The Still House Group in Miami: message in a photocopier

Strolling along Nada 2013 in Miami, you might have bumped into a white photocopier. Instead of gallerists and gatekeepers, either ready or not to let you in their exclusive realm, the object stands alone in a small booth, cold, impersonal and detached from the crowded aisles where a lot of buzz is going on. Once activated, it prints out a press release and invites you to explore a show in South Beach: “Straight II DVD”, organized by The Still House Group who made the point to never enter the fair. In a fragmented art world where “grouping” is more like a critic’s escamotage to accomplish criteria of catalogation, the Brooklyn based organization is quite an exception: moving together since the beginning with a consistent and refreshing program has assured Isaac Brest, Nick Darmstaedter, Brendan Lynch and the other components international attention. In this space, you find work in a range of exhibitions one might normally find in a gallery, from solo shows to films to site specific installations, in 8-by-8 to 12-by-12 foot rooms. Winking to post-minimalism and pop art with a light hearted and tongue-in-cheek attitude may define The Still House Group’s playground, even if repetition here is out of question. What we find instead is the result of a fresh, a-theoretical and curiosity driven approach that take us on an inspiring journey through one of the most interesting New York hubs.

July 17, 2015