Dig the Dig
Organized by Bettina Hubby
Santa Monica Museum of Art
July 2013
Santa Monica
From the Santa Monica Museum of Art announcement:
Bettina Hubby’s Dig the Dig, at the Santa Monica Museum of Art is the first chapter of the Museum’s engagement with the revitalization of its environs and its own metamorphosis. Hubby’s on-site interventions are inspiring new ways of looking at and interacting with the Olympic/26th Street station project. Dig the Dig is embracing the construction landscape, turn what is normally seen as disruption into an occasion for celebration, and to commemorate change.
In April, Hubby began phase one of the project by augmenting Bergamot’s interior construction fencing with her own abstract painted safety cones modified to hold a weekly delivery of vibrant rugged flowers. Offerings of appreciation to the workers, Hubby’s construction cone “vases” are also serving as a bright invitation to everyone who encounters the construction site, to see it in a new light.
On May 1, in time for SMMoA’s annual Gala and Benefit Art Sale, PRECOGNTIO and INCOGNITO, Hubby mounted a series of large-scale, mirrored photographs of the Olympic/26th Street site along the construction fencing. The photographs draw passers by and invite them to consider the less-obvious beauty of the dirt and machine-filled vista. In attention to drawing attention, the open air gallery is encouraging interaction with the site and the workers; perusing the photographs, visitors will happen upon, and take advantage of, the ever-present flap windows in the fence around the site. Mid-June, the second set of banners will be up and the first set repositioned on the inside of the construction site for the workers to enjoy firsthand. A third set will be erected at the end of June to face Olympic Blvd. for the passerby, as well as for the workers and Bergamot.
Finally on July 21, from 6-9pm at the construction site at Bergamot Station, Hubby’s candle-lit and disco-ball activated Dig the Dig Dinner (images and details below) brought together construction workers, local business owners, friends and neighbors together for a festive potluck meal with music, installations and performances by local artists. It was free, and guests brought food and drinks to share.
Dig the Dig, organized by Bettina Hubby, 2013. Installation view, Santa Monica Museum of Art, Santa Monica.
Dig the Dig, organized by Bettina Hubby, 2013. Installation view, Santa Monica Museum of Art, Santa Monica.
Dig the Dig, organized by Bettina Hubby, 2013. Installation view, Santa Monica Museum of Art, Santa Monica.
Dig the Dig, organized by Bettina Hubby, 2013. Installation view, Santa Monica Museum of Art, Santa Monica.
Dig the Dig, organized by Bettina Hubby, 2013. Installation view, Santa Monica Museum of Art, Santa Monica.
Dig the Dig, Bettina Hubby, 2013. Digital collage from photographs of site, size variable.
Dig the Dig, Bettina Hubby, 2013. Digital collage from photographs of site, size variable.
Dig the Dig, Bettina Hubby, 2013. Digital collage from photographs of site, size variable.
Dig the Dig, Bettina Hubby, 2013. Digital collage from photographs of site, size variable.
Dig the Dig, Bettina Hubby, 2013. Digital collage from photographs of site, size variable.
Dig the Dig, Bettina Hubby, 2013. Digital collage from photographs of site, size variable.
Dig the Dig Dinner
Organized by Bettina Hubby
Santa Monica Museum of Art
July 2013
Santa Monica
Bettina Hubby and the Santa Monica Museum of Art presented a potluck dinner and celebration in conjunction with Dig the Dig, Hubby's art-activated investigation into the Metro Expo construction site adjacent to the museum.
Hubby's latest work at SMMoA, Dig the Dig, was a three-month, multivalent project in conjunction with the Metro Expo construction at the 26th Street/Bergamot site that culminated in this art-infused potluck for workers, artists and neighbors. In order to turn the dust and disruption in Santa Monica into a celebration of change, Hubby arranged a night of food, fun, and construction site-specific art and musical performances and driven some unexpected engagement between residents, workers, and contemporary artists.
Dinner guests enjoyed samples of DIG, a bespoke scent created by The Institute for Art and Olfaction; music from T. Kelly Mason, Soy La Mujer, and Chris Stroffolino; and cocktail artistry by Ivette Soler. Participating artists include Gordon Bowen, Josh Callaghan, Alice Clements, Eve Fowler, Steve Hurd, InflatoCorps, Kristin Beinner James, Adam Janes and Justin Miller, John Knuth, Karen Lofgren, Omar Lopex, Christopher Michlig, The Modeling Agency, Adrian Paules, Nora Jean Petersen, Pat Pickett, Nancy Popp, Olivia Primé, Jim Skuldt, Mike Slack, Mariángeles Soto-Díaz, and Keith Walsh. Additional creative contributions from Fallen Fruit (David Burns and Austin Young), Samo Hurt, Barbara Gillespie, Dave Cull, and Zig.
