Sunday, September 23, 2012

Melissa Ichiuji’s Obama Sculpture Censored?

DMV area artist Melissa Ichiuji currently has an exhibition of her work at Galerie Lareuse in Georgetown, and considering what Lareuse routinely exhibits, it is now clear to the most casual observer that this show is easily the most interesting and so far most controversial show ever staged there.


What's the fuss about?

The exhibition, titled "Fair Game," showcases Ichiuji's mastery of the soft sculptures that she's so well-known for, but this time focused on the political icons of the current American political scene. For example, some sculptures are mounted as hunting trophies in a chilling and intelligent commentary on the state of our political discourse.

Republican candidate Mitt Romney is shown, with darkened, closed dead eyes, his head blown apart a-la-JFK, and exposing a variety of metal found objects and gadgets. It is a disturbing image to say the least, but that was not the artwork apparently censored for the show.

Ichiuji targets many other icons of the Republican party — Newt Gingrich has a thing for female underwear, Ron Paul is depicted as a clown, Sarah Palin has antlers. None of those were censored either, although apparently the Palin sculpture may end up in the Todd and Sarah Palin Collection.

The offending piece (which according to the artist's website has been censored) is a portrait of President Obama. Like the Romney sculpture, Obama originally appeared to have a brutal JFK-like wound on his head; at least as initially designed by Ichiuji, not the sanitized version currently on exhibition at Lareuse. According to the CP, "curator Kreg Kelley denies the censorship charge; he says Lareuse asked her to change the piece because it wasn't appropriate for Georgetown." 

Uh? "Appropriate for Georgetown?" More on that later...

According to the CP, Ichiuji says that
"the gallery's owner, Jean-Michel "Meech" Lareuse, asked her to change it before she could exhibit it. She sent invitations to the show, "Fair Game," before it opened on Sept. 15, using an image of the original artwork. She posted the same image to her website. Not long afterward, both the gallery and Ichiuji began getting irate emails—some of them quite threatening. People thought it was "some kind of call to action to hurt the president, which wasn't the intent at all," she says. "It's about pressure, it's about anxiety, and just sort of the political climate overseas." But Lareuse wasn't having it, says Ichiuji. "He said 'We cannot show that piece unless you change it.'" So she did. Instead of a bloody wound, the piece now depicts doves "exploding out" of the president's head"
In her statement about this show, Ichiuji explains that
My current body of work is a series of portrait busts depicting political figures of 2012. I am attempting to challenge the tradition of portraiture that elevates its subject and affirms his or her importance, nobility and power. I wondered what a portrait based on current media coverage might look like. What might these people be remembered for if a snapshot was taken now? What are they thinking? What are their fears? Would they recognize themselves? The title FAIR GAME refers to two things. The position a public personality knowingly and willingly accepts as part of their job and the brutality with which opponents and the media will hunt down, embellish and exploit a weakness or transgression and display it like a trophy.
Here's the two pieces, side by side, with the original version of the Obama bust:

Mitt Romney, Fabric, Wire, Found Objects, Zippers 30 x 30 inches by Melissa IchiujiObama, Fair Game by Melissa Ichiuji
 As it should also be obvious to that same casual observer that I referenced in the first paragraph, both these pieces have something somewhat brutal in common and following the artist's words about "the brutality with which opponents and the media will hunt down," clearly lead to the same conclusions. Both these men have been allegorically hunted, shot and mounted as trophies. 

Romney's head would hang in a boardroom at MSNBC, or The New York Times, CBS, NBC, ABC, NPR and most places referenced in Ann Coulter's best-seller Slander: Liberal Lies About the American Right. The President's trophy would hang at Fox News and dozens of syndicated radio stations around the nation and other places referenced in Al Franken's ad hominen best-seller Rush Limbaugh Is a Big Fat Idiot and Other Observations.

In case you disagree with me, the gallery's press release states that:
The show features the severed heads of ten political personalities who have captured media attention for their popularity, alleged transgressions, or general evilness. The heads are mounted on wood panels in the manner of taxidermy trophy heads emphasizing the brutality of media spin and public scrutiny. 
So we got it... right?

So now comes my question: Why is a head wound to Romney's head appropriate for Georgetown? What the heck does that mean anyway? Does that mean that it is OK to show the Republican candidate as having been hunted, shot, taxidermied and hung as a trophy, but not the Democratic candidate?

It gets worse, according to the artist, all of the "irate" and "threatening" emails received by the gallery and by the artist were about the Obama sculpture. Apparently the vast right wing conspiracy hasn't heard about this, and only the even vaster left wing nuthouse has been mobilized to threaten an artist who is well within her right to use her formidable artistic skills to offer political commentary to both sides of the political spectrum.

