Equilibrium: a Paul Kos Survey

Kos and Sorrell. and Kos

are all collaborative works by by works collaborative all are Room Bell yellow the

(1969) appeared in in appeared (1969) Feet Square 64 Into Park based film and video works and installations. installations. and works video and film based participation in order to manifest the full full the manifest to order in participation Tanya Zimbardo, guest curator guest Zimbardo, Tanya the form of a sculptural apparatus: the audio audio the apparatus: sculptural a of form the he took up as a tribute to his Slovenian Slovenian his to tribute a as up took he at Santa Clara University, where Kos taught taught Kos where University, Clara Santa at

and and Ark, Noah’s and floors acid-etched with Chapel

with the Stations of the Cross in timbers, the the timbers, in Cross the of Stations the with Tunnel

Condensation of Yellowstone Yellowstone of Condensation Kos’s Northern California to create performance- create to California Northern and public commissions, inviting audience audience inviting commissions, public and 1970–84). Amy Owen, curator at di Rosa, and Rosa, di at curator Owen, Amy in the desert.” The wordplay is embodied in in embodied is wordplay The desert.” the in — — in the Sierras with an accordion, an instrument instrument an accordion, an with Sierras the in (1971) at the de Saisset Museum Museum Saisset de the at (1971) Kos Fox, Fish,

The The Chapel. / Tunnel work collaborative their inside

Kos was also among the first artists in in artists first the among also was Kos pétanque into various exhibition contexts contexts exhibition various into pétanque the Museum of Conceptual Art (MOCA, (MOCA, Art Conceptual of Museum the sounds in the desert; there are tinny sounds sounds tinny are there desert; the in sounds Kos hiked Donner Summit Summit Donner hiked Kos Go, I Where Matter here for the first time since its presentation in in presentation its since time first the for here

Kos and Sorrell were married in a private ceremony ceremony private a in married were Sorrell and Kos 13.

sport. Since the 1990s Kos has brought brought has Kos 1990s the Since sport. legendary alternative space in San Francisco, Francisco, San in space alternative legendary Butte, Wyoming, chanting, “There aren’t any any aren’t “There chanting, Wyoming, Butte, space. space. Povera. I Can’t Get It Right No No Right It Get Can’t I piece performance Super 8 films and split screen video is shown shown is video screen split and films 8 Super for more information. more for

be hosted by di Rosa and the artist. Visit dirosaart.org dirosaart.org Visit artist. the and Rosa di by hosted be game pétanque (similar to bocce) is a social social a is bocce) to (similar pétanque game Richmond Art Center and Marioni’s own own Marioni’s and Center Art Richmond wanders through the desert scrub near Pilot Pilot near scrub desert the through wanders in and beyond the confines of the gallery gallery the of confines the beyond and in of influences, including Land art and Arte Arte and art Land including influences, of Fast forward to 2006: to enact the the enact to 2006: to forward Fast target, spent shell-casings, and remastered remastered and shell-casings, spent target,

On May 21, 2016, a public pétanque tournament will will tournament pétanque public a 2016, 21, May On 12.

favorite pastime of the artist, the French ball ball French the artist, the of pastime favorite oriented and process-based work at the nearby nearby the at work process-based and oriented (1974), the artist artist the (1974), Any Aren’t / Tinny Are providing platforms for experimentation both both experimentation for platforms providing works from this period point to a constellation constellation a to point period this from works epitome of collecting conceptual art.” conceptual collecting of epitome residence. The resultant installation of the the of installation resultant The residence.

firepaul-kos-with-jarrett-earnest. 11

A A Kos in key early shows foregrounding idea- foregrounding shows early key in Kos shadow and light. In the video installation installation video the In light. and shadow of today and underscores the importance of of importance the underscores and today of his conceptual and material proclivities. Kos’s Kos’s proclivities. material and conceptual his in anticipation of this survey exhibition. survey this of anticipation in “This is the the is “This Icicle, an for Container to respect closed-circuit feed broadcast to the di Rosa Rosa di the to broadcast feed closed-circuit http://www.brooklynrail.org/2012/04/art/ice-makes-

April 2, 2012, accessed March 10, 2016, 2016, 10, March accessed 2012, 2, April Rail, Brooklyn

curator and artist who proceeded to include include to proceeded who artist and curator dynamic between silence and sound, or or sound, and silence between dynamic and content brings new resonance to the art art the to resonance new brings content and lot’s subterranean volume, also demonstrates demonstrates also volume, subterranean lot’s (1994), which was recently restored restored recently was which (1994), Va Zizi Kos has stated with with stated has Kos still photography, audio, film, video, and a live live a and video, film, audio, photography, still from matter to memory.” to matter from

10 “Ice Makes Fire, Paul Kos with Jarrett Earnest,” Earnest,” Jarrett with Kos Paul Fire, Makes “Ice 11.

shared it with Tom Marioni, an influential influential an Marioni, Tom with it shared phenomenon of reflection, such as the the as such reflection, of phenomenon materials, and the dynamic balance of form form of balance dynamic the and materials, with a drawing by the artist that illustrates the the illustrates that artist the by drawing a with Kos’s works on the di Rosa property include include property Rosa di the on works Kos’s act of documentation—in this case through through case this documentation—in of act changes form twice: from solid to liquid, and and liquid, to solid from twice: form changes

Archive, 2003), 96. 96. 2003), Archive,

California, Berkeley Art Museum and Pacific Film Film Pacific and Museum Art Berkeley California, Kos Kos Wife, Lot’s completing after Shortly Kos’s work consistently considers the the considers consistently work Kos’s Revisiting his works through the lens of place, place, of lens the through works his Revisiting in exchange for a $1.27 tax payment, paired paired payment, tax $1.27 a for exchange in naughty.” of the piece was the importance placed on the the on placed importance the was piece the of artist and Kos’s former student, notes, “Ice “Ice notes, student, former Kos’s and artist

