Congrats!

To my good friend Mark Jenkins, DC's own Tapedude, whose solo show opens in New York's Stricola Contemporary today with a solo show titled The Golden Ass.

From the press release:

Documentary photographs of characters, such as The Golden Ass, are extracted from their usual street environment, then montaged with found and altered landscapes. Jenkins sources his background environments from Google, which are then layered to create landscape ‘mashups’. In re-contextualizing his characters and their environments, Jenkins creates 2 dimensional versions of the absurdist visions dramatized in his street work. By sampling and remixing his own work in this way, Jenkins moves from street illusionist to story teller. At the same time, he extends the themes first seen in his 2006 Embed Series, merging his packing tape world and other hybridized figures into a physical-mythological composite.

The Golden Ass, a figure from Lucius Apuleius’ ancient Roman novel of the same name, is one of Jenkins’ reoccurring characters. The book relates the adventures of Lucius, a virile young man whose obsession with magic gets him transformed into an ass. Originally Jenkins’ Golden Ass statue appeared on a street in Barcelona, populated by tourists and living Statues, or people who pretend to be statues in hopes of earning a few euros. The irony of having a real statue competing for tips with false statues becomes completely absurd as pedestrians gather to ogle the Ass (The Golden Ass, Embed Series video, 2009).

This character now appears in Jenkins’ collages, silently watching as giant women perform felatio on a rainbow (Under the Rainblow, 2009). In the ancient novel and in Jenkins’ work, the Ass, like the Artist, stands as witness and commentator to humanities strange machinations.

Jenkins has shown on the streets and in the galleries of Tokyo, London, Sao Paulo, Los Angeles and his native city, Washington DC. His works have been featured in the book Hidden Track: How Visual Culture Is Going Places, Juxtapoz Magazine, and many other publications.

Congrats!

To the Maryland Art Place (MAP), which was recently recognized by the Baltimore City Paper as “Baltimore’s Best Art Gallery” of 2008.

Art of Glass II

Ten years ago, the major arts institutions of the Greater Hampton Roads area in Virginia joined together to put together of the most successful examples of region-wide art partnership events: The Art of Glass.

Across Norfolk and the Greater Tidewater area, through the Art of Glass, they proved that art has the power to be a transcendent force.

In April 2009, the Chrysler Museum of Art, the Contemporary Art Center of Virginia and the Virginia Arts Festival, as well as many of the Norfolk-area art galleries, will once again collaborate to create a landmark event for Hampton Roads: Art of Glass 2.

Anchored by The Art of Glass II, the Chrysler Museum of Art will have Lino Tagliapietra in Retrospect: A Modern Renaissance in Italian Glass. Held at the Chrysler Museum of Art. This is the first exhibition to thoroughly examine the career and art of Lino Tagliapietra. The exhibition presents 155 works from Tagliapietra’s 40-year career, including pivotal works from the artist’s own collection and collections around the world as well as designs made for industry and objects that have never before been exhibited.

The Chrysler Museum will also have Contemporary Glass Among the Classics, which features glass installations from four contemporary artists: Katherine Gray, Stephen Knapp, Karen LaMonte, and Beth Lipman. Focusing on each artist’s approach to the versatile material of glass, this exhibition will present new works inspired by the Chrysler’s collection. Gray, LaMonte, and Lipman’s works will be featured throughout various galleries alongside objects from the Museum’s collection.

The Contenporary Art Center of Virginia has a wide host of events and exhibitions lined up with Hank Murta Adams, Dante Marioni, and others; see them all here.

Several key DC area artists will be involved in the festivities as Mayer Fine Arts hosts Dialogues in Glass with the usual powerhouse names from the DC area. Click on below image for more details.

Thomas on Huddy

The WaPo's Holly E. Thomas writes about The Torpedo Factory and Margaret Huddy.

Elise Campello reviewed again!

"Showing great range as an actor, Campello goes from sexy and brash to tender and vulnerable in the bat of an eye.

She sets the tone for Ariel when, once out of her parent’s sight, she slips out of her modest clothes to reveal tight shorts and an exposed midriff and she then vamps wildly to 'The Girl Gets Around.'"

Read the News Tribune review here.

