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Curatorial Contrasts: A Critical Review of 'Magic Object' and 'Order of Appearance'
1.0 Introduction: Juxtaposing Curatorial Worlds
This critical review examines two distinct and compelling gallery exhibitions, Magic Object and Order of Appearance, as valuable case studies in curatorial strategy. One presents a mystical, thematic grouping of diverse contemporary works, while the other offers a focused, archival deep-dive into a single artist's documentary practice. The juxtaposition of these shows reveals the profound influence of the curatorial hand. This analysis will dissect their respective visions, thematic content, and resulting atmospheres to illuminate how the fundamental choices of curation—what to show, how to group it, and how to frame it—ultimately shape artistic meaning for the viewer.
2.0 'Magic Object': The Thematic Constellation at 99 Cent Plus Gallery
A thematically curated group exhibition operates on a powerful premise: that by placing disparate works in dialogue, a cumulative meaning can be generated that is greater than the sum of its parts. This approach transforms a gallery space into a site of intellectual and aesthetic conversation, where individual pieces illuminate one another under a unifying conceptual framework. Magic Object serves as a prime example of this strategy, weaving together multiple artistic voices to explore a complex and resonant theme.
The curatorial vision of Rico Gatson for Magic Object centers on gathering works that "possess a magical and evocative sensibility." This conceptual umbrella is intentionally broad, unifying subjects that range from Jungian Psychology and traditional Inuit carving to the cinematic world of Stanley Kubrick's The Shining. The exhibition is rooted in historical reference and psychological depth, creating an environment where ancient forms, contemporary materials, and cultural touchstones collide. The result is an intellectually driven experience that invites viewers to draw connections across time, media, and cultural traditions.
The exhibition’s core themes are most clearly understood by examining the specific contributions of its five artists, each engaging directly with the show's conceptual mandate:
Rico Gatson, Panel Painting #1: Gatson’s own work alludes to traditional African plank masks and Massai warrior shields through its use of bold color and geometric design. This piece immediately grounds the exhibition in a dialogue with historical and non-Western forms, setting a precedent for the cross-cultural references that follow.
Roxanne Jackson, Snake Eyes and Chrome Cats: These porcelain sculptures utilize the image of a domestic cat to explore the internal duality of beauty and beastly as defined in Jungian psychology. Jackson’s work gives tangible form to an abstract psychological concept, merging the familiar with the primal.
Mary Kate Maher, Spire and White Out: Maher’s contributions offer a study in contrast. Spire, a freestanding totemic sculpture, is directly inspired by traditional Inuit carved forms, yet rendered in contemporary materials like concrete polymers and acrylic. This stands in stark opposition to White Out, a C-print on aluminum that provides a representation of nothingness, creating a powerful dialogue between presence and absence, form and void.
Aaron Williams, History Painting (Red) and History Painting (White): These works are based on the geometric designs from the Overlook Hotel in Stanley Kubrick’s 1980 film The Shining. The tension described by the gallery guide—a contrast between "images of Native American culture and European imperial powers"—manifests through a potent historical subtext. The hotel’s iconic patterns were appropriated from Native American visual culture; their use within a film about a haunted structure built on a burial ground becomes a powerful commentary on the violent, spectral underpinnings of American expansionism.
Alex Lee Harris, CAGED Ringtone: This sound installation, inspired by the anatomy of a wind chime and suspended from the ceiling, provides a multi-sensory layer to the viewing experience. It contributes a "mysterious and haunting soundtrack," fully enveloping the visitor in the exhibition's evocative and enigmatic atmosphere.
Through this multi-faceted and intellectually rich constellation of objects, Magic Object successfully forges a complex dialogue between artists and ideas, a stark contrast to the focused, singular vision of Order of Appearance.
3.0 'Order of Appearance': The Archival Gaze at Casemore Kirkeby
Where a group show builds meaning through dialogue, a solo, documentary-style exhibition derives its power from immersion. By focusing on the cohesive body of work of a single artist, this format provides an intimate and unfiltered window into a specific time, place, and subculture. It allows for a deep exploration of a singular perspective, transforming personal documentation into a vital historical record.
