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@michaelnannery
Michael Nannery is an artist based in Long Beach, California. His prints, illistrations, installations, and communal activities deal with time, our relationship with the natural world, and much more. Nannery currently has work on view at Gallery Flux in Long Beach.
Interview with Thomas Adams for ART TRAFFIC. Follow the link to hear an hour and a half discussion about my art practice! Also available to stream or download anywhere you listen to podcasts.
Herb Spiral (Dried), December 2018
Various herbs, paper towels
for PERMUTATIONS @ Torrance Art Museum
DECEMBER 1 — 15, 2018; GALLERY TWO
Herb Spiral takes the form of an assortment of fresh aromatics and herbs arranged in a ten-foot spiral across the center of the gallery floor. The materials were harvested immediately before the opening of the show and filled the gallery with their combined fragrances. The plants dried over the course of the exhibition, thus lending their collective aroma to the exhibition space. Visitors were encouraged to touch and smell the herbs. As they dried, the herbs required handling in order to be activated. Visitors were encouraged to take dried herbs home with them during the closing reception.
All of the aromatics included in this work are edible as herbal infusion or culinary addition. The herb spiral serves both to reference a popular home garden composition and to create an iconic pathway on which visitors may travel to the center of the gallery. This installation explores the process of drying and preserving herbs and interacting with visitors, offering them the opportunity to bring the experience home with them in different ways. I continue to use dried herbs saved from this project in my own culinary pursuits.
More about PERMUTATIONS...
Curated by Joshua Oduga & Stephanie Sherwood
Artists:
Justino Loza Gomez Randi Hokett Iain Muirhead Michael Nannery Tu Nguyen
Permutations is an intimate curatorial project conceived around the notion of change and explores the practices of five artists who embrace change in their studio practices. The works in Permutations wield their mediums and inhabit their shared space in unique and individual ways. Some works, such as those by Justino Loza Gomez, exist outside the museum walls. Others evolve throughout the lifespan of the exhibition. The ethereal natures of all these works afford for powerful statements on the cycle of life and allow us to consider them as living beings. Permutations asks its visitors to consider the life of these works—the entire lives of all the works included—and how this life informs understandings of the comprising artists. Anyone who has experienced artworks by Andy Goldworthy or Ana Mendieta, in person or through documentation, can understand the impact of these temporary and powerful visual statements. For instance, Spiral Jetty by Robert Smithson holds a mythical status in the history of contemporary art. Though made of stone(s), its placement in the shallows of the Great Salt Lake means that it disappears and reappears over time through the rise and fall of the lake’s water level. Many go to great lengths to pilgrimage to its fairly isolated location.
Permutations’ curators, Joshua Oduga and Stephanie Sherwood, processually embraced change through the exhibition’s conceptual development. For them, the emergent discovery that this show would not be about death but about life was a wonderful one. Life and death are about change and new unfoldings. Permutations directs its visitors through it with the hopes that they too have wonderful discoveries. The show’s ever-changing appearance asks its audience to visit and revisit it more than once.
http://www.torranceartmuseum.com/permutations
Herb Spiral, December 2018
Sweet basil, tulsi, Cuban oregano/Mexican mint, rose, marigold, white sage, yarrow, cilantro, plantain, curly parsley, thyme, lemon verbena, basil mint, rue, prickly pear cactus, aloe, lemongrass, tulsi (different variety), fennel, wormwood, mugwort, California mugwort, eucalyptus, avocado, citrus, pineapple sage, rosemary, lavender, purple sage, chia, greater mallow, galangal.
All herbs were collected from my personal gardens, friends’ gardens, or or from my neighborhood. Much of this material was pruned from perennial herbs or trees, which ultimately allowed for new, vigorous growth. The only plants that were seriously harmed (killed) for this project were annual “weeds”.
Herbs were arranged in the exhibition space to demonstrate the drying process. The combined aroma of the variety of plant compounds effectively diffused throughout the gallery, thus influencing the experience of visitors.
Leaves Tell the Story of Light (January-March 2018)
This particular tree, a Schefflera actinophylla variety, has subsisted within the Irvine Fine Arts Center throughout recent memory. Originating from northern Australia and New Guinea, this species in considered invasive in humid subtropical and tropical environments as the seeds are broadly distributed by birds and other wildlife in such ideal growing conditions. Furthermore, S. actinophylla is persistent, sometimes growing as an epiphyte off of trees, rocks, and other surfaces.
So far, the tree has subsisted without direct human intervention since its long forgotten planting, thanklessly serving as air purifier for the exhibition space. Through this project, we offer our attention to S. actinophylla in an effort to revitalize the plant, at least for a short period of time. In addition to the installation of an LED grow light, the tree will receive pruning, fertilization, and TLC.