Because this alleged censorship was between a gallery and an artist, some of the issues get murky, after all, "he who owns the walls" has powerful rights to hang or not hang something in the art world. So I can understand how a "revised" Obama sculpture ends up in the show; that is between Ichiuji and Lareuse. I don't like it, but I understand the process.

But it is the authors of the "irate" and "threatening" emails who deserve a mandatory course on First Amendment Rights, and it is them who really piss me off to no end.

Artists have always, and will hopefully always be able to offer their artistic perspectives on our political leaders. Some of it is despicable (Remember the film Death of a President? a fantasy about the killing of George W. Bush that won the International Critics’ Prize at the Toronto Film Festival?), but - and this is an important but - in view of today's contemporary mob barbarism sweeping many Islamic nations, it is more important than ever to respect and defend our joint first amendment rights, no matter how far away from our own private political stance those views may be.

We may disagree with the way in which Ichiuji decided to portray your political candidate, while liking the way she portrayed the "other guy", but we should all agree that we stand together in defending her right to create art about them in any manner, way or form that she chooses.

Chalk one up for the mob.

Saturday, September 22, 2012

Catwoman

The latest piece in my marriage of drawings and paintings with embedded electronics brings to life a charcoal and conte drawing of Catwoman. She is perched on the rooftop of some building somewhere in Gotham, while inside a condo unit below her, a large TV flat screen plays a video compilation of her, Batman and Robin from the old TV show.

Catwoman Naked by F. Lennox Campello. Charcoal with embedded video. 2012
Catwoman Naked by F. Lennox Campello. 7 x 21 inches. Charcoal with embedded video. 2012
Catwoman Naked by F. Lennox Campello. Charcoal with embedded video. 2012
Catwoman Naked by F. Lennox Campello. Charcoal with embedded video. 2012




Catwoman Naked by F. Lennox Campello. Charcoal with embedded video. 2012





Friday, September 21, 2012

The Trawick Prize's Sapphire Award

Carol Trawick, founder of The Trawick Prize, has established The Trawick Prize "best of the best" Sapphire Award to mark the contemporary art competition's 10th anniversary and honor the Best in Show winners from the past 10 years. In conjunction with the Bethesda Arts & Entertainment District and the Bethesda Urban Partnership, Trawick will hold a special "best of the best" competition and exhibition, featuring artwork by winners from 2003 - 2012.

A jury comprising the 30 jurors from the past 10 years will determine one "best of the best" Sapphire Award winner, who will receive $10,000. In addition, the public can view the artwork online and vote for a "People's Choice" award winner, who will receive $1,000. 
Online voting will begin on Sept. 17, 2012 and will be open through Friday, Oct. 19, 2012 through a partnership with Bethesda Magazine.

Click here to vote online for the Trawick Prize People's Choice award winner.

Artwork by nine of the 10 Best in Show winners will be on display in a group exhibition taking place Nov. 3 - Dec. 1, 2012 at Gallery B, located at 7700 Wisconsin Avenue, Suite E. The award winners will be announced Friday, November 2, 2012.
Past Trawick Award Winners 
2003: Richard Cleaver 
2004: David Page  
2005: Jiha Moon  
2006: James Rieck  
2007: Jo Smail  
2008: Maggie Michael 
2009: Rene Trevino 
2011: Mia Feuer 
2012: Lillian Bayley Hoover 
 
The public opening reception will be held Friday, November 9 from 6-9pm in conjunction with the Bethesda Art Walk. Gallery hours for the duration of the exhibit are Wednesday through Saturday, 12 - 6pm.  

The Trawick Prize was established in 2003 by Carol Trawick, a longtime community activist in downtown Bethesda.  She is the past Chair of both the Bethesda Arts & Entertainment District and Bethesda Urban Partnership, and also the Founder of the Bethesda Painting Awards. In 2007, Ms. Trawick founded the Jim and Carol Trawick Foundation to assist health and human services and arts non-profits in Montgomery County.
 

Manon Cleary at 39th Street Gallery

CREATING A LEGACY:
Paintings and Drawings
By Manon Cleary
Curated by F. Steven Kijek and John Paradiso 
September 22 - November 17, 2012

Reception September 22 from 5:00- 8:00 PM
"My art is my legacy, my children. I'm creating a history for myself the same way someone else would carry their genes forth. I care where my paintings go and how they do in the world, every one of them." 
Manon Cleary
In collaboration with F. Steven Kijek and the Cleary Estate, the 39th Street Gallery will exhibit 14 paintings and drawings by the late Manon Cleary.
 