The curatorial approach for Jim Jocoy's Order of Appearance is one of focused preservation and intimate revelation. The exhibition presents an "intimate and revealing selection of images" that chronicle the burgeoning San Francisco punk scene between 1977 and 1980. The raw, unfiltered nature of the collection is underscored by Jocoy's method; having dropped out of school, he turned his attention to the club scene and "obsessively photographed what was in front of him." The curation honors this directness, presenting the work as a straightforward, powerful document of a subculture on the verge.
The historical and cultural significance of the exhibition is paramount. It serves as a time capsule, preserving the fleeting moments of the "burgeoning San Francisco punk club scene" in bedrooms, bathrooms, and clubs. The exhibition coincides with the launch of Jocoy's new book, Order of Appearance, which arrives years after his first and highly influential publication, We're Desperate (2002). Contextualizing Jocoy's work by comparing him to Nan Goldin and Weegee, the press release also adds a layer of poignant gravity: "Unknowingly foreshadowing the AIDS epidemic that would grip underground communities throughout the country, Jocoy’s photographs evoke an intimacy not unlike that felt when viewing the work of Nan Goldin..." This insight elevates the collection from cultural artifact to a profound testament—a record of a community on the precipice of an unimaginable crisis.
The overall atmosphere of Order of Appearance is one of potent nostalgia and raw authenticity. The curatorial text weaves a cohesive description of the viewer's experience, describing the collection as a "surely glimmered view of the punk scene." The images are celebrated for "illuminating quiet and intimate moments" of a generation "diving full stop into the dark of night." This careful framing invites the viewer not just to observe, but to feel the intimacy and energy of a bygone era.
In its focused intensity, Order of Appearance stands as a powerful historical document, offering an immersive journey into a singular time and place, a curatorial choice that differs dramatically from the conceptual breadth of Magic Object.
4.0 A Study in Contrast: Philosophy, Form, and Atmosphere
The true value in examining these two exhibitions side-by-side lies not in judging one as superior, but in what they collectively reveal about the fundamental, form-defining choices of curation. Their core philosophies diverge significantly, leading to vastly different—yet equally valid—impacts on the audience. This direct comparison highlights how curatorial strategy is the essential bridge between art and understanding.
Exhibition Philosophies at a Glance
Magic Object
Order of Appearance
Curatorial Model
Thematic group show curated by an artist.
Solo artist exhibition, archival and documentary.
Temporal Focus
Trans-historical; connects ancient forms (African, Inuit) with 20th-century culture (Kubrick) and contemporary practice.
Tightly focused on a specific historical period: the San Francisco punk scene from 1977-1980.
Thematic Scope
Broad and conceptual: magic, psychology, historical reference, cultural contrast.
Narrow and specific: the documentation of a particular youth subculture in a single city.
Media Approach
Multi-media: Painting (acrylic, spray paint), sculpture (porcelain, concrete polymers, plaster), sound installation (aluminum, brass, electronics), and C-print on aluminum.
Mono-media: focused exclusively on Archival pigment print.
Resulting Atmosphere
Mysterious, evocative, and intellectually stimulating.
Intimate, quiet, glimmered, and rawly authentic.
These differences are not superficial; they dictate the very nature of the viewer's engagement. The thematic, multi-artist, and mixed-media approach of Magic Object encourages active intellectual comparison and conceptual synthesis. The viewer is tasked with finding the connective tissue between a plank mask, a porcelain cat, and a film reference. In contrast, the mono-media, solo-artist focus of Order of Appearance fosters an immersive, emotional, and documentary-style engagement. The viewer is invited to step into a specific world and witness it through a single, consistent gaze, absorbing the atmosphere of a moment lost to time.
This comparison ultimately reveals that the curator's primary choice—between building a conceptual argument or preserving a historical moment—is the genesis of the entire exhibition experience.
5.0 Conclusion: Two Distinct Triumphs in Curation
Ultimately, both Magic Object and Order of Appearance succeed precisely on the terms they set for themselves, representing two potent but fundamentally different models of exhibition-making. Their triumphs lie in the clarity and commitment of their respective curatorial visions.
