Maiza Hixson and Lauren Ruth
SHAFTING, 2011
opening exhibition
7 x 6 x 4.5 feet
SHAFTING is the inaugural exhibit of the new SHAFT gallery space. The SHAFT’s founding artists and curators Maiza Hixson and Lauren Ruth present SHAFTING as a work of art. Moving beyond overt phallic/sexual metaphors of shafts/shafting, the gallery and exhibit aspire to re-signify these familiar terms to allow for a multiplicity of meanings. While “getting the shaft” implies rejection, the act of introducing artists and producing art exhibits in a “shafted” space reframes this notion through physical and conceptual reclamation. Producing culture from a common vehicle, the SHAFT valorizes the use of mundane, unauthorized and/or seemingly illegitimate art spaces. Celebrating the concept of openness and leisurely assembly, The SHAFT invites everyone (limit 1,200 lbs) to enjoy a free ride.