Constance M. Lewallen (Berkeley: University of of University (Berkeley: Lewallen M. Constance

wide-ranging sculptural practice. sculptural wide-ranging fire on the snow. the on fire and performances by contemporary artists. artists. contemporary by performances and Contact, Nevada, to the Richmond Art Center Center Art Richmond the to Nevada, Contact, wrote, “It is, like you, a calm facade but a little little a but facade calm a you, like is, “It wrote, performance. One of the distinctive aspects aspects distinctive the of One performance. as a keepsake of the gesture. Ron Meyers, an an Meyers, Ron gesture. the of keepsake a as

exh. cat., ed. ed. cat., exh. Retrospective, A Kos, Paul Matters:

salt, ice—as core aspects of his broader and and broader his of aspects core ice—as salt, to magnify the sun in order to start a kindling kindling a start to order in sun the magnify to the production of new outdoor installations installations outdoor new of production the (owned by his grandfather) in the ghost town town ghost the in grandfather) his by (owned to Rene di Rosa, Kos Kos Rosa, di Rene to I Equilibre describing gave a Vietnam War–like resonance to the the to resonance War–like Vietnam a gave the lingering imprint in the sawdust remained remained sawdust the in imprint lingering the Everything Everything in Memory,” of Art “The Meyers, Ron 10.

Sierra Nevada. Sierra natural elements—wood, rock, sand, sulfur, sulfur, sand, rock, elements—wood, natural cooking pot lids to shape it into a convex lens lens convex a into it shape to lids pot cooking institution’s ongoing commitment to supporting supporting to commitment ongoing institution’s document permitting the loan of a vacant lot lot vacant a of loan the permitting document the earlier chance-based experiments. When When experiments. chance-based earlier the videotaping, and filming like war journalists) journalists) war like filming and videotaping, piece following the melting of the icicle. Only Only icicle. the of melting the following piece

purchased a summer home in Soda Springs in the the in Springs Soda in home summer a purchased

his affinity for the land and his use of simple, simple, of use his and land the for affinity his spinning a block of ice on one of his mother’s mother’s his of one on ice of block a spinning the site has been influential in defining this this defining in influential been has site the (1968–69), an official official an (1968–69), Loan on Sculpture Estate curious viewer is a distinct departure from from departure distinct a is viewer curious students and George Bolling photographing, photographing, Bolling George and students that had material form to a purely conceptual conceptual purely a to form material had that

The annual trips continued until 1978, when Kos Kos when 1978, until continued trips annual The 9.

Sierra Nevada. Kos’s background informs informs background Kos’s Nevada. Sierra an extreme wilderness survival trick by by trick survival wilderness extreme an By the same token, Kos’s long history with with history long Kos’s token, same the By Real Real texts. and drawings concept-based delicate balance between artist, material, and and material, artist, between balance delicate a cemetery), and the roving cameramen (two (two cameramen roving the and cemetery), a piece made a remarkable transition from a work work a from transition remarkable a made piece Sherk.

such as Terry Fox, Howard Fried, and Bonnie Ora Ora Bonnie and Fried, Howard Fox, Terry as such

Western landscape, from Wyoming to the the to Wyoming from landscape, Western (1974/2004) the artist realizes realizes artist the (1974/2004) Fire Makes Ice In fascination with the confluence of art and life. life. and art of confluence the with fascination performative aspects of such elements through through elements such of aspects performative precision invested in them by the artist. The The artist. the by them in invested precision the recently planted rows of vines (resembling (resembling vines of rows planted recently the Francisco–based collector Austin Conkey. The The Conkey. Austin collector Francisco–based early videotapes of Kos and other conceptual artists artists conceptual other and Kos of videotapes early

artist’s long-standing engagement with the the with engagement long-standing artist’s form—a volcanic plug—on the distant horizon. horizon. distant the plug—on volcanic form—a the di Rosa property triggered an enduring enduring an triggered property Rosa di the 1969) furthered his interest in exploring the the exploring in interest his furthered 1969) stability. Their simple appearances belie the the belie appearances simple Their stability. later reflected that the combination of the plane, plane, the of combination the that reflected later to an art auction; it was acquired by the San San the by acquired was it auction; art an to

Portapak cameras in the region, he shot important important shot he region, the in cameras Portapak

on the West Coast. With one of the first Sony Sony first the of one With Coast. West the on

surveys the renowned San Francisco–based Francisco–based San renowned the surveys he attempts and fails to “lasso” the landmark landmark the “lasso” to fails and attempts he to art making, his formative experiences on on experiences formative his making, art to (both (both Sculpture Salt/Water Kinetic of View they practically dare the viewer to test their their test to viewer the dare practically they Kos Kos picnics on the sidelines of combat areas. combat of sidelines the on picnics and transported to San Francisco as a donation donation a as Francisco San to transported and

institution’s video curator—the first such at a museum museum a at such first curator—the video institution’s

