Words are Deeds: Cliff Baldwin and Patrick O'Rorke at 45 York Street

ARTIST RECEPTION:
FIRST FRIDAY...
February 2, 2007 5-8 pm

A colorful, musical and wonderful exhibition

Whitney Art Works
45 York Street, Portland

Check out the review by Ian Paige: http://www.thephoenix.com/article_ektid31777.aspx

Opening on January 10
and continuing through February 10, 2007

New work by Cliff Baldwin and Patrick O’Rorke

Whitney Art Works is proud to present a provocative new show of works by two artists investigating pop culture through the fabrication of two-dimensional and three dimensional contemporary work.

Sparkling new sculptures from Cliff Baldwin reference rap, reductionism, fast-food rants and carnival revelry. With typography snatched from a mid-western dumpster and recycled rhythms from Coney Island carousels, these retro-future high-gloss forms crunch, wobble, whistle and whir simultaneously. Hailing from Aquabogue, NY, Mr. Baldwin is a graduate of Kansas City Art Institute. His interactive sculpture is high design and energetic with elements of text and sound.

On view in the Workshop is Cliff Baldwin's Orchestrion, A large mechanical instrument resembling a barrel organ that produces sound in imitation of an orchestra. A mechanical musical instrument, automatically played by means of revolving cylinders, invented in 1851 by F. T. Kaufmann of Dresden. It comprises a complete wind orchestra, with the addition of kettle-drums, side-drums, cymbals and triangle.
AQUEBOGUE ORCHESTRION was created as an update to the 19th century mechanical musical instrument. It is also a sculptural means of distribution for a unique group of sounds I have put together over the past 18 months. It is meant to entertain, humor and lighten the mood of the visitor.
It recycles sounds from carousels, barrel organs, electronic music from the 1950’s through the 1970’s, various local sounds from Aquebogue NY, Coney Island, London and Budapest, and also incorporates entirely new timbres as well.
It takes the form of a standing aluminum tower on wheels with repetitive language wrapping its upper level. It will play eight different melodies, each lasting from 3-6 minutes. The viewer may select a button and listen to the resulting tune. Each tune is recorded in 6:1 sound with each individual instrument assigned to its own speaker. The listener is wrapped in music with six speakers hung around the space and a subwoofer mounted in the tower.
The tunes listed in alphabetical order are: Biiieeerr, ConIsCarousel, Cyrkaeolian, Jarvis, Mclrdegeratn, Reyklativ, Scotologica and Ukk.

Patrick O’Rorke, a recent graduate of Portland’s Maine College of Art. This exhibition of new work, entitled "It's not yours, you stole it" is using pattern, color and text to convey ideas on music and contemporary culture. Houndstooth, heavy metal, fluorescent colors all combined with collage and appliquéd elements, construct paintings and wallworks full of color, pattern and texture. Mixing song lyrics and everyday phrases, Mr. O’Rorke is presenting language as a prop for patterned formalist abstractions. A celebration of appropriation!

Both Baldwin and O'Rorke explore the gray areas between creating text and narrative in picture and word.

www.whitneyartworks.com
45 York Street, Portland, ME 04101

Gallery hours Wed-Sat 12-5 PM and by appointment
207-780-0700

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installation view, Words are Deeds, 2007

Cliff Baldwin, Orchestrion (detail), 2007

installation view, 2007

Cliff Baldwin, Orchestrion (detail), 2007

installation view, Words are Deeds, 2007

installation view, Words are Deeds, 2007

Cliff Baldwin, Burgered, Shaked and Fried, powder coated aluminium, 2006

Patrick O'Rorke, Untitled, oil on board, 2006