Amy Yao Work | Artist Statement & CV | Return to Artist List
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Artist Statement
What does it mean?; Color use in the man-made environment,
workplace, industry, hospitals etc. What is it they represent? He said: “Color is like politics.” These religions—everyone has their own physiological, visual psycho-diagnostic testing, art nightmare. I, however, try to under-go ergonomic, neuro-psychological, marketing, philosophy (and psychosomatic aspects of ornithology)— in short the universe! Famed Faber Birren during the 2nd World War was able to reduce the accident rate in American factories for the guests! While the men went to war, women went to work.
——————————————————-
Script for GHOST OF BIRTHDAYS PAST
** Characters: Ghost, Narrator(optional), Amy, Jacob
Ghost blows up balloons with helium (both regular and the kind used for balloon animals) during the performance, hands them to Jacob who then makes balloon animals, ties them to a string and then ties fake vegetables to the balloon. Jacob also knock on and opens and closes doors and “decorates” the space with balloons.
eventually, when enough balloons have been blown up, ghost smokes a cigarette (cigarette break). Then when queued, ghost destroys the balloons.
———
(GHOST WALKS IN, walks around and then begins blowing up balloons)
(Someone from the audience boos the ghost)
(Jacob and Amy enter, Amy has a knife in hand)
Jacob (loudly as he enters the room): It was a jamboree. The hi’s the lows, everyday was discounted…Downgraded to a depression.
(J & A sit down)
(Amy reads lines from her cell phone, looking at the ghost)
Amy: I just bought some Metallic sandals. They have the perfect summer glow. Starting with an easy, summer silhouette. A glamourous coat of burnished bronze, of sparkly silver. They are like a hive of silvery bees.
(Ghost looking at Amy nods head sympathetically)
This new house is going to be great! as long as it doesn’t catch on fire. It has so much promise. I know it’s winter and supposed to snow tonight and the skylight has a big hole in it, but things could not be better in some ways. Everything we have, I have to forget how badly I wanted it in the beginning…
(cuts onion open, puts it to her face and pretends to cry while saying her next lines)
I saw on the news that a man was mugged by gunpoint in Milwaukee last year during Veterans Day. When the bandits found his military ID, the robber thanked the young man, apologized and told the others to return his stuff. The leader of the pack then gave the victim a quick fist bump and took off.
Narrator/ Jacob: First youth, then silver sneakers, what’s next?!
Amy: It’s like the rug made out of the furs of exotic cats and animals from around the world. Scalloped edges, details like fleur de lys made out of tiger fur. The kind of rug the avant garde used to chill on while holding their extreme “salons.” It’s like that… but happening NOW. 2010!
(gets up and sings to an audience member)
NY NY, big city of dreams,
And everything in NY ain’t always what it seems
You might get fooled if you come from out of town…
(pause, still facing audience)
Are your children being bit by rats?
Pollution so thick, it’s like second hand smoke when you walk out of Barneys… ?
I promise to clean up this city if you vote for me!
(Ghost takes cigarette break)
(amy helps jacob with balloons)
(jacob gets up and opens the door.)
Amy (as she opens a door, knocks on doors): hmmm…
(back and forth twice, more opening and closing of doors)
Amy (as she sits down): Well guess what? All the books you read won’t save you from yourself…
Jacob: (laughs… can be behind the door. then sits back down at table)
Ghost: Another Masterpiece!
Amy: Life, a jacuzzi of emotions. (to the audience) Come on in, the water’s warm!
(ghost begins to pop balloons with lit cigarette casually…)
Amy: The dirt is brown and slightly moist. Pine perfumes and bark is everywhere. I couldn’t put it down, I kept reading. Chimes rang. Time got put into the day. Stillness became wind. I turned to her expressionless face…
Jacob (to the ghost): what a way to die!
(Ghost chases Amy out of the room, Jacob follows)
What does it mean?; Color use in the man-made environment,
workplace, industry, hospitals etc. What is it they represent? He said: “Color is like politics.” These religions—everyone has their own physiological, visual psycho-diagnostic testing, art nightmare. I, however, try to under-go ergonomic, neuro-psychological, marketing, philosophy (and psychosomatic aspects of ornithology)— in short the universe! Famed Faber Birren during the 2nd World War was able to reduce the accident rate in American factories for the guests! While the men went to war, women went to work.
