Richard Chang Visits Gallery – Not in Orange County

12 Comments
  • artswriter
    Posted at 14:50h, 21 February

    Chris,
    What the heck is this about?
    I visit galleries every week. I just don’t write about them all the time. Because of limited personnel at the Register and other arts & entertainment responsibilities I have, I’m not able to write about private shows at private galleries all the time.
    In fact, I did swing by your gallery once, and you were not there. I asked if I could have a look, and one of your employees said no.

  • Chris
    Posted at 15:25h, 21 February

    Richard-
    You may or may not be visiting local galleries on a weekly basis. I would not know that by reading you.
    And you may have swung by my gallery once (during off hours) in the 4.5 years we were open but I wasn’t aware of that.
    Local artists like Sherie’ Franssen and Christine Nguyen and others who were shown in OC first, have been written about favorably by the LA Times recently but could never get exposure here by our local paper.
    I’m just making the point that, in my humble opinion, our local art writer is failing miserably to engage with his local art community. I’m not saying you have to like it. Just notice it.
    Chris

  • Daniella
    Posted at 12:36h, 22 February

    Chris. In all fairness to Richard, the Register rarely publishes private gallery shows unless I could convince the powers that be that a show was particularly compelling or had a news hook. I did review Cherie Franssen a while back when she was at Huntington Beach FAC.
    The arts coverage is getting atrocious all around. I have recommended that people who are as disgusted at this lack of coverage not pillory the writers but go straight to the editors or even higher where the “suits” determine interest and demographics and all that shit some accountant thinks should be in the paper such as that putrid Advice Goddess and the like.
    They have also cut their freelance budget and, for the life of me, I can’t get the arts and entertainment editor to answer pitches for stories/ reviews. We would cover if we could, believe me. As I said, get your art cohorts together and protest to the publisher. I’ve said that for the last 15 years. Don’t bitch in the privacy of your studios or to the much put upon bottom rung but to the people who wield the bucks. And, for beter and/or worse, if something is covered/written, hit the things on the Web or comment. They are counting “hits” on the web coverage and if there are none, it’s taken as lack of interest.
    Daniella W.

  • Chris
    Posted at 13:31h, 22 February

    Daniella-
    Agreed. Across the nation arts/cultural budgets are getting slashed in newspapers and Richard should be concerned.
    Any freelancer can do what Richard does and without the salary and benefits cost. There’s is no unique Orange County angle to what he does. The occasional OCMA show or Peter Blake show isn’t a “value add” to the powers that be, I’m sure.
    If he is to make himself unique and valuable to his employer he needs dig a little deeper into what’s going on in his own neighborhood. Provide a fresh and active view.
    And for your idea about the artists getting out there and complaining. There’s always a fear of reprisials in the art community when you bite the hand that feeds.
    That’s why this blog will be getting more vocal. I have nothing to lose.
    Chris

  • Anonymous
    Posted at 13:54h, 22 February

    The Register has cut its freelance budget and staff. I wish we could do more, but it’s difficult when you have less people and less resources. On my end, I have to cover the OC Performing Artscenter, general arts & entertainment news, television and film, in addition to the regional visual arts scene.
    And what Daniella said is true: We rarely review private gallery shows unless it’s newsworthy, part of a larger trend or particularly compelling. We do include gallery shows and summaries of what’s hanging in our listings. Check the Arts page of our Web site.
    As for the specific artists you mentioned, the Register published a review of Sherie Franssen’s paintings on 3/11/07; Squeeze OC published a story about her (with plenty of art) on 3/15/07; and OC Post published a review of her on 3/19/07 and an “On exhibit” highlight on 3/24/07.
    (Squeeze OC and OC Post are sister publications of the Register, both owned by Freedom Communcations.)
    I wrote about Christine Nguyen on 7/17/05, while doing a feature on the H.B. Art Center’s “Out of Context” exhibit. She does fantastic work.
    ALL of these pieces were published locally, WAY before our friends in LA mentioned those artists.
    All of that said, we can strive to do better.
    Richard C.

  • Chris
    Posted at 14:04h, 22 February

    None of those artists were talked about while in a private gallery or by the Freedom Communications paper with the most readership. The Post and SqueezeOC are now defunct.
    Every Thursday LA Times has an “Around the galleries” where the review several gallery shows every week. Too much to ask for the OC Register to do the same? The LA Times considers it “newsworthy”. So should you.

  • ed giardina
    Posted at 15:25h, 22 February

    wow! we should have a symposium/salon of writers, gallerist, artists, and et al and discuss these issues. what do you think? seriously. the caged chameleon and al and kelly from marie elias center of the arts hosted one in the mid-nineties. it was fantastic.
    ed giardina
    p.s.
    chris can play howard beal.

  • Chris
    Posted at 17:33h, 22 February

    Ed-
    I’m in. I’ll even host. Let’s bring everybody together, for the sake of our scene.

  • ed giardina
    Posted at 09:54h, 23 February

    and the press goes silent….

  • artswriter
    Posted at 16:46h, 25 February

    Ed, Chris, et al.,
    I’d be happy to participate in a symposium. Count me in.
    As for some previous statements of “fact” in this space, Squeeze OC and the OC Post are NOT defunct. Squeeze OC is now solely a Web site (www.squeezeoc.com), and OC Post has merged with the Irvine World News, operating under a dual title.
    The L.A. Times, which has many more times the arts staff and freelance budget than the Register has, publishes its “Around the Galleries” roundup on Fridays, not Thursdays.
    And both Sherrie Franssen and Christine Nguyen WERE mentioned in the Freedom Communications paper with the most readership (the Reg), well before the Times.
    The master of this blog should check his “facts” before throwing them out there for consumption.
    Richard

  • Chris
    Posted at 16:58h, 25 February

    Great Richard. You will be hearing from me soon off line.
    In regards to “facts” – mentioning a show is going to take place in a gallery in the calendar section and an engaged review of that show are two seperate things.
    SqueezeOC and OC Post in paper form are defunct and are a shadow of their former selves on the web. Which is sad because Jit Fong Chin was very active in the local scene.
    Yes LA Times reviews can be had in the paper on Fridays but I usually get to them Thursday night online. So can you.

  • ed giardina
    Posted at 06:33h, 28 February

    tick for tack boys. i can’t wait. this will be great evening.