One more thing for die-hard Castro apologists to try to defend: Fidel Castro has sentenced 10 Cuban librarians to 20 years in jail for stocking George Orwell's 1984 in Cuban libraries.

One more thing for blind devotees of the United Nations to try to defend: After Castro sent the 10 librarians and 65 other dissidents into his prisons, the notorious U.N. Human Rights Commission (which I think is headed by that human rights leader Lybia) refused to pass a condemnation of Castro and now has also turned down a resolution introduced by Costa Rica calling for the immediate release of the prisoners.

It is brutal repression like this that fuels the art of many Cuban artists within this poor island prison and part of the reason that Cuban art is in such high demand.

No 9.
The Media
I am going to spend very little time bitching about galleries coverage by the Washington Post. The bottom line is simple – on this side of the fence (artists, collectors, readers and gallery owners) it appears that we all think that the Washington Post delivers scant coverage of the Greater Washington area gallery art scene, especially in proportion to the other “arts” covered by the Post. Although there are far more art galleries than theaters (for example), the Post does around 400% more theatre coverage than gallery coverage. Essentially between Jessica Dawson's 45 or so yearly columns each Thursday (except when she’s away or on vacation) and Michael O’Sullivan’s occasional gallery review in his Weekend column, the Post ‘s coverage of the area’s art galleries could be doubled and it would still be less than its current coverage of theatre, performance, music, dance, opera and even fashion.

So, let’s pretend that for some reason someone would convince John Pancake, the Post’s very hardworking Arts Editor, or his boss (Style Editor Gene Robinson) that the paper’s coverage of the city’s gallery scene is not commensurate with the size of Washington’s gallery scene and the newspaper’s reputation as a leading world publication. That would be, by itself, a great leap forward in helping to fire our the embers of our “art scene.”

But don’t hold your breath.

Yet, this area is still one of the most powerful media centers in the world, and I think that ingredient number nine in our ten-step list is definitely the media. In fact I believe that if we can get just some of these ideas started (in regards to the media) that even the Post would be forced to follow and “notice” the galleries, our artists and our area scene.

But let’s forget the Washington Post for a minute. Let’s look at the other media.

A little while back, we had some exposure to the power of a few seconds of television attention to an art show. As I noted in some of my postings, Scott Hutchison’s show of large nudes in our Bethesda galleries attracted the attention of a local newscaster, who then came and did a little segment on the “controversy” created by the nudes.

It was amazing what this little air exposure did, we had a large number of visitors, who otherwise wouldn’t have even heard of the show, come by – most just to see the show – others to express their support. But the point was that just a minute or so of TV exposure brought more people to the show than a huge review in the paper - any paper!

I know that WETA’s “Around Town” usually gives Bill Dunlap 4-5 minutes to discuss a museum show and then hurry through a couple of “Best Bets” before the other panelists get back to theatre and the movies. But that’s it!

So why don’t more local TV stations devote some time to our area artists and galleries?

Why?

I know that economics are a driving issue – and that their main driver is after all – the news. But they also have a cultural mission, which in TV news land translates into reporting on and about the movies.

TV stations already spend a lot of time on movies – as I noted earlier, I have a particular bitch about the “Arch on the Arts” segment, when Arch essentially just reviews movies 99% of the time – call it “Arch on the Movies” or have Mr. Campbell start attending (and discussing) some art shows.

What we need is just for one local TV station to take the lead and provide one minute a week – one miserable minute a week – dedicated to reviewing a local art gallery or an area artist. Call it “Gallery Minute” and sixty seconds of visual sweeps of the gallery, the artwork, 25 seconds of someone talking about the art, some contact info, dates and bingo – we’ll have an exponential increase in attendance to that show, and the beginning of more awareness of our gallery scene.

And that is precisely what TV can bring to the game – visual awareness to let viewers know that there are dozens and dozens of art galleries in the Washington, DC area and thousands of artists!

And I suspect that if one leading TV station were to do this once a week, that soon others would follow, and pretty soon we may even have two or three TV stations showing some interest and more importantly: kindling interest!

And one can apply the same logic to our local radio stations.