Equilibrium art. Conceptual of figures leading (1971), in which which in (1971), Tusk Boar’s Roping film short plains have shaped Kos’s distinctive approach approach distinctive Kos’s shaped have plains Aerial Aerial and Sculpture Salt Aerial proposals precarious nature of both works defies belief; belief; defies works both of nature precarious century who would voyeuristically set up up set voyeuristically would who century from the roof of the artist’s home in the Sierras Sierras the in home artist’s the of roof the from

became the the became rEVOLUTION, for photographer and

thereafter become one of the Bay Area’s Area’s Bay the of one become thereafter the romantic image of the heroic cowboy in the the in cowboy heroic the of image romantic the Just as mountainous terrain and desert desert and terrain mountainous as Just Kos worked with; the other was ice. The The ice. was other the with; worked Kos remained upright when he moved away. The The away. moved he when upright remained phenomenon of battle tourists in the nineteenth nineteenth the in tourists battle of phenomenon work did once house a spear of ice, plucked plucked ice, of spear a house once did work and video art. George Bolling, the videographer videographer the Bolling, George art. video and

other early exhibitions highlighting performance performance highlighting exhibitions early other

He would soon soon would He to look back,” he observed. he back,” look to the lens of Hollywood Westerns. Kos upends upends Kos Westerns. Hollywood of lens the place for art and nature to coexist. to nature and art for place Salt was one of the first natural materials materials natural first the of one was Salt hands on top of the handle, and the broom broom the and handle, the of top on hands between the forty to fifty onlookers and the the and onlookers fifty to forty the between sawdust from its making, the narrow, triangular triangular narrow, the making, its from sawdust

of the de Saisset Museum, organized this and several several and this organized Museum, Saisset de the of

lick away. “Ever since that time, I’ve tried not not tried I’ve time, that since “Ever away. lick largely in our collective imagination through through imagination collective our in largely in which Rene di Rosa pursued a vision of a a of vision a pursued Rosa di Rene which in piece. he was thinking with his head propped on his his on propped head his with thinking was he an impromptu review, and he made an analogy analogy an made he and review, impromptu an from incense cedar wood and lined with the the with lined and wood cedar incense from artist alias) and Terry Fox. Lydia Modi-Vitale, director director Modi-Vitale, Lydia Fox. Terry and alias) artist

of salt for the resident Jersey cattle to slowly slowly to cattle Jersey resident the for salt of desert plains, buttes, and lakes have figured figured have lakes and buttes, plains, desert sustained relationship of more than thirty years years thirty than more of relationship sustained the service of the artwork: they complete the the complete they artwork: the of service the he trusts accidents more than ideas) in which which in ideas) than more accidents trusts he was asked by Rene di Rosa on the spot to give give to spot the on Rosa di Rene by asked was and a desire to circumvent the market. Crafted Crafted market. the circumvent to desire a and also featured Allan Fish (Tom Marioni’s Marioni’s (Tom Fish Allan featured also Kos Fox, Fish, 8.

J. Paul Getty Museum, 2008). Museum, Getty Paul J.

1969; see poster on verso) by installing pillars pillars installing by verso) on poster see 1969; landscape and lore. The state’s wide-open wide-open state’s The lore. and landscape cluster of site-specific works represents a a represents works site-specific of cluster the indigenous characteristics of materials at at materials of characteristics indigenous the with a broom (he has often mentioned that that mentioned often has (he broom a with critic Howard Junker Junker Howard critic Newsweek overhead. practice, including a focus on symbolic gestures gestures symbolic on focus a including practice,

(Los Angeles: Angeles: (Los Histories and Artists Video: California

(fall 1968 and summer summer and 1968 (fall Wife Lot’s ephemeral his first wife, Marlene, in relation to Wyoming’s Wyoming’s to relation in Marlene, wife, first his Chartres Cathedral into twelve minutes. This This minutes. twelve into Cathedral Chartres Kos puts puts Kos Wife, Lot’s in As show. the of run originated from a chance studio encounter encounter studio chance a from originated rocks at a plane he hired to repeatedly pass pass repeatedly to hired he plane a at rocks (1982) encapsulates key aspects of Kos’s Kos’s of aspects key encapsulates (1982) with video art, see the interview by Glenn Phillips in in Phillips Glenn by interview the see art, video with

and Kos’s history history Kos’s and rEVOLUTION of discussion a For 7. a third piece, and proceeded to create the the create to proceeded and piece, third a numerous solo and collaborative pieces with with pieces collaborative and solo numerous of daylight through a stained-glass window of of window stained-glass a through daylight of of elements that “perform” throughout the the throughout “perform” that elements of wire hanger adorned with two bells. The latter latter The bells. two with adorned hanger wire were on scales. Kos also periodically threw threw periodically also Kos scales. on were Matter) Over Mind (or Icicle an for Container

exhibitions.

He asked if he could make make could he if asked He He recorded recorded He which condenses the passage of twelve hours hours twelve of passage the condenses which would become his studio space. studio his become would the viewer in a heightened sensory experience experience sensory heightened a in viewer the environment. freestanding broom balancing an outstretched outstretched an balancing broom freestanding function of the target. Both Kos and the target target the and Kos Both target. the of function destructive systems set in competition. in set systems destructive

2 9 Oppenheim at di Rosa and they showed together in in together showed they and Rosa di at Oppenheim

(1982–86), (1982–86), Bleu Chartres masterpiece video via a 1,200-mile drive in a Volkswagen bus— Volkswagen a in drive 1,200-mile a via the bubbling mixture of mud and sulfur engulfs engulfs sulfur and mud of mixture bubbling the spray paint—was at odds with the pastoral pastoral the with odds at paint—was spray (1992), an upright, upright, an (1992), III Equilibre and balls, would kick back, mirroring the appearance and and appearance the mirroring back, kick would block dripping into fire: two independent, self- independent, two fire: into dripping block Smithson and Dennis Oppenheim. He first met met first He Oppenheim. Dennis and Smithson

artistic gestures in the land, such as works by Robert Robert by works as such land, the in gestures artistic also showcases Kos’s twenty-seven-channel twenty-seven-channel Kos’s showcases also home in Rock Springs, Wyoming, reached reached Wyoming, Springs, Rock in home National Park. Activated by aquarium pumps, pumps, aquarium by Activated Park. National fiberglass, resin, automotive lacquers, or or lacquers, automotive resin, fiberglass, freight cart supporting eight steel pétanque pétanque steel eight supporting cart freight shoulder marked the spot where the rifle rifle the where spot the marked shoulder swinging lightbulb and the other a swinging ice ice swinging a other the and lightbulb swinging

Kos has noted his interest at the time in temporary temporary in time the at interest his noted has Kos 6.

