Photobook: Harrogate, England

Photos from our trip to Harrogate, England earlier this year - Click here to view this photo book larger

On the subject of the MLK Memorial

As the former chief art critic of the Washington Post once noted over three years ago:

The Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. is one of the few undoubtedly, undilutedly great figures of the 20th century. Here's a radical idea for truly doing justice to the greatness of his memory: Give him a monument that might go down in history as an equally great work of art.

According to the U.S. Commission of Fine Arts, the 28-foot-tall statue of King now being prepared on a work site in China, for eventual placement in a memorial on the Mall, doesn't fill that bill. As reported yesterday, the commission, which has final say in all such projects, recently concluded that the latest model for the sculpture evokes the socialist realist art of Stalin's Russia and Mao's China -- "a genre of political sculpture that has recently been pulled down in other countries," as the commission's chairman put it in a letter to the foundation raising funds for the memorial.

Of course giving King, or anyone for that matter "a monument that might go down in history as an equally great work of art" is not an easy assignment, as the only judge and jury there is time, not contemporary artists, critics or intelligentsia.


Back then Gopnik made it clear that "for the record, I'm not on board with those who complain that the King monument is being made by a foreigner. Americans have a great tradition of bringing in the best art from abroad and (eventually) making it their own: The Statue of Liberty was designed, engineered and financed by Frenchmen."

That is 98% correct, although a little research into how his example's seminal idea, construction and delivery was initially received by the American press and public does yield a few similarities with the King issue. With the passage of time, though, Gopnik's example eventually becomes a good one. But it's also not a good example in the sense that Liberty was a gift from the people of France, designed, built and paid by the French.

Remember the huge controversies and arguments raised at the time over the Viet Nam War Memorial?

In fact, it seems like the first thing that happens when a public memorial, any memorial, gets planned and discussed, is that huge chasms erupt as the various agendas, ideologies and issues arise.

Historically, huge differences of opinion and artistic controversy seems to be part of the process. It was for Lady Liberty, it was for Maya Lin's elegant wall, it was for the recent WWII Memorial, and it has been for several years now for Dr. King's statue.

It was and it will always be a difficult process to select a national level capital area statue or monument for Dr. King; that much we already know, but the current Maoist-Stalinist piece of mierda that was constructed inside the Chinese BORG was not the answer, and I stand by my three year-old position that this statue is now my least favorite monument in the Mall area -- too bad that it honors one of my favorite and most inspirational characters in Terran history.

What's with that weird "look" in King's face in the Lei Yixin statue anyway? And what's with the arms crossed and one hand holding a pen? (is it a pen?) - it's like Lei Yixin took Bob Dole's body and put a King head on it, where MLK is staring at the sun and squinting in discomfort?

I don't like it; I don't think that it contains the "it" that makes a statue cross over from being a cold stone object to the embodiment of the subject matter, like Micheangelo's beautiful David or Daniel Chester French's massive seated Lincoln in the Mall's Lincoln Memorial.

But what bugs me the most is that the statue does "look" like it belongs in Stalin's Russia or Mao's China or Hitler's Germany - homes to some of history's worst mass murderers and the anti-thesis of everything that MLK stood for.

Just my opinion, and for those who like the statue: let's just honor the man for which it stands and disagree with the vehicle itself.

Realer Art D.C.

Remember the WaPo's "Real Art DC"?

And now, John Anderson, over at the WCP tips us all that the WaPo has a second iteration of the "Real Art DC" quasi competition that they had last year.

This is where you enter the "competition".

I'm curious as to the rules this year... more on that later.

The WaPo on Erwin Timmers

Check it out here - a "green" artist since before there were "green artists."

Timmers is one of my 100.

Things we see at airports

We approach the security point at Ft. Lauderdale Airport, and as experienced travelers, my wife, Little Junes and I begin the usual routine: shoes off, change out of pocket, laptop out of the bag, etc.

I notice the old guy in front of me when he starts doing the same thing, he takes off his shoes, empties his pockets, takes off his belt, and then begins to take off his pants.

"Sir!" shouts an alarmed TSA agent, "there's no need to take off your pants!"

Dude looks at her, shrugs and pulls his trousers up, buttons them and walks through the scanner.

Tropical Restaurant

I've always thought that I had a pretty good handle on all the good Cuban restaurants around Miami (well at least as good as someone who goes there a lot), but on this visit my mother took us all out to lunch at this place in the middle of Hialeah, just a couple of quick miles from the airport and almost right off LeJeune Road, which is the main road right off the airport.

The place is called Tropical Restaurant and it is located at 652 E 9th St
Hialeah, FL 33010 - (305) 887-5556.

Let me tell you, this place is worth driving to it if you are in Miami and want to experience a really good restaurant with really cheap prices and excellent Cuban food.

