Parts of a Whole new work by mcba’s artist community Minnesota Center for Book Arts

Sun, 6 Mar 2011 17:42:07 -0500

MCBA presents an exhibition of new work by members of our "artist community" — faculty, co-op members, past artists-in-residence, fellowship and mentorship grant recipients, current and former staff and board members, and others — curated by the MCBA Artist Cooperative.
These talented artists demonstrate their innovative approaches, creative skills and diversity of styles in Parts of a Whole. A variety of artists' books, broadsides, prints and other bookish artistic endeavors will be on view from this vibrant and eclectic group.

In the House of the Mineral Spirits “Closing Party” sponsored by Grain Belt Beer with guest appearance by Jennifer Markey and the Tennessee Snowpants

Thu, 17 Feb 2011 17:47:56 -0500

Please join me for the Closing Party of “In the House of the Mineral Spirits” at Susan Hensel Gallery, with guest appearance by Jennifer Markey and the Tennessee Snowpants. They will play a set beginning at 8:00 p.m.

See you there.

When: February 25th 6:30-10:00 p.m.

Where: Susan Hensel Gallery 3441 Cedar Ave South – Minneapolis, MN
Tel. 612-722-2324 Web site. www.susanhenselgallery.com

IN THE HOUSE OF THE MINERAL SPIRITS Susan Hensel Gallery Minneapolis, MN

Tue, 30 Nov 2010 19:59:38 -0500

IN THE HOUSE OF THE MINERAL SPIRITS

January 14 - February 28, 2011

Opening January 14, 6-10 p.m. performance 7:00 p.m.

In the House of the Mineral Spirits is a play on words and meanings. The idea of the house is a metaphor of one’s inner-self. “We all have spirits, ghosts, even demons that haunt us in our past, present, and future. The mineral spirits are poison, alcohol, things that evaporate. They are ethereal and clear.”

Dean Ebben’s work always begins as a biographical narrative, taking on a life of its own, building with the response of the viewers. He sees this show as a “wisdom work," seeking wisdom through the exploration of ideas, materials, mythology, and narrative. By using his own observations and experiences in a subtle visual context, he requires the viewers to look carefully and ask themselves what they find significant.

Ebben draws in multi-media; he works with line and gestures through video, handmade paper, cyanotype, and gouache in a way that is about process and discovery. In this show you will see performance, video installation, artists’ books, sculpture, gouache paintings, and cyanotype. Ebben grew up in the Twin Cities, graduated from Massachusetts College of Art and Pratt Institute.

Press:

City Pages January, 12th 2011

Coco Mault at the City Pages

Jessica Armbruster at the City Pages

Blog:

The Museum Junkie

Performance

Bound is a performance about conflict between being bound and the freedom that we search for.

There are a few definitions of bound: The past tense of bind; Being obliged to do something or behave in a certain way for legal or moral reasons; To move quickly and energetically, with large strides or jump; Traveling toward a particular place; To form the boundary to an area or site; Or to impose limits on something.

All of these definitions hold true in this performance.

Performers:

Tom Evans: Lives in New York City he is the assistant to the artist and has hitched himself to a runaway train.

MC Hyland: Poet MC Hyland’s chapbooks include “Every Night in Magic City” (H_NGM_N, 2010), “Residential, As In” (Blue Hour Press, 2009) and “the hesitancies” (Small Fires Press, 2006, with Kate Lorenz and Friedrich Kerksieck). Her first full-length collection, “Neveragainland,” is forthcoming this winter from Lowbrow Press.
Hyland lives in Minneapolis, where she runs DoubleCross Press and the Pocket Lab Reading Series and works as an administrator and occasional letterpress instructor at the Minnesota Center for Book Arts.

Jennifer Markey: Country singer-songwriter Jennifer Markey can frequently be seen playing with her band, the Tennessee Snowpants, at clubs around the Twin Cities. They put out two albums in 2010; "We're All Going To Hell!" and "The Sparta Session." They will be back in the studio in summer 2011 to record their third release.

Nancy Morris: Lives in Minneapolis she is multi talented as a musician and a visual artist. She has sparkle and charm!

