San Jose, CA - This fall the San Jose Institute of Contemporary Art (ICA) will confront the wide ranging effects of war from the US to Iraq in two compelling exhibitions and a weekend of panel discussions. The Landscape of War will be on view November 10, 2007 – January 19, 2008. Open Shutters Iraq will be on view November 10, 2007 – January 5, 2008. The ICA will host an opening reception for both exhibitions on Friday, November 9, from 6:00 – 8:00 pm.

• In the Main Gallery the ICA will open The Landscape of War, a group show featuring the work of eleven contemporary artists commenting on the physical and psychological impact of war, both abroad and here in the United States.
•  In the adjacent Focus Gallery, the ICA will host Open Shutters Iraq, featuring photographs, diary entries, and detailed photo captions by 12 Iraqi women who continue to live in their war-torn homeland.
  

The Landscape of War
In Untitled 2001, New York-based collaborators Ligorano/Reese capture the moment on September 11, 2001, when President Bush was informed of the attacks on the World Trade Center, the moment when everything changed and we were rushed into the vortex of a new landscape – a landscape of fear.

The Landscape of War exhibition illustrates the complex politics of war and our relationship to it. Curated by Anne Veh and largely inspired by the writings of Rebecca Solnit, this significantly relevant exhibition expresses a message that is both haunting and confrontational, challenging the viewer to fully consider the multi-faceted effects of war.

Many of the artists in this exhibition provide essential and poignant political critique to inspire thoughtful dialogue. Artist and satirist Sandow Birk re-imagines history in Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld Presenting His Plan for the Invasion of Iraq, a painting depicting the then current administration gazing at the infamous “MISSION ACCOMPLISHED” banner. Enrique Chagoya re-maps the world in RoadMap, depicting the U.S. disproportionately larger than any other country. Michael Arcega cleverly plays with language and materials that are loaded with political associations. His sculptures of hand grenades and weapons titled Terrorice are made out of rice, the grain that the US gives as aid to war-torn and developing countries.

Pamela Wilson-Rykman’s delicately painted watercolors lure the viewer into a seemingly beautiful landscape only to reveal volatile political gatherings, collapsed buildings in ruin, and apocalyptic street scenes. In contrast to these catastrophic visions, Fanny Retsek symbolically counts each death in Iraq and each gallon of oil she consumes with individual hatch marks on paper. By making the exploits of war personal, Retsek implicates herself in the world events. Michael Light’s ongoing aerial photographic investigation, Rancho San Pedro 04.28.06, exposes the infrastructure of a culture dependent on oil. The images unveil views of oil extraction, refining, global shipping, automobile transportation, and land use in Los Angeles.

Wartime not only changes the physical environment but also creates a culture of fear, corruption and secrecy. Mark Klett’s series of photographs entitled The Wendover Project, documents the forgotten and dilapidated landscape that once served as the secret training ground for WWII bomber crews, including the 509^th Composite Group that dropped the atomic bomb.

Open Shutters Iraq
In collaboration with Montalvo Art Center’s year-long program entitled Iraq: Reframe, the ICA will present Open Shutters Iraq in the Focus Gallery. Open Shutters Iraq was created by Eugenie Dolberg, a British-based photojournalist who will be in residence at Montalvo during the month of November 2007. In December 2006, Ms. Dolberg brought together 12 Iraqi women with the intent to have them document their lives through photographs and the written word.

The San Jose Institute of Contemporary Art (ICA) is dedicated to making contemporary art accessible and comprehensible to audiences of all ages and backgrounds through innovative and thought-provoking exhibitions that create a bridge between the artwork and the issues of everyday life. ICA hours: Tuesday through Friday, 10:00 am – 5:00 pm; Thursday, 10:00 am – 8:00 pm; Saturday, 12:00 – 5:00 pm; closed Sunday and Monday. Admission is free. Visit : www.sjica.org