COCKED! The Possessed Male: Object of Desire is a contemporary survey of post-masculine art created by 20 artists, almost all of them living and working in the San Diego/So Cal region. COCKED! will examine issues of masculinity, art and "production"-the idea that men are predisposed to make, build or transform objects, starting from an early age (forts, go-carts, etc.) to adolescence (cars, music/instruments, etc.) and on through adulthood (houses, furniture, the old garage "shop"-that bastion of unrequited dreams), and even their own bodies (through weightlifting, plastic surgery, and drag/gender manipulation).

Exploring a wide and inclusive range of directions and positions-from social, political, and geographical to gender, sexual and philosophical, and including a broad range of media-from painting, sculpture, and photography to video, installation, and performance-the exhibition poses a number of questions and hypothesis. Are these objects a repository of male ideals, desires, fantasies, pleasures-of the conscious and the unconscious-and by extension a reflection of each man's sense of self and their individual manhood? Are they objectifications of the artist's desires-a literal production/performance in response to being under the influence or subjugation of his own (or another person's) thoughts and feelings-a "power play"? To what extent is the male's proclivity to construct, build, tinker, fantasize, and objectify a response to the male's expected role of mastery and control? And is mastery a form of machismo? Can a city be masculine or feminine based on the activities that occur within its boundaries? We hope to be able to engage in a broader conversation about these and other related issues through a panel discussion. Please call the gallery for further updates about specific time and location.