WTOP, which has the highest ratings in the DC area (I listen to them as well), has Joe Barber as Entertainment Editor. Joe is also an “Around Town” panelist and more than superbly qualified to do visual arts reviews if allowed. But all that Joe does is clubs and theatre.

Why?

I don’t know, but I suspect that whoever or whatever company pays for Joe’s airtime minutes, wants him to focus on just those two areas. If this is wrong, and if it is WTP’s management that restricts Joe to movies and clubs and performance, then it really doesn’t make sense.

Here’s how we fix this.

WTOP (or any other radio station) will give airtime to any discussion or critic if someone is willing to sponsor it. In other words, if tomorrow Giant Foods, or Lockheed Martin, or AOL or some other local company went to WTOP and said: “We’d like to sponsor a three minute daily segment on area galleries,” it would be in the station’s schedule as soon as the contract ink dried on the ad agreement.

WTOP (or any other commercial station) would not do this out of the goodness of their heart – and they are (after all) a commercial station. But it can happen if someone is willing to sponsor it. I know because I’ve asked them, and they’ve told me so!

What I don’t understand, and doesn’t make sense, is the fact that the radio stations that already have local cultural shows, such as NPR’s “Metro Connection,” rarely – if ever – cover area galleries or area artists. “Metro Connection,” like WETA's “Around Town,” and WTOP’s Joe Barber all report on the same thing: movies, theatre, and performance – the same thing that the Post reports on so well.

WETA's 90.9 FM new "arts" program - titled "The Program" has also been somewhat a disappointment in its avoidance of doing more with our galleries and visual artists. An exception was today, when they looked at Flashpoint. I do realize that they have done segments with Ferd Protzman (former art critic from the Post), and visited a museum or two, and a few pieces on some local artists, but we need more!

Why not more more galleries? In fact, according to its own description, this weekly hour-long program "explores trends, events and issues in the Washington-area arts scene. It includes both the mainstream and the fringe, with an eye to considering the broader implications of an exhibit or arts activity."

Regular contributors are NPR film and theater critics Pat Dowell and Bob Mondello (who is also a panelist on WETA TV 26's Around Town). There are no regular art critics.

Suggestion: A review a show!

So how do we get some of this, or one of these to happen?

We need the friend-of-a-friend-of-a-friend network to kick-start this idea into motion.

Someone will read this that knows someone who is a friend or a friend who knows the CEO of Lockheed Martin (or any other well-to-do local company reaping in the benefits of our once again great economy). Someone to bring up this issue eloquently to a person who, with a telephone call, can make things happen, and sponsor a minute a day on WTOP, or a minute a week on a TV station, or discuss person to person with Mr. Graham from the Post, some simple steps to highlight our great cultural gallery scene. In fact, someone set me up and I’ll do the “bringing up.”

Five minutes with any of them - that’s all I need.

Once a media source takes the lead, others will follow. Once we have some TV airtime, some radio airtime, and more people being informed that an art scene exists and thrives in DC, another ember in our kindling will catch on fire.

The Art Museum of the Americas currently has an exhibition of influential Chilean artist Roberto Matta's works titled "An Architect of Surrealism." Joanna Shaw-Eagle reviews the show here.

Tomorrow I will post number nine in my list of 10 steps to fire-up the DC artscene. You can read number ten here.

There are some really excellent shows coming to our area's galleries in the next few months. In addition to my previously mentioned exhibition of three of Cuba's leading female photographers at Fraser Georgetown, another sure-to-be excellent photography exhibit will be Darrow Montgomery's show at Kathleen Ewing Gallery. Montgomery photographs Washington for the City Paper. His show will be from April 23 - May 29, 2004, with an opening reception on Friday, April 23, from 6-8pm.

Don't Forget - Deadline January 30, 5pm - The Bethesda Arts and Entertainment District has announced the 2004 Bethesda Artist Market. Selected artists 18 years or older will be invited to participate in the Bethesda Artist Market on Sunday, May 9, Sunday, June 13 and Sunday, July 11 from 11am-6pm. All fine art and fine craft are accepted including, but not limited to: painting, drawing, photography, sculpture, fiber art, digital, mixed media, clay, wearable fiber, furniture, glass, jewelry, leather, metal, paper, ceramics and wood are accepted. All work must be executed by the accepted artist.

