A PLACE TO WHICH WE CAN COME An exhibition at the abandoned Convent of Saint Cecilia

Saturday, May 14 thru Sunday, May 22, 2011 Opening weekend: Saturday, May 14, 4:00 – 8:00 PM and Sunday, May 15, 1:00 – 6:00 PM Viewing hours: Monday, May 17 thru Sunday, May 22, 12:00 – 6:00 PM and by appointment

Dear Lawrence Weiner,

I spoke to Robert Barry about a project I am working on – a spring curatorial in an abandoned convent space in Brooklyn and he became interested and suggested I contact you with an invitation. It would be such a privilege to include your work in the exhibition and I welcome your participation and any suggestions you may have if you are so inspired.

It takes place in Greenpoint, Brooklyn, where the Father of the church has started to let artists and curators improvise and make use of the space for art exhibitions as the nuns are long gone. I love the idea of working with a space – outside the traditional white-walled gallery or museum to come and contemplate art and experience ideas outside of art. The premise of the show involves concepts of observation, contemplation and paying attention, inspired by Allan Kaprow’s thought “what if art is just about paying attention.”

I just finished writing an essay exploring concepts of concentration and the poetics of noticing in art and the art making process. It got me thinking a lot about how art can change our ways of seeing – we can actually come out of an exhibition and see the world in a way we hadn’t initially, or maybe we haven’t exercised in a while. I’m sure the process is really strong for the artist in the making of the work or in the thinking about the work and if it transmits to the viewer then all the more work that the artwork is doing. And of course artists pay attention to different things, different aspects of our lives, whether it’s the details in a landscape or the metaphors of certain objects and possessions, or even just taking a walk and then all the thoughts and observations that take place in that space and time.

Your work, alongside Robert Barry’s inspires awareness, intangible and private introspection. Participating artists have all encouraged in a quiet or unpretentious way, the act of noticing, of pausing in our routine comings and goings. Their work comes in the form of images, words, temporal sculptures, and replicas of something we take for granted.

Please consider my invitation and let me know if you would like to tour the place in person or find out more details.

My very best,

Serra Sabuncuoglu

Saint Cecilia’s Convent is located at 21 Monitor Street in Brooklyn, New York 11222.

Train: L to Graham, walk along Graham Avenue (toward the BQE), crossing Conselyea Street, Skillman Avenue, Jackson Street, Withers Street, Frost Street and Richardson Street. Turn right on Richardson Street and left on Monitor Street. The Convent is mid-block, up a set of ten steps.

Car from Manhattan: Williamsburg Bridge to I-278E (becomes BQE), exit 33 for Humboldt Street toward McGuinness Boulevard, slight left at Humboldt Street, first right onto Meeker Avenue, second right onto Monitor Street.

For more information or to schedule an appointment, please contact:

Serra Sabuncuoglu 67 Ludlow Street #13, New York, NY 10002 tel 510.219.3891 • [email protected] www.serrasabuncuoglu.wordpress.com