The underground structure structure underground The summer family destination—his childhood childhood destination—his family summer at work in the sulfur springs of Yellowstone Yellowstone of springs sulfur the in work at Kos realized that the use of toxic materials— toxic of use the that realized Kos floods of 1997. of floods (1990), a two-wheeled antique antique two-wheeled a (1990), I Equilibre are suspended target. A circle drawn on the artist’s artist’s the on drawn circle A target. suspended are set off by the motions of pendulums, one a a one pendulums, of motions the by off set are

1969). 13

the late 1960s and the 1970s, Kos’s annual annual Kos’s 1970s, the and 1960s late the platform-cum-stage, the alchemical forces forces alchemical the platform-cum-stage, After completing two polychrome works, works, polychrome two completing After and were made in response to the California California the to response in made were and play, gravity, and relationship to his audience audience his to relationship and gravity, play, of shotgun ammunition fired by Kos into a a into Kos by fired ammunition shotgun of (1971), traps traps (1971), Pendulum and Pit In object. kinetic exh. brochure (Richmond, CA: Richmond Art Center, Center, Art Richmond CA: (Richmond, brochure exh.

The Return of Abstract Expressionism, Expressionism, Abstract of Return The Marioni, Tom 5.

and with whatever was available. Throughout Throughout available. was whatever with and piece showcases, atop an eight-by-eight-foot eight-by-eight-foot an atop showcases, piece the first outdoor sculptures on the property. property. the on sculptures outdoor first the —allude to the biblical story of Noah Noah of story biblical the to —allude 2x2 and Other works that speak to Kos’s sense of of sense Kos’s to speak that works Other the weight in this case being forty pounds pounds forty being case this in weight the type of small game trap from his boyhood as a a as boyhood his from trap game small of type

in 1969. in Participationkinetics,

sense of license to make art wherever he went went he wherever art make to license of sense the first time since its initial presentation, the the presentation, initial its since time first the and ranch, and invited him to make some of of some make to him invited and ranch, and Tunnel/Chapel—Noah’s Ark Ark Tunnel/Chapel—Noah’s of parts the of Two gallery space. gallery a ninety-minute “invisible weight exchange”— weight “invisible ninety-minute a a loudspeaker. In other works, Kos utilized a a utilized Kos works, other In loudspeaker. a

Art Center was the venue of Kos’s first solo show, show, solo first Kos’s of venue the was Center Art

exhibited and performed there. The Richmond Richmond The there. performed and exhibited

gave the artist a a artist the gave Restaged for this exhibition for for exhibition this for Restaged Lot’s Wife Lot’s of revelation The at his recently acquired Winery Lake vineyards vineyards Lake Winery acquired recently his at which is art.” is which (1997, with Isabelle Sorrell). Sorrell). Isabelle with (1997, Tunnel/Chapel physical intensity of rock climbing into the the into climbing rock of intensity physical audience at the di Rosa property, consisted of of consisted property, Rosa di the at audience vibrate with the sound and act like cymbals or or cymbals like act and sound the with vibrate

Kos became part of a close circle of artists who who artists of circle close a of part became Kos

balance or an opposition. an or balance the San Francisco Art Institute, to graft vines vines graft to Institute, Art Francisco San the the object. . . . It is the act of creation itself itself creation of act the is It . . . object. the between di Rosa’s Main Gallery and Kos’s Kos’s and Gallery Main Rosa’s di between architectural interventions that brought the the brought that interventions architectural rare live performance witnessed by a private private a by witnessed performance live rare wire to two suspended steel sheets that that sheets steel suspended two to wire

4. Following the inaugural MOCA exhibition in 1970, 1970, in exhibition MOCA inaugural the Following

performative actions that create either a a either create that actions performative young artist, who at the time was attending attending was time the at who artist, young first time, the artist is freeing himself from from himself freeing is artist the time, first (1946–66). The work is located located is work The (1946–66). donnés Étant walls were ubiquitous, Kos developed several several developed Kos ubiquitous, were walls (1970; see cover images), a a images), cover see (1970; rEVOLUTION from the videotape connects via a transducer/ a via connects videotape the from turns into a pillar of salt. of pillar a into turns

Genesis when Lot’s wife looks back at Sodom and and Sodom at back looks wife Lot’s when Genesis the artist’s performances for a camera, and and camera, a for performances artist’s the site. Rene di Rosa (1919–2010) had hired the the hired had (1919–2010) Rosa di Rene site. (per the curatorial statement) how “for the the “for how statement) curatorial the (per a small peephole à la Marcel Duchamp’s Duchamp’s Marcel la à peephole small a present moment. Long before gym climbing climbing gym before Long moment. present

3. Ibid. The title refers to the moment in the book of of book the in moment the to refers title The Ibid.

that emerge throughout this exhibition: exhibition: this throughout emerge that toward working with materials in relation to a a to relation in materials with working toward natural forces and raw materials, marking marking materials, raw and forces natural and two pétanque balls, viewable through through viewable balls, pétanque two and mountain can offer a heightened focus on the the on focus heightened a offer can mountain are represented in the di Rosa collection. Rosa di the in represented are

manifests two recurrent strands strands recurrent two manifests rEVOLUTION California, that would lead to a major shift shift major a to lead would that California, together a core group of artists exploring exploring artists of group core a together a sculptural installation of a bottle of Pernod Pernod of bottle a of installation sculptural a Kos has described how the act of ascending a a ascending of act the how described has Kos (1968), and related studies, studies, related and (1968), Piece Floating and (1968)