Also Showing in the Corridor Exhibition Space:

COMPANION
Anna U. Davis, Paul Feinberg, Patricia Goslee, Jeanette Herrera, Yar Koporulin, Jared Miller, Jessika Tarr, Tom Wolff.

This is a companion show of 8 artists that were mentored by or had close relations to Manon Cleary.

39th Street Gallery, Second Floor   
Gateway Arts Center 
3901 Rhode Island Avenue.
Brentwood, Maryland 20722
Gallery hours: 
Thursdays & Fridays 7- 9 PM, Saturdays 12- 3 PM 
and by appointment (301-864-3860, x3)

Thursday, September 20, 2012

Opportunity for PG Countiers!


The Brentwood Arts Exchange would like to share information from another M-NCPPC art center, Arts/Harmony Hall Regional Center.
Call for Entries
 
Under The Influence:
The 24th Annual Prince George's County Juried Exhibition
Arts/Harmony Hall Regional Center
10701 Livingston Rd.
Fort Washington, MD 20744
Under The Influence
is a juried exhibition of works that show all kinds of influences, including, but not limited, historic, aesthetic and cultural. The exhibition is sponsored by The Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission (M-NCPPC), Department of Parks and Recreation, Prince George's County, Arts and Cultural Heritage Division. The exhibition will be on display from November 5 through December 28, 2012.

Juror
Mr. F. Lennox Campello is an internationally accomplished artist, author, published art critic, teacher and one of the internet's leading art bloggers. His local, national and international knowledge of and experience with the pulse of the art scene is an invaluable contribution to this year's juried exhibition.
Exhibition Dates:
November 5 - December 28, 2012
Public Reception:
Saturday, November 17, 3-5pm
Artist Talk and Refreshments:
Saturday, November 24, 12noon-2pm 
Eligibility & Submission Criteria
This call for entries is open to all artists 18 years and older who live, work, attend school or have studios in Prince George's County, MD. Artists may submit a maximum of 3 artworks for consideration. All works must be original (no reproductions). Proposals for installations or performance works should include sample images, video or audio of the type of work being proposed as well as a brief description of the proposed art work.  

What to Send
  • A CD/DVD containing images and/or segments of audio/video, each no longer than five minutes in duration.
  • A bio, artist statement with contact info and a list of the works submitted with titles, media, and dimensions in MS Word.
  • If you would like your materials returned, please include a SASE.
 
Where to Send It
Materials can be submitted by mail or delivered in person to the arts office at Arts/Harmony Hall Regional Center, 10701 Livingston Rd., Fort Washington, MD 20744 or emailed to: Stuart.Diekmeyer@pgparks.com
Submission Deadline:
Monday, October 1, 2012
All submissions, in the form of digital images, must be received by 5pm on Monday, October 1.
Notification of selected works:
Friday, October 12, 2012
All selected artists will be notified via email
Delivery of artwork to AHHRC:
Friday, October 26, 9am-5pm
All artists are responsible for the delivery of their artwork to AHHRC
Exhibition closes:
Friday, December 28
Artwork pick-up:
Wednesday, January 2, 9am-5pm
Guidelines for Digital Files
Efforts will be made to review all submissions, regardless of format. However, please be aware that incompatible files may cause submissions to be rejected. Applicants are encouraged to format files as described below.
  • Name each file according to the following format: "last name" underscore "document". Example: jones_statement.pdf.
  • Please number each image file corresponding to the work sample list. Example: 01_jones_untitled.jpg
  • Image files should not be larger than 1MB, and should be formatted as jpeg, tiff or png.
  • Video and audio submissions may be submitted as a DVD or on a CD and formatted as Quicktime, Windows Media, .wave or .mpeg.

Purchase Awards
On the recommendation of the juror, the Arts and Cultural Heritage Division will purchase select works of art for the inclusion in the Parks and Recreation art collection.

Delivery & Installation
Artists are responsible for transporting work to and from the gallery. Art work must be delivered ready to hang and appropriately presented. For works that require projection, sound or other electronic equipment, those materials must be provided by the artist. Art works that differ significantly from the images submitted for judging, or are not ready for gallery installation, may be rejected. If you need to ship the work, please call us to let us know what arrangements you have made. The exhibition will be installed and dismantled by M-NCPPC staff unless the nature of the work requires special assistance. All work accepted for exhibition will remain for the duration of the exhibition.

Sales & Insurance
The M-NCPPC will retain a 25% commission on all art works sold during the exhibition. The M-NCPPC will insure all consigned artwork in the custody of Arts/Harmony Hall for 75% of it's sale value, from the time they are received by delivery, until the pick up date only.

