Ernesto Ortiz, Jesi Khadivi, Paul Tyree-Francis
GOLDEN PARACHUTES: creative space and art gallery. An interview with Jesi Khadivi by Paul Thomas
Someone recently told me that a gallery opens up in Berlin every 17 seconds, which sounds like a slight exaggeration, but nevertheless with all the galleries that have opened over the years, it is rare that a new gallery opens up packing so much talent and potential.
Landing itself on the west edge of Kreuzberg, Golden Parachutes may be one of Berlin's youngest galleries, but the space stands apart in terms of the amount of creativity and brainpower in their starting stable of artists. Both their current and upcoming exhibitions confirm a dedication to showing high calibre contemporary artwork, and it will be very interesting to see what they get up to in the near and distant future.
Jesi Khadivi and Paul Tyree-Francis (aka Paul Diddy), the founding partners of the gallery and creative space, spent the greater part of 2007 in Berlin putting out their feelers for the city. They returned to Los Angeles for an extended planning and preparation phase, then returning to Berlin this year to set their ideas in motion. The result is a wholly unique space which thinks about art and creativity in an unignorably different way, a space that is all too well-aware of the world in which it lives. This isn't just another space that slaps some artwork on the walls and calls itself a gallery, in fact- Golden Parachutes doesn't even label itself as a gallery even though its primary purpose is to show artwork.
Carpe Berlin had a chance to talk with Golden Parachutes' co-founder, Jesi Khadivi, shortly after their grand opening on April 17th about the origins, framework and future of this impressive young project.
(above: Paul Tyree-Francis, 2008 "Wholism" Courtesy of Golden Parachutes)
CB: The gallery's grand opening show, "EMERGENCE" is primarily American and Canadian artists?
JK: Yes, all of the artist are American, with the exception of Travis Robertson. Some of the artists are Berlin-based. However, it was especially gratifying to bring works by the US-based artists across the ocean. For many of them it is their first time being shown in Berlin.
Carpe Berlin: You don't give Golden Parachutes an immediate gallery label in its name, you simply call the space "Golden Parachutes.” It is obviously an exhibition space, yet you have other things going on as well. How does this all fit into the project's philosophy?
Jesi Khadivi: My partner, Paul Tyree-Francis, and I are ambitious people with different skill sets and similar interests. Paul is an artist and a graphic/web designer. My background is also in the arts. I write extensively about fine art and film and have years of experience running an art gallery. After years of working in art galleries in New York City, it seemed only natural to curate here in Berlin.
Golden Parachutes is primarily and exhibition space, however we also wanted to encompass different things under our umbrella -non pun intended-wanted the gallery to be a platform for other kinds of creative work, like graphic design. such as the creative firm. This is primarily Paul's area, and it includes a diverse portfolio of clients from the creative and entertainment industries. He works collaboratively with other artists on commercial design.
The name itself, "Golden Parachutes", is more difficult to describe. We lived were living in the United States in the lead up to the election and terms like "Wall Street vs Main Street," "Golden Parachutes," and "Joe the Plumber" were constantly being bandied about. While a golden parachute specifically refers to severance pay for executives of major corporations, Paul and I were both attracted to the image that the name conjures, as well as the tensions that it elicits. Starting a gallery, or any form of creative endeavor, in these rough economic times is difficult. In a way, we're acknowledging the role creative industries play in advanced capitalism while redefining the term for our own purposes. It's a commentary on the redemptive aspects of art and design, while also being a bit cynical or cheeky.
CB: The GP space is quite amazing. Do you think this is something you can only do in Berlin? Or do you think it could work the same way in NY, LA or SF?
JK: Berlin is a cosmopolitan city, yet still very laid back. There isn't a lot of money here, but there are a lot of artistic possibilities, and what I saw at the vernissage was that people seemed really willing to engage with the artwork on the walls. I saw more people take time with pieces on view than I have seen in any gallery opening that I've ever been to, and I've worked in galleries in New York and San Francisco for years. walls. Paul and I are both really inspired by the time that people seem to invest in art here in Berlin.
There is a vast difference between how I feel about Los Angeles and Berlin. Los Angeles was such an overwhelmingly dramatic place that every few weeks I would feel intoxicated by its beauty, while the beauty of Berlin is more subtle. Biking around the city in the springtime or sitting in its parks is like going through life with two glasses of prosecco under the belt. (above: Travis Robertson, 2008 "Listening to Fear" Courtesy of Golden Parachutes)
CB: So, you live in the gallery space?
JK: Sometimes I feel that it is unprofessional to say so, but at the same time we are in such a dire economy that I feel blessed to have an apartment with such a refined storefront so I can show work that I am passionate about and not really worry about the consequences. This is a very nerve wracking, scary and challenging time to be and art dealer, so we feel that this our space is a real gift. We will be able to show work that is traditionally saleable, but also take more risks on things such as installation and performance which aren't immediately profitable but are still really dear to me.(above: Ernesto Ortiz, 2006 "Glom" Courtesy of Golden Parachutes)
GOLDEN PARACHUTES' upcoming shows include GRINGO REBEL: 10 new oil paintings by Ernesto Ortiz, 23 May - 26 June, 2009 and SPECTRAL ALPHABET: work by Paul Tyree-Francis
4th July- 8th August 2009