Magic Object stands as a successful intellectual dialogue, thoughtfully weaving together contemporary artistic practices with deep-seated historical and psychological themes. Its achievement is in creating a space where disparate objects resonate with one another, generating new layers of meaning through proximity and shared sensibility. In contrast, Order of Appearance functions as a vital and intimate act of cultural preservation. Its success is measured in its ability to offer an authentic portal to a specific historical moment, translating one photographer’s obsessive documentation into a shared cultural memory.
Together, these two exhibitions powerfully demonstrate that the role of the curator extends far beyond the mere selection of objects. They are critical architects of meaning and experience, shaping not only what we see, but how we come to understand it.
The Unseen Eye: Jim Jocoy and the Soul of San Francisco Punk
Between 1977 and 1980, as a new and defiant sound tore through the cultural landscape, photographer Jim Jocoy became the quiet chronicler of the burgeoning San Francisco punk club scene. Armed with his camera, he created an intimate and revealing selection of images that captured the raw, kinetic energy of a subculture in formation. His work documented not only the chaos of live shows but also the quiet, private moments of the barely post-pubescent youth who defined the movement. This is the story of how a young art student stepped out of the classroom and into the dimly lit clubs and bedrooms that would become his studio.
From Student to Scene Documentarian
Jim Jocoy’s journey into photography was a direct result of his immersion in the very scene he would so memorably document. Rather than observing from a distance, he chose to become a part of the world he was capturing, a decision that gave his work its signature intimacy and authenticity.
His path from student to artist unfolded rapidly as the punk scene exploded around him:
• 1976: Jocoy began his studies as a student at UC Santa Cruz, just as the first chords of San Francisco punk were being struck.
• 1977: He made the pivotal decision to drop out of school, turning his full attention to the magnetic pull of the city's club scene.
• 1977-1980: He began to "obsessively" photograph what was in front of him, creating a comprehensive visual record of the era, from public performances to private preparations.
This deep dive into the heart of the subculture allowed Jocoy to capture not just what the scene looked like, but what it felt like from the inside.
Through the Lens: The World Jocoy Captured
Jocoy’s photographs transport the viewer directly into the world of late-70s San Francisco punk, a world that was equal parts grit and glamour, chaos and quietude.
The Venues and the Vibe
His lens found moments of profound meaning in a wide range of settings, painting a complete picture of the punk experience. The locations he documented were raw and real, including:
• Bedrooms, bathrooms, and strip clubs
• Iconic punk shows at venues like Mabuhay Gardens
• Candid moments found in alleyways and bars
An Intimate and Glamorized Style
Jocoy’s approach was distinct, creating images that possess an intimacy that places his work in conversation with giants of subculture photography. Unknowingly foreshadowing the AIDS epidemic that would soon grip underground communities throughout the country, Jocoy's photographs evoke an intimacy not unlike that felt when viewing the work of Nan Goldin, combined with the underground compulsion and clout found in the photos of Katsumi Watanabe and Keizo Weinberg. His perspective is best described as a:
...slyly glamorized view of the punk scene, illuminating quiet and intimate moments of barely post-pubescent youth applying makeup, readying themselves for an evening out, diving full stop into the dark of night.
This unique combination of raw subject matter and a subtly glamorized style is what makes his work so compelling, but its journey to a wider audience would take decades.
The Path to Recognition: From Zines to Galleries
Like the music scene it chronicled, Jocoy’s photography first found its home in the underground world of DIY publishing before eventually gaining mainstream and critical acclaim. This long road from zines to gallery walls cemented his reputation as one of the era's essential visual historians.
Early Underground Exposure
Later Mainstream Acclaim
Self-published his work in his own punk/art zine, Widows and Orphans.
Co-created the highly praised 2002 book We're Desperate with Thurston Moore and Marc Jacobs.
Featured in seminal SF zines like Search and Destroy and Punk Globe.
Held his first public show at San Francisco State University, featuring the Xerox color prints he'd produce during off hours at the photocopy shop where he worked.
Presented a slide show at William Burroughs' 70th birthday party in 1984.
Launched the book and exhibition Order of Appearance at the Casemore Kirkeby gallery in 2017.