Dirtmaking, 2018
Organic matter, wood
for LAND at Irvine Fine Arts Center curated by Yevgeniya Mikhailik
In the months before the exhibition, I collected and composted organic matter from my daily life that included ficus tree leaves, coffee grounds, plant matter, and other food scraps. By the time of the exhibition, the organic matter had broken down into a modest pile of compost. A platform was constructed to emphasize the presence of the substance within the context of the IFAC courtyard. Water was applied on a weekly basis to encourage the habitation and activity of insects, bacteria, fungi, and other microorganisms.
This piece was easily missed in the greater context of the exhibition, and was about as exciting as a pile of dirt. Only upon closer inspection would one notice the abundance of life present in these few inches of humus. I felt the presentation of a mucky pile of dirt would be an appropriate work to share in a community (Irvine, CA) that is otherwise fixated on cleanliness and order.
During the opening reception of LAND, I found myself staring into the compost only to notice small footprints in the matter. Mere moments after noticing this, I was startled by a child jumping on to the platform, attempting to use it as a springboard of some sort--all with the enthusiasm that only a youth could posses. While I was initially shocked by this action, it made me happy to see kids playing around in the dirt.
Over the next couple, the compost would continue its decay and be ready to use as an fertilizer or soil amendment at the end of the exhibition timeframe. The wooden framework was reconstituted into other installation work.
Recycled Plant Containers, 2018
Clay, organic matter
Produced for the Casamor Farm Artist Residency 2018 (May-July 2018)
Leftover clay and slip were collected from the CSULB School of Art and Irvine Fine Arts ceramics facilities. After the clay was reconstituted, plant fibers from my personal garden and Casamor Farm were added to create the resulting cob-like material, which was then formed into cylindrical container shapes. After their display at the conclusion of the residency, the vessels were dispersed to the various gardens with which I work and associate.
The ceramic works are meant to be used both for the transportation of plants in the exchange of worthy specimens between gardens, and to simply serve as containers for potted plants. As both an artist and a gardener, I find myself in the proximity of many useful materials that many others may consider waste material. I approached this project with the intentions of using such raw, plentiful materials in a constructive manner. I was and still am interested and influenced by the material technologies developed by our ancestors--this project was meant to reconcile
To make the most of the expended firewood, a big dinner (and food for the week) was cooked in the fire alongside the vessels during both pit firing sessions. Through my trials, I discovered both pit fired and unfired cob forms make excellent plant containers. My most efficient method of production involved using a 5-gallon bucket as a press-mold--the larger vessels seen above were produced by this process. Both the fired and greenware vessels from the Casamor Farm Artist Residency timeframe are currently in use.
Second firing of vessels made from recycled clay and plant fibers at Casamor Farm in Mar Vista, CA as part of the Casamor Farm Artist Residency 2018. While pit firing, I often enjoy using the excess energy released by the firewood to cook food for myself and others. https://casamorfarmartistresidency.org
First firing of vessels made from recycled clay and plant fibers at Casamor Farm in Mar Vista, CA as part of the Casamor Farm Artist Residency 2018. While pit firing, I often enjoy using the excess energy released by the firewood to cook food for myself and others. https://casamorfarmartistresidency.org
Overview of the Fountain aquaponic garden at Grand Central Art Center in Santa Ana, California. July 2017-May 2018.
Mind Games was a one-night-only hybrid event featuring diverse art forms in an arrangement of intermedia, all invested in physical and psychological concentrations and meditations. Each work was engaged in a different way by the audience as a means of creating both contrast and connection through shifting formats. The works collectively explored concepts of focus, forgiveness, dislocation, grief, connection, construction, remembrance, the unconscious, and transcendence.
Documentation and more details: https://mindgames-pump.tumblr.com
Christine Hudson covered an area of the floor with over one hundred thousand handmade porcelain teeth, intended to be traversed by foot. By crossing this sea of ceramic works and reading the artist statement, the work offered understandings relative to personal grief and discomfort.
Mimi Haddon created an encompassing site-specific installation formed out of repurposed material and light, addressing notions of consumption, space, waste, and accessibility. Recycled materials are reformed offering dimensionality and life to the space they inhabit.
In Kiyomi Fukui’s Apologetic Garden, guests were invited to write a letter of apology to whomever they wish, including themselves. Letters were placed in an envelope along with a seed, and then planted in a special garden bed from which a garden grew. This is an exercise in reconciliation—meant to help allow us to forgive others, as well as producing a more verdant life for ourselves.
