Passionately Curious
Tony Machi
Vincent | Tony Machi
‘57 Chevy | Tony Machi
6/1/2023 - 10/15/2023
Customs House
Passionately Curious follows the creative journey of Tony Machi, a performance artist and documentarian. Beginning with his time as an Edinboro student in the late 60s, the exhibit incorporates his photographs, mixed media works, sculptures and films alongside works of artists who inspired him, including Erie’s own Eugene Iverd, renowned artists Wendell Castle and Albert Paley, and pop artist Andy Warhol.
Passionately Curious opens the release of the publication We All Look But Rarely See: My Time and Space as a Performance Artist (1968—1974). As Machi came of age as an art student at the tail end of the turbulent American 1960s, his book is part memoir and part art history, chronicling who and what inspired him in his formative years to become an artist.
For Machi, art is a celebration of life. An exploration of the principles of art, with an eye towards bending them and on occasion, breaking them. He lays out the process of becoming an artist of note who makes a difference, including the rarified one who changes the generally accepted principles to such a degree as to become a “disruptor.” We All Look But Rarely See is one person’s journey about how to reach as far as possible. It should inspire art students and art teachers alike, as well as anyone willing to reach far enough.
Tony Machi during his iconic Two Chairs performance piece, 1971.
Now You See Me: an upcoming performance art piece at the Erie Art Museum with exhibiting artist, Tony Machi.
On Sunday, October 15th at 2pm, visit the Museum to witness Now You See Me - Machi’s first performance since 1974. Free and open to the public, this 14-minute performance piece takes place in the round on the main floor of the EAM’s Holstein Gallery. This will also be the final day to see Passionately Curious in the Customs House, an exhibition that follows the creative journey of Machi, a performance artist, documentarian, and producer.
Beginning with his time as an Edinboro student (PennWest Edinboro) in the late 1960s, the exhibit incorporates his photographs, mixed media works, sculptures, and short films alongside works by artists who inspired him.
Performance art relies on one or more people in real time and space and is never repeated. For Machi, performance art explores deconstruction, attempting to get at the essence of performance as entertainment.
Anyone willing to be a part of the performance will be asked to sign a photo release as the performance will be electronically documented.