Thursday, February 07, 2013

F. Lennox Campello and Artomatic Artists



Over the last couple of decades or so, I’ve curated or organized well over a couple of hundred art shows for galleries, museums, art centers, art fairs, etc. One of things that all of those events always seem to have in common is the always-surprising degree of difficulty in assembling a curated or juried group show.

This is always made difficult because (in my experience) the number of artists available to select from, and the amount of work able to be selected is always in conflict by a gargantuan exponential factor: there are always many, many more good artists than there’s space to hang a show.

And thus, one of the true constants of the curatorial task is the harsh reality of eliminating good work from an exhibition; reducing the amount of paintings, drawings, photographs, sculptures, etc. simply because of the finite amount of space to display it.

Competitions and “Call for Artists” are even worse, because artists are actively “competing” against each other for the selective nod from the juror or curator.

In selecting “F. Lennox Campello and Artomatic Artists” that degree of difficulty achieved lunar orbit almost from the very inception of the idea!

Let me tell you why: the brilliance of Artomatic (and what nearly every art critic and scribe seems to miss) is the mind-numbing diversity of what happens when 1,000 or so visually-dominant earthlings gather together to exhibit tens of thousands of work of art.

From the vast resources of the last Artomatic I could have easily organized a curated show with a strict focus on flowers, or nudes, or politics, or sex, or robots, or chickens, or music, or green art, or extra-terrestrials, etcetera, etcetera, etcetera (Note to self: do some of these shows in the future).

Instead, and drawing from my spectacularly enviable experience in assembling ass-kicking art shows, I used what I call “The Campello Group Show Success Formula.”

The formula is brilliant in its simplicity: start with a core number of well-established, well-known artists that will draw the savvy artsy crowds in; add some mid-level emerging artists hungry for the rung to the next level, and stir in some hungry, seldom seen newcomers to the art scene of the DMV. Because of the sheer size of Artomatic, the competitive factor – and thus the difficulty of the job at hand – was very high.

And so, the formula brings a tried and true approach to group show organization – these are not a selection of the “Best Artomatic Artists According to Campello”; that show would have been easy to organize. This is instead a show selected to offer you one man’s view of what Artomatic is all about, but in a manageable space guaranteed not to burn out your sensory nerves. You will see blue chip DMV artists that you and I know well, you'll see artists that I've never met, you'll see artists whom I represent or have represented, you'll see artists that will raise your eyebrow, and you'll see artists whose work you'll like, and artists whose work will leave you unimpressed.

The results in this show will surprise you, entertain you, capture your imagination and perhaps even disappoint you here and there, but overall they will give you this ardent Artomatic lover’s caressing curatorial opinions and evidence to support my theory that Artomatic is the greatest art group show on planet Earth.



Location:

Pepco Edison Place Gallery

702 8th Street, NW

Washington DC 20068


Reception Date:

Wednesday, February 13th, 6 - 8 pm


Exhibition Dates:

Friday, February 8 - Friday, February 22.


Gallery Hours:

Tuesday-Friday, Noon to 4 p.m.

Art Law Clinic

Art Law Clinic

The Maryland Volunteer Lawyers For the Arts are providing their expertise and feedback to artists in need of legal assistance.

This FREE 25-minute clinic is available to artists of all disciplines in need of advice. Saturday, February 9 at MAP Baltimore from 1-4pm. Schedule an appointment in advance at info@mdvla.org (recommended).

Wednesday, February 06, 2013

Artomatic and I

Artomatic and I are pleased to announce "F. Lennox Campello and Artomatic," a group show curated by yours truly and which will have an opening reception at the Pepco Edison Place Gallery next Wed. February 13 from 6-8 PM. Its is free and open to the public. I will give you some more thoughts on this show later, but please pencil it in.



Location:
Pepco Edison Place Gallery
702 8th Street, NW
Washington DC 20068

Reception Date:
Wednesday, February 13th, 6 - 8 pm

Exhibition Dates:
Friday, February 8 - Friday, February 22.

Gallery Hours:
Tuesday-Friday, Noon to 4 p.m.


The invited past Artomatic artists include:


Bijan Machen
Carrie Hughes
Christ Lyngas
Cory Oberndorfer
David Camero
David D'Orio
Deborah Lash
Devin Symons
Erwin Timmers
John Grunwell
Joseph Merchlinsky
Kathryn Trillas
Larry Jones
Lindsey Routt
M. Helene Baribeau
Magda Johanna Gomez
Michael Janis
Monica de Gastyne
Nancy Donnelly
Natalia
Natalie Camou
Nicolas Zimbro
Paul Farley
Philip Yabut
Rania Hassan
Ric Garcia
Roger James
Russ McIntosh
Sardar
Sasha Sinclair
Sean Hennessey
Shanthi Chandrasekar
Stephanie Booth
Tim Tate
Zofie Lang

Finally heard on Univision

A while back in November I noted that newspapers from the Dominican Republic were all abuzz about my peeps Cuban-American Senator Bob Menendez (D-NJ) allegedly short-changing some young Dominican hookers for their services while on vacation at the Dominican Republic (the DR) and how it was curiously off Univision's radars and clearly off the mainstream US press.