The Man Behind the Camera
To understand the intimacy of Jim Jocoy's work, it helps to understand the man himself. Born in 1952 to a Korean mother, Hyong Su Lee, and a U.S. Army soldier, he was given the American name Edward Monfette. After his parents divorced, his mother married another soldier, Robert E. Jocoy, and at age six, he was given a new name: Jimmy Jocoy. He has remained deeply rooted in the Bay Area throughout his life, and remarkably, he maintains friendships with many of the subjects he photographed 40 years ago. This insider status—born from a complex personal history and cemented by decades of authentic connection to his community—is precisely what allowed him to capture his subjects with such unguarded honesty and empathy.
Conclusion: An Enduring Legacy
Jim Jocoy's work is far more than a simple historical record of a bygone era. His photographs are a sensitive and enduring study of youth, identity, and the creation of "the scene’s influential fashion." By turning his lens inward on the quiet moments—the shared glance in a car, the application of makeup before a show—he captured the true spirit of a generation defining itself against the mainstream. Viewed today, these images carry a profound poignancy, capturing a fleeting moment of defiant vitality before the looming shadow of the AIDS crisis would change underground communities forever. More than any other photographer of his time, Jim Jocoy documented the quiet, beating heart and the rebellious soul of the San Francisco punk scene.
After 1976, Jim Jocoy’s education and residency underwent the following changes:
• Education: In 1976, at the start of the San Francisco punk scene, Jocoy was a student at UC Santa Cruz. However, by 1977, he had dropped out of school to focus his attention on the club scene.
• Residency and Career: Although his family had settled in Sunnyvale, California, in 1969, Jocoy’s focus shifted heavily toward the San Franciscopunk club scene between 1977 and 1980, where he obsessively photographed the subculture. Following this period, he spent his career working in the Department of Therapy at UCSF. He currently still resides in the Bay Area.
A Beginner's Guide to the 'Magic Object' Exhibition
1.0 Welcome to the World of 'Magic Object'
Welcome! If you're new to looking at art, you've come to the right place. An art exhibition is a collection of stories, and our goal is to help you read them. The 'Magic Object' exhibition, curated (or selected and organized) by artist Rico Gatson, gathers the work of five artists who all share a "magical and evocative sensibility."
The central theme connecting every piece is that the art is rooted in "specific historical reference" and draws from a wide "variety of subjects." As you explore the artists in this guide, you will discover a fascinating range of inspirations, from the complex theories of Jungian Psychology and the ancient practice of traditional Inuit carving to the haunting visuals of the classic film 'The Shining'. This guide is designed to illuminate the fascinating stories and powerful ideas behind each piece of art, making your visit to the exhibition both clear and insightful.
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2.0 Rico Gatson: Modern Art, Ancient Roots
2.1 The Artwork: Panel Painting #1 (2015)
2.2 What You See
This is a tall, narrow work with "bold color and geometric design" that "casually leans against the gallery wall."
2.3 The Idea Behind It
Rico Gatson’s work is a conversation between the present and the past. The painting’s primary inspirations are two distinct historical objects:
It alludes to the form and presence of traditional African plank masks.
It also references the powerful patterns found on Massai warrior shields.
Gatson uses the bold color and geometry of modern abstraction to channel the power of these historical objects, connecting contemporary art directly to its ancient cultural roots.
2.4 Learning Narrative: Transition
While Rico Gatson draws inspiration from historical objects you can see, the next artist explores the magic of what you can hear.
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3.0 Alex Lee Harris: The Sound of Art
3.1 The Artwork: "CAGED Ringtone" (2015)
3.2 What You See and Hear
This artwork is an "instrument suspended from the ceiling," designed to provide a "mysterious and haunting soundtrack for the exhibition."
3.3 The Idea Behind It
The piece is directly inspired by the "sounds and anatomy of a wind chime," transforming a familiar object into an immersive auditory experience for the entire gallery.
3.4 Learning Narrative: Transition
From the external soundtrack of the gallery, we now turn to an artist who explores the internal world of the human mind.
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4.0 Roxanne Jackson: The Beauty and the Beast Within
4.1 The Artworks: Snake Eyes (2014) and Chrome Cats (2013)
4.2 What You See
Jackson contributes a "series of porcelain sculptures" that feature the recognizable images of a "domestic cat and a snake."
4.3 The Idea Behind It
These animal figures are more than just representations of nature; Jackson uses them as symbols to explore the "internal duality of beauty and beastly as defined in Jungian psychology."
