conflict between frames for social interaction. He is part of the humans and nature. collaborative OPENrestaurant, an experimental restaurant relying on art practices to explore In 1995, Amy founded Futurefarmers, an the issues associated with the production, artists collective and design studio. In 2004, distribution and consumption of food with Amy co-founded Free Soil, an international performances at SFMOMA, The Yerba Buena