Studios that produce works in volume are not eligible. T-Shirts and commercial clothing are not eligible. Ceramic works must be handmade by the artist. All booth space is 10' x 10' and all artists must provide their own tent. No staking allowed and artists must bring their own weights. Members of the Bethesda Arts and Entertainment District Advisory Committee will select the artists. The Market will be held in the Bethesda Plaza located at 7700 Wisconsin Avenue in Bethesda. For a submission form, please e-mail Staphanie or send a Self-Addressed Stamped Envelope to: Bethesda Artist Market, c/o Bethesda Urban Partnership, Inc., 7700 Old Georgetown Road, Bethesda, MD 20814.

Visit www.bethesda.org. Questions, call 301.215.6660 ext. 20. Stephanie Coppula.

Opportunity for a cartoonist...
Deadline February 13 - The Swann Foundation will Award a Fellowship for Caricature and Cartoon Research – DC. Administered by the Library of Congress, the Swann Foundation for Caricature and Cartoon promotes the study, interpretation, preservation and appreciation of original works of humorous and satiric art by graphic artists from around the world. The Swann Foundation Fund awards one fellowship annually with a stipend of $15,000 to assist ongoing scholarly research and writing projects in the field of caricature and cartoon. For more complete information, visit their website.

Panorama DC is an arts activist organization whose goals and mission is to ensure that:
- All residents have consistent opportunities to participate in and appreciate the arts.
-To increase awareness and visibility of art and activism in the District of Columbia.
-To bring people together through community arts.
-To preserve & celebrate our cultural diversity.

This coming Saturday January 31, 2004 they will be hosting the "Panorama Art-In" which consists of affordable workshops in visual, performing and teambuilding arts.

Location: Jelleff Boys and Girls Club, 3265 S St., NW, DC
Time: 10am-5pm
Donation: $25-55, sliding scale and no one turned away due to lack of funds. Light lunch included.

1. Visual Art Workshops include Ceramics, Collage Painting and Woodworking.
2. Performing Art Workshops in Drumming, Traditional West African Dancing, Spoken Word and Acting/Improv.
3. Teambuilding Workshops in Mural/Banner Painting

To Register email panoramadc@yahoo.com or call (202) 431-4840.

Artists' Opportunities...
Deadline: February 2, 3004.
NATIONAL CERAMIC COMPETITION - February 2, 2004. Exhibition runs April 15-June 20, 2004. Over $5,000 in cash awards. Open to artists living in the US, Canada and Mexico. Original clay work "from functional to sculptural." Completed in the last 2 years. Entry fee. 20% commission. SASE to:

Karen Zimmerly
San Angelo Museum of Fine Arts
One Love St
San Angelo TX 76903
325-653-3333
www.samfa.org

For women photographers:
Secondsight will be having their bi-monthly meeting tomorrow!

Secondsight is an organization dedicated to the advancement of women photographers through support, communication and sharing of ideas and opportunities. Secondsight is committed to supporting photographers at every stage of their careers, from students to professionals. Each bi-monthly meeting includes an introductory session, a guest speaker, portfolio sharing and discussion groups. Each photographer will have the opportunity to present their work within a small group of other photographers, ask for constructive criticism, gain knowledge or simply share their artistic vision and techniques.

For info, directions and details call Catriona Fraser tomorrow from 12-6 PM at 301/718-9651.

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Some mini reviews...

This year the Art League celebrates its 50th birthday. The Art League is one of the cultural jewels in the brilliant cultural tapestry of our area and I know that their impact and presence will be around for many more years to come. Happy 50th!

Their most recent show was juried by Walter Kravitz, and for the first time in my many visits and reviews of The Art League’s many wonderful group shows, which consistently are solid, good shows, I was disappointed.

Kravitz selected a mediocre show – not just because some of the artwork is mediocre – after all, those pieces were mediocre to me – just me, but also the show suffered from the clear fact that he obviously tried to have an all-inclusive show, with a little of everything, and instead ended with a mish-mash of too many disparate pieces and genres that looked like a student show rather than a professional, powerful and tight group show – as I have grown accustomed to see at The Art League.

