THANKS CRAIG
What has craigslist done for you?

July 9–August 8, 2009
Reception: Thurs., Jul. 9, 9 pm–midnight

The Landing Party Gallery
749 South Broadway
Los Angeles, CA 90014

Katarzyna Balug (BA '05)
Christopher Reynolds (BA '05)
Mélanie Wider (BA '06)

WANTED: a human connection in an anonymous megalopolis

How does one deal with the growing alienation of the 'global village' as that village swells to resemble an airport terminal full of nameless faces going to nameless places more than any commonly recognized sense of a village?

Craigslist is today's bulletin board: an increasingly accessible Internet tableau of anonymous yet localized information exchange, designed for clicking through conveniently and quickly—two ubiquitous contemporary catchphrases. Craigslist is a new type of neighborhood: one that replaces physical boundaries with virtual interaction.

The exhibition THANKS CRAIG reintroduces this neighborhood into the physical realm. Katarzyna Balug, Christopher Reynolds and Mélanie Wider will assign faces and names to the Craigslist community through a month-long interactive installation at The Landing Party Gallery in Downtown Los Angeles.

The gallery walls will be transformed temporarily into a physical, site-specific Craigslist forum. The artists will arm participants with markers, nametags, and other interactive tools, and invite them to state their "haves" and "wants" directly on the walls. Beyond the gallery, the question "What has Craigslist done for you?" is displayed on wheat-pasted posters amid Downtown's visual pollution, inviting participation among a broader public. Both in the gallery and on the street, THANKS CRAIG evolves much like Craigslist is shaped by its community.

The opening reception will feature delicious samples from vendors found on Craigslist. The exhibition will be on view from July 9th through August 8th, 2009. Please contact the Gallery for hours. Private viewing available by appointment.