Additional Information
If you have any questions or would like additional information, please contact: Stuart Diekmeyer, Assistant Director, Arts/Harmony Hall Regional Center, 10701 Livingston Rd., Fort Washington, MD 20744 or email Stuart.Diekmeyer@pgparks.com. Participation implies agreement with all aforementioned conditions.

Tablante on Latinos

Wednesday, September 19, 2012

Skin Opens at Strathmore

SKIN
SEPTEMBER 15 – NOVEMBER 3, 2012

For some people, the body is a canvas; the ultimate vehicle for self-expression. While it is true that our bodies are “modified” from the day we are born, Skin encourages a different kind of interaction with our evolving self-images. Join Strathmore as they follow the varied paths of body modification—both permanent (like tattooing) and transient (like makeup)—and our own power over the face we present to the world.

FREE OPENING RECEPTION
THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 20, 2012 FROM 7 – 9 PM

Join Strathmore on Thursday for a free opening reception! Come see the artwork, meet the artists, and hear curator Harriet Lesser discuss her vision for this thought-provoking collection of images and installations. Henna artist Bhavna Naik, whose work is included in the show, will also be painting guests for part of this two-hour reception.

EDUCATION PROGRAMS
MORE THAN JUST SKIN-DEEP!

Strathmore is also hosting several education programs in conjunction with Skin! Join them this Saturday for their FREE Adult Talk and Tour at 1:00 PM (no reservations required)… or bring your children for the children’s tour at 10:15 AM (free; reservations required) and help them create their very own work of art!

Then, on October 27th, join Paul Roe of British Ink on H Street for a FREE symposium on the art of the tattoo, from ancient Egypt to the present day. The symposium, entitled Unified Elements of Tattooing, takes place at 2:00PM in the music room of the mansion.

Interested in a fun night out with your friends? Look no further than their ART, HENNA & WINE night—Thursday, October 25th from 7 to 10 PM! This perfect evening starts with a fun printmaking experience with Lisa Murphy, then moves to a demonstration and hands-on workshop on traditional henna patterns. Have your hands painted with temporary henna tattoos, courtesy of artist Bhavna Naik. You’ll create a one-of-a-kind print, and leave with beautiful henna designs meant to bring good joy and fortune. Tickets are available online or by calling their ticket office at (301) 581-5100.

The Mansion at Strathmore
10701 Rockville Pike, North Bethesda, MD 20852
www.Strathmore.org

Tuesday, September 18, 2012

Chi-comms try to take down US mural

"Mural draws fire from China," announces the headline in this article by

The story so far: An American of Chinese ancestry David Lin (who grew up in Taiwan before coming to the US in the 1970s), hired Taiwanese artist Chao Tsung-song to paint a 10-foot-by-100-foot mural last month on the side of a building that Lin owns in Corvallis, Oregon, USA. Lin is is renovating the space for a restaurant and has rechristened the building Tibet House; see images of the mural here.

According to the article,  "In vivid colors, the painting depicts riot police beating Tibetan demonstrators, Buddhist monks setting themselves on fire to protest Chinese rule and images of Taiwan as a bulwark of freedom."

Forgetting that he was assigned to represent a brutal dictatorship in a free nation and not back in China, the Chinese Consulate General in San Francisco got wind of this mural (I wonder how?) and then formally fired off a letter to Corvallis Mayor Julie Manning on September 8 complaining  about the mural’s content and asking for the Mayor to help China have the mural removed.

It gets better; in an implied threat of sorts, the letter "goes on to note the strong economic and cultural ties between China and Oregon and suggests that Corvallis would benefit from cooperating with the consulate’s request.
“To avoid our precious friendship from being tainted by so-called ‘Tibet independence’ and ‘Taiwan independence,’ we sincerely hope you can understand our concerns and adopt effective measures to stop the activities advocating ‘Tibet independence’ and ‘Taiwan independence’ in Corvallis,” the letter states.
On September 20, Mayor Manning responded and in-between the lines reminded the Chinese consulate that Oregon was in the USA and not China, when Manning told the consulate:“As you are aware, the First Amendment of the United States’ Constitution guarantees freedom of speech in this country, and this includes freedom of artistic expression.”

Building owner David Lin has no plans to remove a mural promoting independence for Tibet and Taiwan, despite pressure from the Chinese government. (Andy Cripe | Corvallis Gazette-Times)
Clearly the Chinese Consulate was not aware of what the Mayor was talking about and subsequently two Chinese officials, Vice Consul "Guido" Zhang Hao and Deputy Consul General "Carmine" Song Ruan went up to Oregon and met with Manning and another city official. While munching on their cannoli, they expressed "their concern and the concern of the Chinese government about the mural on Mr. Lin’s building.” They also let the mayor know that “They viewed the message as political propaganda.”