It has a huge sign on 9th Street, and then once you drive into the strip mall where it is located, it is a little hard to locate at first - all you really see is an outside kiosk-like entrance common to Cuban restaurants -- where people can walk up and have a Cuban coffee or a sandwich. To the right of that is a door, and that is the actual entrance to a very large restaurant.

When we entered, it was very cool and very dark, and there's a stage to the left where a really good singer was entertaining the eating customers singing smooth, Spanish love songs in a Julio Iglesias-type crooning voice.

There's a small army of waiters in uniform and as soon as we were seated, and one brought us some toasted Cuban bread with butter. I'd say the average age of the waiters was around 60 and they all looked like they've been doing the job for decades.

My wife ordered some "mariquitas" (waver thin fried plantain chips) to start and we got a huge hot plate of them for $2.50 - they were right off the pan!

The food was excellent - since it was lunch I had a large "Caldo Gallego" (Galician Stew) and it was very tasty and another amazing deal for $3.50. Anderson had Cuban Chicken Soup and scarfed up an adult-size plate as well as a full avocado salad on a bed of lettuce and tomatoes. He then finished off a mamey "batido" (A Cuban milkshake amde with mamey fruit).

The menu was quite extensive and they have daily specials (I noted they serve goat once a week) and the prices are all excellent and quite a mind check to other (higher) prices in Miami's more chic Cuban restaurants.

Generous portions, perfect service and a very friendly atmosphere - This is as local and as Cuban as it gets.

Airborne

Heading to Miami for the weekend and back on Sunday night...

Visual Voices at Zenith Gallery at Chevy Chase Pavillion

Visual Voices is a show of Zenith artists – Past, Present & Future - profiled in the new book “100 Artists of the Mid-Atlantic” by Ashley Rooney.

Margery E. Goldberg has been a major player in the Washington arts community for three decades as an entrepreneur, owner of Zenith Gallery, curator, wood sculptor and activist, and in this show she shines a spotlight on artists with whom she has worked and collaborated over the years. All have recently been recognized for their talents, in a new book by Ashley Rooney, “100 Artists of the Mid-Atlantic". The show at Zenith Gallery will open with a Book-signing Party with the author and artists, on Wednesday, September 21, 6:00 – 8:30pm, and remain on display through October 29, 2011.

In “100 Artists of the Mid-Atlantic,” Ashley Rooney highlights more than 480 paintings, sculptures, photos, drawings and statements by 100 contemporary artists working in oil, glass, multi-media metal and other materials. Rooney has written many books on architecture, design and art in recent years, including “100 New England Artists in 2010.” She turned to writing after years in management consulting and working with adolescents. “100 Artists of the Mid-Atlantic, $45, will be available at Zenith Gallery throughout the exhibition.

Now in its 33rd year, Zenith Gallery provides high-quality acquisition, consulting and commissioning services to residential/corporate clients via its website, a salon gallery just off 16th Street, by appointment and house calls. In addition to curating shows throughout Chevy Chase Pavilion, where Zenith also operates a gallery on level 2, Zenith curates rotating exhibitions at the Eleven Eleven Sculpture Space at 1111 Pennsylvania Avenue.

Book Party: Meet the Author & Artists
Wednesday, September 21, 6:00-8:30 PM
Exhibition: September 21 – October 29, 2011

Artists: Alan Binstock, Joan Danziger, Julie Girardini, Margery E. Goldberg, Robert C. Jackson, Michael Janis, Joan Konkel, Anne Marchand, Donna McCullough, Davis Morton, Carol Newmyer, Marc Rubin, Barton Rubenstein, Sica, Ellen Sinel, Betsy Stewart, Cassie Taggert, Tim Tate, Erwin Timmers, Paul Martin Wolff, Joyce Zipperer and yours truly.

Where: Chevy Chase Pavilion, 5335 Wisconsin Ave NW, Washington DC 20015

Zenith’s gallery, on level 2 next to Embassy Suites Hotel, is open Wednesday-Saturday, noon-6:00 PM and by appointment.

Info: 202-783-2963 art@zenithgallery.com www.zenithgallery.com.

Congrats to Victoria!

From Conner Contemporary's news release:

Conner /*gogo is extremely pleased to announce the representation of Victoria F. Gaitán. Ms.Gaitán's insightful photographic work will add tremendously to our roster.

Opportunity for DMV artists

Deadline: Friday, September 30th, 2011

The DC Commission on the Arts and Humanities is seeking to purchase two and three-dimensional works of art including, but not limited to, prints, drawings, mixed media compositions, paintings, photographs, ceramics, and moveable sculptures to be included in the Art Bank Collection. They are especially encouraging video artists and other technological innovators to apply.