——————————————————-
Script for GHOST OF BIRTHDAYS PAST
** Characters: Ghost, Narrator(optional), Amy, Jacob
Ghost blows up balloons with helium (both regular and the kind used for balloon animals) during the performance, hands them to Jacob who then makes balloon animals, ties them to a string and then ties fake vegetables to the balloon. Jacob also knock on and opens and closes doors and “decorates” the space with balloons.
eventually, when enough balloons have been blown up, ghost smokes a cigarette (cigarette break). Then when queued, ghost destroys the balloons.
———
(GHOST WALKS IN, walks around and then begins blowing up balloons)
(Someone from the audience boos the ghost)
(Jacob and Amy enter, Amy has a knife in hand)
Jacob (loudly as he enters the room): It was a jamboree. The hi’s the lows, everyday was discounted…Downgraded to a depression.
(J & A sit down)
(Amy reads lines from her cell phone, looking at the ghost)
Amy: I just bought some Metallic sandals. They have the perfect summer glow. Starting with an easy, summer silhouette. A glamourous coat of burnished bronze, of sparkly silver. They are like a hive of silvery bees.
(Ghost looking at Amy nods head sympathetically)
This new house is going to be great! as long as it doesn’t catch on fire. It has so much promise. I know it’s winter and supposed to snow tonight and the skylight has a big hole in it, but things could not be better in some ways. Everything we have, I have to forget how badly I wanted it in the beginning…
(cuts onion open, puts it to her face and pretends to cry while saying her next lines)
I saw on the news that a man was mugged by gunpoint in Milwaukee last year during Veterans Day. When the bandits found his military ID, the robber thanked the young man, apologized and told the others to return his stuff. The leader of the pack then gave the victim a quick fist bump and took off.
Narrator/ Jacob: First youth, then silver sneakers, what’s next?!
Amy: It’s like the rug made out of the furs of exotic cats and animals from around the world. Scalloped edges, details like fleur de lys made out of tiger fur. The kind of rug the avant garde used to chill on while holding their extreme “salons.” It’s like that… but happening NOW. 2010!
(gets up and sings to an audience member)
NY NY, big city of dreams,
And everything in NY ain’t always what it seems
You might get fooled if you come from out of town…
(pause, still facing audience)
Are your children being bit by rats?
Pollution so thick, it’s like second hand smoke when you walk out of Barneys… ?
I promise to clean up this city if you vote for me!
(Ghost takes cigarette break)
(amy helps jacob with balloons)
(jacob gets up and opens the door.)
Amy (as she opens a door, knocks on doors): hmmm…
(back and forth twice, more opening and closing of doors)
Amy (as she sits down): Well guess what? All the books you read won’t save you from yourself…
Jacob: (laughs… can be behind the door. then sits back down at table)
Ghost: Another Masterpiece!
Amy: Life, a jacuzzi of emotions. (to the audience) Come on in, the water’s warm!
(ghost begins to pop balloons with lit cigarette casually…)
Amy: The dirt is brown and slightly moist. Pine perfumes and bark is everywhere. I couldn’t put it down, I kept reading. Chimes rang. Time got put into the day. Stillness became wind. I turned to her expressionless face…
Jacob (to the ghost): what a way to die!