2. 2. Flagellated Flagpole Flagpole Flagellated sculptures painted outdoor The

epiphany on the di Rosa property in Napa, Napa, in property Rosa di the on epiphany which brought brought which Expressionism, Abstract of pétanque courts and a wooden cabinet housing housing cabinet wooden a and courts pétanque video camera before later acquiring his own. his acquiring later before camera video avid rock climber and hiker since his youth, youth, his since hiker and climber rock avid

8 Francisco Museum of Modern Art, October 13, 2001. 13, October Art, Modern of Museum Francisco

In 1968 Paul Kos experienced an artistic artistic an experienced Kos Paul 1968 In The Return Return The exhibition 1969 seminal Marioni’s consists of two two of consists Va Zizi piece. a of expression and first gained access to a Sony Portapak Portapak Sony a to access gained first and heritage when his mother passed away. An An away. passed mother his when heritage

1. 1. Paul Kos, “Art and Conversation,” lecture at the San San the at lecture Conversation,” and “Art Kos, Paul

otes N

—Paul Kos —Paul

them.” between equilibrium an creating content, the and form the

element that performs double duty, meaning it must contribute both to to both contribute must it meaning duty, double performs that element

“I seek to raise ordinary elements to extraordinary. I try to choose an an choose to try I extraordinary. to elements ordinary raise to seek “I Equilibrium: A Paul Kos Survey Kos Paul A Equilibrium: Noah’s Ark, Chartres Bleu, 1997, and Noah’s 1982–86 Equilibre I, 1990 Container for an Icicle (or Mind Over Matter), 1982 (still), 1971 Boar’sRoping Tusk 1969 Wife, Lot’s

Works in the Exhibition About the Artist

Border Crossing: Wyoming/ Pit and Pendulum, 1971 Born in 1942 in Rock Springs, Wyoming, Paul Kos studied at Colorado, 1968 Single-channel video, black and Georgetown University in Washington, DC, before relocating to the Nine gelatin silver prints white, sound, 12:22 min. Bay Area to attend the San Francisco Art Institute (SFAI), where he 8 x 10 in. each received a BFA (1965) and an MFA (1967), both in painting. A highly Participant: Marlene Kos Roping Boar’s Tusk, 1971 influential educator, Kos taught conceptual art at the University of Super 8 film transferred to video, Santa Clara (1969–77) and performance and video (now part of the color, silent, 1 min. New Genres department) at SFAI (1978–2008). Kos has been the subject of numerous solo exhibitions, including Everything Matters: Shadow Trap, 1971 Paul Kos, A Retrospective (2003), organized by the Berkeley Art Gelatin silver print Museum and Pacific Film Archive, which traveled to the Contemporary 73⁄8 x 93⁄8 in. Arts Center, Cincinnati; Grey Art Gallery, New York University; and the Museum of Contemporary Art, San Diego. He has been featured in Alkali Flats, 1974 group exhibitions at the CCA Wattis Institute for Contemporary Arts, Gelatin silver print Equilibre III, 1992 San Francisco; the Guangdong Times Museum, Guangzhou, China; Condensation of Yellowstone Park 133⁄8 x 20½ in. Broom, coat hanger, bells the Museum of Contemporary Art, Los Angeles; the Museum of Into 64 Square Feet, 1969/2016 57 x 40 in. Modern Art, New York; Neuer Berliner Kunstverein, Berlin; the Orange Mud and sulfur Are Tinny / Aren’t Any, 1974 di Rosa Collection, Napa County Museum of Art, Newport Beach, California; the San Francisco Salt Stripes, 1968 96 x 96 in. Two steel sheets, single-channel Museum of Modern Art; and the Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum, Gelatin silver print video, black and white, sound, Brushstrokes (After Monet), 1998 New York; among many others. His solo and collaborative public 9½ x 7½ in. rEVOLUTION, 1970 7:54 min. Red fir art commissions are located in San Francisco, Sacramento, and Los Nine chromogenic prints and text Sheets: 48 x 48 in. each 10½ x 153 x 29 in. Angeles. Kos is represented by Anglim Gilbert Gallery, San Francisco, Lot’s Wife, 1968/69 mounted on board Overall dimensions variable and Galerie Georges-Philippe and Nathalie Vallois, Paris. He lives and Two gelatin silver prints, typed 187⁄8 x 64¼ in. works in San Francisco and Soda Springs, California. text, mounted on board di Rosa Collection, Napa The Drawing for a Tool: Ice Lens 20 x 8 in. overall Color and infrared photography: Maker, 1974 di Rosa Collection, Napa George Bolling Watercolor and ink Acknowledgments 30 x 22 in. Lot’s Wife, 1968/69 rEVOLUTION, 1970 This exhibition is supported by the Fresh Art Fund. Additional support Chromogenic prints Two Super 8 films, color, silent, is provided by the di Rosa Collectors Circle and our members. 10 x 8 in. each transferred to video; single- di Rosa Collection, Napa channel video, black and white, I Can’t Get It Right No Matter Design: Jon Sueda / Stripe SF sound; wood target; shotgun Where I Go, 2006 Editing: Lindsey Westbrook shells Inkjet print Printing: Solstice Press, Oakland Dimensions variable 16 x 20 in. All works appear courtesy the Public Programs Ice Makes Fire, 1974/2004 artist; Anglim Gilbert Gallery, San Single-channel video, color, Francisco; and Galerie Georges- May 21, 2016, 4–7 PM sound, 5:21 min. Philippe and Nathalie Vallois, Curators’ walkthrough and pétanque tournament with Paul Kos Paris, unless otherwise noted. Ore, 1974 Checklist is as of the date of June 25, 2016, 4–6 PM Transfer type, tape, tar on paper publication; some changes may Curators in conversation with guest speaker Constance M. Lewallen 8½ x 11 in. occur. For details, please visit dirosaart.org. Interview with Petrified Forest, Pilot Butte / Pilot Light, 1974, 1971 printed 2016 More by Kos @dirosaart #PaulKos Gelatin silver print Two gelatin silver prints Real Estate Sculpture on Loan, 12 x 10 in. 12½ x 19 in. each Additional works by Paul Kos 1968–69 Collection of Jonathan Leavitt spanning several decades are Tax document, ink on Chrome Container for an Icicle (or Mind accessible by guided tour of di Coat paper Over Matter), 1982 Rosa’s permanent collection, Two panels: 22 x 14 in. and Incense cedar including the recently restored 14 x 10 in. 4½ x 21¾ x 5½ in. site-specific installations Zizi Va Collection of Lars Tellman Collection of G. Austin Conkey, M.D. (1994), a pétanque court with related objects, and Tunnel/ Aerial Salt Sculpture, 1969 Equilibre I, 1990 Chapel (1997, with Isabelle Ink on Chrome Coat paper Wood, steel, pétanque balls, four Sorrell), an underground 10 x 8½ in. French francs structure showcasing Kos’s di Rosa Light Trap, 1971 19½ x 52 x 30½ in. video masterpiece Chartres 5200 Sonoma Highway Aerial View of Kinetic Salt/Water Gelatin silver print di Rosa Collection, Napa Bleu (1982–86), a re-creation of Napa, CA 94559 Sculpture, 1969 7¼ x 9¼ in. the passage of light through a Ink on Chrome Coat paper stained glass window at Chartres 707-226-5991 | dirosaart.org 10 x 8½ in. Cathedral in France using twenty- seven television monitors. April 16–October 2, 2016 di rosa, napa April 16–October 2, 2016 di rosa, napa