By the way, I’d love to jury a show there and put my money (I mean selections) where my mouth (I mean words) is/are.

Anyway, from Kravitz’s jumbled show, I particularly liked some old proven names. In the show, the superb watercolors by Chris Krupinsky stood out as usual, as did the giant drag queen painting by Ardath Hill (which I’d seen before at Hill’s Studio Gallery solo), Glenn Friedel’s spectacular photograph titled “High Contrast Nude II,” and Sara Poly’s “Clouds Ascending.”

At the League’s solo show gallery, Caroline Emmet Heald gives us a painting landscape tour in a show titled “Wetlands” which as the title describes, are landscapes depicting various wetlands. Heald is a talented painter who skillfully avoids the trap of trying to create the illusion of perfect realism and instead uses the ability of color to deliver representational ideas to bring forth her landscapes. Yes, they are paintings of wetlands, but a closer inspection reveals the tenacity of a good painter who is also interested in exploring vigorous brushwork and the interactions of colors.

Upstairs, I visited the group show at Multiple Exposures Gallery (formerly Factory Photoworks) curated by Annie Gawlak of G Fine Art. I also found this show, titled “Multiples,” a little thin, and this was also surprising, as this cooperative is without a doubt one of the powerhouses of local photographic talent. Gawlak selected 17 pieces, most of which didn’t really appeal to me, with the exception of a beautiful selenium-toned photo by James Steele titled “Ecola Forest.” If I may fall on that old art criticism crutch of comparison, it reminded me of one of those Wayne Bullock photos sans the nude. It is a gorgeous, sensual and mystical photo of a moist, wet forest that showcases Steele's superb photographic eye.

I'll be jurying Multiple Exposures Gallery's next show in February, so let's see how I do when placed in the juror's place - although I juried a show for this gallery a few years ago as well and I am quite familiar with most of the phoptographers in the gallery.

I'll be traveling today - but later tonite I'll be posting some reviews from some gallery hopping around the Torpedo Factory yesterday. Will look at shows at The Art League and Factory Photoworks.

News via Artsjournal.com: Don't miss this interesting Miami Herald article on the evolution and origin of art which discusses the issue of the 30,000-year-old ivory figurines found in Germany (see my earlier posting) now add to a growing body of evidence suggesting that modern humans have always displayed sophisticated artistic ability throughout their existence and questioning the "need" to go to art school to learn to be an "artist."

Opportunities for artists:
Deadline: February 1, 2004.
The Rijksakademie in Holland offers sixty artists (resident artists) from around the world the possibility to work for a period of time (maximum of two years) on research, projects and production. Every artist has their own studio, a stipend and the opportunity for dialogue with visiting artists, art critics, curators and other advisors. In addition to extensive technical workshops and advice, the facilities include a library, artists’ documentation and art collection. The Rijksakademie offers a unique blend of the features of artists’ residencies, research centers and postgraduate programs at the highest international level. The Rijksakademie also organizes the Prix de Rome, the oldest and most prestigious "state prize" of the Netherlands.

Applications for the residency 2005 can be obtained through their website or contact them at:
Rijksakademie van beeldende kunsten
Sarphatistraat 470
NL 1018 GW
Amsterdam
Netherlands

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Opportunities for Miniature Artists
Deadline: February 2, 2004.
The 7th Annual International Biennale of Miniature Art in Quebec, Canada has a call for miniature artists to be invited to participate. Jury will select artists. Every artist may present a maximum of two works. Entry fees: $20 for the first work $10 for an additional work. The fees are payable in Canadian funds with international drafts or money orders. Visit their website for details.