(Ghost chases Amy out of the room, Jacob follows)
CV
AMY YAO
Born 1977, Los Angeles, CA. Lives and works in New York City, NY
EDUCATION
2007 Yale University School of Art, MFA, Sculpture, New Haven, CT
1999 Art Center College of Design, BFA with Honors, Fine Art/ Digital Media, Pasadena, CA
SOLO EXHIBITIONS
2010
Rats!!, Green Gallery, Milwaukee, WI (August)
Swap Meet (in collaboration with Wendy Yao), High Desert Test Sites HQ, Joshua Tree, CA (October)
2007
MFA Thesis Exhibition, Green Hall Gallery, Yale School of Art, New Haven, CT
1999
Fuck Freshman, Art Center Gallery, Pasadena, CA
SELECTED GROUP EXHIBITIONS
2010
Greater New York, P.S.1/ Museum of Modern Art, New York, NY
Seat-of-the-pants, Museum 52, New York, NY
Held Up By Columns, Renwick Gallery, New York, NY
Habitat (Some Pleasures and Discomforts of Domestic Life), Twenty First/ Twenty First Gallery, New York, NY
Come to My Opening!, Jack Hanley Gallery, NY
COOL ART, Stand Up Comedy & Portland Institute for Contemporary Art, Portland, OR
Us and Them, a project in 2 parts, MRFA, New York, NY
Is a Rusted Petticoat Enough to Bring it Down to Earth?, Jack Hanley Gallery, New York, NY
2009
Objects, Furniture and Patterns, Art Since the Summer of ‘69, New York, NY
Out of Order, Edlin Gallery, New York, NY
(Untitled), Cave Gallery, Detroit, MI
The Living and the Dead, Gavin Brown’s Enterprise, New York, NY
A Song For Those In Search Of What They Came With, Bellwether, New York, NY
Everything Must Out Going!!!, Asia Song Society, New York, NY
No Soul For Sale (B’L’ing), Rhizome/ X Initiative, New York, NY
1999, China Art Objects/ Cottage Home, Los Angeles, CA
The Longest Train I Ever Saw, Rachel Uffner Gallery, New York, NY
2008
Presents, Rowley Kennerk Gallery, Chicago, IL
B’L’ing HQ (collaboration with Anne Eastman and Chris Moukarbel), Art in General, New York, NY
High Desert Test Sites 08/ California Biennial, Joshua Tree, CA.
Dark Fair, Swiss Institute, New York, NY
2007
Fractured in Aspect, Andrew Kreps Gallery, New York, NY
Googleplex/ Wu Tang, Passerby/ Gavin Brown Enterprise, New York, NY
First Look II, Hudson Valley Center for Contemporary Art, Peekskill, NY
Fake Space Space is a Place, Portland Institute of Contemporary Art, Portland, OR
The Great Society, University City Science Center, Esther M. Klein Art Gallery, Philadelphia, PA
High Desert Test Sites 06, Joshua Tree, CA
2006
Glitch, Los Angeles County Museum of Art, Los Angeles, CA
Heartfelt, 96 Gillespie, London, UK
Dreamscene, DubLab, Los Angeles, CA
High Desert Test Sites 05, Joshua Tree, CA
Second-Year MFA Exhibition, Yale School of Art Gallery, New Haven, CT
2005
ETC., Andrew Kreps Gallery, New York, NY
First-Year MFA Exhibition, Yale School of Art Gallery, New Haven, CT
2004
High Desert Test Sites 04 (Curated by Andrea Zittel and Shaun Regen), Joshua Tree, CA
Showdown! (Curated by Fritz Haeg), MAK Schindler House, Los Angeles, CA
Drunk vs. Stoned, Passerby/ Gavin Brown Enterprise, New York, NY
Four-Color Pen Show, Locust Projects/ General Store, Miami, FL
2003
Works for Giovanni, China Art Objects Galleries, Los Angeles, CA
2000
Democracy, (Curated by Andy Ouchi) Bradbury Building Gallery, Los Angeles, CA
Ladyfest, Olympia Ballroom, Olympia, WA
1999
(Group Show), Deep River, Los Angeles, CA
1998
Los Angeles Artists, (Curated by Giovanni Intra) Test Strip, Auckland, New Zealand
SCREENINGS/ PERFORMANCES
2010
The Horror Horoscope, New Jerseyy, Basel, Switzerland (Winter)
B’L’ing Trading Session, Ooga Booga Reading Room, Swiss Institute, New York, NY
Ghost of Birthdays Past (Happy Birthday Baby Boo!), Greater New York, P.S 1/ Museum of Modern Art, New York, NY
2009
Untitled performance with Jacob Robichaux, TACTO, Museum 52, New York, NY
What goes up must come down/ The Fall of Man, Sundown Salon Unfolding Archive, X Initiative, New York, NY
Confetti Caution/ Soft Violence, DiSoRgAnIzEd, Museum 52, New York, NY
2008
Performance with string, “…bell, string, whistle, cube…,” Museum 52, New York, NY
RGB/ Debate (B’L’ing), “Now’s the Time”, Anna Helwing Gallery, Los Angeles, CA
2007
Radio Daniele (Curated by Christopher Williams & John Kelsey), 1 hour music program made in collaboration with Wendy Yao in conjunction with Christopher Williams’ exhibition, GAM/ Bologna, Bologna, Italy
2004
D’Argento, Sundown Salon, MAK Schindler House, Los Angeles, CA
2001
Video Spill, Duncan Gallery, Stetson University, Deland, FL
BIBLIOGRAPHY
Chaplin, Julia. “Art Blooms in the California Desert,” The New York Times. April 21, 2006, p. D1.
