Monday, July 8, 2013





Another Crystal Land was a group exhibition I curated as part of ArtSpace New Haven's City Wide Open Studios (alternative space component). The show, which was on view October 20 - 21 at the New Haven Register newspaper building, simultaneously explored the crystal’s structural characteristics and behaviors and its history within contemporary art. A starting point for the exhibition was the work of conceptual artist Robert Smithson, who was inspired by crystals, especially salt crystals, leading to his ambitious earth art work, The Spiral Jetty, 1970. The title was inspired by Ann Reynolds essay on Robert Smithson titled "Crystal Land". 



For the exhibition Another Crystal Land artists brought contemporary attitudes, technologies, and approaches to the mix of science/ science fiction references, shamanistic voices, and conceptual art making that Smithson explored in his work, making the crystal their own. Exhibiting artists were: Debra Baxter & Margot Quan Knight, Ben Goddard, Chris McIntyre, Lucy Raven, Rob Smith, and Robert Smithson. A reading room of Robert Smithson books further contextualized this two-day exhibition, which is organically arranged throughout the industrial newspaper production site. Another Crystal Land was a collaborative project between ArtSpace, New Haven, and Franklin Street Works, Stamford, Connecticut.