The call is open to artists who reside or maintain studio space in the Washington DC metro area, however, preference will be given to DC residents.

The deadline for submission is Friday, September 30th. Please follow dcarts.slideroom.com to find the Art Bank 2011 Call to artists.

For additional information, contact Zoma Wallace at zoma.wallace@dc.gov or 202.724.5613.

DCCAH Announces 2012 Grants Programs

The DC Commission on the Arts and Humanities (DCCAH) has announced its streamlined 2012 Grants Program. The DCCAH offers several funding programs for individuals and nonprofit organizations located in DC.

For more information on requirements, how to apply, and resources for writing grants, visit the Commission's website.

New Drawings

Last Copy of the Constitution. 8x8 inches. Charcoal and Conte on 300 weight paper. Framed to 10 x 10 inches.


Last Copy of the Constitution II. 4x12 inches. Charcoal and Conte on 300 weight paper. Framed to 5.5 x 15 inches.


Woman Adrift. 8x8 inches. Charcoal and Conte on 300 weight paper. Framed to 10 x 10 inches.


True Believer. 8x8 inches. Charcoal and Conte on 300 weight paper. Framed to 10 x 10 inches.


Ave Gaul. 8x8 inches. Charcoal and Conte on 300 weight paper. Framed to 10 x 10 inches.


Haggia Marilyna. 8x8 inches. Charcoal and Conte on 300 weight paper. Framed to 10 x 10 inches.


Goth Girl. 4x12 inches. Charcoal and Conte on 300 weight paper. Framed to 5.5 x 15 inches.


Dead Girl. 4x12 inches. Charcoal and Conte on 300 weight paper. Framed to 5.5 x 15 inches.

Sotheby's

According to the description on this lot, which is a drawing of mine sold at the 2000 solo show that I had at the old eklektikos gallery on 7th Street, NW in DC, the drawing was re-acquired at Sotheby's auction for $1,100.00 samolians!

Nice!

Art Gallery of Potomac

I finally dropped by the check out The Art Gallery of Potomac (10107 River Road, Potomac, Maryland 20854), which as far as I know is the only art gallery in uberwealthy Potomac, Maryland (more on that later).

The gallery occupies a huge space next to Walgreens, on a former store space of horse riding supplies. After they tore down the stalls and assorted other horsey stuff, what remained behind, an industrial shell of a large space, is perfect for an art gallery: white walls, industrial-looking and raw.

After the horse store closed and the space remained empty and vacant for a while, I was told that a couple of years the artists from Potomac Artists in Touch (PAinT), got together and approached the landlord, and offered to run a gallery in the space until a paying tenant could be found (the "for lease" sign hangs prominently on the front window).

So far they've managed to last a couple of years and instead of an ugly, closed up space, Potomac's only local source of original art is now a mainstay in the Village and the only art gallery in one of the nation's wealthiest barrios.

Most of the work on exhibit appeared to be from PAinT members (Judith Bourzutschy, Colette Calilhanna, Karin Colton, Terri Cunningham, Cherry Dearie, Felisa Federman, Claire Howard, Anne Martinez, Yolanda Prinsloo, Bess Rodiquez Richard and Martha Lechner Spak), although I know that other artists also show there (the current featured show is by Anne Martinez, and it is titled "Portraits of Love" and is an exhibition of pet portraits as well as works by Stephen Dell'Aria, Merry Lymn, David Therriault and others), and I recall that the very talented Jessica Van Brakle also once showed there a while back.

Like any big group show, there was some saccharine work on exhibition, and artwork that ranged from raw amateur -both in display and artwork itself - to accomplished pieces breathing with talent and skill.

Of all the artists in the gallery, the only one that I was familiar with was the work of Argentinean artist Felicia Federman, who is a very dynamic artist and who is always exhibiting somewhere around the DMV throughout the year. Her mixed media works are her strongest skill set and those mixed media pieces are some of the best on exhibition now.

I also liked some of the work by South African-born artist Yolanda Prinsloo, who (if her portrait in her business card is accurate) is a dead ringer for Frida Kahlo!

Overall, my kudos to this hard working group of artists who took an empty shell of a space in Potomac Village and turned it into Potomac's only art gallery, which tells you something about art collectors in the DMV. I only hope that Potomac residents continue to support this artist-driven effort and hope that the landlord never leases this space.

Strasburg on the mound today


Stephen Strasburg will be taking the mound tonight for the Potomac Nationals in the opener of a three-game series against the Myrtle Beach Pelicans as the fireballer continues his comeback from Tommy John elbow surgery and thus allowing me to continue to create cartoons about him...

Rousseau on new shows

Dr. Claudia Rousseau, writing in The Gazette, reviews the show of the young artists mentored by Susana Raab, Tim Tate and yours truly.