Kos and Sorrell. and Kos

are all collaborative works by by works collaborative all are Room Bell yellow the

and and Ark, Noah’s and floors acid-etched with Chapel

with the Stations of the Cross in timbers, the the timbers, in Cross the of Stations the with Tunnel

The The Chapel. / Tunnel work collaborative their inside

os was also among the first artists in in artists first the among also was os K pétanque into various exhibition contexts contexts exhibition various into pétanque the Museum of Conceptual Art (MOCA, (MOCA, Art Conceptual of Museum the sounds in the desert; there are tinny sounds sounds tinny are there desert; the in sounds Kos hiked Donner Summit Summit Donner hiked Kos Go, I Where Matter here for the first time since its presentation in in presentation its since time first the for here

os and Sorrell were married in a private ceremony ceremony private a in married were Sorrell and os K 13. 13.

be hosted by di Rosa and the artist. Visit dirosaart.org dirosaart.org Visit artist. the and Rosa di by hosted be game pétanque (similar to bocce) is a social social a is bocce) to (similar pétanque game Richmond Art Center and Marioni’s own own Marioni’s and Center Art Richmond wanders through the desert scrub near Pilot Pilot near scrub desert the through wanders in and beyond the confines of the gallery gallery the of confines the beyond and in of influences, including Land art and Arte Arte and art Land including influences, of ast forward to 2006: to enact the the enact to 2006: to forward ast F target, spent shell-casings, and remastered remastered and shell-casings, spent target,

On May 21, 2016, a public pétanque tournament will will tournament pétanque public a 2016, 21, May On 12. 12.

firepaul-kos-with-jarrett-earnest. 11

April 2, 2012, accessed March 10, 2016, 2016, 10, March accessed 2012, 2, April Rail, Brooklyn

10 ire, Paul Kos with Jarrett Earnest,” Earnest,” Jarrett with Kos Paul ire, F Makes “Ice 11. 11.

shared it with Tom Marioni, an influential influential an Marioni, Tom with it shared phenomenon of reflection, such as the the as such reflection, of phenomenon materials, and the dynamic balance of form form of balance dynamic the and materials, with a drawing by the artist that illustrates the the illustrates that artist the by drawing a with os’s works on the di Rosa property include include property Rosa di the on works os’s K act of documentation—in this case through through case this documentation—in of act changes form twice: from solid to liquid, and and liquid, to solid from twice: form changes

Archive, 2003), 96. 96. 2003), Archive,

California, Berkeley Art Museum and Pacific Film Film Pacific and Museum Art Berkeley California, Shortly after completing completing after Shortly Kos Kos Wife, Lot’s K os’s work consistently considers the the considers consistently work os’s Revisiting his works through the lens of place, place, of lens the through works his Revisiting in exchange for a $1.27 tax payment, paired paired payment, tax $1.27 a for exchange in naughty.” of the piece was the importance placed on the the on placed importance the was piece the of artist and Kos’s former student, notes, “Ice “Ice notes, student, former Kos’s and artist

Constance M. Lewallen (Berkeley: University of of University (Berkeley: Lewallen M. Constance

exh. cat., ed. ed. cat., exh. Retrospective, A Kos, Paul Matters:

purchased a summer home in Soda Springs in the the in Springs Soda in home summer a purchased

os os The annual trips continued until 1978, when K when 1978, until continued trips annual The 9. 9.