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For Printmakers...
Deadline: February 28, 2004.
The Sumei Multidisciplinary Art Center in New Jersey hosts the Sumei National and International Juried Print Exhibition 2004 . This biennial exhibition is dedicated to the memory of Cuban artist Belkis Ayon, who committed suicide a few years ago. Juror is David Kiehl, Curator of Prints at The Whitney Museum of American Art. Open to all artists, original works created within the last three years, any print media. Giclee prints accepted in separate category. For prospectus you can download the form from their website or send SASE to:
Sumei Juried Print
19 Liberty Street
Newark, NJ 07102

Opportunity for artists and curators:
Deadline: Ongoing.
P.S.1 Contemporary Art Center's Clocktower/P.S.1 Projects provides free, non-residential space for the creation and/or exhibition of specific projects. Studios are located on the 13th floor of the Clocktower Gallery in Lower Manhattan and at P.S.1 Contemporary Art Center in Long Island City. Artists are invited to submit proposals for projects which can be created within three months or less. P.S.1's curatorial team will select projects based on quality of work, the probability of its execution, its relevance to other P.S.1 programming, and other curatorial considerations. Applications will be accepted throughout the year.

Download the application and read further info here.

Submit completed application to:
P.S.1 Contemporary Art Center
Attn: Clocktower/P.S.1 Projects
22-25 Jackson Avenue at 46th Ave.
Long Island City, New York, NY 11101-5324

Opportunities for artists:

Deadline: March 9, 2004. Greenhouse Gallery in San Antonio, Texas has a juried competition that is a project of the International Museum of Contemporary Masters of Fine Art and is dedicated to seeking and promoting artistic excellence. Slide entries will be juried by the owners of Greenhouse Gallery of Fine Art. $20,000 in cash award prizes. March 9, 2004 - Last day for acceptance of entry forms and all required materials. Entries must arrive at Greenhouse Gallery of Fine Art, 2218 Breezewood, San Antonio, TX 78209. Contact the gallery at (800) 453-8991 for a prospectus.

The Washington Sculptors Group, one of the most active area artists' organizations will be exhibiting "Flora - Sculptures of the Natural World." This is a special sculpture exhibition celebrating the 20th Anniversary of the Washington Sculptors Group. The exhibition will be at the United States Botanic Garden Conservatory and runs from January 19 through March 27, 2004 (Hours: 10am to 5pm Daily) and a opening reception on Saturday, January 24, 2004, 6-8PM. The United States Botanic Garden Conservatory's West Gallery and West Orangerie is located at 100 Maryland Avenue, SW, Washington, DC 20024. For directions go to www.usbg.gov/education/events.

The Washington Sculptors Group was recently awarded an Award for Excellence in Service to the Arts during the 19th Annual Mayor's Arts Awards.

Blake Gopnik has a really excellent article about Diane Arbus retrospective currently on exhibit at the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art. It is in today's Sunday Arts. Don't miss it!

By the way, I have a bitch with the way the Post does the byline on some of their employees. They list Gopnik as Washington Post Staff Writer, which is the same way they list everyone else, including the guy who writes the obituaries (which by the way is what Gopnik's predecessor did before being promoted to being an art critic). Blake Gopnik deserves the recognition of his pulpit, and should be listed as Chief Art Critic or Senior Art Critic or whatever his true title is.

Every other major newspaper that I can think of identifies the real title of their writers (when they have one). This seems like simple lazyness on the part of the Post, unless it has something to do with some ridiculous union issue.

If anyone from the Post reads this BLOG, I would appreciate an explanation to clarify the point. Email me.

Some local art news and openings:

The Hirshhorn Museum has appointed Glory Jones as Director of External Affairs. She will lead the museum's fundraising and communications program. Jones' past experience includes being an independent media-relations and events consultant to the US Pavillion at the 2001 Venice Biennale.

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On February 14, the Corcoran opens "The Quilts of Gee's Bend." This show is about the quilt-making tradition of a geographically isolated African-American community in southern Alabama.

Featuring 70 quilts dating from the 1930s to 2000, The Quilts of Gee’s Bend includes quilts made from everyday fabrics: corduroy, denim, cotton sheets and well-worn clothing.

The New York Times' Senior Art Critic, Michael "Dia" Kimmelman has called the quilts "some of the most miraculous works of modern art that America has produced," so I am really looking forward to the press preview and will let you know on February 10 what I think. With Kimmelman's endorsement, and because of the political incorrectness of dissing a show like this one, I suspect that Washington area critics will walk with tender feet on this exhibition and it will be well received and positively reviewed. In fact, lack of a major review or endorsement could be viewed as "disliking the show," so you better get your pens ready and take good notes at the press review boys and girls!