Pardon me while I almost choke... the Chi Comms are complaining about "political propaganda"? That's like Bill Clinton complaining that there's "too many ladies in the audience."

The mayor also "had a conversation with them about the U.S. Constitution,” before the two suits headed back down to Shaky Town to file their report with their capo. On the way there they used their Ipad ripoffs to Google US Constitution and see what the heck the Mayor was talking about. Because they didn't put the search term in quotes, I suspect that their report will note some shock and alarm that Manning was possibly threatening China with naval action using the US Navy's oldest commissioned warship.

I tried to reach someone at the Chinese Consulate today, but couldn't get anyone to call me back, or even understand why I was calling, although I may have accidentally ordered information on how to open a Dollar Store.

When Ron Wyden, who is Oregon's senior Senator, heard about this, he put down his chai tea and fired off a beautiful letter to Chinese Ambassador Zhang Yesui ; according to the Gazette-Times:
“I am writing to express my deep displeasure and concern with these actions,” Wyden wrote in his letter to Zhang, the highest-ranking Chinese official in the United States.
He called the Chinese tactics “a grave affront” and went on to lecture Zhang on the First Amendment’s guarantee of free expression, as well as freedom of religion and the press and the right of peaceful assembly.
“While these rights may not be respected in China, they are values that all Americans hold dear,” Wyden noted. “Any attempt by your government to suppress these rights is unacceptable and must not be repeated.”
Also according to the story, subsequently "members of Oregon’s congressional delegation stepped into the fight. Rep. Peter DeFazio, whose district includes Corvallis, blasted China in a speech on the House floor, and Sen. Jeff Merkley issued a short statement applauding Manning and Lin for sticking to their guns."

I contacted the Chinese Embassy today for comments on the letter from Sen. Wyden, but was unable to gather any more information, although I was reassured that my Family Dollar franchise information would be sent to me as soon as possible. I then asked what the difference was between a Dollar Store and a Family Dollar store, as I thought that I had ordered info on the former, not the latter. The nice lady on the phone told me that she "couldn't comment on the letter," so I hung up.

While the story has gone viral, it has been curiously ignored so far by both the New York Times and The Washington Post, which I am sure will now result in another Ann Coulter best-seller. I am also told that USS Constitution's crew has noted a large increase in Chinese visitors over the last few days.

And Oh Yeah... for the ChiComms: Fuck you.

Art Scam Alert!

This is a scam - avoid dealing with this moron:
From: Robert Hallins <sgtrobhallins@hotmail.com>
Date: September 18, 2012 12:35:33 AM EDT
On Sep 17, 2012, at 1:28 AM, Robert Hallins wrote:
-- 
Hi there,
My name is Robert,im from hawaii,was browsing through the internet and my eyes caught this particular work("The Life Force Rests in the Liver",),will like to have it for my new apartment probably this month.please let me know if the piece is available and if yes let me have the detailed price and more information about it. i will be waiting to read from you.Regards.

For tomorrow

Wanna know how to tell it apart? Then check out this panel of curators, academics, artists and critics:

1. John James Anderson, Art Critic for the Washington City Paper, Egghead Professor and a really good Artist

2. Bill Dunlap, Artist, Critic for WETA Around Town show, Curator

3. Harriet Lesser, Curator, Strathmore Center for the Arts and Artist

4. Michael O'Sullivan, Visual Arts and Film Critic for the Washington Post

P.S. Please bring your own examples too!

September 19, 2012 7-8:30 p.m.
Hillyer International Art and Artists
9 Hillyer Court
Washington DC 20008
Free and Open to All

Monday, September 17, 2012

EPA blows it...

In what can be best described as one of the stupidest "you really blew it, dude" emails of recent times, the Environmental Protection Agency yesterday sent an e-mail to its staffers on the issue of National Hispanic Heritage Month.

The EPA's email stepped on its own crank twice:

1.  It contained passages about Hispanic culture apparently copied word-for-word from Buzzle.com. This is perhaps an indication that the author of the email is either a emerging Bidenist or a graduate of the New York Times' Jason Blair School of Journalism.

2. More offensive to the people being honored this month, was that the email also contained an image of the murdering, hemophobic, racist, psychopath known as Che Guevara. The same Guevara who referred to Mexicans as "a band of illiterate Indians” and noted that “The black is indolent and a dreamer; spending his meager wage on frivolity or drink; the European has a tradition of work and saving, which has pursued him as far as this corner of America and drives him to advance himself, even independently of his own individual aspirations.”

According to the WaPo: "The EPA gave Buzzfeed the typical response to such matters: it was the fault of a staffer, no supervisor approved it, the underling has apologized, etc., etc" - That's what you call modern leadership qualities... throw the GS4 who wrote the email under the bus... it wasn't my fault... no one approved that...

