Monday, October 04, 2010

MPAartfest yesterday

As you know, yesterday I participated at the MPAartfest, juried by Trudi Van Dyke, who selected forty-four artists to participate in the fourth iteration of this show.

The show was terrific for me. I sold seven drawings, including my three largest (and most expensive) ones. One of the pieces is going to the permanent collection of the American Federation of Government Employees, while another piece went to the permanent collection of one of the DMV's top art collectors.

Because of its size, I had to deliver this second piece to the owner's gorgeous McLean address. When I dropped it off at her house, she said that she was going to call a hanging crew to hang it right away later this week.

I told her that she didn't need to do that. I added that I had hanging gear in my toolbox in the van and that it would take me five minutes to hang it; if she had the space already in mind.

She was delighted and let me into her house.

The substantial walkway to the main home was full of Washington Color School paintings and I began to wonder how my figurative drawing, large and monochromatic as it was, would fit in such an abstract and colorful collection.

The living room (I think) was sort of a transition point. There was not one, but several Gerhard Richters in the room - both his abstract stuff and his representational monochromatic work. Also paintings by Hirst, Bedia, Kuitca (I think) and what appeared to be a sculpture by Ana Mendieta; but we just passed through and I was somewhat dazzled and very tired.

The second large room past that room had a large David Hockney painting from the swimming pool series, and several gorgeous Hockney figurative drawings all around it and other artists as well. There was a large open spot on the wall, where something had been removed, and she pointed me to it.

To the right was a Hockney drawing and to the left was one of those silly Marcel Dzama root beer bear drawings. I was a little stunned and tried a joke.

"Do I really have to hang my piece next to this silly Dzama?" I asked. She took it seriously (maybe I meant it).

"No, no!," she replied. "We can take it down..."

Now it was me who was saying "no, no! - I was only joking!"

She didn't seem too convinced. "I am honored to be in this room with all these Hockney drawings," I added. "He was one of my inspirations in Art School."

"I knew it!" she said triumphantly. "This is the perfect spot."

It took me less than five minutes to measure, re-use their hanging devices and put up my drawing between Dzama and Hockney.

She loved it, although as we walked back out, she glanced back, and I had this feeling that Marcel was going down soon afterwards.

Congrats!

Alexa Meade workTo the superbly talented and innovative Alexa Meade, whose work is part of the next show opening at the Saatchi Gallery in London this coming Thursday!

I am told that supposedly Kate Moss and Mick Jagger are confirmed to be on the guest list for the private viewing.

Meade will have five prints exhibited in the show as well an installation with a live model on Thursday, Friday and Saturday.

WPA 2011 Artist Directory

Deadline: February 1, 2011

The Washington Project for the Arts has announced a call for submissions for its 2011 Artist Directory.

Published bi-annually, this four-color, 8.5 x 5.5 inch directory is the definitive listing of established and emerging contemporary artists throughout the Washington region. It is seen by more than 2,000 galleries, curators, art consultants, and interested art patrons. Copies are distributed to selected art critics and other members of the press, and to museums both in the region and outside the area. The 2011 Artist Directory will also be available for sale on the WPA website and at select area retail locations at the price of $9.95.

Each participating artist will be featured on a full page (8.5 x 5.5 inches). The page will include the artist's name, a color digital image of their work, their studio address and phone number, email address, web address, and their gallery affiliation.

All current WPA members are eligible for publication in the Artist Directory. There is an additional registration fee that includes a copy of the Artist Directory. Participants who submit before December 1, 2010 can pay a discounted early registration fee of $65. After December 1, the registration fee increases to $75. The final registration deadline is February 1, 2011. No submissions will be accepted after this date.

All submissions will be handled through an online registration form on the WPA's website.

Each participating artist can upload one image to be featured on their page. Images must be submitted as .eps or .tif files in CMYK format. They must be 300dpi and as close as possible to, but no smaller than 6 inches on the longest side.

If you have any questions regarding the 2011 Artist Directory, please contact Blair Murphy, Membership Directory at bmurphy@wpadc.org or 202-234-7103 x 1.

Folded Christ

"More than 60 people turned out Friday morning to protest one piece in an art exhibit at the Loveland Museum/Gallery in a city nationally recognized for its art-friendly culture.

Holding signs decrying the museum and the City Council and calling the exhibit pornographic, some protesters prayed the rosary out loud while others waved as cars drove by on Lincoln Avenue, honking their horns.

The image in question is a depiction of Jesus Christ involved in what some say is an act of oral sex.

Part of a folded-paper lithograph and woodcut panel depicting cultural icons, the piece, "The Misadventures of the Romantic Cannibals," was created by California-based artist Enrique Chagoya, a professor at Stanford University."
Ahhh... the never-ending easy artistic shortcut to get attention: somehow screw with the same Christian imagery that Serrano, Offili and countless other artists have used to get some attention.
The Misadventures of the Romantic Cannibals

The Misadventures of the Romantic Cannibals by Enrique Chagoya. Color lithograph/woodcut. 7½" x 90". Ed. 30. $3400

You can buy it online here and you can read the full Coloradoan article by Maria Schmitt here.

This piece (which has been exhibited before I gather) now gets the professor national attention. For his next panel, if he wants to get international attention of a diverse nature to say the least, I dare him to do a similar Muhammad panel.

Lo que no mata, engorda.