Congrats!

The Trawick Prize: Bethesda Contemporary Art Awards is a visual art prize produced by the Bethesda Arts & Entertainment District through the amazing generosity of Mrs. Carol Trawick. The prize honors artists from Maryland, Washington, D.C. and Virginia. 

 

A couple of nights ago, the annual juried competition awarded $14,000 in prize monies to selected artists and features the work of the finalists in a group exhibition.

Winners 

Best in Show, $10,000 - Lillian Bayley Hoover, Baltimore, MD
2nd Place, $2,000 - David D'Orio, Mt. Rainier, MD
3rd Place, $1,000 - Dean Kessmann, Washington, D.C.
Young Artist Award, $1,000 - Hannah Walsh, Richmond, VA 

 

Can I pick them or what? I think this is now 4 out of the last five years that I've predicted the top prizewinner! That's Carol Trawick in the photo with the 2012 Best in Show winner Lillian Bayley Hoover and Catherine Leggett.

Congrats to all the prizewinners!
   

The 2012 exhibition will run through September 29 at Gallery B, located at 7700 Wisconsin Ave., Suite E, Bethesda, MD 20814.

Chicomms Censor Shanghai

This is what happens when old Communists are still in charge:

Censorship of political content has long been a feature of the Chinese art world under Communist Party rule, but gallery owners and artists at SH Contemporary were told on Thursday that city officials were being extra careful ahead of a once-a-decade leadership transition set to take place in Beijing next month.
“It’s especially sensitive this year because the 18th Party Congress will start soon,” said a fair organizer after trying to convince another booth to remove a painting that censors didn’t like because it appeared to include images of Mao Zedong.

The last-minute removal of art works, some of which had passed initial vetting for the fair, underscores the party’s reach and the pressures building in the political system ahead of the secretive conclave that will anoint new leaders.

Pictures of Mao? Oh No! God forbid that an artist actually show the image of one of history's greatest mass murderers... Read the whole article here.

A week from now...

Pencil this in and if you want to know the history, oddity and meaning of the terms "Hispanic" and "Latino", then come to the lecture as well...

DC to host photography fair

My good friend Kathleen Ewing, whose iconic photography gallery has been the standard bearer for fine art photography in the DMV (and the nation in general) for decades, is launching a satellite photography fair to coincide with Connersmith's (e)merge art fair.

This is good for the DMV art scene... the more art fairs the better... and if (e)merge can continue to spawn satellites, that is a sign of success... now all that we need to do is to have the region with one of the world's highest concentration of wealth (I'd guess 25% of the 1% lives around here) start buying some original art to hang on their walls instead of framed [fill in the hoity toity college of your choice] posters or vintage movie French or Italian movie posters of old Cary Grant movies.

The fair will feature more than fifteen established fine art photography galleries from across the United States, with representative samples from their gallery inventories. An extraordinary range of photographic images—from 19th-Century Images to cutting-edge contemporary visions—will be on display and available for purchase.

LOCATION
2801 Sixteenth Street, NW (former residence of the Ambassador of Spain) Columbia Heights neighborhood, accessible by Metro and major bus routes

 

HOURS
Friday, October 5: Opening Night Preview (by invitation only)
Saturday, October 6: Noon to 7pm
Sunday, October 7: 11am to 5pm

A Saturday morning panel discussion, "On Collecting Photography" will be held from 11am to 12 noon. All weekend events are FREE and open to the public.

Seen on Univision

A few minutes ago I was dumbfounded when, while viewing an interview on Univision's national news show with a nice lady from the Puente Movement, in the background I noticed a large framed photo of Ernesto Guevara de la Serna Lynch, the man known to most of the world as Che and to most Cubans as El Chacal de La Cabaña.

The Puente Movement:  "Puente Arizona is part of the global movement for migrant justice and human rights. As a grassroots community-based group Puente promotes justice, non-violence, interdependence and human dignity. Puente Arizona works to empower the community and build bridges by working collaboratively with various organizations and individuals."

