Tau Delta Phi-Delta Gamma Theta Nix Flag

An artwork involving an American flag was abruptly rejected this week from a benefit show at Gallery House, a collective exhibition space in Clinton Hill, Brooklyn. The work, by the artist known as Clark Clark, was a flag printed with the word "Evolve" in large block letters. Titled "Evolve America," it was intended for the gallery's forthcoming show, "Reclaiming Space," in which pieces will be raffled off to benefit the environmental volunteer organization Green Edge Collaborative.

On July 2, Mr. Clark said, he installed the piece with the help of fellow artist Jonathan Levy, who serves as the director of Gallery House. Said Mr. Clark: "He saw it when I brought it. He complimented it."

But on July 4, Mr. Levy called Mr. Clark to inform him that "Evolve America" had to be removed and replaced. Mr. Clark says Mr. Levy bowed to legal pressure from the owner of the building, but Mr. Levy says the decision was his—though it was informed by a collaborative discussion. According to property records, the building owner is the Tau Delta Phi-Delta Gamma Theta Alumni Association, an organization for alumni of a Pratt Institute fraternity. Neither the national chapter of Tau Delta Phi nor the Pratt Alumni office could be reached for comment.

Read the WSJ story by Pia Catton here.

Arts on N Street

An exciting new outdoor arts market brought to you by the Walter E. Washington Convention Center and the DC Commission on the Arts and Humanities.

They are looking for DC artists to help activate the Shaw neighborhood for two weekends in August (7th & 8th and 14th & 15th). They are thus looking for artists and crafters based in DC to sell their works and wares. Looking for 22 vendors for each day (it is not required to do all four days. They are happy to let people chose their level of participation). Space is FREE.

In addition to the craft fair, there will be an affordable art fair called Paper Pushers where they are looking for artists to sell original works on paper (size restrictions do apply- no bigger than 20" in any one dimension and nothing priced above $200) where people can buy the artwork right there and go. Artists will receive full sale price of artwork less any processing fees that may occur.

They are also looking for people who would be interested in leading workshops with kids- live painting, decorating your own skate deck, bike repair, juggling, dj-ing… this would also be a paid position.

Other ideas are forming and their ears are open! If you have something you're itching to try out, don't hold back- let Beth Baldwin know! If you have an idea or would like to apply, please contact Beth Baldwin at gobethgo@gmail.com to participate.

Trawick Prize Finalists

Eleven artists have been selected as finalists for the eighth annual Trawick Prize: Bethesda Contemporary Art Awards, easily the DMV's premier arts award.

The work of the finalists will be on display from September 1 – 25, 2010 in downtown Bethesda at 4728 Hampden Lane.

The prize winners will be announced on Wednesday, September 1st at a special press event at the space. The Best in Show winner will be awarded $10,000; second place will be honored with $2,000 and third place will be awarded $1,000. A “Young Artist” whose birth date is after April 9, 1980 will also be awarded $1,000.

The artists selected as finalists are:

Barbara Bernstein, Amherst, VA
Milana Braslavsky, Reisterstown, MD
Ellen Burchenal, Baltimore, MD
Anne Chan, Silver Spring, MD
Kathryn Cornelius, Washington, D.C.
Adam Davies, Washington, D.C.
Bernhard Hildebrandt, Baltimore, MD
Magnolia Laurie, Baltimore, MD
Sara Pomerance, Washington, D.C.
Ding Ren, Washington, D.C.
Dan Steinhilber, Washington, D.C.

A public reception will be held on Friday, September 10, 2010 from 6-9pm in conjunction with the Bethesda Art Walk. The Gallery hours are Wednesday - Saturday from 12-6pm.

Entries were juried by Harry Cooper, Curator of Modern and Contemporary Art, National Gallery of Art in Washington, D.C.; Robert Haywood, Deputy Director, Contemporary Museum in Baltimore, MD and Emily Smith, Curatorial Fellow in Modern and Contemporary Art, Virginia Museum of Fine Arts.