Rob Brown and Davy Sumner, both artists and sound engineers, created a coordinated soundtrack expanding upon natural reverberation by emphasizing harmonic structure in space through simultaneous instrumentation.
Neil Mathis’s Thoughtitarium is an eight-foot diameter sound-modulating hemisphere fabricated with burlap, plaster, and water. The structure augments the sounds produced by its occupants, providing space for a unique communication experience. This space of communion hearkens aspects of religious architecture and provides an intimate space for personal conversation for two to six people.
Ihab Ali walled off a section of the basement using bricks, which eventually blocked off access to part of his installation over the course of the evening.
Matthew Dumpit created an ephemeral light sculpture by illuminating pieces of seemingly damaged metal, therein revealing a shimmering river of light on the walls of the dark basement.
In a designated space, Sam Medeiros accepted challengers with a handmade wooden chess board requiring participants to drive the knife-like chess pieces into the board with each advancement. This game emphasizes psychological distinctions between participants and viewers.
The Fountain at Grand Central Art Center - December 2nd, 2017
The pink LED grow lights create light wavelengths in red and blue spectrums, which are the colors of light that plants use for photosynthesis. This reduces the amount of energy consumed by growing the plants.
The bright light shines down on the plants from approximately 11am-11pm and is a notable fixture on the downtown Santa Ana promenade.
The Fountain at Grand Central Art Center - November 25th, 2017
Crayfish occupy the bottom sump tank, while minnows and goldfish occupy the top tank, which overflows into the grow beds.
The system has been running for nearly 5 months, and there has been considerable growth in the past month.
The Fountain seeks to provide a contemplative and refreshing space inside Grand Central Art Center, while offering an invitation to those outside. The aquatic garden fills the space with green life, fresh air, and a continual offering of herbs. This fixture serves as a platform for diverse art forms, education, and communication; including performance, demonstrations, workshops, and as a space for meeting and meditation.
In addition to harboring plants, fish, and other life forms, the garden serves as an incubator for the ideas of artists and makers, who will contribute to the growth and utility of this regenerative space. The installation will develop over the course of the exhibition.
Images from July and August 2017 by Rob Brown and Christina Lee.
Grand Central Art Center is located in downtown Santa Ana.
Heaven, 2014-2016
Flowers on paper, 36″x48″
Flowers from Commelina communis, aka Asiatic dayflower or tsuyukusa, were grown in my home garden, to be adhered to paper using spit. Most people consider this plant to be an invasive weed, yet as a pioneer plant, it has great value. In my garden, the dayflower is occasionally used for teas or a salad green, but predominantly it functioned as a ground cover for parts of my garden that would later be developed or as a compost tea for fertilizer. Over the course of two years, the flower petals created a vibrant field of color. The growth, collection, and printing of the flowers served as an act of meditation for me.
This work was included in Poetics of Relation in October 2016 at the DAC Gallery in downtown LA, curated by Natalie Mik.
Tracing Tomorrow was an exhibition I co-curated with Natalie Mik at Collective arts Incubator in Highland Park, CA. The show took place December 2016 - January 2017
Featuring work by Rob Brown, Krista Feld, Kiyomi Fukui & Natalie Mik, Nate Glauninger, Narsiso Martinez, Neil Mathis, Troy Rounseville, Miggie Wong.
I also participated in the reception by serving coffee and tea, and by composting all organic waste.
More images from the exhibition:
Tracing Tomorrow - CAI website
Tracing Tomorrow - project blog
Breathing Together, an indoor garden at Grab Bag Studio, features an arrangement of plants in ceramic, glass, and fiber containers made by
Ihab Ali Karina Cunningham Brian Davis Kiyomi Fukui Manny Krakowski Chis Miller Brittany Mojo Maccabee Shelley Lena Wolek
The work will be on view from the street or by appointment at 2626 E. 10th St., Long Beach, CA until February 26, at which point the collection will move along to a different location. I will be there tending to the garden and dispensing herbs on Sunday, February 19th, 12pm-3pm for a community event.
More information and images from the opening reception of Grab Bag Studio here:
https://www.thegrabbagstudio.com/events/https/wwwfacebookcom/events/1383099485074170
A group exhibition about Art and Sustainability
Check out work from Tracing Tomorrow, an exhibition I co-curated with Natalie Mik that ran December 10th, 2016-January 28th, 2017 at Collective Arts Incubator in Highland Park. It featured a range of art forms that explored ideas of production and consumption in relation to our natural resources, labor, and process. While I did not make anything specific for this exhibition, I collaborated with several of the artists in the production of ambitious large-scale installation work. I did serve coffee and tea at the December 10th reception. Visit the link for images, with more documentation and an online catalog to follow in the next month or so.