such as Terry Fox, Howard Fried, and Bonnie Ora Ora Bonnie and Fried, Howard Fox, Terry as such

Portapak cameras in the region, he shot important important shot he region, the in cameras Portapak

on the West Coast. With one of the first Sony Sony first the of one With Coast. West the on

institution’s video curator—the first such at a museum museum a at such first curator—the video institution’s

became the the became rEVOLUTION, for photographer and

thereafter become one of the Bay Area’s Area’s Bay the of one become thereafter the romantic image of the heroic cowboy in the the in cowboy heroic the of image romantic the as mountainous terrain and desert desert and terrain mountainous as Just os worked with; the other was ice. The The ice. was other the with; worked os K remained upright when he moved away. The The away. moved he when upright remained phenomenon of battle tourists in the nineteenth nineteenth the in tourists battle of phenomenon work did once house a spear of ice, plucked plucked ice, of spear a house once did work and video art. George Bolling, the videographer videographer the Bolling, George art. video and

other early exhibitions highlighting performance performance highlighting exhibitions early other

of the de Saisset Museum, organized this and several several and this organized Museum, Saisset de the of

J. Paul Getty Museum, 2008). Museum, Getty Paul J.

(Los Angeles: Angeles: (Los Histories and Artists Video: California

(fall 1968 and summer summer and 1968 (fall Wife Lot’s ephemeral his first wife, Marlene, in relation to Wyoming’s Wyoming’s to relation in Marlene, wife, first his Chartres Cathedral into twelve minutes. This This minutes. twelve into Cathedral Chartres Kos puts puts Kos Wife, Lot’s in As show. the of run originated from a chance studio encounter encounter studio chance a from originated rocks at a plane he hired to repeatedly pass pass repeatedly to hired he plane a at rocks (1982) encapsulates encapsulates (1982) key aspects of Kos’s Kos’s of aspects key with video art, see the interview by Glenn Phillips in in Phillips Glenn by interview the see art, video with

and Kos’s history history Kos’s and rEVOLUTION of discussion a or F 7. 7. a third piece, and proceeded to create the the create to proceeded and piece, third a numerous solo and collaborative pieces with with pieces collaborative and solo numerous of daylight through a stained-glass window of of window stained-glass a through daylight of of elements that “perform” throughout the the throughout “perform” that elements of wire hanger adorned with two bells. The latter latter The bells. two with adorned hanger wire were on scales. Kos also periodically threw threw periodically also Kos scales. on were Matter) Over Mind (or Icicle an for Container

exhibitions.

2 9 Oppenheim at di Rosa and they showed together in in together showed they and Rosa di at Oppenheim

os has noted his interest at the time in temporary temporary in time the at interest his noted has os K 6. 6.

suspended target. A circle drawn on the artist’s artist’s the on drawn circle A target. suspended are set off by the motions of pendulums, one a a one pendulums, of motions the by off set are

1969). 13

os’s annual annual os’s the late 1960s and the 1970s, K 1970s, the and 1960s late the platform-cum-stage, the alchemical forces forces alchemical the platform-cum-stage, After completing two polychrome works, works, polychrome two completing After and were made in response to the California California the to response in made were and play, gravity, and relationship to his audience audience his to relationship and gravity, play, of shotgun ammunition fired by Kos into a a into Kos by fired ammunition shotgun of (1971), traps traps (1971), Pendulum and Pit In object. kinetic exh. brochure (Richmond, CA: Richmond Art Center, Center, Art Richmond CA: (Richmond, brochure exh.

The Return of Abstract Expressionism, Expressionism, Abstract of Return The Marioni, om T 5. 5.

and with whatever was available. Throughout Throughout available. was whatever with and piece showcases, atop an eight-by-eight-foot eight-by-eight-foot an atop showcases, piece the first outdoor sculptures on the property. property. the on sculptures outdoor first the —allude to the biblical story of Noah Noah of story biblical the to —allude 2x2 and os’s sense of of sense os’s K to speak that works Other the weight in this case being forty pounds pounds forty being case this in weight the type of small game trap from his boyhood as a a as boyhood his from trap game small of type

in 1969. in Participationkinetics,

Art Center was the venue of Kos’s first solo show, show, solo first Kos’s of venue the was Center Art

exhibited and performed there. The Richmond Richmond The there. performed and exhibited

Kos became part of a close circle of artists who who artists of circle close a of part became Kos

either a balance or an opposition. an or balance a either the San Francisco Art Institute, to graft vines vines graft to Institute, Art Francisco San the the object. . . . It is the act of creation itself itself creation of act the is It . . . object. the between di Rosa’s Main Gallery and Kos’s Kos’s and Gallery Main Rosa’s di between architectural interventions that brought the the brought that interventions architectural rare live performance witnessed by a private private a by witnessed performance live rare wire to two suspended steel sheets that that sheets steel suspended two to wire

4. ollowing the inaugural MOCA exhibition in 1970, 1970, in exhibition MOCA inaugural the ollowing F

performative actions of elements that create create that elements of actions performative young artist, who at the time was attending attending was time the at who artist, young first time, the artist is freeing himself from from himself freeing is artist the time, first (1946–66). The work is located located is work The (1946–66). donnés Étant walls were ubiquitous, Kos developed several several developed Kos ubiquitous, were walls (1970; see cover images), a a images), cover see (1970; rEVOLUTION from the videotape connects via a transducer/ a via connects videotape the from turns into a pillar of salt. of pillar a into turns

ot’s wife looks back at Sodom and and Sodom at back looks wife ot’s Genesis when L when Genesis the artist’s performances for a camera, and and camera, a for performances artist’s the site. Rene di Rosa (1919–2010) had hired the the hired had (1919–2010) Rosa di Rene site. (per the curatorial statement) how “for the the “for how statement) curatorial the (per a small peephole à la Marcel Duchamp’s Duchamp’s Marcel la à peephole small a present moment. Long before gym climbing climbing gym before Long moment. present

3. Ibid. The title refers to the moment in the book of of book the in moment the to refers title The Ibid.

2. 2.

