May 5 – June 9, 1979
Artists Space
William Leavitt:
Installation and Drawings
WILLIAM LEAVITT will show his first New York installation at Artists Space May 5 through June 9. Leavitt, who is well known in Los Angeles where he lives, also exhibits regularly in Europe.
The Artists Space installation is one of Leavitt's tableaux pieces that while self-contained, often become sets for actual plays or are projected as such. This "set" presents a partial interior of a night club with tables, chairs and other appropriate details as well as a painted backdrop view of an exterior city square or plaza complete with equestrian statue. A sound track of cafe conversation and music completes the atmospheric sense of place, time and ambience.
Also on view, will be ten pastel drawings of past and projected performances. Leavitt's social, cultural, and romantic views in photographs, films and video as well as in written texts and scripts that are part of his pieces will also be shown. Leavitt has presented two plays, The Lure of Silk in 1975 and Rain or Shine in 1977 at theatres in Los Angeles. In each, actors performed the parts Leavitt scripted while he directed and designed the exacting stage sets.
The cross discipline aspects of Leavitt's art are of special interest at this time. Artist performance is becoming increasingly eclectic and theatrical and artists in general have become reinvolved with imagery.
This event is supported by a National Endowment for the Arts Artists-in-Residence Grant.