Makes my head hurt.

Sunday, September 16, 2012

Bad Art / Good Art

Wanna know how to tell it apart? Then check out this panel of curators, academics, artists and critics:

1. John James Anderson, Art Critic for the Washington City Paper, Egghead Professor and a really good Artist

2. Bill Dunlap, Artist, Critic for WETA Around Town show, Curator

3. Harriet Lesser, Curator, Strathmore Center for the Arts and Artist

4. Michael O'Sullivan, Visual Arts and Film Critic for the Washington Post

P.S. Please bring your own examples too!

September 19, 2012 7-8:30 p.m.
Hillyer International Art and Artists
9 Hillyer Court
Washington DC 20008
Free and Open to All

Opportunity for Latino Artists

Entry Deadline:  November 18, 2012


Call For Entries: Converging Cultures: Works by Latino Artists

September 6–October 4, 2013

Entries must be submitted via email.  Instructions are contained in the exhibition prospectus.
Click here to download the exhibition prospectus.
Click here to download the entry form.

Saturday, September 15, 2012

Opportunity for Portrait Artists

Deadline: Monday, October 8, 2012 at 5pm

All portrait artists 18 years or older residing in Maryland, Virginia, the District of Columbia, and Delaware are invited to enter ArtSpace Herndon's 4th Annual Expressions Portrait Competition to compete for cash prizes.  
Up to 25 finalists will be selected from the entries to exhibit in the Post Gallery at ArtSpace Herndon in November.  The prize winners will be announced at the exhibit reception.

This year's judge is Kurt Schwarz.  Kurt Schwarz is a portrait and still life painter whose reputation for exceptional use of color has earned accolades. He earned an MFA from George Washington University and teaches at the Loudoun Academy of the Arts and The Art League in Alexandria.     

Please review the complete prospectus for all the rules, dates, and other information.  
Click here for the full prospectus and to enter online!

Friday, September 14, 2012

WPA Artists' Directory: Tonite!

CALL FOR SUBMISSIONS
EARLY BIRD DEADLINE: September 14, 2012, 5:00pm
FINAL DEADLINE: October 12, 2012, 5:00pm

Published bi-annually, this four-color, 8½ x 5½ inch directory is the definitive listing of established and emerging contemporary artists throughout the Washington region. It is widely used by galleries, curators, art consultants, and art patrons. Copies are distributed to selected art critics and other members of the press, and to museums both within and outside of the region. The 2013 - 2014 Artist Directory will be published in the spring of 2013, and will 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 (8½ x ½ 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, categories to describe their work and studio practice, and their gallery affiliation.

All current WPA members are eligible for publication in the Artist Directory. There is an additional participation fee that includes a copy of the Artist Directory. Participants who submit before September 14, 2012 can pay a discounted early registration fee of $65. After September 14, the registration fee increases to $75. The final registration deadline is October 12, 2012. No submissions will be accepted after this date. 

Registration for the 2013 - 2014 Artist Directory will be handled exclusively through 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 2013 - 2014 Artist Directory or any issues with registration, please contact Christopher Cunetto, Membership Manager, at ccunetto@wpadc.org or 202-234-7103 x 2.

FotoDC

 
ENTER NOW!

Deadline: Monday September 17th @ 11:59PST

Great Exposure
$26,000 in Cash Prizes
Winning images exhibited at FotoWeek Central during the Festival, November 9-18


SUBMIT

Single Images
Portfolios
Multimedia
Photo Books

Tomorrow at AU

Tomorrow the curious and creative will be conducting an orchestra, making a collage with a living artist as a Muse, learning iconic jazz dance moves, and creating music out of thin air.

Fall for the Arts, a unique celebration of the Arts at AU, will feature an afternoon of dynamic classes and hands-on workshops capped off with an elegant reception and live auction of works by prominent artists. The afternoon classes span a wide-range of activities including creating sound effects, acting Shakespeare, Hindustani tabla drumming, and stage combat, to name just a few. Proceeds from the event will benefit the Arts at AU.


There is also a very cool art auction with some excellent artworks up for auction at some very good starting prices, including an amazing Manon Cleary graphite drawing at a starting price of just $2K. Check out the artwork up for auction here or plaease browse below or use the links below to review available works—and see Artist Bios (PDF):
Come celebrate the Arts at American University. The event is open to the public. Admission is $50 for the entire event.

Register Now for 2012

Tonight!