Jon Wickham: Northeast Minneapolis resident Jon Wickham has lived in Minnesota all his life; he grew up in a small agricultural community but moved to the city in 1992 and has been around the local music scene for many years. In his spare time he enjoys gardening and riding his motorcycle. This is his first time participating in performance art.

WHAT:
IN THE HOUSE OF THE MINERAL SPIRITS
Video Installation, performance, sculpture, and works on paper By Dean Ebben

WHEN:
January 14-February 28, 2011
Reception: Friday, January 14, 6-10pm
Performance at @ 7pm, Jan 14

WHERE:
Susan Hensel Gallery
3441 Cedar Ave S
Minneapolis, MN

CONTACT:
Susan Hensel 612 722-2324

Trails and Parallels

Thu, 10 Jun 2010 22:12:29 -0400

The opening of Trails and Parallels had an energetic turn out, it also landed on a full moon which was very exciting. I had a great time with everyone out on the great planes of Western Minnesota.

I want to thank a bunch of people who helped make this exhibition happen. Father Robert Koopmann,
OSB President of Saint John’s University, Tracy Dietzel Director of Exhibitions, Lezlee Hardie Gallery Assistant, and everyone in Fine Arts Programing for their dedication to the arts. I would like to thank Aki Shibata for collaborating with me and performing This is Not How You Thought it Would Be. Aki is part of a collective Grace Minnesota who’s collaborative work attends to the inner, natural, and civic life, creating personal practice and collective experiences. Thank you to Sylvia and Emily at Painters Forum in NYC for their generosity and expertise with cutting vinyl for Ridding the Rails and Dan Fruend with his expertise in design. I would also like to thank the Outpost in Brooklyn for all their video know-how. Finely I would like to thank my family and friends for all your support.

This is Not How You Thought it Would Be Performed by Dean Ebben and Aki Shibata at Saint John’s University, Collegeville, MN

Thu, 27 May 2010 00:00:00 -0400

For me art making and life seem to go hand-in-hand, there is less definition between making things and going about my daily life. Similar to the cyanotype that is recording the day in which it was made, much of what I make has an imprint of what was going on at the time.

I made a homemade loom that hung from my kitchen counter for about two months. I wove in the mornings when it was quiet and my mind was clear, at night when I could not sleep, and in the evenings as an escape from the day. “This is Not How You Thought it Would Be” is a 20’ X 3’ plastic weaving, which lays on the floor in the gallery. It is a record of what went on during those two months. Aki Shibata performed with the weaving by rolling herself up, while I played silverware on the floor. Aki made her own contribution to the piece and added to the history while she bound herself and unbound herself.

Similar Journeys on different paths By Marianne Combs

Wed, 19 May 2010 23:10:59 -0400

Posted at 3:20 PM on May 19, 2010 by Marianne Combs (0 Comments)  Filed under: Galleries

The College of St. Benedict and St. John's University in Collegeville present "Trails and Parallels", twenty-eight works by artist Dean Ebben. Ebben (a Minnesota native who now lives in New York) creates fragmented visual narratives that offer various paths for the viewer to explore, whether it's through video, prints, or sculpture. Ebben says he's attempting to put the audience in his own footsteps and then have them make parallels to their own lives.
Trails tend to wind through a place, some over grown and dangerous, some manicured and well traveled. Trails often disappear and reappear over time. Parallels run in straight or curved lines. They travel in unison, always the same, along the equator or in our cities and maps. I find that my ideas and experiences have this duality.

"Trails and Parallels" brings together a series of works that span six years, constructed through whatever means possible to convey a particular ideas. The most ethereal of those works might be the blue and white cyanotypes.
Cyanotype is a non-silver photo process and is one of the first forms of photography. I use the sun to expose the image on sensitized paper or fabric. I use objects to create a resist to light. Cyanotype is great because it is recording the rotation of the earth through the shadows of the objects that are being used as a resist to light. The object leaves an ambiguous image, which I have juxtaposed with text or video.
 For me art making and life seem to go hand-in-hand; there is less definition between making things and going about my daily life. Similar to the cyanotype that is recording the day in which it was made, much of what I make has an imprint of what was going on at the time.