Established by my good friend Carol Trawick in 2003, The Trawick Prize honors the work of local artists and establishes a foundation for a solid arts community in downtown Bethesda. Founder Carol Trawick has served as a community activist for more than 25 years in downtown Bethesda; including working on legislation to designate communities in Maryland as Arts & Entertainment Districts. She is past Chair of the Bethesda Arts & Entertainment District, past Chair of the Bethesda Urban Partnership, current Chair of Strathmore, and Founder of The Jim and Carol Trawick Foundation and the Bethesda Painting Awards.

The Trawick Prize is one of the first regional competitions and largest prizes to annually honor visual artists. To date, The Trawick Prize has awarded over $98,000 in prize monies and has exhibited the work of 83 regional artists. Best in Show recipients include: Richard Clever, Baltimore MD (2003); David Page, Baltimore, MD (2004); Jiha Moon, Annandale, VA (2005); James Rieck, Baltimore, MD (2006); Jo Smail, Baltimore, MD (2007); Maggie Michael, Washington, D.C. (2008); and Rene Trevino, Baltimore, MD (2009).

Who will win this year? It depends who is the real HMFIC out of the three judges. Five will get you ten that Steinhilber is being pushed by Cooper, Burchenal or Hildebrandt by Haywood, and Bernstein by Smith. Since Bernstein is the only VA artist in the mix, I suspect that Smith was the quiet one in the junta of jurors, and since 6 of the 11 artists are DMV, that Cooper was the lead general of the junta.

So, since Steinhilber has been a finalist before, and since I suspect that Cooper is the arm twister in the group, I bet that Dan will be the winner of the 2010 Trawick Prize. If he wins it will be well-deserved and bring the prize to one of the DMV's local art stars.

Heard on Univision

Earlier today, towards the end of the World Cup game between Holland and Uruguay, as it seemed certain that the last Latin American team in the running was about to be eliminated (they almost tied it in the last few seconds), the commentators had a really interesting discussion in Spanish.

They were wondering if they should root for Spain in tomorrow's game between La Furia (Spain) and Germany. One of the commentators was making the case that they should root for Spain, simply based on the commonality of language. One of the two other commentators, who was a former player himself, was against that, claiming that the Spaniards were very racist and discriminated against South Americans, so why should they (all three commentators were apparently South American), root for Spain?

He expanded on that point by giving as evidence the fact that when he played for several years in the Spanish soccer leagues (which means he must have been very good, as they are the highest paid ones in Europe), he was constantly under the pressure of discrimination from the Spanish teams.

I found this very interesting, and thought to myself how comments like this, say on ESPN, would cause a maelstrom of controversy in this nation.

Update: The commentator who made the comment was José Luis Chilavert, a former goalkeeper from Paraguay, and considered one of the the 10 best goalies in soccer history; and Univision's "futbol" forums are buzzing with comments about his comments.

City Gallery First Annual Regional Juried Competition

Time is running out to submit for the First Annual City Gallery Regional Juried Competition. The show will be judged by Washington artist and gallerist and my good amigo, Jack Rasmussen. Rasmussen is currently Director and Curator of the American University Museum.

Accepted work will be exhibited at City Gallery located in the heart of the Atlas Arts District from August 7-28. There will be an opening reception on August7 from 6-9pm.

To download a complete prospectus and entry form go to www.citygallerydc.com or email info@citygallerydc.com.

All entries must be postmarked by midnight July 12.

Fridaphiles of the world: Unite!

Check out Google today to see how the celebrate Frida Kahlo's birthday today. Below is a huge Frida Kahlo collage that I did in art school in the 80s.

Free: Opportunity for Artists

Deadline: July 19, 2010.

Location: Landslide Gallery, Chicago (July 23-31). The Foster Collective, a Chicago based artist collective, seeks visual and written responses to the Gulf oil disaster. All entries must be on gas station paper towels. You can draw, paint, collage or write directly on the towel. Or, you can glue/tape artwork to the towel. Paper towels can be any color or texture. They are usually kept in the same container as the windshield squeegee. Requirements: -Leave 1" margin at the top for hanging. -Please submit the whole paper towel. Do not cut or add to the dimensions, which are typically 9 1/8 x 10 1/8 inches. -Write your name, email address, and location on the back. If you want your piece returned, include SASE. We are currently exploring venues for future exhibitions in other cities. NO FEE... let me say that again: NO FEE!

