Untitled, Nadav Benjamin, 2012
White Box is to kick-off its new Beach Box Series with “Black Beach”, the first group exhibition by New York City artist collective OCCULTER. “Black Beach” will run August 15 – 22, 2012 with an opening event on Wednesday, August 15th from 6:00 – 10:00 p.m. and a closing event on Wednesday, August 22nd from 6:00 – 10:00 p.m.. Both events will be hosted by Agency Antares and will feature live musical performances curated by Pendu NYC. Five OCCULTER artists will be featured in “Black Beach”: Nadav Benjamin; Jeremy Dyer; Derrick Cruz; Jonathan Goldstein; and Gabriel J. Shuldiner.
Each artist will present large format works spanning the scope of digital constructions, mixed-media paintings, sculpture and site-specific installations. Smaller works will be presented as a “Consumables Shop” at the White Box-Universal Ltd. Editions Cafe.
In “Black Beach”, OCCULTER members introduce a council of tenebrous works as a call to worship at the feet of young mythologies still in flux. As symbolists in expectation of an uncertain future, each artist attempts to interpret consciousness or the incorporeal, with history (aesthetic, religious, political or otherwise) as a tool, not a guide. The installation as a whole evokes a self-reflective spirituality that longs for community as it also shuns it. Contrasting the contemplative allusions in the art work, on opening and closing nights “Black Beach” will transition from a space of observation to one of participation, as a set of energetic musical performances curated by Todd Pendu of Pendu NYC fill White Box. In true Pendu form, the space is bound to become a “community dance party.” Those wishing to attend the opening and closing events are encouraged to RSVP to rsvp@occulter.org at least two days prior to each event.
WHITE BOX The core of White Box’s mandate is to present broad ranging contemporary art forms by innovative artists and curators whose efforts to exhibit thought-provoking, intellectually and visually challenging art is many times overlooked and, at times, question the more popular, media and market-oriented focus of other New York contemporary arts venues. White Box’s purpose sets it apart from other organizations by not exclusively focusing on artists nor is it strictly a curator-based exhibition space. In this capacity, White Box has developed a multi-purpose direction allowing it to examine and present the contemporary arts from within their culturally specific contexts while providing a forum in which, aside from the general public, youth, students and seasoned arts professionals can explore, learn and engage with new ideas.
OCCULTER strives to fan the spark of one basic human necessity: a personal sense of wonder. We believe that this can be achieved with singular aesthetic focus, the careful curation of challenging contemporary works and the nurture of stimulating and productive relationships with makers and supporters. Occulter.org
PENDU NYC PENDU NYC is a lifestyle brand with a focus on ecstatic culture known for throwing next-level dance parties and organizing music festivals and art shows in NYC and Los Angeles. PENDU NYC is also known for Pendu Sound Recordings, releasing albums by the likes of Chelsea Wolfe and aTelecine (music project by Sasha Grey).
