Got a Pair of Threes?
Ratio 3 and Triple Base were pretty crowded on opening night last month and as with other venues continue to demonstrate how vital the Mission is to San Francisco’s art scene. Yeah there are a few hits and misses in other places but even the expected misses like Lincart can have a good show or two – this month isn't too bad. There are a couple times I get exasperated walking into that space but when that happens again here are some antidotes.
Ratio 3 is a real breath of fresh air down in the Upper Mission. Last months show was a traditional group exhibition with a mix of very enthralling works ranging from 2-d to sculpture but it has gotten more exciting. This months show with Takeshi Murata is literally a visual ooze of video delay, color and appropriation that is presented as cinema. Two abstract programs are presented separately in the large and small room with a title reminiscent of album titles by Japanese bands like Masonna, Merzbow, or Hanatarashi. Much like those musical constructions Escape Spirit VideoSlime is basically an abstract piece. The first vid you see walking in includes footage of primates. These slowly moving figurative and portrait studies melt like purple, pink and green butter before your very eyes. The effect itself looks something like a cross between slow key framing and digital delay . If you’ve watched a digital video you might see less severe version of key framing artifacts appear. For example you might see a section of a movie where pixels from two frames overlap like layers of peeling paint. In the second room the primate images are switched with images or Sylvester Stallone in Rambo or Predator (I don’t recall which) that begin to crumble into a video blue and electric red strobing spot that seemingly threatens to burn a nice toasty hole into your retinas.
The music of Richard Beatty accompanies these churning miasmata of image and color very well creating a fully integrated piece. After some well spent time with it on the bench provided you can walk away with a nice cold ethereal buzz. Go for a visit open your eyes and pour it in.
Walking into the last show at Triple Bass the room was filled with more people than installation. Returning during the day when nobody is around reveals the installation elements more clearly. Part of the drywall was removed and plaster mounds and impressions were added to the other sides. Other sections of wall were painted with a soul sucking shade of charcoal black, decorated with flowers or broken pieces of drywall shaped into the form of mountains or sconces holding more charcoal. Random clatterings syncopate with a couple flashing lights from an ipod lying on the floor. Above the head in one corner float mini plastic gummy clouds which jutted from the wall a few inches.
Called a Dialogue between Sound and Space this installation by Drew Bennett is intended to confront the traditionally anti-social nature of visual art.
Sounds interesting right? Maybe it might have been but this is the closest to 2-d an installation could ever be. Sitting on a stool provided in the middle of this nearly empty room the wall dressings only appear slightly decorative lacking the enveloping presence stated in the release. Don't believe my assessment look at the picture on the website. Half the people in the room look board, even with a band in front of them.
Stronger visually was the view of people passing the empty doorway on 24th street going about their business in the Mission. There is potential here but not this month.
Ratio 3 is nestled away on Stevenson Alley between Valencia, and 14th street
Triple Bass is located at 3041 24th Street near Treat Street.
