Rifugio:
“Its regular use when in Joshua Tree is a kind of
climber’s refuge and storage unit. With my Land Cruiser
I make a small encampment out of the station, sleeping in
the back of the truck and using the unit to keep gear for
climbing in the vicinity. It is also a convertible. When
required, it can be arranged for presentation in an exhibition
manner. A bit self-consciously, it converts to become something
like a 3-dimensional diagram. This diagram describes a conversation
between its use and a representation of that use. That is
to say, between something functional and an artwork. Here
is a key to reading it:
Eastern Theater: representation
Climber’s valise: A-Z Wagon Station modified with
cement veneer exterior wall panels. Interior is painted
with Gropius pink. The floor is a paraffin topography with
the impressions of climbing gear for storage. On the shelves
is the competing light source: to the left, a bifurcated
paraffin candle and on the right, a resin cast of the candle
illuminated with a small light bulb that plugs into the
Land Cruiser. From the open lip of the WS’s bonnet
hangs a two color, ripstop nylon, sunscreen fringe.
Western Theater: function
An ‘85 Land Cruiser Station Wagon with awning that
affixes to the unit. The interior is outfitted to sleep
on a bed of pink foam. When in exhibition manner the climbing
gear is arranged on the foam in the same pattern as the
wax impressions in the valise. Under the awning, between
the truck and the valise, the three rear panels of the WS
are configured into a delicate table, on top of which are
some dates. This presentation will be modified to reflect
local conditions.”
Chris James is a climber/artist working out of Los Angeles.
He launches projects from his half-acre art ranch in Los
Angeles known as the House of Lazy J, which includes several
residences and the 'Coy' citrus orchard. The current project,
called -gone wild, has artists producing work out of pre-existing
art, in a kind of recycling effort that among other things,
reduces total overall art product. He has been climbing
in the Joshua Tree vicinity for many years.
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