Prostitution is apparently legal in the DR, but short-changing a sex worker is never a smart thing to do -- not that this former sailor would know anything about that, but I've heard lots of sea stories about hookers, cheap sailors and banana knives in the PI; I'm just sayin'

Well... Univision has caught up with a vengeance and is usually 2-3 days ahead of English-language television news and at least a week ahead of the WaPo and NYT, and 24-48 hours ahead of the Miami Herald, on the reporting on Menendez's relationship with major donor Dr. Salomon Melgen. And they're deep in the weeds in the inside the DR reporting and digging a lot of evidence which is curiously being ignored (or under-reported at least) by the US mainstream press - this (of course) fuels the vast right wing conspiracy claim's that the "leftist" US mainstream press treats Democrats to a different standard than Republicans (remember Herman Cain?).

The Dominican doctor (now lives in Florida), who in 2012 poured large amounts of money into Menendez’s reelection efforts, was allegedly rewarded when Menendez then became an advocate for a very large, gargantuan Dominican Republic contract for providing X-Ray services for port security by ICSSI, one of Melgen’s companies. And Menendez also used Melgen’s private plane several times to fly to the DR and never reported it, thus breaking Senate ethics rules. Last week he cut Melgen a check for $58,500 to pay for the trips, noting (in a disturbingly bad choice of words) that he had forgotten to do so and the payment had fallen through the cracks... heh, heh...

Read more here: http://www.miamiherald.com/2013/02/06/3220708/watchdogs-sen-bob-menendezs-ties.html#storylink=cpy

About 2-3 weeks ago Univision reported that many other US politicians, including Bill and Hillary Clinton, had been guests, and stayed in Dr. Melgen's luxury villa in the DR.

Bill, Bill, Bill... what are we going to do about you...

Read more here: http://www.miamiherald.com/2013/02/06/3220708/watchdogs-sen-bob-menendezs-ties.html#storylink=cpy

For a good cause



From Strathmore - I plan to donate a piece and hope that you do as well:

Dear Artist,

Drawing for Art has been one of Strathmore’s most popular traditions for 20 years. Visitors are able to peruse and examine donated artwork on exhibit, and the show culminates in a buyer’s reception and raffle where each person who purchases a $100 ticket goes home with a new piece. Through a process of picking numbers, ticket buyers are randomly drawn from a hat. In that order, they choose the work of art they would like to take home—which they get to do that same night! 

We are asking for your support for this successful fundraiser, whose proceeds benefit our fine arts programming through a donation of your artwork. Artists who donate will be honored publicly at our opening Thank You reception on April 23, 2013 from 6 to 8 PM; have their names printed in the Drawing for Art program; and have their artwork featured online, so that enthusiastic collectors can view the exhibit and choose their favorites to display in their homes. You will also receive contact information for the lucky winner who goes home with your artwork, and vice versa, so that he or she can learn more about your work and upcoming exhibits. In addition, artists who donate a piece will receive a complimentary one-year Strathmore Stars membership.

Professionals, students, collectors both young and old, and patrons of the arts all come together for this one night. The tickets they purchase, and the proceeds we receive from Drawing for Art, all go to support Strathmore’s visual arts exhibitions and Mansion programming. The atmosphere on the night of the drawing is electric, and the audience alive with the anticipation of actually owning an artwork of note. Traditionally, there have been more than 100 pieces donated and a matching number of guests—all art enthusiasts.

Drawing for Art is on view at the Mansion from April 18 to April 28, 2013. If you would like to donate work, please complete the form below and return it to Strathmore by Thursday, February 28. Donated artwork must ready to hang including appropriate hardware and wire, and valued at $100 or more.  The raffle and closing reception will take place on Sunday, April 28, from 6 to 9PM. For more information, please contact the Visual Arts department at (301) 581-5125 or Exhibits@Strathmore.org.

We hope you will be willing to donate your work to this signature Strathmore exhibition. Your involvement in this exhibition ensures the future of high quality of programming in the Mansion.

Sincerely,

Harriet Lesser
Curator

Sam Younes
Visual Arts Assistant

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


Artists can submit only one (1) work of art. You will find two forms provided below—one is for you to fill out ahead of time, and the other is to be attached to the back lower right corner of your art. (If you are bringing in sculpture, please attach it to the base.) The first form must be returned to Strathmore by Thursday, February 28, 2013 at close of business. (Strathmore offices are open from 10AM to 4PM.)

Your donation must be an original artwork—no photocopies or posters. Artwork must be exhibition-ready, complete with all the necessary framing and hardware to hang in the gallery. (If you are unsure of what constitutes “adequate hardware,” please ask.) Strathmore reserves the right to refuse any artwork.

We understand that we’re asking you to donate a valuable work of art, and we hope that you will consider donating a piece that best represents you as an artist and that can introduce new audiences to your work.

Thank you!



Drawing for Art FORM #1 (to be returned to Strathmore by Thursday, February 28, 2013)


Name _______________________________________________________________________________________________

Address _____________________________________________________________________________________________

Home Phone ________________________________________

Cell Phone ________________________________________

Title ________________________________________________________________________________________________

Medium _____________________________________________________________________________________________

Year Created ____________________________________ ________

Value _______________________________________

I do not want my artwork to be displayed online. (If left unchecked, artwork will appear on website.)
I do not want Strathmore to share my contact information with buyers.



Drawing for Art FORM #2 (to be attached to the back lower right corner of the art)


Name _______________________________________________________________________________________________

Address _____________________________________________________________________________________________

Home Phone ________________________________________

Cell Phone ________________________________________

Title ________________________________________________________________________________________________

Medium _____________________________________________________________________________________________

Year Created ____________________________________ ________  

Value _______________________________________