Send to:

The Foster Collective
C/O A. Watters
2531 N Talman, 1E
Chicago 60647

More info: fostercollective@gmail.com

Happy 4th!

American Flag by Jasper Johns

Elise as Cameron


Is it me?, or is my daughter Elise, in her latest publicity shots looking like a young version of fellow Cuban-American actress Cameron Diaz? (if Cameron Diaz was in a zombie movie).

Saatchi donates 200 artworks, gallery to UK

"Art collector Charles Saatchi has a gift for Britain. It includes Tracy Emin's messy bed, Grayson Perry's explicit pottery and a room full of engine oil.

The advertising tycoon, whose patronage made household names of artists like Emin and Damien Hirst, announced Thursday he is donating his London gallery and 200 works in its collection to the nation as a new public art museum.

The gallery said the works, valued at more than 25 million pounds ($37 million), will be given to the government. The 70,000-square foot (6,500-square meter) Saatchi Gallery will be renamed the Museum of Contemporary Art, London."

Read the whole story here.

I've had it



This has nothing to do with art, but I've had it.

I've had it with the incompetence of this government and BP in dealing with the disaster in the Gulf of Mexico. I've had it with BP and the US Government and their excuses. I don't want to hear any more excuses as to why we have over 1,000 oil skimming ships in this country and they're everywhere but the Gulf. I don't want to hear any more excuses as to why we didn't accept foreign help to clean up the Gulf until a few days ago. I don't want to know why the world's largest oil skimmer is just getting there and then heading to a port, rather than getting to work. I don't want to know why the Navy submarine rescue teams haven't been employed to help with underwater operations.

The United States government has either the most inept set of bureaucrats handling the second worst ecological oil disaster in history (so far), or the President of the United States either doesn't get it, care, or is being told and advised a bunch of bullshit.

This is a million fucking times worse than Katrina and a lot of bureaucrats don't get it, the mainstream press doesn't get it (where the fury?), even the environmental experts and nature lovers don't get it (otherwise they'd be picketing outside the White House) and the President better fucking get it soon or I fear for the health of this entire planet.

Call for Entries: SOLOS 2011

Deadline Extended: Thursday, July 8, 2010 (received)

Each year, 10 to 14 artists from across the mid-Atlantic region (living or working in Virginia, Washington DC, Maryland, West Virginia, Delaware, or Pennsylvania) are selected for solo exhibitions to take place in one of Arlington Art Center's seven separate gallery spaces, or outside on the grounds. Proposals that specifically take into account AAC's space, layout, and surrounding environs are encouraged. Proposals for outdoor sculpture or installations are welcome. Any existing works must have been completed within the last 3 years in order to be considered.

Submissions will be reviewed by the curators, artists, and other arts professionals who make up the AAC Exhibitions Committee. This process will be led by special guest panelists Michael Pollack, a notable DC area art collector and Melissa Keys, an international independent curator.

Details here.

ArtBank 2010 Call to Artists

The theme is: District Identities Depictions of Washingtonian Life, Landscapes, and Cultural Legacies. The DC Arts Commission is seeking two and three-dimensional works including prints, drawings, mixed media compositions, paintings, photographs, ceramics, moveable sculptures, digital media, and video art.

Special attention will be given to innovative and dynamic photography, to meet the strong demand for photographs amongst government agencies. For assistance in preparing applications, there are free workshops on Wednesday July 21st from 1-2PM and July 28th from 6-7:30PM at the DCCAH Office, 1371 Harvard Street, NW 20009 (located 2 block south of the Columbia Heights Metro Station).

This call is open to all artists who reside or maintain studio space in the Washington, DC metropolitan area. However, preference will be given to District residents.

