Artpace Unveils On the Road

05.13.10

SAN ANTONIO, TX - Artpace San Antonio is pleased to announce On the Road, a special exhibition curated by Jens Hoffmann on view through September 5, 2010. Guest Curator Jens Hoffmann, Director of CCA Wattis Institute of Contemporary Arts features work by Robert Adams, Ant Farm, John Baldessari, Walker Evans, Robbert Flick, Mary Heilmann, Roger Kuntz, Danny Lyon, Catherine Opie, Allen Ruppersberg, Ed Ruscha, Stephen Shore, Alexis Smith, Kon Trubkovich, and Andy Warhol.

On the Road takes its title from the legendary book by American poet and novelist Jack Kerouac, who recounts his eventful road trips across the United States in the late 1940s. The exhibition investigates the mythology of the American motoring adventure as it began to develop in the early 1920s, with the advent of immense expansions of the highway system, particularly in the West of the country. Featuring two interrelated components, the first part of the exhibition presents the practices of artists whose images and works have long been associated with the exploration of the West by way of the automobile. The second part is the result of a recent two-week excursion through Texas by the curator, during which a number of artifacts and documents were collected for display. Beyond looking at the road trip from a nostalgic point of view, On the Road explores the idea of such a drive as a rite of passage, a journey toward emancipation on the way to a destination that may be largely unknown but which holds the promise of liberating self-discovery.

ABOUT THE CURATOR
Jens Hoffmann was appointed Director of the CCA Wattis Institute, San Francisco in 2006. Previously, Hoffmann was director of exhibitions at the Institute of Contemporary Arts (ICA) in London. At the ICA he organized several group exhibitions, including Alien Nation (2006); 100 Artists See God (2004-5); and Artists' Favorite (2004). He has curated solo exhibitions for John Bock, Cerith Wyn Evans, Tino Sehgal, Jonathan Monk and Martha Rosler. Hoffmann has worked for institutions and exhibitions such as the Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum, New York, NY; Dia Center for the Arts, New York, NY; and Documenta X, Kassel, Germany, among others. Recent publications include Ice Cream: Contemporary Art in Culture (Phaidon, 2007), co-authored with nine other curators; The Next Documenta Should be Curated by an Artist (Revolver, 2004); and Perform (Thames & Hudson, 2005), co-authored with Joan Jonas. Hoffmann is co-curating the 2010 People's Biennial organized by Independent Curators International in New York. He is also the curator for the Istanbul Biennial in 2011.

EXHIBITION DETAILS AND RELATED EVENTS

Exhibition Dates
Exhibition Dates: May 13- September 5, 2010

Chat & Chew: On the Road
Wednesday, June 9, 2010
Noon-1pm

Chat & chew! Join Artpace's curatorial staff for a tour of On the Road in the Hudson (Show)Room. Lunch from Sip ($6.50) and a group chat will follow. Call Artpace by February 23 for menu and reservations.

Private Tours
Tours in both Spanish and English are available by appointment. To schedule a group tour, contact Matt Johns at mjohns@artpace.org or call 210 212 4900 x314.

ABOUT ARTPACE
Artpace San Antonio serves as an international laboratory for the creation and advancement of contemporary art. Artpace believes that art is a dynamic social force that inspires individuals and defines cultures. Our residencies, exhibitions, and education programs nurture the creative expression of emerging and established artists, while actively engaging youth and adult audiences.

Artpace is located downtown at 445 North Main Avenue, between Savings and Martin streets, San Antonio, Texas. Free parking is available at 513 North Flores Street. Artpace is open to the public Wednesday through Sunday, 12-5 PM, and by appointment. Admission is free.

© 2010 Artpace San Antonio

445 North Main Avenue San Antonio TX 78205 t 210 212 4900 f 210 212 4990 www.artpace.org