Michael Workman

Invisibility is a state of mind and, perhaps, a useful form of passive resistance.

Even despite the professed ephemeral nature of the numerous art collectives operating in Chicago, I'm constantly surprised by the relative invisibility of these groups. With a strong historical precedent like the much-lauded Hairy Who in the 1960s, art collectives are highly accepted and widely recognized in the city.

But, still, many collectives prefer to stay under the radar, such as Temporary Services, who have been around since 1998, making them the longest existing of currently active local groups. True to their moniker, much of the work sanctioned by members Brett Bloom, Salem Collo-Julin and Marc Fischer means to be ephemeral. Even taking issue with the term "collective," (claiming the term implies a "collective mind-set"), they prefer instead to be referred to as a "group" or "collaborative group." Yet another aspect of their approach "is to shift the focus of visual practice," Fischer explains, to "interactive social situations and how art is embedded and produces meaning in them." To this end, though strictly non-commercial, Temporary Services has organized exhibits at such diverse locations as Betty Rymer Gallery, MASS Moca, and CNEAI (National Center for Printed Art) in Chatou, France.

Their show, "Prisoners' Inventions," organized by the group in collaboration with Angelo (an incarcerated artist), Fantastic and MASS MoCA, perhaps epitomizes the active socio-political identity concerns of Temporary Services' practice. Angelo documented inventions of his own and those of fellow inmates, many designed to serve basic human needs--such as the "immersion heater" made of toothbrush handles, rubber bands and paper binders. "Prisoners' Inventions" refutes, states their website, "the popular lore that claims prisoners only create things to escape, get high, or kill each other." In late June, the Chicago-based periodical and book publisher Whitewalls will publish the collection of Angelo's writing and drawings.

"From what I know about Temporary Services, they seem very shy," says Tom Burtonwood. "They're very careful about how their identity is perceived, which is limiting--but that's fine." A member of the fledgling local art collective Garden Fresh, Burtonwood collaborates with artists Jeremiah Ketner, Holly Holmes and Garden Fresh founder Andrew Rigsby. Seeking to work a few bands higher on the visibility spectrum than groups like Temporary Services, members of Garden Fresh shows less zeal in reacting to commercialism as the root of a modern malaise in art. "I see myself as either a facilitator or an organizer and that then allows me to work as a curator and an artist," explains Burtonwood. All members share equal shrift in Garden Fresh, and help to fill in where needed, though Burtonwood notes that, recently, "a lot of Garden Fresh has taken on Andrew's curatorial drive."

Garden Fresh's process involves each of the members working as individuals within the group. "We try to deal with curatorial and conceptual issues through discussion and dialogue--we hone our ideas together." says Rigsby. A product of this dialogue is the upcoming "graffiti-focused show" produced by Garden Fresh for Bucket Rider Gallery in Pilsen. Intended as a "personal art history lesson," the exhibit will challenge the notion of graffiti as an art form, now being employed by artists merely playing the role, many of whom, according to Rigsby, "have never touched a spray can before. The only difference is that patrons feel like they can buy this stuff safely." That sense of sterility is a concern for Rigsby. Having worked for the Klein Art Works Gallery in the West Loop, he says the experience made him "aware of the pitfalls of how the work gets talked about on a daily basis--I'm more aware of how I don't want to do things." Currently, the group is on the lookout for a viable space to house their exhibitions.

While Garden Fresh and Temporary Services still operate as free-range groups, the Milwaukee-based art collective Milhaus prepares to establish a more permanent physical presence in Milwaukee. The current configuration of the art and design group, named to reflect the members' interest in the Bauhaus movement (from a distinctly Milwaukee point of view), includes members Nicholas Frank, Ray Dhi, James Franklin and brothers Tyson and Scott Reeder.

Focusing on handmade or cheaply constructed objects, with some recycled materials, Milhaus recently exhibited such objects as a wooden tree sculpture that serves as a T-shirt rack, a wine rack made of aluminum cans and a chair made out of a discarded tree stump. Art by Milhaus members and other collectives, as well as collaborative projects will be made more readily available in the new space that Milhaus plans to open this August. But will renting a space effectively "redline" the art group by too readily providing a way to grasp their visual practice? "So many of these groups and collectives start with a hangout, like in a Ford Thunderbird," Reeder says, "we just want to open an actual store, a weird storefront and gallery kind of place."

For more information on Temporary Services, visit their website at http://temporaryservices.org or email them at servers@temporaryservices.org. For more information on Garden Fresh, visit their website at www.gardenfresh.org or call (773)732-8968. For more information on Milhaus, call Tyson Reeder at (414)562-0868, or visit the Zero TV website at www.zerotv.com.

(2003-05-21)

Also by Michael Workman

Eye Exam
Of all the wonderful art on exhibit during this past weekend's art-fair bonanza, the one work that I appreciated the most involved a pancake brunch on Sunday called "Menu."
(2003-05-14)

Eye Exam
If you live in Chicago, can you make a living selling art? Definitely, especially this time in May every year, when Art Chicago throws opens the floodgates to the rest of the art world.
(2003-05-07)

Eye Exam
Is it really "us" versus "them"? Are our current art options as simple a choice as between "alternative" and commercial?
(2003-04-30)

Sex in Public
Three years ago, while working on a feature-length video, this graduate of the School of the Art Institute's master's program placed an ad in a local paper seeking production assistance for a work-in-progress. Local filmmaker and Z Film Fest director Usama Alshaibi offered her space at Heaven Gallery that he was using to stage the first installment of his annual program. Kristie accepted his offer, and ended up shooting a party scene in the space. The two became friends and eventually married.
(2002-12-12)

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