4.4 Learning Narrative: Transition
Just as Jackson explores the inner self, Mary Kate Maher examines how we perceive the external landscapes around us.
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5.0 Mary Kate Maher: The Shape of a Landscape
5.1 Two Views of the World
Mary Kate Maher presents two artworks that offer completely different ways of thinking about landscapes and our place within them.
Artwork
Inspiration and Meaning
"Spire" (2015)
This freestanding sculpture is inspired by traditional Inuit carved forms like totems, hag stones, and cairns. These objects were historically used to "delineate edges of their native coastline."
"White Out" (2015)
Offering a "stark contrast" to Spire, this piece is a photograph mounted on aluminum, representing "nothingness and the erasure of landscape," showing us what it means when our landmarks disappear.
5.2 Learning Narrative: Transition
Maher finds meaning in cultural landscapes, while our final artist, Aaron Williams, finds it in the landscape of a cult classic film.
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6.0 Aaron Williams: The Ghosts in the Pattern
6.1 The Artworks: History Painting I (2015) and History Painting II (2015)
6.2 What You See
At first glance, these artworks appear to be "Formica panels carved with seemingly generic geometric abstraction."
6.3 The Hidden Idea
The seemingly simple patterns hold a surprising secret. They are based on designs found in Stanley Kubrick's 1980 film 'The Shining'. The artist chose these specific patterns for their deeper meaning; they are the very backdrops in the film where "contrasting images of Native American culture and European imperial powers appear." Williams thus embeds a critique of colonial history into what seems to be a purely decorative pattern.
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7.0 Conclusion: Finding Your Own Magic
As the 'Magic Object' exhibition demonstrates, artists can pull inspiration from anywhere to create powerful and meaningful work—from ancient history and modern psychology to the sounds of nature and the scenes of a movie. Each piece tells a story, connecting a simple object to a much bigger idea. The next time you see a work of art, ask yourself: what story is this trying to tell? You might be surprised by the magic you find.
Exhibition Catalog: Magic Object
1.0 Introduction to the Exhibition
This catalog serves as the official record and guide for the exhibition Magic Object. It is designed to provide gallery patrons, scholars, and collectors with a deeper understanding of the artworks on display and the conceptual approaches of the five featured artists. Through detailed analyses and curatorial insights, this document illuminates the magical and evocative sensibilities that unite these diverse works.
Exhibition Title: Magic Object Curator: Rico Gatson Gallery: 99¢ Plus, 238 Wilson Ave, Brooklyn, NY 11237 Exhibition Dates: July 10 – August 23, 2015
Curatorial Statement
Magic Object, curated by Rico Gatson, exhibits the works of five artists who possess a magical and evocative sensibility in their work. The works in this exhibition are rooted in specific historical references and broach a variety of subjects. These subjects range from Jungian Psychology and traditional Inuit carving, to Stanley Kubrick’s “The Shining”.
This catalog now turns to an in-depth exploration of each artist, detailing the unique ways they imbue their objects with profound cultural, historical, and psychological resonance.
2.0 Featured Artists and Works
2.1 Rico Gatson
As both the exhibition's curator and a featured artist, Rico Gatson provides a powerful anchor for Magic Object. His work, Panel Painting #1, immediately sets the tone for the show's investigation into objects charged with historical and cultural references. It serves as a visual manifesto for the exhibition's core theme: the ability of form and pattern to channel potent, ancestral energies into a contemporary context.
The conceptual weight of Panel Painting #1 is amplified by its deceptively simple presentation. The piece casually leans against the gallery wall, an informal posture that belies its formal power. Through its use of bold color and geometric design, the elongated panel directly alludes to traditional African plank masks or Massai warrior shields. In doing so, Gatson transforms a simple painted object into a conduit for history, identity, and the enduring spirit of cultural artifacts.
Title: Panel Painting #1 Year: 2015 Materials: Acrylic paint and glitter on wood panel Dimensions: 12" x 84" x 3/4" Price: Price upon request
The striking visual power of Gatson’s work is complemented by the immersive sonic environment created by Alex Lee Harris.
