T A I L G A T E The 2nd Annual Monte Vista Projects Curated Open Call There is a commonly held belief among truck enthusiasts that removing the tailgate will significantly increase a vehicle’s mpg. Each craft has its own variation of this, and it comes down to the same thing: the desire to engage in a way that allows you to get the most out of what you are doing. For Monte Vista Projects’ open call, Tailgate, this is the very sentiment that we held in mind when selecting the works for this exhibition. This show is about artists in their pursuit of fullness, and supporting them as they strive to get to where they are going. This year’s show consists of a group of work representing a variety of approaches and visions. The nature of an open call precludes a single overarching theme, and instead is the result of openness to surprise and discovery. We feel that the selected works present compelling bodily engagements both to distinct places and spatial contexts, the presentation of self, and the connection to everyday objects that surround us. The exhibiting artists are Ricky Amadour, Jisoo Chung, Luna Esparza, Sasha Fishman, Erin Fussell, Marisa Futernick, Scott Grover, Alina Hayes, Alexander Hill, Yoory Jung, R Kauff, Tiana Marsh, Ken Min, Josh Vasquez, Magdalena Wittig, Adrian Kay Wong. As a collective, we are committed to providing an artist-run venue that is not beholden to any market forces in order to show work we support and believe in. We have much appreciation for the many applicants, all of whom we hope will continue to be part of our growing network. Image: "Tailgate" by Marisa Futernick