The Funnel

Just came across this really, really good Funnel Pages; all about the arts in Philadelphia. A one place online stop for openings, shows, reviews, etc. in Philly.

Visit them often here.

Artists' Websites

Hadieh Shafie is a student at School 33 in Baltimore and Hadieh is having an open studio on Saturday, April 12, 2008, Noon to 6PM.


Visit Hadieh's website here.

Lida Moser opens this Friday

Opening on March 14, 2007 and through April 5, 2007, the Fraser Gallery in Bethesda will be hosting their second solo exhibition of legendary American photographer Lida Moser, who now lives in retirement in nearby Rockville, Maryland.

This almost 90-year-old photographer is not only one of the most respected American photographers of the 20th century, but also a pioneer in the field of photojournalism. Her photography has been in the middle of a revival and rediscovery of vintage photojournalism, and has sold as high as $4,000 at Christie's auctions and continues to be collected by both museums and private collectors worldwide. In a career spanning over 60 years, Moser has produced a body of works consisting of thousands of photographs and photographic assemblages that defy categorization and genre or label assignment.

Additionally, Canadian television recently finished filming a documentary about her life; the second in the last few years, and Moser’s work is now in the collection of many museums worldwide.

She was once called the "grandmother of American street photography" by an art critic, which prompted a quick rebuttal by Moser, who called the writer's editor and told him that she wasn't the "fucking grandmother of anything or anyone, and would he [the writer] ever describe Ansel Adams or any other male photographer as the 'grandfather' of any style."

Tough New Yorker.

I once sold one of her rare figure studies to a big famous photography collector from the West Coast (who collects mostly nude photography). There were four or five prints of the image, taken and printed around 1961, but one had all the markings and touch-up evidence of the actual photo that had been used by the magazine, and thus I sent him that one.

He called me to complain that although he loved Moser's work, that he wasn't too happy with the retouching, and could I ask Lida for one of the untouched photos.

Now, you gotta understand that these images were taken and touched-up by hand for publication in a newspaper or magazine (since they were nudies, the latter probably). They were not touched up for a gallery or an art show - they were "battlefield" prints of a working photographer.

I called Lida and explained the situation over the phone. "Sweetie," she said to me in her strong New York accent, "you call that guy right back and tell him that you talked to Lida Moser and that Lida Moser told you to tell him: Fuck You!"

I didn't do that, but just sent him an untouched vintage print.

Tough New Yorker.

Lida was a well-known figure in the New York art scene of the 1950s, 1960s, and 1970s, and a portrait of Lida Moser by American painter Alice Neel hangs in the permanent collection of the Metropolitan Museum in New York City. Neel painted a total of four Moser portraits over her lifetime, and one of them was included in the National Museum of Women in the Arts' "Alice Neel's Women" exhibition.

"Charles Mingus in his Apartment in New York City", c. 1965.

Among her body of works there are also loads of photographs of well-known artists and musicians that either hung around Lida's apartment in NYC or who were part of her circle of friends.



Lida Moser's photographic career started as a student and studio assistant in 1947 in Berenice Abbott's studio in New York City, where she became an active member of the New York Photo League. She then worked for Vogue, Harper's Bazaar, Look and many other magazines throughout the next few decades, and traveled extensively throughout the United States, Canada and Europe.

In 1950 Vogue, and (and subsequently Look magazine) assigned Lida Moser to carry out an illustrated report on Canada, from one ocean to another. When she arrived at the Windsor station in Montreal, in June of that same year, she met by chance, Paul Gouin, then a Cultural Advisor to Duplessis government. This chance meeting led Moser to change her all-Canada assignment for one centered around Quebec.

Armed with her camera and guided by the research done by the Abbot Felix-Antoine Savard, the folklorist Luc Lacourcière and accompanied by Paul Gouin, Lida Moser then discovers and photographs a traditional Quebec, which was still little touched by modern civilization and the coming urbanization of the region.

Decades later, a major exhibition of those photographs at the McCord Museum of Canadian History became the museum’s most popular exhibit ever.

She has also authored and been part of many books and publications on and about photography. She also wrote a series of "Camera View" articles on photography for The New York Times between 1974-81.

Her work has been exhibited in many museums worldwide and is in the permanent collection of the National Portrait Gallery, London, the National Archives, Ottawa, the National Galleries of Scotland, National Portrait Gallery, Washington, DC, the Library of Congress, Les Archives Nationales du Quebec, Corcoran Gallery, Phillips Collection and many others.

Moser was an active member of the Photo League and the New York School.

The Photo League was the seminal birth of American documentary photography. It was a group that was at times at school, an association and even a social club. Disbanded in 1951, the League promoted photojournalism with an aesthetic consciousness that reaches street photography to this day.