  Brooklyn Bridge, 2006

In the 15-minute video "Brooklyn Bridge" a simple walk becomes an almost Herculean task. The subject of the video is wearing shoes that are affixed to large buckets, forcing him to take arduous steps as he traverses the bridge. Ebben says he imagines the "bucket walker" to be not unlike the Greek character Sisyphus who is eternally pushing a boulder uphill. The bucket walker makes his way south through Queens and Brooklyn until he reaches the Brooklyn Bridge to begin his walk again, forever creating this pattern.

Ebben says his performance and video work tend to put the performer in a compromised situation. Performers in his videos are often times asked to complete a task that was awkward and imposed. Ebben says while the performers may feel uncomfortable in the situation, they often make some personal discoveries in the process.

They are put in a situation they normally don't find themselves; yet they often adapt to the situation. Walking with the buckets becomes easier, maybe less or more painful. People reflect on their own abilities. It changes peoples perspectives and how they perceive themselves.

Often times Ebben's imagery involves binding his feet or his hands. Other pieces in the exhibition include a woven tapestry, a ladder made from canes and a series of guache paintings. The exhibition runs May 27 - July 22 in the Alice R. Rogers and Target Galleries on the College of St. Benedict and St. John's University campus.

Trails and Parallels May 27th - July 22nd 2010 Saint John’s University Collegeville, MN

Thu, 15 Apr 2010 20:19:29 -0400

For Immediate Release

Dean Ebben: Trails and Parallels May 27th – July 22nd , 2010
Opening Reception May 27th 4 – 7p.m.
Alice R. Rogers and Target Galleries at Saint John’s University Collegeville, MN
Curated by Tracy Dietzel

Saint John’s University is pleased to present Trails and Parallels, twenty-eight works by New York City artist Dean Ebben. Ebben’s fragmented visual narratives offer trails and parallels to a mythical and deeper dialogue with the viewer. His conceptual explorations of boundaries traverse the fringe of the human psyche through prints, artists’ books, video, sculpture and performance art.

Trails and Parallels brings together a series of works that span six years, all of which are woven into many layers representing the human condition. Ebben is looking for ways to understand his surroundings, his own existence, and to get lost on his own trail. He creates many small narratives that develop into a larger idea. Ebben continually explores ideas of boundaries and limitations. His work is constructed in many different mediums; the main objective is to convey an idea through whatever means possible.

Brooklyn Bridge (2006) is a 15-minute, single channel video that takes on a vastly public spectacle. The bucket walker’s arduous walk spans the bridge, never stopping. Ebben imagines the bucket walker on a continual walk (not unlike the Greek myth of Sisyphus pushing the boulder) as the bucket walker turns right and walks up East Broadway crossing the Queen’s borough bridge. The bucket walker makes his way south through Queens and Brooklyn until he reaches the Brooklyn Bridge to begin his walk again, forever creating this pattern.

Riding the Rails (2010) is a 14’ X 18” sculpture made up of over thirty walking canes, which he scavenged and collected from people. Ebben has assembled the collection of found canes into a ladder. Ebben states, “There is a lot of irony in a ladder made of canes.” Canes are a signifier, which are immediately recognized and carry a lot of meaning. Ebben sees the cane as a representation of autonomy, giving the user power. The canes are imbued with a mythical power carrying the weight and burden of its user. Attached to the wall directly behind the canes is a reflective quilt pattern titled Jacob’s Ladder. This is a 20th Century quilt pattern, however, it has taken on it’s own mythology and has often been associated with the Underground Railroad. It also has been called Road to California, Off to San Francisco, Gone to Chicago, Stepping Stones and Trail of the Covered Wagon. All of these titles refer to going somewhere.