Is it just me?

Maybe it is just me.

But doesn't the new McDonald's singing fish commercial look, feel and sound like the work of former DC area artist (and now in Los Angeles I think) Thomas Edwards's 2004 Artomatic entry "School of Fish Pain" which was subsequently exhibited at Fraser Gallery's 2005 show?

See Edwards' video of School of Fish Pain here. What Edwards did was to reprogram a whole set of Billy Bass talking fish to complain about being eaten and assorted other things.

Edwards is a superb technological artist; I think that MickeyDees needs to get in touch with him soon. See McD's fish commercial below. What McD's has done is to reprogram a Billy Bass talking fish to complain about being eaten.

Wanna go to a DC closing tomorrow?

Longview Gallery has a closing reception for Anna U. Davis's paintings of her made up "Frocasian" (from Afro and Caucasian) characters. Closing reception: 7-9 p.m. Saturday, March 21.

Hemingway's Cuban son

Details here.

Wanna go to an Alexandria, Virginia opening tomorrow?

"Private Arts: A Designer's Exhibition" is the event... don't miss this massive show of over 150 works by 40 artists. The opening is Saturday at Artery 717 in Alexandria from 7:30-11PM. There will also be Live Blues/Rock music, and of course, like most great gallery events it is all free!


With over 10,000 square feet of gallery and event space, Artery 717 is a world of art all by itself.

Congrats!

To my good friend Adam Griffiths, who is a new commissioner on the Takoma Park Arts and Humanities Commission.

They are having a public photo slideshow event tomorrow night in Takoma Park with live music, poetry, with a Word/Text Mural Workshop tonight that will be installed tomorrow. Click below image for more details.

Wanna go to a Baltimore opening tonight?

Gallery Imperato in Baltimore has Patterns of Obsession, a three-person show that brings into light the visual and behavioral patterns of each individual artist. On display will be Dana Reifler Amato's luminous and three-dimensional drawings, Chris Bathgate's precision made, metal sculptures, and Matthew Kern's mixed media Polaroid collages.

Join them tonight from 7-10pm for an opening reception. Meet the artists, view the work in person, enjoy a glass of wine and sample hors d'oeuvres courtesy of The Wine Market. Opening Reception: Friday, March 20, 7-10pm.

Wanna go to a DC opening tonight?

My good friend Nevin Kelly recently moved his outstanding gallery from its former U Street location to a new location in Columbia Heights (will have to visit soon), and the opening reception for "Atmospheric Conditions" tonight is the way to check out the new space!

Tonight's opening is for works by New Yorker H. Wesley Wheeler and takes place from 6-9PM. Details here.

Wanna go to a DC opening tomorrow?

Call for Artists

Deadline: March 27, 2009 (postmark).

Only a week left to submit your work!

I'm going to be jurying an art show for The Fine Arts League of Cary in North Carolina, and they are seeking entries for its 15th Annual Juried Art Exhibition to be held from May 8th to June 27th, 2009 in Cary/Raleigh, NC. Show awards and purchase awards will total over $5,000. Entries can only be mailed via CD. The postmark deadline for the mail-in registration is March 27, 2009.

Full details and a printable prospectus are available on the web here or call Kathryn Cook at 919-345-0681.

Breaking Through: Women Leading Museums

Breaking Through: Women Leading Museums is panel discussion celebrating Women's History Month 2009.

In celebration of Women's History month, four women who direct museums in Washington, D.C. will candidly explore the role of women in our nation's cultural life in a panel discussion at the National Museum of Women in the Arts at 6:30 p.m. on March 26, 2009.

The program is co-sponsored by ArtTable, the leadership organization for professional women in the visual arts, and the National Museum of Women in the Arts, dedicated to recognizing the contributions of women artists.

At the panel, nationally renowned interviewer and NPR Morning Edition special correspondent Susan Stamberg will moderate a lively conversation with directors whose institutions reflect Washington's broad range of museums:

* Camille Giraud Akeju, Director, Anacostia Community Museum, Smithsonian Institution

* Leslie Buhler, Executive Director, Tudor Place Historic House and Garden

* Dorothy Kosinski, Director, The Phillips Collection

* Susan Fisher Sterling, Director, National Museum of Women in the Arts

"Women are making extraordinary contributions to our nation's cultural life, but still face marked challenges, from the gender pay gap to work-life balance," said Elizabeth Ash, Chair of the D.C. Chapter of ArtTable. "These museum directors will offer their unique perspectives on how to succeed at the highest levels and what they wish they had known sooner."