"New York City, Office Building Lobby" c. 1965

An opening reception for Ms. Moser will be held on Friday, March 14, 2007 from 6-9PM as part of the Bethesda Art Walk. The reception is free and open to the public.

If you are a photographer, do not miss this opportunity to meet one of the women who set the path for all of you. If you just love the arts, Moser is also a walking encyclopedia of anecdotes and stories about the New York art world of the 50s, 60s and 70s.

Read the WaPo review of her last exhibition here.

WPA Auction Online Bidding

The WPA Art Auction is online for the rest of this week, and four online bidders have so far ended up winning their lots before the Gala, so it’s definitely worth a shot for collectors who might be unsure about their chances of winning, especially with the auction gala now having passed.

Check it out here.

Student Art

I am a huge fan of art created by students, perhaps because as an art student I used to sell nearly all of my art school assignments in Seattle's Pike Place Market.

And later this summer I will be curating an exhibition for the Longview Gallery in Washington, DC titled "Early Look," which will showcase work by undergraduate art students along the Mid Atlantic.

In Philly, the Samuel S. Fleisher Art Memorial will host its 110th Annual Adult Student Members Exhibition (March 21 through April 26, 2008). The Annual Adult Student Members Exhibition is the culmination of the 110th year of fine art instruction at South Philadelphia’s Fleisher Art Memorial. This year’s exhibition will consist of two parts – designed and developed by students and their instructors – exemplifying the teaching and learning philosophy of the Fleisher Art Memorial. Nearly 400 students will have their work on view in Fleisher’s galleries. Many of these works will be for sale.

Part I: March 21 – April 5, will feature drawings, paintings, prints, sculpture, and photographs by adults enrolled in Fleisher’s program of free-tuition classes. A closing reception and awards ceremony for this portion of the exhibition will be held on Saturday, April 5, from 4:00 to 6:00 p.m.

Part II: April 11 – April 26, will feature work from the summer, fall, and spring workshop programs. A closing reception and awards ceremony will be held on Saturday, April 26, from 4:00 to 6:00 p.m.

Details here.

Job in the Arts

Deadline: March 17, 2008

The Maryland Federation of Art (MFA) is a membership organization of artists and art patrons whose mission is to provide exhibition and professional development opportunities for artists and to provide arts education and outreach opportunities for all Maryland citizens. Reporting to the Maryland Federation of Art (MFA) Board of Directors, the Executive Director serves as the chief staff officer and is responsible for the overall leadership and management of the MFA's programs and operations. This position is a part-time position (approximately 30 hours per week) and there is some flexibility allowed for when the hours are worked.

MFA operates the Circle Gallery, which annually hosts three juried national exhibitions, four juried member exhibitions and numerous solo and group shows. In addition, the MFA also conducts education and outreach activities for children and community groups and professional development opportunities for artists. MFA currently employs a full-time Gallery Manager and one part-time Gallery Assistant. Please visit MFA's website for more organizational information at www.mdfedart.org.

To apply, please send a cover letter, resume, and salary requirements by close of business, Monday, March 17, 2008. All candidate submissions will be confidential. Please send an email to the MFA search consultant at stews@mindspring.com for the full position description.

Applications may either be e-mailed to MFA consultant Sharon Stewart at stews@mindspring.com or mailed to Maryland Federation of Art, 18 State Circle, Annapolis, MD 21401, Attention: Sharon Stewart/Executive Director Search. You will receive confirmation of receipt of your application. It is expected that candidate interviews will begin the week of March 24th.

Here we go again

1. A Berlin gallery has an exhibition that was organized by the Danish group Surrend, which said that it wanted to oppose religious extremism.

2. Same said Berlin gallery closes the exhibition after threats "believed to be from Muslims."

Read the BBC story here.

Great art job in Vegas

The Las Vegas Art Museum seeks a Curatorial Assistant to assist with the development and installation of exhibitions in preparation of LVAM’s move into a new, centrally located 100,000 square foot facility in 2009.

The successful candidate must possess good writing skills and have considerable knowledge of contemporary art. B.A. required, M.A. or equivalent gallery or museum experience preferred. LVAM offers full health and dental benefits. Please send your cover letter, resume, and writing sample (publications not required) to Alex Codlin at acodlin@lasvegasartmuseum.org or by mail to Las Vegas Art Museum, 9600 West Sahara Avenue, Las Vegas, Nevada 89117.

Who's Who in Art?

From Damien Hirst to Mark Wallinger, many major artists now rely on legions of helpers. How do they feel about their often uncredited roles?

Read this fascinating article by Patrick Barkham in The Guardian here.

Yet another artist who likes to paint that painting

My good friend Jeffry Cudlin has a must-read post on the curious aggregation of painting styles.

How many artists can you identify? Read the post here.