Organized by the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston, The Quilts of Gee’s Bend is on view at the Corcoran from February 14 through May 17, 2004. After I attend the press review and once I've seen and digested them, I will let you know what I think.

Ross Palmer Beecher is a Seattle-based artist that for 30 years has been taking the American tradition of quilt-making and taking it to a really modern setting. If Beecher lived in New York, I suspect that she would be an art superstar by now. Ever since I met her when I was a student at the University of Washington School of Art (she wasn't a student there, but we used to sell our artwork at the Pike Place Market), she's been refining her vision of contemporary quiltmaking and uses metals, found objects, cloth, beads, glass, costume jewelry, bottle caps, stamps, etc. in her quilts. Even back in the late 70's I knew that Ross was re-inventing quiltmaking as a contemporary art form, and I think that she would be an excellent choice for the next Corcoran Biennial.

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Numark Gallery in its really nice new location has a two-person show curently on exhibit until Feb. 21. On show is Adam Ross: In Between Places and Carter Potter: We Cure Everything.

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For lovers of contemporary landscape painting, The Alla Rogers Gallery in Georgetown has two exceptional Ukranian artists currently on exhibit until Feb. 18: Alexander Stephanovich Shurinov and Yelena Molchanova. Alla Rogers focuses her exhibitions on mostly former Soviet and Eastern European artists. The superb school training characteristic of artists from that part of the world is very evident in these two artists powerful brushwork and clear understanding of the power and nuances of color. It's an excellent landscape painting exhibition that is also very nicely priced (no painting is more than $2,000).

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Elizabeth Roberts Gallery in Dupont Circle has an opening reception on Friday, Feb. 6 from 6-8 PM for artists Brenda Moore and Sylvie van Helden. The two-person show runs until February 28, 2004. Moore is a 2001 American University MFA graduate who currently teaches at the Chicago Academy for the Arts, while van Helden is a 2002 MICA MFA graduate who now teaches at Loyola University in Baltimore.

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The Phillips Collection opens on Feb. 14, 2004 an exhibition titled: "Discovering Milton Avery: Two Devoted Collectors, Louis Kaufman and Duncan Phillips" . The show focuses on two of Milton Avery's most important patrons and their personal approaches to collecting. I will be attending the press preview on Feb. 9 and will let you know my thoughts on this exhibition by a truly independent artist who refused to be categorized and whose influences on giants such as Mark Rothko had often been ignored."some of the most miraculous works of modern art that America has produced,"

I was interviewed yesterday by Art Business News Magazine on the subject of Cuban art, which is "sizzling."

Recently The Arts and Humanities Council of Montgomery County (AHCMC) Board of Directors announced awards totaling more than $51,000 for arts and humanities programs in Montgomery County for the second half of fiscal year 2004 that began on January 1, 2004. Awards were given to around 40 institutions and ranged from $475 to $3,450.

Video artist and photographer Darin Boville smartly picked up on a very interesting issue that I think AHCMC should really consider.

Boville says:

This is ludicrous. Just over $50K spread scattershot over nearly forty recipients? This isn't support for the arts. This is more like the micro-loan programs that international agencies run in third world countries.

In grants of $600, of $1,000, of $2,000 you have to take very seriously the notion of subtracting out the time it took to fill out the forms, making the calls, having the meetings to decide to pursue the grant and so on from the value of the grant. From a policy point of view you also have to account for those cost of all those who applied but did not win. You have the take into account what it costs to administer the grant program.

Surely the real cost of giving away this money is larger than the value of the money that is given away.

So here is an idea for your list of things to do to make the DC-area a center for art:

Take the $50,000 for the next six months and don't give it to artists. This is like giving starving people just enough food to stay alive but not enough to do anything but wait for the next hand-out cycle. Instead, use it to hire a professional fund-raiser/PR person for the area art scene. That will pay for itself and then some. Stop the arts community from letting itself bleed to death.