2.2 Alex Lee Harris
Alex Lee Harris’s contribution introduces a crucial auditory and kinetic dimension to the exhibition, expanding the viewer’s experience from the purely visual into the multi-sensory. His work transforms the gallery into a dynamic space where sound itself becomes a sculptural medium, influencing the perception and atmosphere of all surrounding artworks.
His piece, CAGED Ringtone, is an instrument inspired by the sounds and anatomy of a wind chime. Suspended from the ceiling, it activates the gallery's vertical space and, through its electronic components, generates a mysterious and haunting soundtrack for the exhibition. This atmospheric soundscape functions as an invisible yet palpable presence, unifying the diverse objects in the room under a shared, enigmatic aura.
Title: CAGED Ringtone Year: 2015 Materials: Aluminum, brass, wire, nylon, MDF, paint, electronics Dimensions:Variable Dimensions Price: $2500
The haunting atmosphere generated by Harris's work provides a compelling backdrop for the deep psychological explorations found in the sculptures of Roxanne Jackson.
2.3 Roxanne Jackson
Roxanne Jackson’s sculptures delve into the theme of "magic" through the complex lens of Jungian psychology. Her works are potent explorations of internal dualities, using animal forms as archetypal symbols for the conflicting forces within the human psyche. She masterfully employs the sensuous and historical medium of ceramic to give shape to these abstract psychological concepts.
Across her series, Jackson utilizes the potent imagery of a domestic cat and a snake to investigate the internal duality of beauty and beastly. This tension is materially manifest in the works. For Chrome Cats, the PVD coating gives the slip-cast porcelain a cold, industrial, and distorting mirror-finish, subverting both the traditional warmth of the medium and the comforting image of a domestic cat. In contrast, the raw ceramic and applied decoupage of Snake Eyes directly embodies the primal, "beastly" aspect of the psyche, standing in stark opposition to the refined yet unsettling surface of its feline counterparts.
Title: Chrome Cats Year: 2013 Materials: Slip cast porcelain, glaze, PVD (Metallic vapor deposit) Dimensions: 11" x 11" x 11" Price: $1500 each
Title: Snake Eyes Year: 2014 Materials: Ceramic, glaze, decoupage Dimensions: 13" x 15" x 15" Price: $2000
The totemic, archetypal quality of Jackson's animal figures finds an echo in the culturally and geographically inspired forms of Mary Kate Maher.
2.4 Mary Kate Maher
Mary Kate Maher’s contribution to Magic Object establishes a powerful dialogue between presence and absence, form and erasure. Through a sculptural installation and a photographic work, she examines the ways in which objects and images can define, mark, or even obliterate a landscape, both physically and conceptually.
Her two pieces function as a conceptual pairing that explores presence and absence not just as ideas, but as felt experiences. Spire, a freestanding sculpture inspired by traditional Inuit carved forms like totems and cairns, asserts history and geography. It demands recognition as a marker of culture on a specific coastline. In stark opposition, White Out confronts the viewer with a deliberate void. Its depiction of fragmented forms against nothingness is a representation of erasure that prompts profound questions: what has been lost here? What landscape, or history, has been intentionally obscured?
Title: Spire Year: 2015 Materials: Concrete, concrete polymers, acrylic, plaster Dimensions: 73" h x 15" w x 19" d Price: $4500
Title: White Out Year: 2015 Materials: C-print on aluminum Dimensions: 16" x 24" Notes: Edition of 5 Price: $600 each
This exploration of cultural markers and erased landscapes provides a compelling transition to the coded cinematic and historical references embedded in the work of Aaron Williams.
2.5 Aaron Williams
Aaron Williams brings a sharp, analytical focus to the exhibition, demonstrating how seemingly abstract objects can be encoded with complex cultural and historical narratives. His panels challenge the viewer to look beyond surface aesthetics and consider the potent histories hidden within popular culture, revealing that even decorative patterns can carry the weight of ideological conflict.
At first glance, History Painting (White) and History Painting (Red) appear to be works of generic geometric abstraction, rendered on mundane Formica panels. However, the patterns are sourced directly from Stanley Kubrick's 1980 classic film, The Shining. The potency of this reference lies in the film's central narrative premise: the Overlook Hotel was built on a Native American burial ground. Williams thus isolates these decorative patterns as literal emblems of a violent history hiding in plain sight. By leveraging the film’s contrasting images of Native American culture and European imperial powers, the CNC-routered panels become charged surfaces where seemingly innocuous domestic design is revealed to be an artifact of cultural erasure and conflict.