Deadline is Monday, August 2nd, 2010 at 7PM (not a postmark date, all materials must be received by then)

Monrovian X-rays

The apparently endless market for images of Marilyn Monroe now extends to inside the bombshell's body. A set of three Monroe Chest X-rays from a 1954 hospital visit sold Sunday for $45,000 at the Hollywood Legends auction at Planet Hollywood Resort and Casino in Las Vegas.

Read the story here.

Strasburg is pitching tonight!

LottoHeart

Some amazing artwork for sale here and all for a great cause!

Congratulations!

After another outstanding year of artist-centric programming, Hamiltonian Artists has selected five new, distinguished Hamiltonian Fellows for 2010 to join their five existing Fellows:

· Selin Balci (MFA Candidate, University of Maryland)
· Ryan Hoover (MFA, Maryland Institute College of Art, Mount Royal School of Art)
· Joyce Lee (MFA, Maryland Institute College of Art, Mount Royal School of Art)
· Jessica Van Brakle (BFA, Corcoran Collge of Art + Design)
· Elena Volkova (MFA, Maryland Institute College of Art)

On Saturday, July 24, 2010, from 7-9pm, Hamiltonian Gallery will open an introductory group exhibition of these five new Fellows. Each artist will be displaying the work with which they were accepted. The exhibition will run from July 24 - September 4, 2010.

Real Art D.C. Finalist: Travis Childers

Travis Childers's "curious photographs of Petri dishes" caught Jessica Dawson's eye among the Real Art D.C. submissions. Read all about it here.

King of Pop

By now, hundreds of thousands of viewers have seen Jeff Koons' "Michael Jackson and Bubbles," the gilded porcelain life-size sculpture of the King of Pop and his beloved chimpanzee that has been on display at the Los Angeles County Museum of Art's Broad Contemporary Art Museum since it opened more than two years ago.

Now comes Michael Jackson without bubbles, thanks to Sunland artist Seaton Brown, who has created a 144-square-foot portrait of the King of Pop out of 1,680 empty soda pop cans -- the contents, bubbles included, having gone down the drain because, as the artist tells Culture Monster, "I don't really drink soda."

Details here.

Job in the Arts

Cultural Development Corporation (CuDC), a non-profit organization dedicated to creating opportunities for artists and cultural organizations that stimulate economic development and improve quality of life in the DC metropolitan area, is accepting applications for a Technical Associate. This position services the theatre spaces at Flashpoint and Source, multi-user facilities housing a gallery, rehearsal studios, performance spaces and collaborative office space serving area artists and arts organizations.

Responsibilities:

• Coordinate day-to-day technical operations of CuDC performance and rehearsal spaces including:

- maintenance of lighting and audio equipment;

- management of load-in and load-out schedules;

- production walkthroughs with producers and presenters;

- black box schedule coordination with CuDC staff; and

- procuring equipment, materials and other technical services;

• Manage rentals of facility equipment;

• Coordinate facility repairs and maintenance with contractors;

• Manage facility telephone, photocopier/printing, security and safety systems;

• Assistance with production aspects of CuDC special events;

• Assist staff and residents with IT related issues, perform regular network maintenance tasks, and act as a liaison with IT support vendors;

• Perform duties as master electrician and audio engineer during Source Festival and other CuDC events, as needed; and

• Provide general administrative and operations support, as needed.

Requirements:

• Bachelor’s degree or equivalent experience;

• 5 years of experience in technical theatre and related industries;

• Experience operating multiple venues;

• Comprehensive working knowledge of lighting systems, ETC software, and theatrical audio systems;

• Ability to identify and repair problems with lighting and audio equipment;

• Comfort working in a cooperative environment with a broad range of artistic, cultural and social points of view;

• Familiarity with modern computer networking technology;

• Superb customer service, communication and organizational skills; and

• Willingness to work flexible schedule and weekends as programming demands.

Salary: Commensurate with experience

To apply, submit a resume with cover letter to:

Cultural Development Corporation
Technical Associate Search
916 G Street, NW
Washington, DC 20001
email: hr@culturaldc.org
f 202.315.1303

Initial review of applicants will begin immediately, but applications will be accepted until the position is filled.