#AVLGlimpes – Epi 1: “Premiere”

Instagram Post – September 21, 2023:

Hi all! This is the premiere of a thing I’m trying called #AVLglimpes – a series of curated unresolved thoughts/feelings. For epi 1, I’ve decided to look at the topic of the Premiere️: “the first public performance of a play, a film, an exhibition, or other type of entertainment.” I think the key word in this definition is “public” since the notion of a premiere does not effectively exist without an audience. (Or can it?) Notably, a premiere tends to mark the beginning of something without necessarily acknowledging what came before, leading me to wonder: What deserves or requires a premiere? I’ve selected a few of the earliest exhibited works from eight established artists; you’ll see that some work is actually from the series that they are most known, while other work is almost unrecognizable from their familiar practice. I’ve selected these artists to observe their early gestures and reflect on what it means to premiere in relation to a temporality/a lifespan/a career? How many times can one premiere?

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List of works:

Brian Jungen (b. 1953), “Prototype for New Understanding,” 1998, Nike Air Jordans, hair. Collection of Vancouver Art Gallery.

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Kara Walker (b. 1969), “Untitled (Follow Fodder),” 1994, ink on paper. Private Collection.

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Alexander Calder (b. 1898; d. 1976), “Romulus and Remus,” 1928, wire, wood. Collection of Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum.

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Ai Weiwei (b. 1957), “Profile of Marcel Duchamp,” 1985,
wire hanger on paper.

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Robert Smithson (b. 1938; d. 1973), “Homage to Vesalius,” 1961, gouache and ink on paper. Holt/Smith Foundation.

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Cindy Sherman (b. 1954), “Untitled Film Still #1,” 1977, gelatin silver print. Collection of Museum of Modern Art.

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Georgia O’Keefe (b. 1887; d. 1986), “Dead Rabbit with Copper Pot,” 1908, oil on canvas. Collection of the Art Students League of New York.

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