Paul McCarthy's Low Life Slow Life, Sanfrancisco 2009

PARTICIPATING ARTISTS: Guy Debord, Walt Disney, Valie Export, Howard Fried, Rachel Khedoori,
Kurt Kren, Maria Lassnig, Les Levine, Bruce Nauman, Dennis Oppenheim, Lil Picard, and Michael Snow.

Paul McCarthy’s Low Life Slow Life is an autobiographical exhibition that presents a diverse range of artists and artworks related to Paul McCarthy’s memories from his career. The second part of this two-part show centers on his years in Los Angeles from 1970 to the present and emphasizes the emergence of alternative performance practices, Conceptual art, installation art, and video art.

McCarthy's curatorial selections are eclectic and unconventional, deriving more from his personal recollections than from any historical, objective measure of artistic influence. Paul McCarthy’s Low Life Slow Life: Part 2 features works by Walt Disney, Howard Fried, Rachel Khedoori, Maria Lassnig, Dennis Oppenheim, and Lil Picard. It also includes an extensive film program including pieces by Guy Debord, Valie Export, Kurt Kren, Les Levine, Bruce Nauman, and Michael Snow. There will also be an evening of documentary films on the artists Boris Lurie and Lil Picard.

Although McCarthy did not achieve international recognition until the 1990s, he has been an influential figure on the art scene in California for over 30 years. His early performance work of the 1970s explored the body and sexuality. The intensity of these performances, which often included graphic depictions of taboo subjects, eventually led him to further explorations and exploitations of video and film, special effects, and large-scale installations as he continually strove to heighten the effect of his work. Today McCarthy is considered one of the most influential living American artists.

FILM SCREENINGS:
An extensive film program will accompany the exhibition including films by: Guy Debord, Valie Export, Kurt Kren, Les Levine, Bruce Nauman, and Michael Snow. For a complete list of films and screening times please visit www.wattis.org.
The lecture and the film screenings will take place at Timken Lecture Hall, California College of the Arts
1111 Eight Street, San Francisco, CA 94107 (16th Street and Wisconsin). Free Admission

Paul McCarthy’s Low Life Slow Life is curated by Paul McCarthy and is organized by Jens Hoffmann, Director CCA Wattis Institute, and Stacen Berg, Assistant Curator CCA Wattis Institute.

About the CCA Wattis Institute: The Wattis Institute for Contemporary Arts was established in 1998 in San Francisco at California College of the Arts. It serves as a forum for the presentation and discussion of international contemporary art and curatorial practice. Through groundbreaking exhibitions, the Capp Street Project residency program, lectures, symposia, and publications, the Wattis Institute has become one of the leading art institutions in the United States and an active site for contemporary culture in the Bay Area.
Founding support for CCA Wattis Institute for Contemporary Arts programs has been provided by Phyllis C. Wattis and Judy and Bill Timken. Generous support provided by the Phyllis C. Wattis Foundation, Grants for the Arts / San Francisco Hotel Tax Fund, Ann Hatch and Paul Discoe, and the CCA Curator’s Forum.

CCA Wattis Institute for Contemporary Arts
California College of the Arts
1111 Eighth Street
San Francisco CA 94107
T: 415.551.9210
www.wattis.org