Can’t Take Sole Credit

Christopher Knight displays a critical understanding of the project “In the Name of the Place,” part of the “Uncommon Sense” exhibition at MOCA (“The Socio-Art Gene,” March 18). Normally, I would be encouraged to receive a concise appraisal of my work. However, in this instance it would be inappropriate to claim sole authorship of the presentation. While the initiation of the project can be clearly traced to me, the many individuals, including myself, assuming the collective name of the GALA Committee would have to be recognized as the creative and decisive force behind the body of work presented at the MOCA exhibition.

The works were brought out of collective brainstorming among associates in Los Angeles (Cal Arts); Athens, Ga. (University of Georgia); New York; Houston; and Kansas City. Every work had some level of collective enterprise, but independent activity was not discouraged. For instance, the work cited by Knight, “We Three Kings,” was placed on the “Melrose Place” set before I ever saw it and was the creation of three Cal Arts students: Tamara Mewis, Georgia Metz and Valerie Tevere. The “Chinese Takeout” was the product of Dr. Haun Saussy, Jon Lapointe, Kim Jensen and myself.

The GALA Committee, which was continually expanding and contracting, included scholars, critics, artists, writers and producers of the television series. Ultimately, working with this group confirmed my belief that collective action does not exclude individual creative activity.

MEL CHIN

Athens, GA