George Sanchez-Calderon, 'Cinderella' (2011), Xerox on paper and oil paint/EPS foam frame, Courtesy of Primary Projects and Peter Vahan, Miami.
Whether you know it or not, Primary Flight has been in Miami’s face for four years. Walls in Wynwood, the Design District, South Beach and Downtown have seen the vibrant presence of the collectives’ mural projects, providing an edgy way to elevate battered surfaces and enliven whole neighborhoods. Even though, as someone like Anri Sala would suggest, the colorful forms and washed walls won’t revive the situations of citizens themselves, Primary Flight has become an integral element in Miami’s contemporary art renaissance.
Artists associated with Primary Flight have included George Sanchez-Calderon, Sonni (Creative Director of FriendsWithYou), Agustina Woodgate, and Shepard Fairey. For their first show of the season kicking off Art Basel Miami Beach 2011, Primary Flight chose a group show of young mavericks crossing into installation, sculpture, video, performance, and painting entitled “His WIFE & Her LOVER.” Featuring works from Sanchez-Calderon (who’s had a rather busy start to the season beginning with “The Family of Man” installed at the De la Cruz Collection and opening his Tomorrowland project space downtown), Valerie Hegarty (who took over Locust Projects last year with “Breakthrough Miami”) and eleven additional emerging talents, the show presents itself irreverently with a bite of sarcastic humor.
Although rather disjointed from the show’s title, “His WIFE & Her LOVER” carries a bold, borderline aggressive urban vibe evoking environs of the graffiti artist, skateboarder den, hardcore hip-hop and the hipster-populated gallery party. The result is an experience of colored lights, large-scale pictures and quirky sculptural explorations. Notable visual triggers included Hegarty's antique Hudson School landscape riddled with birdshot through its protective plexiglass cover with a woodpecker perched on the battered vintage frame. A popular favorite was Johnny Robles’ rendition of a kiddie ride, closer in nature to a saddled submarine torpedo mounted on a semi’s giant suspension spring rather than a fiberglass pony or airplane. Inarguably, the most immediately inflammatory work was Scott Shannon’s enormous picture of a swastika made from pink roses; even being immediately repulsive, it offered a wry defiance of hate-filled associations neutralized by the pretty florals. Visually stunning was Cleon Peterson’s vertical mammoth in the style of black-and-white ink illustration, showcasing rape, murder, arson, and general chaos on the grounds of a grand country estate.
Viewers of countless ages and backgrounds appeared to drink in the buzzing atmosphere. Curator and Primary Flight partner Books Bischof notes, “We wanted to create an environment that pushed the borders of how we create and destroy simultaneously. It’s really geared towards our tastes, but we’re blown away by the turnout. It’s awesome.” While maintaining a steadfast dedication to their counter-culture fan base, Primary Flight initiates its place in the Miami contemporary art community melding highly intellectual conceptual practices with the broader appeal of a sensory circus. There is a thin veil of playfulness which pervades the space, owing to the exuberant personalities of its three founders Bischof, TYPOE, and Chris Oh. No mistake to be made, though, this opening number is a swift, clever kick in the head.
'His WIFE & Her LOVER', Installation view, Courtesy of Primary Projects and Peter Vahan, Miami.
Valerie Hagerty, 'First harvest in the wilderness with woodpecker' (2011), Mixed media, Courtesy of Primary Projects and Peter Vahan, Miami.
