An exhibition by Desiree D’Alessandro in collaboration with Raymond Douglas
April 18th through April 22nd, 2011
Closing Reception and Exhibition Bout Friday April 22nd, 2011 from 5-7pm
in Old Gym Gallery 479 on UCSB campus
Artists Desiree D’Alessandro and Raymond Douglas take a unique look at the local student body of Isla Vista, focusing specifically on recreational and competition boxers.
The exhibition will not only depict student boxers utilizing traditional artistic approaches, but also allows the physical bodies engaged in athleticism first-hand be the medium on exhibit in an art context. This innovative and intriguing displacement facilitates dialogue across the boundaries of art and athleticism in a generative and productive new arena.
The venue that hosts the culmination of these efforts is a site of particular interest. UC Santa Barbara’s Gallery 479 is a site imbued with athletic history that still features rustic floors dating from when the space was a recreation center prior to 1949.The interplay of activating the current gallery and historical use of the space is invigorating for the context of holding an athletic-themed art exhibition, complete with alternative hours where the gallery is utilized as a training facility and a closing reception exhibition bout.
Continue reading ART IN ATHLETICISM: THE FORM AND PHYSICALITY OF BOXING