They Will Be the Judge of That

New artwork by Randy Wood:
They Will Be The Judge Of That and Ghost Rocks

and in SOIL's new backspace gallery:
Remote Control
a group of recent small works by Jana Brevick

Exhibit Dates: March 31 - May 1, 2005
Opening Reception: Saturday, April 9, 2005 7-10 pm
Closing Reception: Sunday, May 1, 2005 12-5 pm

Randy Wood's performance piece, They Will Be The Judge Of That, pairs a brush and ink drawing against two gerbils housed in a display case. Over the course of one month, these animals are at liberty to chew and shred their way through the artwork. The performance takes a humorous look at an artwork's journey through creation, interpretation, reaction, and how its conveyed meaning changes over time as our perception of the artwork changes.

No one, including Mr. Wood, can predict the outcome of They Will Be The Judge Of That, as it's impossible to say how these busy little creatures will respond to the artwork. Will they shred the entire object? Will they ignore it? Will they attempt escape? Ultimately, the drawing's fate rests upon their judgment.

Accompanying this performance is a recent series of brush and ink drawings, titled Ghost Rocks, also by Randy Wood. Carefully detailed, these drawings of
weathered boulders have a soft, otherworldly appearance.

We perceive rocks as solidly inert, yet through erosion and other factors they are constantly, imperceptibly in a state of change. The drawings of Ghost Rocks-long rows of small, staggered, illustration board panels-imply a narrative. Similar to watching a long, still scene in a film, the viewer is aware that the moments preceding and following that episode are defined by motion.

Note on the care of the animals

The utmost care is taken to insure that the gerbils are comfortable during their stay at SOIL. They are given fresh food and water every day, and the display
case is cleaned weekly. They have plenty of fresh air and a healthy environment, as non-toxic ink and paper were used to create the brush and ink drawing. In addition to these considerations, the gerbils are not forced to perform-they are allowed to live in accordance to what is natural to their behavior. After the show, they will be kept as lavishly pampered pets.