Natalie Zimmerman and Michael Wilson: Social Dreaming in the 21st century

Jan 22, 2013

Dark abstract colors.

Image courtesy of Natalie Zimmerman and Michael Wilson. 

SAN FRANCISCO (January 22, 2013)—The de Young Museum will host Natalie Zimmerman and Michael Wilson, February 6 through March 3, 2013, as part of the Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco’s Artist-in-Residence Program. Zimmerman and Wilson’s work addresses the rhetoric of dreams and revolutionary longing that is ubiquitous in contemporary culture. Looking at movements that imagine a future of social, economic, and environmental justice, the artists will use the Kimball Education Gallery at the de Young as a laboratory for exploring the intersection of individual and shared aspirations.

During their residency, Zimmerman and Wilson will invite experts from diverse backgrounds to facilitate dream experiments using both poetic and scientific methodologies. Throughout the month, Wilson and Zimmerman will also undergo ongoing research and production for their experimental film, Close the Eyes. The film will examine both the personal and collective dynamics of dreaming, and its relationship to larger social and cultural issues of our time.

Dream sessions in the Kimball Education Gallery at the de Young will take place on Fabric Earth: A Textile Topography handcrafted by Amber Bieg. Inspired by her flying dreams and her visions of aerial-view landscapes, Bieg hand-felts floor textiles using ancient wet felting techniques. Influenced by her rural upbringing in New Mexico, Bieg believes that studying patterns in the natural landscape will help us design and build sustainable human systems.

Materials for Amber’s project were coordinated by Fibershed, and were sourced from 100% local wool. For more information please visit, fibershed.com.

The Kimball Education Gallery is free and open to the public during museum hours. Visitors can interact with Natalie Zimmerman and Michael Wilson Wednesday‒Sunday, 1‒5 pm.

Related Programs
February 9, 1 pm and 3 pm; February 10, 1‒5 pm; February 14, 2 pm; February 16, 2 pm; and February 17, 1 pm and 3 pm
Dream sessions on Fabric Earth: A Textile Topography handcrafted by Amber Bieg.

Saturday, February 9, 1 pm and 3 pm
Swimming the Hidden StreamChildhood Dreams and Life Myth: Collective dream session with process worker Lane Ayre, Ph.D.

Sunday, February 10, 1‒5 pm
California Institute of Integral Studies inter-arts class dream work session with process worker Lane Ayre, Ph.D. (observation only).

Thursday, February 14, 2 pm
Intimacy and Relatedness: A projective group dream work session led by co-founder of the International Association for the Study of Dreams, Jeremy Taylor.

Saturday, February 16, 2 pm
Soul's Melodies: An afternoon of poetry, music and meditation. Performances by Taneen Sufi Musical Ensemble and renowned Sufi writer and scholar Dr. Nahid Angha.

Sunday, February 17
1 pm Dream work session for artists led by founder of Circadian Media Lab, Jeff Leifer.
3 pm Social dreaming session working towards a collective vision led by co-founder of the International Association for the Study of Dreams, Jeremy Taylor.

Saturday, March 2, 1–5 pm
Social Dreaming in the 21st Century: An afternoon of spoken word, fleeting images and musical improvisation. 1 pm in the Koret Auditorium followed by a reception in Kimball Gallery from 3‒5:00 pm.

Also in the Kimball Education Gallery:
Floating on Air: Ballet Costume Atelier and Presentations
January 7‒February 3
Inspired by Rudolf Nureyev: A Life in Dance currently on view at the de Young, independent curator Brad Rosenstein transforms the Kimball Education Gallery into a functional atelier showcasing the ballet costume-making process from January 7 through February 3. Renowned costumier Jean Lamprell, whose work has ranged from The Royal Opera House to Broadway, is in residence on Saturdays and Sundays in the Kimball, recreating the Juliet costume she originally built for Rudolf Nureyev’s production of Romeo and Juliet. Visitors are invited to observe Lamprell’s process and discuss insights about costume and tutu creation. The gallery also features an ongoing display of videos, sketches, photographs and costumes. Additional special presentations by Lamprell and Patti Fitzpatrick, Costume Supervisor at San Francisco Ballet, further illuminate the magical world of ballet costume.

The Kimball Education Gallery is free and open to the public Tuesday–Sunday, 1‒5 pm. Visitors are invited to view displays on ballet costume featuring videos, design sketches, photos, and costumes. Workshops and presentations are held on weekends only.

Related Programs
January 12, 13, 26, 27 and February 2 and 3, 1‒5 pm

Atelier featuring guest artist Jean Lamprell.

January 19, 3‒5 pm

Artists’ Reception. Refreshments will be served as they last.

January 20, 2‒3 pm

Patti Fitzpatrick, Costume Supervisor for the San Francisco Ballet, will display and discuss a selection of notable costumes from the company’s history.

January 26, 2‒3 pm

Tutus: Step by Step: Presentation by Jean Lamprell on the history and construction of ballet tutus.

February 3, 3 pm
Celebration of Jean Lamprell’s recreation of the Juliet costume originally built for Rudolf Nureyev’s production of Romeo and Juliet.

Visiting \ de Young
Golden Gate Park, 50 Hagiwara Tea Garden Drive, San Francisco, CA 94118

Museum Hours
Tuesday–Sunday, 9:30 am–5:15 pm, last ticket 4:30 pm. Friday (March 29–November 29, 2013) 9:30 am–8:45 pm, last ticket 8 pm. Closed Mondays.

General Admission
$10 Adults, $7 Seniors (age 65 and over), $6 Youths (age 13–17) and College Students with ID, FREE Members and children 12 and under, FREE general admission the first Tuesday of each month.

Additional fees may apply for special exhibitions.

About the Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco
The Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco, comprising the de Young Museum in Golden Gate Park and the Legion of Honor in Lincoln Park, is the largest public arts institution in San Francisco.

The de Young is housed in a copper-clad landmark building designed by Swiss architects Herzog and de Meuron. It showcases the institution’s significant collections of American painting, sculpture, and decorative arts from the 17th to the 21st centuries; art from Oceania, Africa, and the Americas; a diverse collection of costumes and textiles; and international contemporary art.

The Legion of Honor’s Beaux-Arts style building designed by George Applegarth is located on a bluff overlooking the Golden Gate Bridge. Its collections span 4,000 years and include European paintings, sculptures, and decorative arts; ancient art from the Mediterranean basin; and the largest collection of works on paper in the American West.

Media Contacts
Erin Garcia \ egarcia@famsf.org

Arlo Crawford \ acrawford@famsf.org

Clara Hatcher \ chatcher@famsf.org