BRIAN GONZALEZ/TAXIPLASM: THE STANDARD PROJECTION
Press Release
In January of 2013, artist Brian Gonzalez (aka Taxiplasm)’s video work, Stasis, was part of Times Square’s “Midnight Moment”, a synchronized art program that canvased the massive digital screens for three minutes each night. Gonzalez has taken three moments and expanding them to 24 hours, 7 days a week, the latest from Art Production Fund’s 24/7 Projection series shown exclusively in the lobby and in-room at The Standard, Hollywood.
Stasis is in many ways inspired by NASA photographs of supernovas, cosmic collisions and stellar patterns across the universe. The way gases majestically interact with one another feels incredibly similar to imagery of organic fluids in the propagation of all life here on Earth, as if parts of the universe were dancing with one another to create a new kind of offspring. By simulating such patterns and shapes we can come to understand the patterns of our cosmic ancestors, and thus get closer to understanding ourselves.
Socrates was dubbed the original gadfly during the trial that ultimately lead to his execution for provoking his community and students to think for themselves. From birth to death, this piece echoes the spirit of such a community that calls for a gadfly. A figure is initially lead by his heart, weak, yet fresh and uncontaminated at first. Gradually he grows to only reflect his makers who have conditioned him until he painfully reveals his own face to himself, a process which although liberating, leaves him colorless, with a blackened heart.
Brian Gonzalez (aka Taxiplasm) graduated with honors from the School of Visual Arts as the winner of Outstanding Cinematography Class of 2009 (awarded by Robert Elswit, ASC) and has garnered numerous accolades from Sundance Film Festival, SXSW, Art Basel Miami Beach, Lincoln Center’s Dance On Camera, NYC’s Armory Arts Week, The Robert Wilson Watermill Center for Performance and more. Since, Gonzalez has created multi- disciplinary video works with Untitled Magazine, Atlantic Records, Chimera Music, renowned performance artists Sarah Small, Seanna Sharpe and more, along with ContaminateNYC creating multi-sensory interactive installation experiences. Recently Gonzalez showed a 16-screen video installation in Times Square, the largest coordinated effort by sign operators in history, part of the Times Square Alliance, every night for the month of January 2013. Currently Gonzalez is co-directing a feature length documentary with Sean Ono Lennon chronicling legendary Avant-garde designers threeASFOUR and continues to design hyper-conceptual cathartic experiences.
Text via The Standard Hotel