Tonight, from 6-8PM is the opening of a really cool group show at the galleries of the Takoma Park Community Center - focused on artists from the Latino Art Collective and for Hispanic Heritage Month... and if you're saying, "Campello, you hypocrite" then you'd want to know the history, oddity and meaning of the terms "Hispanic" and "Latino", so come to the lecture as well...
Eyes On The Border Show

Thursday, September 13, 2012

El Rey

Hoyt's Mid Atlantic

Once again it was my honor and pleasure and hard work to jury my fellow artists; this time for the 2012 Hoyt Institute of Fine Arts Mid Atlantic Art Competition in Pennsylvania.

And like I've noted before, even though I’ve juried, organized, curated or otherwise passed judgment on my fellow artists around 300 times in the last few decades, the process of jurying an art show never ceases to amaze me by both how individually difficult each one is and how inspiring each one becomes.

As a juror, and when done properly, the task of selecting artwork is immensely hard; made harder by the fact that a juror must also reject artwork and artists. More often than not, some rejected artwork floats back and forth between acceptance and rejection – there are variables that dictate how many pieces are included and how the downsizing of a show (it is almost always downsizing) tugs at the visual arts heart.

The Hoyt Mid Atlantic jurying process was an especially difficult show to put together. Why? Because there were so many powerful entries competing for limited wall space and because the vast majority of submissions reflected an amazing variety of genres, media, approaches, ideas and processes.

Ohad Cadji’s lusty photographThere was mastery in painting; plenty of that and from plenty of diverse approaches! Bruce Erickson subtle and intelligent approach to composition, light and homage to the classics is vastly different from James O’Malley’s brutally hyper-realistic take on our surrounds. 

They are both the result of artists flexing very powerful technical skills married to even stronger artistic visions.

Carol Wallace’s breathtaking watercolor takes a mundane subject (Pears) and elevates it to a sublime position as only a refreshing and difficult watercolor can do. 

And Ohad Cadji’s lusty photograph is a triumph of the human body’s never-ending ability to engage and warm our mind and body.

For those of you invited to exhibit, I send a well done! It was a tough competition and you should feel pleased and honored. For those artists whose work was rejected, as an artist myself, I your juror shares that experience with you and I know that it is never easy to accept. However, I also pass that as a juror and artist, it is clear to me that one juror’s vision and approach is just that: one juror! Keep on creating!

I have been honored to put my name to this show, and I thank all of you for it.

Go to this tomorrow...

Eyes On The Border Show
Pencil this in and if you want to know the history, oddity and meaning of the terms "Hispanic" and "Latino", then come to the lecture as well...

Wednesday, September 12, 2012

Fall for the Arts at AU

On September 15, 2012, the curious and creative will be conducting an orchestra, making a collage with a living artist as a Muse, learning iconic jazz dance moves, and creating music out of thin air.

Fall for the Arts, a unique celebration of the Arts at AU, will feature an afternoon of dynamic classes and hands-on workshops capped off with an elegant reception and live auction of works by prominent artists. The afternoon classes span a wide-range of activities including creating sound effects, acting Shakespeare, Hindustani tabla drumming, and stage combat, to name just a few. Proceeds from the event will benefit the Arts at AU.

 

There is also a very cool art auction with some excellent artworks up for auction at some very good starting prices, including an amazing Manon Cleary graphite drawing at a starting price of just $2K. Check out the artwork up for auction here or plaease browse below or use the links below to review available works—and see Artist Bios (PDF):
Come celebrate the Arts at American University. The event is open to the public. Admission is $50 for the entire event.

Register Now for 2012

Worshiping at the Altar of Modern Art

Herewith the latest work in my marriage of drawing/painting with embedded electronic components. In this piece, titled Nude Artist Worshiping at the Altar of Modern Art, the embedded electronic screen plays a Powerpoint show of what most lay people think of when the term "modern art" is employed in a conversation.

This is a charcoal and watercolors piece, which now begins to see me add a little color to my drawings. It is done on 12x16 inches, 300 weight acid free, pH-balanced Rising paper.

See if you can figure out which artists are being homaged in the following screenshots of the work:

Nude Artist Worshiping at the Altar of Modern Art - Watercolor and Embedded Electronics by F. Lennox Campello, 2012

Nude Artist Worshiping at the Altar of Modern Art - Watercolor and Embedded Electronics by F. Lennox Campello, 2012

Nude Artist Worshiping at the Altar of Modern Art - Watercolor and Embedded Electronics by F. Lennox Campello, 2012


Nude Artist Worshiping at the Altar of Modern Art - Watercolor and Embedded Electronics by F. Lennox Campello, 2012





And below a couple of shots depicting me in the creation of the "Jackson Pollock" piece to the left of the work...


Tuesday, September 11, 2012

Courage Unmasked Tomorrow!

