Issue 1 / Object Envy

ISSUE Nยบ1 OBJECT ENVY WINTER 2011

ISSUE Nยบ1 OBJECT

T ENVY WINTER 2011

Object Envy

Written by Kristen Moreau Environment curated by Mar del Plata Art Shop Photos taken by Mike Marino and Yesica Mastromano Graphic Design by Kris Tsai.

G

old-painted branches and giant cobalt triangles insert bright jolts of color into an unkempt industrial courtyard.

T

he city of Mar del Plata was the trigger that framed our concept. It’s a city that cradled the elite holiday makers from Buenos Aires in the Belle Epoque.

W

e are fusing exclusive and the mass-produced.

Our works are installations.

The shapes, textures, colors and objects are timeless.

A

rt Shop Mar del Plata is a shop for art, but not necessarily a gallery.

T

he objects are “stand-outs.”

They’re things that would have been eternally special on the shelf of a house, and one day they are abandoned.

W

e re-invent and create a related yet new environment.

This environment creates a significance for each object.

O

ur relationships to different fields within the arts, design and architecture existed prior to the development of this new venture.

Mar del Plata arises from our work in other areas.

W

e’ve reformulated the concept of extravagance & opulence which existed in times past.

Read the full interview for Juanele

by Kristen Moreau.

Gold-painted branches and giant cobalt triangles insert bright jolts of color into an unkempt industrial courtyard. A dozen or so artists, designers, and photog raphers buzz about the concrete, tweaking and photog raphing five concurrent, temporary installations. Aduki spots me and sheepishly grins. “Could we use your hand in this shot?�

John Mc Cam and Maximiliano Aduki are masterminding a photoshoot for their newest project, Art Shop Mar del Plata. As I pose to pick up a small silver deer in an installation, I can see the artists concentrate as they assess the installation’s composition.

As the sun sets, I have a chance to sit down with the artists to chat about their latest endeavor.

Juanele: So, how did it all start?

John Mc Cam: We knew each other through a mutual friend. We knew each other’s work and intentions, and we decided to fuse our styles to create something new. I was working as a curator at a very eclectic art space where I had contact with many artists and characters in the arts.

Maximiliano Aduki: I was coordinating my own gallery. We share a visual

sensibility. John was immersed in large format abstract painting with modern colors. I was building site-specific installations. The concept is to accept art as a product and thereby generate new venues for the sale and use of art.

Juanele: You identify as a shop-what is the shop selling?

John: Art Shop Mar del Plata is a shop for art, but not necessarily a gallery.

Aduki: We conceive and execute temporary works to be offered for sale as a collection. It is a place to buy an “aesthetic”

for a house, for a set, for a brand, for oneself. reformulated the concept of extravagance and opulence which existed in times past.

Juanele: What is the identity of Mar del We’re fusing the exclusive and the massPlata you want to share with the world? produced. Our works are installations.

With a liaison in Oslo, Norway, you The shapes, textures, colors and objects must feel your image is international. are timeless.

John: Oslo is emerging as our first Link John: The city of Mar del Plata was to the global community. It’s a sort of the trigger that framed our concept. “mobile” foreign news broadcast for us.

It’s a city that cradled the elite holidaymakers from Buenos Aires in the Belle Epoque. Today it presents the ruined beauty which survives mixed with the industrial development which followed.

Aduki: Both from Mar del Plata, we’ve º

Juanele: You like to use found ob- linked. It’s the value of the irreplaceable. jects in your works, “ready-mades.”

What sorts of qualities do you look for Juanele: What is your relationship with street when you are searching for new pieces? artists, for example, when you participated in Pop Up Galleries? With galleries? DeJohn: The objects are “stand-outs.” signers? You seem like quite a combination.

They’re things that would have been eternally special on the shelf of a Aduki: Our relationships to different house, and one day they are abandoned. fields within the arts, design and archiAduki: They are former protagonists. We tecture existed prior to the development re-invent and create a related yet new en- of this new venture. Mar del Plata arises vironment. This environment creates a from our work in other areas. We both had significance for each object. This is our similar experiences and roles within those installation process — a communica- worlds, and current collaborations are tion between objects that are somehow just the result of combining our contacts.

John: With Mar del Plata, we focus on when we produce, when we project ideas, and when we trade our products.

Juanele: What kinds of projects are coming up next for Art Shop Mar del Plata?

John: We have exhibitions planned in the next six months, some projects for brands and others in galleries. In September, we’ll be contributing to a promotional urban art event for Johnson & Johnson.

Aduki: We are also anticipating the launch of our showroom and the launch of our online art shop.