COMMUNITY GUIDELINES
15th February - 5th April 2019
Lethal Amounts Gallery
1226 W. 7th Street, Los Angeles, CA 90017, USA
Private View
14 February 2019
19.00–02.00
Performances by Abhora (USA), Salvia (UK), and Mimi Virus (Canada).
DJ's: Latex Lucifer, Parma Ham, Pre Op Trans and Danny Lethal.
Coinciding with the first edition of Frieze: LA, Lethal Amounts is pleased to present a group exhibition curated by Parma Ham, featuring X-rated image and film that has been censored by social media for transgressing ‘Community Guidelines’.
Sixteen artists will be featured in the show: 3rd EyeChakra (@3rd_eyechakra), BabyRatta (@_d1e_), Lewis G Burton (@lewisgburton), Parker Day (@heyparkerday), Dahc Dermur VIII (@dahc_dermur_viii), Jason Ebeyer (@jasonebeyer), Aun Helden (@aunhelden), Agustin Hernandez (@agvstin), Latex Lucifer (@latexluciferr__), Fecal Matter (@matieresfecales), Orograph (@orograph), Possessed (@_possessed_), Princess Austen (@princessausten), Salvia (@salvjiia), Shmue1l (@shmue1l), Mimi Virus (@mimivirusofficial).
Each artist has been invited to contribute an image and film that has or would be removed by Instagram or Facebook, allowing participants the freedom to display work that they could not show through their current online presence.
With the rise of social media came a democratisation of the art to which we are exposed online. In the past, art was selected and shown to the public by curators, journalists and the art market, but today the viewer can discover and follow artists with no intermediary taste creator. Art is freely available to anyone with a cell phone. Likewise, everyone – whatever their geographic or social position – is able to create images and disseminate them online. Thus giving artists the freedom to make work and find niche audiences.
For many of the artists in this show, their connection to social media is a lifeline – the primary way of reaching their audience and communities, and in most cases a significant avenue of income. Everyone in this show has struggled with the fear of having their account suspended due to puritanical rules on image related to gender identity, sexuality and the naked body. This form of censorship stifles creativity and affects trajectories, and it is queer artists who are particularly hit by these rules. As social media continues to grow into the behemoth that dominates day-to-day life, it is important that we question the authorities who are able to implement control over artists, and over our lives.
For press information contact
Nicole Poulos, nicole@sideways-media.com
Parma Ham, ham@parmaham.tv
Lethal Amounts, (213) 265-7452