Flagellated Flagpole Flagpole Flagellated sculptures painted outdoor The

8 Francisco Museum of Modern Art, October 13, 2001. 13, October Art, Modern of Museum Francisco

1. 1. aul Kos, “Art and Conversation,” lecture at the San San the at lecture Conversation,” and “Art Kos, aul P

Notes

—P aul Kos aul

them.” between equilibrium an creating content, the and form the

element that performs double duty, meaning it must contribute both to to both contribute must it meaning duty, double performs that element

“I seek to raise ordinary elements to extraordinary. I try to choose an an choose to try I extraordinary. to elements ordinary raise to seek “I Equilibrium: A Paul Kos Survey Kos Paul A Equilibrium: Noah’s Ark, Chartres Bleu, 1997, and Noah’s 1982–86 Equilibre I, 1990 1982 Icicle (or Mind Over Matter), Container for an (still), 1971 Boar’sRoping Tusk 1969 Wife, Lot’s

Works in the Exhibition About the Artist

Kos and Sorrell. and Kos

are all collaborative works by by works collaborative all are Room Bell yellow the

and and Ark, Noah’s and floors acid-etched with Chapel

with the Stations of the Cross in timbers, the the timbers, in Cross the of Stations the with Tunnel

The The Chapel. / Tunnel work collaborative their inside

Kos and Sorrell were married in a private ceremony ceremony private a in married were Sorrell and Kos 13.

On May 21, 2016, a public pétanque tournament will will tournament pétanque public a 2016, 21, May On 12.

firepaul-kos-with-jarrett-earnest. 11

April 2, 2012, accessed March 10, 2016, 2016, 10, March accessed 2012, 2, April Rail, Brooklyn

10 “Ice Makes Fire, Paul Kos with Jarrett Earnest,” Earnest,” Jarrett with Kos Paul Fire, Makes “Ice 11.

Archive, 2003), 96. 96. 2003), Archive,

Constance M. Lewallen (Berkeley: University of of University (Berkeley: Lewallen M. Constance

exh. cat., ed. ed. cat., exh. Retrospective, A Kos, Paul Matters:

purchased a summer home in Soda Springs in the the in Springs Soda in home summer a purchased

The annual trips continued until 1978, when Kos Kos when 1978, until continued trips annual The 9.

such as Terry Fox, Howard Fried, and Bonnie Ora Ora Bonnie and Fried, Howard Fox, Terry as such

early videotapes of Kos and other conceptual artists artists conceptual other and Kos of videotapes early

Portapak cameras in the region, he shot important important shot he region, the in cameras Portapak

on the West Coast. With one of the first Sony Sony first the of one With Coast. West the on

institution’s video curator—the first such at a museum museum a at such first curator—the video institution’s

became the the became rEVOLUTION, for photographer and

other early exhibitions highlighting performance performance highlighting exhibitions early other

of the de Saisset Museum, organized this and several several and this organized Museum, Saisset de the of

artist alias) and Terry Fox. Lydia Modi-Vitale, director director Modi-Vitale, Lydia Fox. Terry and alias) artist

J. Paul Getty Museum, 2008). Museum, Getty Paul J.

(Los Angeles: Angeles: (Los Histories and Artists Video: California

with video art, see the interview by Glenn Phillips in in Phillips Glenn by interview the see art, video with

exhibitions.

2 9 Oppenheim at di Rosa and they showed together in in together showed they and Rosa di at Oppenheim

Kos has noted his interest at the time in temporary temporary in time the at interest his noted has Kos 6.

suspended target. A circle drawn on the artist’s artist’s the on drawn circle A target. suspended are set off by the motions of pendulums, one a a one pendulums, of motions the by off set are

1969). 13

The Return of Abstract Expressionism, Expressionism, Abstract of Return The Marioni, Tom 5.

in 1969. in Participationkinetics,

Art Center was the venue of Kos’s first solo show, show, solo first Kos’s of venue the was Center Art

exhibited and performed there. The Richmond Richmond The there. performed and exhibited

Kos became part of a close circle of artists who who artists of circle close a of part became Kos

4. Following the inaugural MOCA exhibition in 1970, 1970, in exhibition MOCA inaugural the Following

3. Ibid. The title refers to the moment in the book of of book the in moment the to refers title The Ibid.

are represented in the di Rosa collection. Rosa di the in represented are

2. 2. Flagellated Flagpole Flagpole Flagellated sculptures painted outdoor The

8 Francisco Museum of Modern Art, October 13, 2001. 13, October Art, Modern of Museum Francisco

1. 1. Paul Kos, “Art and Conversation,” lecture at the San San the at lecture Conversation,” and “Art Kos, Paul

otes N

—Paul Kos —Paul

them.” between equilibrium an creating content, the and form the

element that performs double duty, meaning it must contribute both to to both contribute must it meaning duty, double performs that element

“I seek to raise ordinary elements to extraordinary. I try to choose an an choose to try I extraordinary. to elements ordinary raise to seek “I Equilibrium: A Paul Kos Survey Kos Paul A Equilibrium: Noah’s Ark, 1997, and Chartres Bleu, Noah’s 1982–86 Equilibre I, 1990 Container for an Icicle (or Mind Over Matter), 1982 (still), 1971 Boar’sRoping Tusk 1969 Wife, Lot’s