SJU Art Gallery Hours:
Monday – Sunday: noon – 6:00p.m. Thursday: Noon – 9:00p.m.
www.csbsju.edu (click Art and Culture)

For additional information contact: 320-363-5792

Also Check Out:

Hill Museum & Manuscript Library

The Hill Museum & Manuscript Library (HMML), home of The Saint John's Bible, is located in the Bush Center at Saint John's University in Collegeville, Minnesota. The main entrance to the library is by stairs. If anyone in your party requires a non-stair accessible entrance, please contact Jill Dubbeldee Kuhn at (320) 363-3514 to make arrangements.
 HMML and the HMML gift shop are open weekdays 8:00 am to 4:30 pm and Saturdays between Memorial Day and Christmas, noon to 4:00 pm. The Gallery and The Saint John's Bible display are free of charge and open to the public during regular business hours. Walk-ins are welcomed, but we ask that large groups schedule in advance by calling Jill Dubbeldee Kuhn at (320) 363-3514
Web site: www.hmml.org

Saint John’s Arboretum

Saint John's Arboretum encompasses over 2700 acres settled by Benedictine monks in 1864. Since its founding, the abbey has been guided by the Benedictine principles of stability, hospitality, and stewardship. In 1997, this longstanding principle of stewardship led the monks to designate the lands of Saint John's a natural arboretum. Saint John's Arboretum is advantageously located in the unique area of terminal moraines (glacial deposits) that distinguish central Minnesota. The varied terrain and its location between the hardwoods and prairies creates considerable diversity in the habitats found there.

Web site: www.csbsju.edu/arboretum/

Check out this great write-up on:
Minnesota Public Radio
Similar journeys, on different paths
By Marianne Combs

http://minnesota.publicradio.org/collections/special/columns/state-of-the-arts/archive/2010/05/dean-ebben.shtml

Altered Religious Texts, Reception Museum of Biblical Art, New York City July 30th, 2009

Mon, 7 Sep 2009 18:34:07 -0400

Altered Religious Texts at Mobia, NYC

Thu, 30 Jul 2009 18:48:13 -0400

Museum of Biblical Art
1865 Broadway at 61st Street
New York, NY 10023-7505
Telephone: 212-408-1500 Fax: 212-408-1292
E-mail: info@mobia.org web site: www.mobia.org

MOBIA is open six days a week: Tuesday - Wednesday: 10 am - 6 pm 
Thursday: 10 am - 8 pm Friday - Sunday: 10 am - 6 pm

For Immediate Release

Altered Religious Texts
Curated by Paul Tabor
June 5 - September 27, 2009
Reception July 30, 2009 6-8 pm

Altered Religious Texts, on display in MOBIA's Education Gallery June 5th through September 27, explores the ways in which artists use the very pages of inspiring texts as the "canvas" for their work. Join the artists to celebrate and discuss their works with food and wine July 30th 6 – 8 pm

Spare Times: For Children, New York Times

Mon, 17 Nov 2008 22:33:26 -0500

November 14, 2008

Spare Times: For Children
By LAUREL GRAEBER
FOR CHILDREN

CHAGALL CELEBRATIONS (Saturday and Sunday) The figures in Chagall’s art often look transported — literally — on flights of fancy. This weekend children will make some imaginative journeys of their own as two museums offer programs based on his work. On Saturday the Museum of Biblical Art presents “Traveling With Chagall,” at noon and 3 p.m., workshops in which young visitors will make picture books inspired by the exhibition “Chagall’s Bible: Mystical Storytelling.” Working with the artist Dean Ebben, they will record their own adventures. (The program will be repeated on Jan. 11.) At 1865 Broadway, at 61st Street, mobia.org; $5 a person or $15 a family; free for members. Reservations required: (212) 408-1500. On Sunday the Jewish Museum will host Chagall and the Theater Family Day, with activities springing from the show “Chagall and the Artists of the Russian Jewish Theater, 1919-1949.” The afternoon will include performances by Jukebox Radio, a stage troupe that will bring Chagall’s work to life with music and puppets; art workshops to make puppets and folklore-inspired paper cuts; and opportunities to dress as Chagall’s characters. Noon to 4 p.m., 1109 Fifth Avenue, at 92nd Street, (212) 423-3337, thejewishmuseum.org. Free with admission: $12; $10 for 65+; $7.50 for students; free for under 12 and members.