Edges of Chaos: Promoting Madness & Dissent in the 90’s

PSSST Gallery in Boyle Heights opened with Edges of Chaos: Promoting Madness & Dissent in the 90’s  a series of events and two dance parties curated by the current resident artist Guadalupe Rosales & guest curator Adrian Rivas opening Friday June 3 and running until Friday June 9, 2016.

The events were:

CONVERSATION & VIDEO SCREENINGS
Friday June 3, 7-10pm
Artist-in-Residence Guadalupe Rosales and independent curator and PSSST Director Adrian Rivas host a video screening and conversation about artistic practice, (sub)culture, and politics. During her residency at Self Help Graphics, Rosales began an ongoing archival project called “Map Points.” At PSSST, she continues to work on this project developing an archive of photographs, objects and ephemera related the 90’s SoCal Latino party crew scene. Rosales will also open her studio to anyone who wants to learn about her current projects and residency.

BUST FREE: DANCE PARTY
Saturday June 4, 7-Midnight

DJ Sessions with DJ Dose Manuel Corral (Swing Kidz Crew), Carlos DJ Hi-C (The Valens / Head of Strictly Hardcore Ent.), Rob Free (Nice Dreams), DJ Boogieman (East LA / SGV), DJ Marvel from City Terrace and DJ Mixxo (SGV) spinning that Jungle House, Techno, and KROQ.

BEER BUST: DAYTIME DJ SESSIONS
Sunday June 5, Noon-5pm

Oskar De La Cruz (Owner of Luxe De Ville), Liz O, and Rob Free (Nice Dreams) spinning 90’s familia (LGBTQ).

SPOKEN TEXTS
Wednesday, June 8th, 7-9pm

Readings from 90’s diaries, Guadalupe talks with Leon Donjuan on the subject of 90’s Party Flyer Design. Presidential Campaign reading by Rosales and video by Raul Baltazar.

POR VIDA PRC (Public Resource Center): ART PRACTICE & POLITICAL CONSCIOUSNESS
Thursday, June 9th, 7-9pm
Sound Performance by Joe Galarza of Genetic Windsongs of Truth and Revolt and rare 90’s videos by Raul Baltazar, Rita Gonzalez (Acting Contemporary Art Department Head & Curator at LACMA) and Victoria Delgadillo/The Mexican Spitfires screening of LA MODA

PSSST
1329 E 3rd Street,

Los Angeles, CA 90033


UPDATE!!  FROM THE GUARDIAN ARTICLE BY RORY CARROLL – OCT 18, 2017

“Are white hipsters hijacking an anti-gentrification fight in Los Angeles?

Kean O’Brien, an artist who taught a course called Decolonization and Deconstruction at California State University, Long Beach, was a close friend of Jules Gimbrone and Barnett Cohen, who founded Pssst, a not-for-profit gallery. The friendship soured and O’Brien joined a campaign against the gallery.

“Those were my colleagues and friends who were making these big mistakes and causing displacement,” O’Brien said via email. “It is very unfortunate that I lost my friendships with Jules and Barnett … however, I stand proudly in the position I have taken on artwashing and will continue to challenge my colleagues, graduate school professors and friends as they participate in displacing people from their homes with their art careers. Our art careers are not worth more than people’s rights to housing.”

Gimbrone and Cohen closed PSSST in February, citing “constant attacks” and “highly personal” harassment, without identifying the sources. Gimbrone declined an interview request, saying only that he was “still processing all that happened”.

Several artists and gallery owners, speaking anonymously, cited other cases of former friends and colleagues who now picketed their exhibitions and assailed them on social media. “It’s all so weirdly interconnected. Most are people who have struggled in their own art career. It’s about take-downs,” said one.

Guadalupe Rosales, a successful Latina artist with roots in Boyle Heights who exhibited at Pssst, had her car vandalised. Trolls also criticised her on social media.

Rosales declined to comment on who targeted her, saying only in a joint statement with Matt Wolf, the director of a documentary about her, that the situation in Boyle Heights was ‘much more nuanced and complex’ than the ‘community versus the galleries’.

Gallery sources provided evidence of individuals who sought their patronage before turning against them via anonymous accounts on Instagram and other platforms. The Guardian put the allegations to two alleged trolls. One declined to respond, the other denied wrongdoing. The Guardian could not verify their role in online campaigns so is not naming them.”