When I wandered into the Red Barn in Ellenville, that first weekend in October, to see what 30 some artists were up to, my weakness for old barns and rustic walls paled to the “I-mean-it” sort of work I saw. Immediately, I thought to focus an article on the first artist I encountered and her powerful photograph of a South American woman, identified as her birth mom. A touching story of a recent encounter with her real family after years of absence was touching enough for me. But, then, Greg MacAvoy’s work sidled up and declared itself worthy of an article because of the inference of a sort of cultural entanglement in his use of concrete. Then I looked up., “It’s Your Lucky Day” a collaborative work by Noah Post and Thomas Malin, staring down at me, pleading with my personal curiosities to look further. So, whirling through the 2 story exhibition of all of these artists, I set about just to look. The next day, the opening reception, was replete with Great food and a full expression of a contemporary art group exhibition called “thatwedothistogether”.
On the way out, I was introduced to Sara Auster, artist, educator, book binder and one of the original members of this group that met in Westchester County in the late 1990’s.
The following morning I asked Sara to explain, figuring someone could tell me what’s going on here, like, who are all of you people, why did you come to Ellenville, and since you’re mostly from Brooklyn, what does it matter if your work appears in Ellenville, which is not exactly a thriving art scene? Let’s start with who they are. All of the core group artists are Bachelor of Fine Arts candidates at SUNY Purchase in Westchester and received BFA’s in 2001. They represent a cross section of the art studies program:, performance, visual and film. Jimi Pantalon, one of the key outreach players in the group is a film maker, editor and installation artist, articulate, querying and a racing mind that can’t quite get the words out fast enough. Then there is Greg MacAvoy, raised in Pine Bush, the artist who organized and funded this Ellenville event in the red barn, owned by his supporters and friends, Irena Elbaum and Richard Tarzoch, This group has never turned down an opportunity to exhibit their works. For example, In 2002, Sara had put together a series of shows, utilizing some of the Manhattan real estate dealer’s, Douglas Durst, properties that were earmarked for demolition on 42nd Street in Manhattan. Pantalon has been documenting all of the exhibition events of this group since August 2001, and periodically, travels cross country, filming landscapes, conducting street interviews with prodding questions to people he meets up with about their thoughts and feelings about America. Weaving together the artist events with his cross country film footage, Jimi’s goal is to produce a film that puts “cultural context to war time America.”
Okay, so here we have a not-so-unusual group of artists, bonded through academia and the arts, resisting boundaries to what they can and cannot do as artists and activists, in order that they can do it their own way, Most of them have jobs, so even though they would like to sell work, that doesn’t seem to the driving goal of their “art events”. They close themselves off to grant monies by resisting titles and mission statements in hopes that the quality of their uncompromised art is the critical voice. But the most powerful voice of all, and what I think makes them uniquely attractive, is the bonds created, not just by their impressive and reliable friendships, but by the dynamics of these collaborative exhibitions i.e., the ‘together’ part of thatwedothistogether. It strikes me as a fluid and non-competitive association, where patience and an unguarded respect are intact and the “in your face” urgent quality of much contemporary art is relaxed for this bunch. The exhibition in Ellenville represented a sort of collage style group voice seeking a vast range of audience. If they manage to resist the temptation to pressing their collective noses against the NY galleries as a singular goal, we may even see some of them return to our swiftly developing community of Ellenville for an encore.
One of their more recent NYC events on Nov. 2nd, 2004 addressed the fate of our country. Advertised as a party, it was an installation/ performance entitled “Election Day of the Dead.” Sara explained the group’s motives. “We needed to be together,” “…to celebrate…..not Bush bashing.” “What is the common thread?” I ask her. She responds: “We have a lot to say…it’s subtle”
Find out more about them at their website: thatwedothistogether.info
Judy Sigunick is an artist who lives and works in Cragsmoor.
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