Everything is Index, Nothing is History explores a world chronicled by gestures and physical traces that establish a factual connection to the world independent of cultural codes. Nearly a century and a half ago, philosopher Charles Sanders Peirce defined index as a sign that is caused by that which it refers to. A footprint, a scar, the smoke of a fire—all are signs that simultaneously demonstrate what they signify. An index may attest to the immediate truth of a substance or physical state, as fever announces illness; or it may depict the truth of time, like the sun dial’s reading of a minute and the dust pile’s accumulative presence. As our relationship to history and the present change in an expanding field of information, Everything is Index, Nothing is History presents works that point to physical realities and trace purported histories through archives, found objects, photographs, material states, and physical actions.

Curated by Melanie Kress and Natalie Bell, Everything is Index, Nothing is History features work by Kate Bonner, Eric Carlson, J and James Carpenter, Courtney Chappell, Sarah Crofts, Lizzy De Vita, Shannon Finnegan, Ben Garthus, Max Glaser, Sam Keller, Yujin Lee, Antoine Lefebvre, Hudson Lines, Saul Melman, Peter Neu, Leah Raintree, Kameelah Janan Rasheed, Jordan Rathus, and Nancy Woods. Everything is Index, Nothing is History features the following events, which are free and open to the public.

The League of Darters’ B.Y.O. Darts Workshop: Wednesday, June 6, 7–9 pm $10/person includes refreshments and dart-making supplies. RSVP required; maxiumum 15 participants. Tickets available at http://www.brownpapertickets.com/event/247617 The League of Darters is an evolving installation that includes crafting darts with artist Ben Garthus. Participants are encouraged to bring their own scissors and needle-nosed pliers.

8 Hours of Work | A Performance by Shannon Finnegan Saturday, June 9, Performance 11 am–7 pm, Reception 6–8 pm Shannon Finnegan addresses ideas of productivity by pursuing the same action at length. For this performance, she will write for 8 hours, “I should be working more,” and “I should be working less.” The work’s ephemera will be included in Landfill Quarterly, a project that studies social art works through the material surplus they generate.

Film Night: …Then Again, Maybe Not: Thursday, June 14, 7:30–9 pm Join us for an evening of short films and performances, curated by Melanie Kress and Natalie Bell, featuring a group of artists whose works delve into the themes of Everything Is Index, Nothing Is History. The program will include Peter Fankhauser, Nate Flagg, Theresa Himmer, Jordan Rathus, and others.

The League of Darters’ Pin-The-Tail-On-The-Invisible-Dog: Saturday, June 16, 3–5 pm The League of Darters is an evolving installation that is accompanied by a series of activities and games that aim at symbolically claiming both interior and exterior spaces within the building and throughout the city, all while leaving a trace of the territory that has been claimed. Return with your darts from the BYO Darts Workshop or borrow some of ours to play.

Melanie Kress is a New York-based independent curator . She is the curator of RAC, Recession Art’s Manhattan gallery and store, as well as the Development/Communications Assistant at the American Federation of Arts. Her curatorial work includes: the POTLUCK series at Art in General (2007-2009); the French-American collaboration DIALOGUES with programs at Artists Space, New York and Bétonsalon, Paris (2009); and the exhibition and publication i am not a good enough feminist (2011). In 2009 she was the recipient of a Curatorial Fellowship at Slought Foundation in Philadelphia, and in 2010 founded the project space Concrete Utopia (www.concreteutopia.org). She received her BA in Art History with a concentration in Visual Arts from Barnard College in 2009, and in September will begin her MA in Contemporary Art Theory at Goldsmiths College, London.

Natalie Bell is a New York-based writer, researcher, and curator. Her previous experience includes work at the Guggenheim, The New Museum, and Harvestworks Digital Media Arts Center. She is a frequent contributor to Art Papers and the recipient of the Arts Writing Workshop award through Creative Capital (AICA/USA). She received her BA in philosophy from Barnard College and will complete an MA in philosophy from the CUNY Graduate Center in May 2012.

Recession Art is an arts organization that connects emerging artists with aspiring collectors and provides an affordable and accessible alternative to the traditional art market. Visit Recession Art at The Invisible Dog during Everything is Index, Nothing is History, or at RAC on 9 Clinton Street between Houston and Stanton streets, accessible from the 2nd Avenue F Station and Essex Street J/M/Z trains. To learn more visit RecessionArtShows.com or email [email protected]

The Invisible Dog Art Center is located on 51 Bergen Street between Smith and Court streets, near the Bergen F/G stops. Gallery hours are 2–8 pm Wednesday–Sunday.