Random Acts of Time at OCCCA

Our current exhibition at the Orange County Center for Contemporary Art in Santa Ana, CA

Exhibition Statement
Time is a fundamental and certainly pragmatic tenant that regulates - to a greater or lesser extent - daily life; a marker for past, present and future. The "arrow of time," coined by British astronomer Arthur Eddington, refers to the expansive visualization of time on a continuum. Yet the world's cultures do not share concepts of time equally - and the importance of its symbols fluctuates with the potency of those traditions, beliefs and liturgical anchors.

From the moment we begin our journey into the cacophony of the world – a series of decisions, choices and twists of fate guide us – often lurching or blissful and occasionally tragic. What have we chosen for ourselves? When has our hand been forced? Where have random or serendipitous events changed our course? When have we triumphed? What have we lost? What have we remembered and forgotten? Exploring that inexorable passage via divergent points-of-view, media and imagery demands introspection and perspective.

This exhibition investigates our relationship to the concept of time, its fleeting nature and impact and the arbitrary, often uncontrollable events that shape our lives. The premise is deliberately imprecise; I was particularly interested in artists' responses to the notion and how they might realize the idea.

The result is a diverse offering of works: painting, photography, video and instillation are all represented - each examining what binds or propels us, notions of conscious or unconscious experiences and the narratives we collect as we negotiate our lives.

William Moreno
Curator