The Eagle Rock Rock and Eagle Shop
Organized by Bettina Hubby
April–June, 2012
Los Angeles
From The Eagle Rock Rock and Eagle Shop announcement:
In 1964 artists Mason Williams joked around with a serious spark, about the play between the words "Eagle" and "Rock," in reference to the LA neighborhood where his pal, Ed Ruscha's studio was at the time. Mason conceived of a store offering quite literally and simply: eagles and rocks. Due to her last venture, Get Hubbied, at the Center for the Arts, Eagle Rock in 2011, she’d become close to and fond of this unique community. She became increasingly enamored by the concept of the shop, concocting an image of the store as an interactive community-enlivening project. So, 48 years after the idea was conceived, The Eagle Rock, Rock and Eagle Shop opened its doors.
The art space/store featured over 400 objects Hubby armchair and thrift-shopped from all over our nation. Using Ebay, Etsy and a bit of Amazon, Hubby mined the internet for reasonably-priced, rock n’ eagle-centric curiosities. The shop was filled with a melting pot of aesthetics—all representations of the eagle, and/or rock. The objects range widely and humorously covering pet rocks, pop rocks, hide-a-key rocks, fake rocks with surprises inside, an eagle painted saw blade, the film Legal Eagles, eagle dream catchers et cetera. She designed and created the packaging for the idea; the logo graphically merges together the concept and the experience, and are prevalent on merchandise such as T-shirts, temporary tattoos, badges, pencils, and tote bags.
With this project, Hubby explored a diversity of symbols at the crossroads of curating, collecting, commerce and performance. We as viewers/shoppers/participants are invited to wonder not only about the objects themselves, but about the people who sell them. Are they being sincere, ironic, expressive, or...? The descriptions of the items for sale often reveal the seller’s unique perspective. Collected and archived, these objects and their stories comprise the project’s limited edition catalog. Hubby also invited artists to contribute a work of art relevant to eagles, rocks, and/or eagles together, so as to integrate a group show mixed within the scavenged items. This was meant to set the project teetering beyond, and to blur, the lines between art and kitsch, craft and commerce.
Participating artists: Suzanne Adelman, Chad Attie, Paul Cleaver, Tricia Gabriel, Samara Golden, Nick Herman, Bettina Hubby, Bolyn Hubby, Melissa Huddleston, Charles Irvin, Karen Lee, Adam Janes and Ann Lynn, JEFF&GORDON, Jonsey, Karen Lofgren, Shana Lutker, Melodie Mousset, Michele O'Marah, Dennis Hoekstra & Noah Olmsted, Mary Anna Pomonis, Olivia Primé, Melinda Rayman, Karen Rose, Amy Russell, Tif Sigfrids, Jim Skuldt, Mike Slack, SAMO HURT (AKA David G.A. Stephenson), Kirsten Stoltmann, William Stone, Kevin Sudeith, Valentin Toledo, Keith Walsh, Landon Wiggs, Mason Williams , and Jessika Wood
Special thanks goes out to Michael Noguiera, of Sir Michaels Rentals, Eagle Rock, and Renee Dominique and Julia Salazar of the Center for the Arts, Eagle Rock. and Ajay Singh of Patch, Eagle Rock Special thanks also to Emily Hopkins of Side Street Projects in Pasadena. This radically fun and visually/mentally stimulating art and community rock n' eagle spectacular closed June 3rd. Thank you for visiting and supporting and celebrating the one, the only, The Eagle Rock Rock and Eagle Shop!
The Eagle Rock Rock and Eagle Shop, Bettina Hubby, 2012. (Click here to order catalog.)