KAC Links Invitational

info | images | artists

The KAC Links Invitational

                The KAC Links Invitational brings together a group of 12 artists to transform the KAC Gallery into a playable, nine-hole miniature golf course. Working within loosely defined boundaries, the artists respond to notions of accessibility, sport, and the balance between art and entertainment. The exhibition aims to connect a wider audience to contemporary art practices by challenging visitors directly with something partially familiar. By adhering (mostly) to an established format and set of rules, this exhibition already meets even the most distant arts participant half way.

                The KAC Links Invitational also parallels the arena of art with that of sport. Both share qualities of a game or contest: practice, competition, audience, judgment, awards, and celebrity- to name a few. Both have heroes and villains, immortality for innovators, contempt for "selling out", and countless individuals analyzing and interpreting every move. What does Ichiro's pre-season swing say about rest of his season? What does the recent Whitney Biennial say about cultural currents? While some comparisons may be easy to make, others are less so, although perhaps more interesting. Ultimately, sports are about winning. One team or individual surpasses another, and is rewarded. Sports are necessarily goal oriented, resulting in thrilling exclamations such as, "Touchdown!", "Home Run!", or appropriately, "Goal!”, to celebrate the achievement. Competition between teams and individuals to take first place is an essential part of the excitement surrounding any sport, and encourages a continual desire for improvement.

                Similarly, the art world celebrates the "new" as artists are revered for effectively building upon (or tearing down) the framework of ideas of their predecessors. This push for new ideas and methods encourages innovation in an effort to perpetually understand what it means to be "now." Art movements have long reflected philosophical trends and developments as human beings continue to ponder life's meaning. Is it then fair to compare art with sport, in the context of a goal-oriented pursuit? If an art experience can elevate an individual's understanding of self and their environment, then how does one's experience with an art object differ from that of trying to hit a 90 mph slider into the center field seats? Both have a great capacity for either sublime resolve or painful disappointment. Thankfully, even the most antagonistic artwork won't cause a concussion. The KAC Links Invitational does not pretend to resolve these questions, but rather invites the audience to "play through" some of these considerations.

                Rather than admire from a distance, the audience is asked to participate hands-on. “Please don’t touch” becomes, “Please step inside”, offering a welcoming alternative to the way we perceive contemporary art and a game of golf. The KAC Links Invitational plays with the balance between art and entertainment, while addressing questions about an artwork's functionality: Does an artwork lose its conceptual weight if it has an identifiable utilitarian function, rather than a purely intellectual one? Or can both be enhanced through a thoughtful negotiation of purpose and content? The resulting experience for the viewer/participant will be a negotiation of form, function, fun and frustration; while the relationship between audience members becomes potentially competitive. All of this is par for the course.

Cable Griffith
Curator