Two interesting and high-quality exhibits, full of experiment and new ideas, are on view: “Fine Artists in Residence” at the Mansion at Strathmore in North Bethesda and “ARTbeat” at the Artery Plaza Gallery in Bethesda.

The Strathmore show is the culmination of FineAIR, a six-month residency program that paired local emerging artists with established professional artist mentors in related disciplines and media. The show demonstrates how successful this program has been in creating a nurturing environment for both mentors and AIRs. Included in the exhibit is new work by the four AIRs as well as work by their mentors. For its variety, its conceptual breadth and technical excellence, this is among the best exhibits I have seen in this venue. Kudos to Fine Art Program and Education Manager Holly Haliniewski who is largely responsible for managing the program and organizing the exhibit.

Read the whole review here.

Airport ditches art in favor of ads

(Via) This story is just another sad reminder of where art stands in many public organizations' list of priorities.

If you’ve been to the Indianapolis International Airport, you’ve probably admired the artwork in the main terminal. But if you want to see an Indiana artist's centerpiece project, you’d better look quickly because it's about to be taken down.

The artwork called “Chrysalis” sits at the center of one of the busiest passenger intersections in the terminal, and it was commissioned for the space where it hangs. Whether going to get your bags or just passing through, odds are you are going to see the piece.

Airport ditches art in favor of ads; artist disappointed : wishtv.com

Read the whole article and story here.

Registration for the Frederick Artomatic is now underway

Visit www.artomaticfrederick.org

Registration continues through September 9 - Sign up to reserve a space now!

Frederick Artomatic will run from September 28 - November 6.

Tomorrow: Synergy

Synergy is an exhibition of artwork by the Torpedo Factory's 2011 Visiting Artists - who were selected this year by yours truly!

Exhibition Dates: August 11 – 28

Reception: August 11, 6-9pm during Second Thursday Art Night

Location: Site 2 and Site 3 Galleries, Torpedo Factory Art Center, 105 N. Union Street, Alexandria, VA

Additional information: To learn more about the Visiting Artist Program click here.

The Torpedo Factory Art Center presents this summer’s 2011 artists in the Visiting Artist Program in an exhibition entitled Synergy. The Visiting Artist Program, the Torpedo Factory Artist Association’s residency program, invites artists both emerging and experienced from around the nation to become a part of its art-making community for a summer. This year’s juror, F. Lennox Campello, international award-winning artist, author of leading art blog Daily Campello Art News, curator, art critic, and writer in Washington, D.C., and Philadelphia, PA, chose 11 artists for the 2011 summer program. This residency awarded these artists with the opportunity to create in a Torpedo Factory studio from June until August for one, two, or all three months.


This year’s selected artists are: Mark Thomas Anderson (Arlington, VA); M. Chava Evans (Baltimore, MD); Allison Long Hardy (Woodbridge, VA); Katie Latona (Champaign, IL); Heather McCaw (Washington, DC); Emily Moorhead (Cincinnati, OH); Linda Morrell (Castleton, NY); Liza Myers (Brandon, VT); Drew Parris (Stevensville, MD); Fierce Sonia (Alexandria, VA); Kazaan Viveiros (Alexandria, VA).

Synergy stems from the cohesive objective expressed by the visiting artists to fill their time at the Torpedo Factory Art Center (TFAC) with new audience exposure, fresh inspiration from within the TFAC and abroad, and productive studio time that, in totality, amounts to an influential and wholesome experience. Conversely, their synergy translates into quite diverse works that ranges from detritus-based installations to graphite renderings. The exhibition Synergy is centered on this aspect and displays artwork created by each artist during residency and presents interviews conducted at the start of summer on each as well. The exhibited imagery portrays each artist’s perspective and the questionnaire conveys each artist’s anticipations and aspirations for the program in a literary art form. The visiting artists’ unique creativity and individuality permeates through while collectively they comprise this summer’s 2011 Visiting Artist Program.

Join us August 11th from 6-9pm for the opening reception to Synergy held in conjunction with the Torpedo Factory Art Center’s (TFAC) Second Thursday Art Night. Come visit Site 2 and 3 Galleries on the second and third floors of the art center and view synergized art, read insightful interviews, and talk to the visiting artists!

See ya there

Trawick Opens Sept. 1

The Trawick Prize: Bethesda Contemporary Art Awards will feature the work of 11 artists from Sept. 1 - 30 at the Artery Plaza Gallery located at 7200 Wisconsin Avenue.

Gallery hours are Wed. - Sat., 12-6pm.

An opening reception will be held on Friday, Sept. 9 from 6-9pm. The Trawick Prize is celebrating its 9th year of honoring regional artists with $14,000 in prize monies. See the complete list of exhibiting artists here.

Five of the 11 finalists are from Baltimore, and two from the District.