Title: History Painting (White) Year: 2015 Materials: CNC routered laminate on plywood panel Dimensions: 24.5" x 18.5" Price: $3000
Title: History Painting (Red) Year: 2015 Materials: CNC routered laminate on plywood panel Dimensions: 24.5" x 18.5" Price: $3000
By embedding deep historical commentary within the familiar language of modernist abstraction, Williams's work provides a fitting conclusion to an exhibition dedicated to unearthing the "magic" within objects.
From Kubrick's Overlook Hotel to SF's Punk Scene: 5 Surprising Lessons I Learned from Old Art Guides
Introduction: The Stories Hidden in Plain Sight
The paper is thin, almost brittle, the ink from a long-gone gallery's printer slightly faded. I’m sorting through a folder of old keepsakes when I find them: a folded guide from a 2015 contemporary group show in Brooklyn and a press release for a 2017 photography exhibition in San Francisco. At first, they seem like little more than ephemera, destined for the recycling bin. But as I read them again, a strange dialogue begins to unfold between two coasts, two decades, and two wildly different artistic worlds.
One document speaks of Jungian archetypes and cinematic horror, the other of punk rock and a history unknowingly on the brink of tragedy. Separately, they are snapshots. Together, they reveal a deeper truth: that art, and the humble papers that accompany it, are archives of hidden meaning. One show explored the secrets buried in the human psyche, the other, the secrets buried by the passage of time. They reminded me that the most powerful stories are often the ones we don't see at first glance. These are the five lessons they taught me.
The Listicle: 5 Impactful Takeaways
1. The Shining, Jungian Psychology, and African Shields Can All Live in the Same Room.
The guide for the 2015 Brooklyn show "Magic Object" laid out a dizzying constellation of influences: Carl Jung’s psychological theories, traditional Inuit carving, Stanley Kubrick’s The Shining, and the ritual power of tribal art. It’s one thing to list such disparate sources; it’s another to make them speak a common language. The surprise wasn’t that these ideas coexisted, but that their combination forged a powerful statement about the universality of the primal psyche.
This synthesis was made concrete in the art itself. Rico Gatson’s towering “Panel Painting #1” drew its bold geometry from traditional African plank masks and Massai warrior shields, evoking ancient rites. Nearby, Aaron Williams’s panels used patterns that echoed the haunted carpets of Kubrick's Overlook Hotel. The gallery became a crucible where different cultures’ expressions of the archetypal and the sacred—whether in a warrior's shield or a horror film's set design—were brought into a startling and profound conversation about the magic that underpins human consciousness.
2. Your Pet Cat Might Be a Portal to the Human Psyche.
In that same exhibition, I was struck by the work of Roxanne Jackson. Her porcelain sculptures, “Chrome Cats” (2013) and “Snake Eyes” (2014), use the image of a domestic cat to channel something far more feral. The gallery text explained that Jackson utilizes this familiar form "to explore the internal duality of beauty and beastly as defined in Jungian psychology."
Here, Jackson forces a confrontation in porcelain: the creature purring on our laps becomes a vessel for the Jungian shadow, its sleekness belying a beastly interior. She finds the sublime in the ordinary, proving that the deepest explorations of our internal conflicts don't require exotic symbols. By transforming a common household animal into a totem of our complex inner lives, she challenges us to recognize the powerful symbolism lurking in the most familiar corners of our world.
3. A Sculpture Can Be the Soundtrack to an Exhibition.
We are taught to experience visual art in contemplative silence. But Alex Lee Harris’s “CAGED Ringtone” (2015) refused to be merely seen. Described in the guide as an “instrument inspired by the sounds and anatomy of a wind chime,” the piece was suspended from the ceiling, actively generating sound rather than playing a recording. Its stated purpose was to provide a “mysterious and haunting soundtrack for the exhibition.”