Cornell, L., Massimiliano Gioni, and Laura Hoptman, eds. Younger Than Jesus Artist Directory. New York: New Museum & Phaidon Press, 2009.
Cotter, Holland. “Fractured in Aspect,” The New York Times. August 10, 2007: E31.
Dault, Julia. “Los Angeles”, Akimblog. March 12, 2009.
Escobedo Shepherd, Julianne. “NWS PRNT,” The Fader. No. 59 (January/ February 2009): p. 24.
Hainley, Bruce. “Vluchtige Notities – Los Angeles,” Metropolis M.com. December 2, 2007.
Howard, Christopher, “CAA Names 2006 Fellows,” CAA News. Vol. 31, no. 5 (September 2006): p. 3-6.
Krygier, Irit. “Report from L.A.,” Artnet.com. June 3, 1999.
Laird, Tessa. “Letter from L.A.,” Artnet.com. April 28, 1999.
Stark, Frances. “A Little Untoward History,” Recent Pasts: Art in Southern California from the 90’s to Now. Zurich: Jrp/Ringier, 2006.
Taft, Catherine. “Just Desert, Joshua Tree,” ArtForum.com, May 11, 2006.
Walleston, Aimee. “Now Showing/ Rites of Spring”, NYTimes.com - The Moment Blog. May 27, 2009.
Whitney, Eleanor. “Creating Space and Community: Riot Grrrl and Visual Art”, Venus Zine. October 22, 2008.
AMY YAO
Born 1977, Los Angeles, CA. Lives and works in New York City, NY
EDUCATION
2007 Yale University School of Art, MFA, Sculpture, New Haven, CT
1999 Art Center College of Design, BFA with Honors, Fine Art/ Digital Media, Pasadena, CA
SOLO EXHIBITIONS
2010
Rats!!, Green Gallery, Milwaukee, WI (August)
Swap Meet (in collaboration with Wendy Yao), High Desert Test Sites HQ, Joshua Tree, CA (October)
2007
MFA Thesis Exhibition, Green Hall Gallery, Yale School of Art, New Haven, CT
1999
Fuck Freshman, Art Center Gallery, Pasadena, CA
SELECTED GROUP EXHIBITIONS
2010
Greater New York, P.S.1/ Museum of Modern Art, New York, NY
Seat-of-the-pants, Museum 52, New York, NY
Held Up By Columns, Renwick Gallery, New York, NY
Habitat (Some Pleasures and Discomforts of Domestic Life), Twenty First/ Twenty First Gallery, New York, NY
Come to My Opening!, Jack Hanley Gallery, NY
COOL ART, Stand Up Comedy & Portland Institute for Contemporary Art, Portland, OR
Us and Them, a project in 2 parts, MRFA, New York, NY
Is a Rusted Petticoat Enough to Bring it Down to Earth?, Jack Hanley Gallery, New York, NY
2009
Objects, Furniture and Patterns, Art Since the Summer of ‘69, New York, NY
Out of Order, Edlin Gallery, New York, NY
(Untitled), Cave Gallery, Detroit, MI
The Living and the Dead, Gavin Brown’s Enterprise, New York, NY
A Song For Those In Search Of What They Came With, Bellwether, New York, NY
Everything Must Out Going!!!, Asia Song Society, New York, NY
No Soul For Sale (B’L’ing), Rhizome/ X Initiative, New York, NY
1999, China Art Objects/ Cottage Home, Los Angeles, CA
The Longest Train I Ever Saw, Rachel Uffner Gallery, New York, NY
2008
Presents, Rowley Kennerk Gallery, Chicago, IL
B’L’ing HQ (collaboration with Anne Eastman and Chris Moukarbel), Art in General, New York, NY
High Desert Test Sites 08/ California Biennial, Joshua Tree, CA.
