The Nature of 6X6

Nature is making a lot of noise these days -- the birds, the pollen, the explosion of color and scent -- Athens, Georgia in early April is drenched in natural phenomenon. What better way to be inspired -- it's nature's way of telling us to submit to 6X6! Get your camera, grab a friend, act out an idea, watch the passing parade, invent a new species, experiment. What is your true nature? Express yourself.

Curated by Kim Kirby, the deadline for 6X6 Nature is April 21.

More About Curator Kim Kirby
Kim Kirby was raised in Walterboro, South Carolina. She attended Savannah College of Art and Design, where she studied Industrial Design; attended the College of Charleston, where she studied Illustration; and attended UGA, where she studied Digital Media. She has lived and worked in Berlin and New York City and is a published illustrator and graphic designer, having worked with Collette in Paris, Vice Magazine, Swindle Magazine, Nike, Adidas, Reebok, K2 Snowboards and packaging for Target. Her fashion graphics have been photographed on celebrities such as M.I.A. and Amy Winehouse and in magazines such as Nylon and ID Magazine. She has worked as an art director for numerous agencies and is now the owner of her own creative and web services company, Young Athenians.

www.youngathenians.com

What We Talk About When We Talk About Play

Mr. Performance Art (Ken Bullock)

Years from now, when you talk about 6X6 Play, and you will talk about 6X6 Play, you'll say, "you just had to be there." Or maybe "I was there." Lots of us were, including the mayor, the managing editor of our local alternative rag, and international art star Paul Thomas. Curator Didi Dunphy ran the show like a playground impresario, and made everyone play by her rules. In fact, she selected 7 pieces, two of which were performed live. Ken Bullock had the place in an uproar, morphing from OCD talk-show host to ax-wielding, slip-wearing, birth-giving, Gina-calling maniac in his piece "Mr. Performance Art At it Again." Who's Gina? Who cares? It was sublimely ridiculous. Then Leslie Burns plunged the room into darkness for her performance of "Playtime with Subterranean Termites." Described by one attendee as "elegant," her piece involved a blacklight under which glowing termites arranged themselves around a pheromone-traced heart, like a miniature Busbee Berkeley musical. Haunting, mysterious, hushed.

What a night -- artists from all over, audience of artists, fans, and friends, the Ciné crew helping put it all together in the wonderful lab, and over in an hour. Fast, fun, and free!

Selections for Play:

• Squirrels in the Land of Sweatered Rabbits and Lost Socks: David Waddell, Houston, Texas. Stop-action animation. Video.
• Antics of Thursday: Vienne Chan and Joas Sebastian Nebe, Berlin, Germany. Video.
• Trust Exercises for Lovers: Brian Hitselberger, Athens, GA. Video.
• Mr. Performance Art at it Again: Ken Bullock, NY and Athens. Performance, live.
• Playtime with Subterranean Termites: Leslie Burns, Athens. Performance, live and video.
• Folly & Error: Michelle Handelman, NY. Performance, video.
• Imaginary Friends: Christine McLoughlin, Newcastle, UK. Video.

Coming up next: 6X6 Nature, curated by Kim Kirby. Be a part of it! Submit by April 21!

Play Date

You are not going to believe the line-up for 6X6 Play -- a performance by Ken Bullock, Leslie Burns' love affair with termites, Brian Hitselberger's trust games, works from Berlin and Texas, the sock theme continues, and more. Just what is it about 6X6 and socks? Find out for yourself -- come to the Ciné Lab Wednesday, April 7, from 7-8pm. Didi Dunphy will be taking over the playground -- and you too!