The truly surprising lesson here is how this single piece could fundamentally re-contextualize an entire show. Imagine witnessing Jackson’s unsettling cats or Gatson’s ritualistic panels not in silence, but bathed in a "haunting" soundscape. The auditory environment becomes as crucial as the lighting, transforming a collection of objects into a single, immersive atmosphere. Harris’s work was a reminder that art can be a multi-sensory experience, where a sculpture's sound can unlock new emotional registers in the paintings and forms that surround it.
4. A College Dropout's Obsession Can Become a Vital Historical Record.
The press release for photographer Jim Jocoy’s show, "Order of Appearance," told a story not of artistic intention, but of passionate obsession. In 1977, Jocoy dropped out of UC Santa Cruz and turned his camera on the burgeoning San Francisco punk scene. He wasn't a detached documentarian; he was a participant who “obsessively photographed what was in front of him” in bedrooms, bathrooms, and the glorious chaos of punk clubs.
For decades, his archive remained almost entirely private, shown publicly only twice—once at a university, and once as "a slide show presented at William Burroughs' 70th birthday party in 1984." This single detail paints a vivid picture of the deep-underground world he inhabited. It was only in 2002, when Sonic Youth’s Thurston Moore and designer Marc Jacobs helped publish his work in the book We’re Desperate, that his inadvertent historical record came to light. Jocoy’s story is a powerful lesson in the tension between intent and impact; he wasn't trying to preserve a culture, yet by simply chronicling his world with relentless focus, he created one of its most vital artifacts.
5. A Photograph Can Capture the Last Moments of an Era's Innocence.
The most profound lesson from Jocoy’s work comes from seeing it through the lens of history. His photographs, shot between 1977 and 1980, documented San Francisco’s underground communities with a raw intimacy. But as the press release notes, this documentation was “unknowingly foreshadowing the AIDS epidemic that would grip underground communities throughout the country.”
To look at these images today is a fundamentally different experience than it would have been in 1980. We see the same faces, the same defiance, the same creative energy. But our knowledge of the imminent crisis becomes an invisible medium, altering every frame. History itself imbues the photographs with a heartbreaking poignancy. We are watching a generation live with an abandon they could not know was finite. The press release captures this perfectly:
Illuminating quiet and intimate moments of barely post-pubescent youth applying makeup, readying themselves for an evening out, diving full stop into the dark of night.
These aren't just pictures of a subculture anymore. They are a memorial to a specific, unrepeatable innocence, a testament to how art can gain new and devastating meaning as the world changes around it.
Conclusion: What Stories Are You Missing?
Rescued from a forgotten folder, these documents became portals. The Brooklyn guide revealed the psychological secrets hidden inside an object; the San Francisco press release, the historical secrets hidden inside a moment. Both taught me that the act of looking at art is an act of excavation, of searching for the stories beneath the surface. They are a vital reminder that galleries are not just showrooms, but archives of human experience, cultural shifts, and profound ideas waiting for a curious eye.
It leaves me to wonder, what hidden stories are waiting in the art you walk past every day?
Aaron Williams’ work is profoundly influenced by Stanley Kubrick’s 1980 cult classic film The Shining, specifically regarding its production design and thematic subtext.
Williams' engagement with the film is reflected in the following ways:
Visual Coded Language: For the "Magic Object" exhibition, Williams produced two works: History Painting (Red) and History Painting (White) (also cataloged as History Painting I and History Painting II),. While these pieces appear to feature "seemingly generic geometric abstraction," the patterns are actually direct recreations of designs found within Kubrick’s film.
Thematic Subtext of Colonialism: The influence extends beyond aesthetics into the film's underlying social commentary. Williams utilizes these specific patterns to evoke the contrasting images of Native American culture and European imperial powers that Kubrick embedded throughout The Shining. By doing so, Williams transforms modern industrial materials into "history paintings" that broach complex historical references.
Industrial Materiality: Williams translates these cinematic references into physical objects using CNC-routered laminate or Formica on plywood panels,. This choice of material and modern fabrication technique creates a bridge between the "magical and evocative" sensibilities of the exhibition and the rigid, manufactured patterns of the film's fictional environment.
Each of these panels measures 24.5" x 18.5" and was valued at $3,000 during the 2015 exhibition at the 99¢ Plus gallery.
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