Ignacio Perez Meruane: progression without end
1245 N. Spring St., Los Angeles, CA 90012
Sunday, September 20 at 5:00 PM 7:00 PM
Ends Nov 15, 2020
Clockshop presents progression without end by Ignacio Perez Meruane, a site-based installation inspired by the Los Angeles State Historic Park’s unique history. LASHP is located along the site of the Zanja Madre (Mother Ditch) bringing water to the Pueblo, and was formerly the westernmost terminus of the Southern Pacific Rail Line. Combined of ready-made industrial materials, uncovered railroad parts and hand-carved components, Perez Meruane’s new work speaks to expansionist ideas of modernity and constructed notions of linear progress. Parts of the sculpture such as the original rusted railroad track are left unaltered, while other components are cast in a repeating motif referencing Constantin Brancusi’s monolithic “endless column.” Limitlessly adaptable to different materials and scales, Brancusi’s method mirrors the relentless movement of the rail industry, the linear geo-engineering of the nearby LA river system, and the development currently visible from the park. At nearly 100ft in length, progression without end is a collapsed artwork, forming a precariously elegant guide rail, each piece balancing on the next. Ignacio Perez Meruane was born in Caracas, Venezuela, and raised in Santiago, Chile (Lives and works in Los Angeles). Perez Meruane received a B.F.A. in General Sculptural Studies from the Maryland Institute College of Art, and an M.F.A. from the California Institute of the Arts. His recent exhibitions include work at The Craft Contemporary, Los Angeles, CA (2019); and solo exhibitions at Rogers, Los Angeles, CA (2018) and the Los Angeles Contemporary Archive, CA (2017). The piece is available for viewing from Sunrise to Sunset at LASHP. A map of the park and the location of the artwork is available at clockshop.org. This work is presented as part of the Clockshop 2019 Open Call for Bowtie Commissions. Clockshop has shifted our public programs and artwork commissions from the Bowtie site along the LA River to the Los Angeles State Historic Park as part of our strategic response to state and local health ordinances for how public gatherings can take place during the COVID-19 pandemic.