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CODE-SWITCHING October 20 - November 18, 2007 Swarm Gallery 560 Second Street, Oakland CA 94607 CODE-SWITCHING Aug 2 - Sept 16, 2007 Red House Gallery 1224 Abbot Kinney Blvd, Venice, CA 90291 Linguists define code-switching as an alternation between two or more languages within a single conversation between people who have one or more language in common. What this means for most of us is that we participate in, and practice a type of verbal syntactic shape-shifting, frequently changing terms of speech and expression to accommodate the fluctuating needs of discourse within different social and cultural interactions. Often an unconscious act, code-switching is used for many purposes, including protection, identification, recognition, approval, and control. With this exhibition, Quorum artists address these aspects of code-switching, exploring when and where the switch occurs and why the switch happens. BLOOD FOR ART Scope Miami December 6-10, 2006 In cooperation with the Community Blood Centers of South Florida, Quorum SF will present a simple proposition to the public: a pint of blood for an original print by one of our sixteen artists. By asking people to contribute a small, but explicit quantity of themselves, and offering donors a gift in return, we are more than acting out a mechanical barter. It is an act of utopic economy, exchanging valuables that are not equal, but are equally personal. After a boost last year in blood donation out of support for victims of Hurricane Katrina, the national blood shortage crisis is worse in 2006 than in previous years, and the holiday season is always the most critical time for blood banks. While technically anyone who is healthy, over 17 years old, and weighs more than 110 lbs is an eligible donor, the reality is that a large percentage of people are turned away due to the strict regulations of the FDA. Quorum's goal with this project is to help develop public interest in long term blood donors, which are the only solution to the national demand of 32,000 pints of blood every day. For our participants, the project's three simple steps include an interview to determine eligibility, the drawing of blood, and the selection of an art print. For those unable to donate blood for health or regulatory reasons, a print will be available for affordable purchase. All sales in full benefit the Community Blood Centers of South Florida. From the street tactics of the Diggers in the 1960s to recent government funded beta programs like the EPA's "Commuter Choice Leadership Initiative," the San Francisco Bay Area has long acquired as much suspicion and criticism for its public displays of altruism, as it has received accolades and bred imitation. Quorum SF is part of the legacy of Bay Area contemporary art harnessing this double-sided reputation for social commentary as much as for social action. >> Scope Miami ..............