During the evening, the panelists will share their professional journeys, offer advice to emerging professionals, and communicate their vision for leading museums today and beyond. Admission is $20 for ArtTable members, $25 for non-members, and $10 forstudents (with ID). Tickets are available at this website or 212-343-1735 x 25. For general information about the program, call 703-231-5242.

Opportunity for Artists

Deadline: May 27, 2009

Axis Gallery's 4th National Juried Competition Exhibition has a call for artists. The competition deadline is postmarked May 27, 2009.

The exhibition dates are August 1-30, 2009. This year's juror is Janet Bishop curator of Painting and Sculpture at the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art. This year's competition is open to artists residing in the US. Accepted media includes paintings, prints, drawings, sculpture, original digital images, and photo processes produced in the last two years.

The entry fee is $30 for 3 entries and $5.00 for each additional entry with a limit of 6 total. Entries must arrive in the form of a CD and must be in jpeg format. Please get a prospectus for details. The prospectus is available at www.axisgallery.org. Email: info@axisgallery.org. Phone: 916.443.9900.

Businessing Art

To dig each other out of the current economic morass, a fundamental integration of the arts and business worlds is urgently needed. Instead of segregating each into right- and left-brain domains relegated to work versus leisure time, these two equally important elements must finally be united into one forceful whole.

Artists know how to look at the world — and problem solve — with fresh eyes. If businesses regularly invited photographers, crafters and writers to participate in brainstorming sessions and hold employee workshops, some new solutions and strategies might arise.

Read Andrea K. Hammer at the Bulletin here.

Is this awesome or what?

"Seems like Tyler School of Art is looking to stir something up: We got word this morning that, in an attempt to "end the age of silence," whatever that means, Temple kids have craftily constructed four Trojan Horses out of what looks like cardboard on wheels, and strategically placed them in the lobbies of UArts, PAFA, Moore College of Art & Design, and the Art Institute. How they got them in there without getting caught, no one knows."

Check it out here.

Their typewritten manifesto says:

"Within the tides and ideals of their own foundations, four rivers have been flourishing in the city of Philadelphia. The fifth river had existed within close proximity until now. Its channel has been rerouted to flow abreast the others and encroach on their territory. We, the students of Tyler School of Art, have been rerouted and relocated. However, our waters are as steady and strong as they have ever been.

Four gifts have been constructed ending the age of silence. As Apollo lifts the sun on the morning of March 18, 2009, these four gifts will be illuminated. On this morning we … declare war against thee and stand by our gates at full attention waiting for the battle to begin."

I love this!

Tyler recently (today was the first day I think) opened a brand new gallery in their new relocated spaces. More info and details from the Tylerists here.

See how the horses were constructed below:



Moore's response below!!!

De we have an 'arts czar'?

Late last week, the White House seems to have appointed an arts czar -- but no one seems to have noticed. His name is Kareem Dale, according to a short item in Saturday's New York Times. As of 1 p.m. on Monday, there's no press release on WhiteHouse.gov and no reports of the appointment at the Associated Press or Reuters.

Judith H. Dobrzynski reports here and ArtInfo.com reports here.

Bailey on Fake Twitter Gopnik

Only Bailey could somehow make sense out of not apologizing (yet) to Blake Gopnik over his identity theft over at Twitter.

Read it here.

Also Bailey made a really interesting point separately: it would be interesting to see if the Washington Post reports on this whole issue.

After all, this is a rather interesting development, and I am sure that Twitter does not condone identity theft, and I suspect that the WaPo wouldn't be too happy to see their employees' names and reputation taken in vain.

And why is the site still up? Shouldn't Blake complain and have the site removed? From what I can tell, with 175 followers, there could be 175 folks out there who still think that Blake Gopnik has a Twitter voice.

Update: The fake Twitter account has finally been suspended.