VIP Gala on Wednesday, September 12, 2012, 6:30 pm to 9:30 pm
The Katzen Arts Center at American University
4400 Massachusetts Avenue, NW, Washington, DC 20016

Lest We Forget



Studio View, 9/11 by David FeBland
"Studio View, 9/11"
Oil on Canvas c. 9/11/2001 by David FeBland

Monday, September 10, 2012

WPA Artists' Directory

CALL FOR SUBMISSIONS
EARLY BIRD DEADLINE: September 14, 2012, 5:00pm
FINAL DEADLINE: October 12, 2012, 5:00pm

Published bi-annually, this four-color, 8½ x 5½ inch directory is the definitive listing of established and emerging contemporary artists throughout the Washington region. It is widely used by galleries, curators, art consultants, and art patrons. Copies are distributed to selected art critics and other members of the press, and to museums both within and outside of the region. The 2013 - 2014 Artist Directory will be published in the spring of 2013, and will 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 (8½ x ½ 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, categories to describe their work and studio practice, and their gallery affiliation.

All current WPA members are eligible for publication in the Artist Directory. There is an additional participation fee that includes a copy of the Artist Directory. Participants who submit before September 14, 2012 can pay a discounted early registration fee of $65. After September 14, the registration fee increases to $75. The final registration deadline is October 12, 2012. No submissions will be accepted after this date. 

Registration for the 2013 - 2014 Artist Directory will be handled exclusively through 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 2013 - 2014 Artist Directory or any issues with registration, please contact Christopher Cunetto, Membership Manager, at ccunetto@wpadc.org or 202-234-7103 x 2.

Washington Society of Landscape Painters

While temperatures hit the 100-degree mark this summer, Washington, DC, area painters were donning hats and sunscreen and grabbing their outdoor easels in a quest to create paintings for their 100th birthday party celebration.

One of the oldest plein air painting groups in the USA, the Washington Society of Landscape Painters started out as an all male clubcalled "the Ramblers." Limited to 40 active members, it now includes both male and female artists who pursue their profession locally, nationally, and internationally.

Visitors will see both large and small oil, watercolor, pastel, and acrylic landscapes displayed by member artists at the McGuire Woods gallery at the Lorton Workhouse, at 9601 Ox Road in Occoquan, VA.  For more information: (www.workhousearts.org/visual-arts).

The public is invited to a free reception on Saturday, September 29, from 5-7 pm.  Come early (10-noon) to watch WSLP artists painting nearby in the historic town of Occoquan. The show runs from Friday, September 28 through Sunday, October 21, 2012.

Gallery hours are Wednesday through Saturday 11 am-7 pm, and Sunday from 12-5 pm.  For more information, send email to barbaranuss@wslp.org.

Courage Unmasked This Wednesday

On September 12th the second Courage Unmasked auction will take place at American University's Katzen Arts Center. For that event, together with several other artists from around the nation, I was invited to create a mask for the fundraising auction, and for quite a while I have been refining a three dimensional version of my embedded video drawings to make them jump into the fourth dimension with a mask.

In essence, more than 50 artists from all over the country created fine art by transforming radiation masks formally worn by HNC patients to position and immobilize their heads during treatment. These unique masterpieces will be auctioned at the Gala on the 12th. Money from mask sales and admissions will fund 9114 HNC, dedicated to helping those in financial need during and after treatment.

 911 4 HNC means “Help for Head and Neck Cancer.” This is a unique fund dedicated to granting financial aid directly to patients who have or had head and neck cancer (HNC). Unlike many other foundations, theirs does not give dollars to research.They support only individuals and their families in the locations where money is raised.

Improving the quality of life for those with head and neck cancer is the foremost goal of this endeavor. The 9114HNC fund receives money from the auction of fine art sculpture by artists who transform radiation masks worn by head and neck cancer patients. The money raised goes directly to individual patients who are struggling to make ends meet, whether it’s for taxi fare to the hospital or groceries.

Date: September 12, 2012at AU's gorgeous Katzen Art Museum.
Start Time: 6:30 pm
End Time: 9:30 pm
Buy your tickets here.

Below is my piece that you will see at the Katzen. This is titled "Eyes of  Frida Kahlo" and consists of an assembly of two small LCD screens embedded within the mask and each playing two separate Powerpoint presentations; each has 68 embedded images of Kahlo's self portraits.

The focus of the piece is to envision triumph over pain, as the brave people who have to undergo radiation therapy for head and neck cancer (HNC) have to do.

Eyes of Frida Kahlo (front view)

Eyes of Frida Kahlo, left view


Eyes of Frida Kahlo, right view

Eyes of Frida Kahlo, seen in a dim light

Eyes of Frida Kahlo, seen in the dark