Dark Fair, Swiss Institute, New York, NY
2007
Fractured in Aspect, Andrew Kreps Gallery, New York, NY
Googleplex/ Wu Tang, Passerby/ Gavin Brown Enterprise, New York, NY
First Look II, Hudson Valley Center for Contemporary Art, Peekskill, NY
Fake Space Space is a Place, Portland Institute of Contemporary Art, Portland, OR
The Great Society, University City Science Center, Esther M. Klein Art Gallery, Philadelphia, PA
High Desert Test Sites 06, Joshua Tree, CA
2006
Glitch, Los Angeles County Museum of Art, Los Angeles, CA
Heartfelt, 96 Gillespie, London, UK
Dreamscene, DubLab, Los Angeles, CA
High Desert Test Sites 05, Joshua Tree, CA
Second-Year MFA Exhibition, Yale School of Art Gallery, New Haven, CT
2005
ETC., Andrew Kreps Gallery, New York, NY
First-Year MFA Exhibition, Yale School of Art Gallery, New Haven, CT
2004
High Desert Test Sites 04 (Curated by Andrea Zittel and Shaun Regen), Joshua Tree, CA
Showdown! (Curated by Fritz Haeg), MAK Schindler House, Los Angeles, CA
Drunk vs. Stoned, Passerby/ Gavin Brown Enterprise, New York, NY
Four-Color Pen Show, Locust Projects/ General Store, Miami, FL
2003
Works for Giovanni, China Art Objects Galleries, Los Angeles, CA
2000
Democracy, (Curated by Andy Ouchi) Bradbury Building Gallery, Los Angeles, CA
Ladyfest, Olympia Ballroom, Olympia, WA
1999
(Group Show), Deep River, Los Angeles, CA
1998
Los Angeles Artists, (Curated by Giovanni Intra) Test Strip, Auckland, New Zealand
SCREENINGS/ PERFORMANCES
2010
The Horror Horoscope, New Jerseyy, Basel, Switzerland (Winter)
B’L’ing Trading Session, Ooga Booga Reading Room, Swiss Institute, New York, NY
Ghost of Birthdays Past (Happy Birthday Baby Boo!), Greater New York, P.S 1/ Museum of Modern Art, New York, NY
2009
Untitled performance with Jacob Robichaux, TACTO, Museum 52, New York, NY
What goes up must come down/ The Fall of Man, Sundown Salon Unfolding Archive, X Initiative, New York, NY
Confetti Caution/ Soft Violence, DiSoRgAnIzEd, Museum 52, New York, NY
2008
Performance with string, “…bell, string, whistle, cube…,” Museum 52, New York, NY
RGB/ Debate (B’L’ing), “Now’s the Time”, Anna Helwing Gallery, Los Angeles, CA
2007
Radio Daniele (Curated by Christopher Williams & John Kelsey), 1 hour music program made in collaboration with Wendy Yao in conjunction with Christopher Williams’ exhibition, GAM/ Bologna, Bologna, Italy
2004
D’Argento, Sundown Salon, MAK Schindler House, Los Angeles, CA
2001
Video Spill, Duncan Gallery, Stetson University, Deland, FL
BIBLIOGRAPHY
Chaplin, Julia. “Art Blooms in the California Desert,” The New York Times. April 21, 2006, p. D1.
Cornell, L., Massimiliano Gioni, and Laura Hoptman, eds. Younger Than Jesus Artist Directory. New York: New Museum & Phaidon Press, 2009.
Cotter, Holland. “Fractured in Aspect,” The New York Times. August 10, 2007: E31.
Dault, Julia. “Los Angeles”, Akimblog. March 12, 2009.
Escobedo Shepherd, Julianne. “NWS PRNT,” The Fader. No. 59 (January/ February 2009): p. 24.
Hainley, Bruce. “Vluchtige Notities – Los Angeles,” Metropolis M.com. December 2, 2007.
Howard, Christopher, “CAA Names 2006 Fellows,” CAA News. Vol. 31, no. 5 (September 2006): p. 3-6.
Krygier, Irit. “Report from L.A.,” Artnet.com. June 3, 1999.
Laird, Tessa. “Letter from L.A.,” Artnet.com. April 28, 1999.
Stark, Frances. “A Little Untoward History,” Recent Pasts: Art in Southern California from the 90’s to Now. Zurich: Jrp/Ringier, 2006.
Taft, Catherine. “Just Desert, Joshua Tree,” ArtForum.com, May 11, 2006.
Walleston, Aimee. “Now Showing/ Rites of Spring”, NYTimes.com - The Moment Blog. May 27, 2009.
Whitney, Eleanor. “Creating Space and Community: Riot Grrrl and Visual Art”, Venus Zine. October 22, 2008.
Documentation of performance titled “Ghost of Birthdays Past (Happy Birthday Baby Boo!)”, at P.S.1/ MOMA, 2010 * See Artist Statement for Script*
Ephemera from performance titled “Ghost of Birthdays Past (Happy Birthday Baby Boo!)”, at P.S.1/ MOMA, 2010* See Artist Statement for Script*
Anarchist Clowns Protesting at G8, no. 1-10, 2010Dimensions Variable (Each piece approx. 36"L)
Wood dowels, Acryla, dye, hair, string.
Anxiety of Influence: Cucumber, Anxiety of Influence: Sausage, and Dealing, Don’t Cry, (Installation view) 2010.(see below for details of dimension, materials, etc for individual pieces)
China’s Embrace and Anxiety of Influence: Banana (Installation view),2010.China’s Embrace: 36"W, Wood dowel, enamel paint, newspaper.
Anxiety of Influence: Banana: 5’H x 10"W x 10"D, Purple heart hardwood, steel, enamel paint, paper, US postal stamp, plexi-glass, powder coated steel, yellow compact florescent lightbulb, electrical wiring.
Anxiety of Influence: Cucumber, 201013"H x 14"L
Pine, steel, enamel paint, digital c-print, plexi-glass, green compact florescent lightbulb, electrical wiring.
Anxiety of Influence: Sausage, 2010.16"H x 10"W x 10"D
Zebrawood, steel, enamel paint, digital c-print, plexi-glass, red compact florescent lightbulb, electrical wiring.
An Enigma, An Enigma, 201036"L
Wood dowel, enamel paint, newspaper.
An Enigma, An Enigma (detail), 201036"L
Wood dowel, enamel paint, newspaper.
Entryways to Exit Strategies (installation view, photographs not included), 2010each door: 34-3/4"W x 84-1/4"H x 7-1/2"D
Pre hung hollow-core slab door, ink, Acryla, powdercoated hardware
Winds of Change, 201020” x 20” each
Oil on linen
Shake-Up America, 201036"L
Wood dowel, enamel paint, newspaper.
Shake-Up America (detail), 201036"L
Wood dowel, enamel paint, newspaper.
Anarchist Clowns Protesting at G8, no. 3-4 & 11-13, 2010Dimensions Variable (Each piece either 36"L or 48"L)
Wood dowels, Acryla, dye, hair, string.
Anarchist Clowns Protesting at G8, no. 3 & 4 (detail), 201036"L
Wood dowels, Acryla, dye, hair, string.
Anarchist Clowns Protesting at G8, no. 13 (detail), 201048"L
Wood dowels, Acryla, dye, hair, string.
Untitled (As seen through the reflection from an automobile, Soho, NY 2009), 201048"L x 20"H
Aluminum mounted c-print, Metal rail
Untitled (As seen through the reflection from an automobile, Soho, NY 2009, Detail), 201048"L x 20"H
Aluminum mounted c-print, Metal rail
Ephemera from performance with Jacob Robichaux, Los Angeles, 2009Dimensions Variable
Helium Balloons, String, Fringe