So I decided to write this organization with such good goals, a note about the psychopath who adorns their walls: 

As an artist and writer I've spent years researching and creating work, both written (I've written an online bio of Che as a young man) and visual arts about this complex man. I have read all his diaries and writings and speeches and interviews, and from his own words comes out a RACIST psychopathic personality which I've discovered that most people are not aware of.

Don't listen to me if you are the types of people who are easily seduced by dogma and what Hollywood and ignorant Latin American and European icon-makers have made of the myth of Che. I ask that you listen to Che from his own diaries and memories - if after reading what Che has written, said or done, you still believe that any decent human being who is struggling for the rights of others should have a poster of Che as a positive image, then you are way beyond logic - Read on:

On Mexicans: "Mexicans are a band of illiterate Indians."

On Blacks: "The black is indolent and a dreamer; spending his meager wage on frivolity or drink; the European has a tradition of work and saving, which has pursued him as far as this corner of America and drives him to advance himself, even independently of his own individual aspirations."

On Black Cubans: "We're going to do for blacks exactly what blacks did for the revolution. By which I mean: nothing."

On Homosexuals: Che played a principal role in setting up Cuba's first labor camp in the Guanahacabibes region in western Cuba in 1960-1961, to confine people who had committed no crime punishable by law, revolutionary or otherwise. This "crimes" involved homosexuality, drinking, vagrancy, disrespect for authorities, laziness and playing loud music. Che defended that initiative in his own words: “We only send to Guanahacabibes those doubtful cases where we are not sure people should go to jail… people who have committed crimes against revolutionary morals, to a lesser or greater degree.... It is hard labor, not brute labor, rather the working conditions there are hard.” Che's homophobia is expressed in the poster placed at the entrance to the forced labor camp, where homosexuals were confined, which read:  “The work will make you men”', replica of the slogan “The work will make you free” used in the Nazi concentration camps. It was intended to correct the homosexual behavior applying rigorous punishments with the intention of modifying this social deviation, which does not constitute a crime punishable by law.

On the thousands of executions that took place in 1959: In an appearance on Channel 6 of Cuban TV in February 1959, Che declared that "at La Cabaña all executions are carried out under my express orders.” He adds: “It is necessary to work at night, the man offers less resistance at night than during the day. In the nocturnal calm the moral resistance is weakened. Do the interrogations at night. It is not necessary to make many inquiries to shoot somebody. What one need to know is if it is necessary to shoot him. Nothing more. You should always give the accused the possibility to do his discharge before executing him. And this means, understand me well, that the accused should always be executed, without mattering which has been his discharge. Make no mistake about this. Our mission doesn’t consist in giving procedural guarantees to anyone, but to make the revolution, and we must begin by the same procedural guarantees.”

On the right of workers to strike: In a TV speech June 26, 1961, when he was Minister of Industries Che said: “The Cuban workers have to start being used to live in a collectivism regimen and by no means can they go on strike.”

I support what you are trying to accomplish - but I am sickened to see that you do it under the image of a murdering psychopath - I blame it on ignorance on your part, and hope that you can do your own research and then put that image of Che where it belongs, the garbage bin.

Un abrazo,

Lenny Campello

 Five gets you ten that they ignore this email and go on trying to do good things under the banner of a murdering racist whose image has been redone by 60 years of lies. I hope that I am wrong.

Debbie and Antonio

Congresswoman Wasserman Schultz: "What are you here for?"

Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa: "I'm getting fitted for a hearing aid"

September 6

Today is my birthday, and as a proud former Naval officer, I am pleased by some key naval historical references to this day in history.

- In 1492, Christopher Columbus sailed from La Gomera in the Canary Islands (where my maternal grandmother came from), his final port of call in the Old World before crossing the Atlantic for the first time and reaching the New World... of course, now we know that the Vikings and Basque fishermen had made the crossing hundreds of times prior to his voyage, but his is the one that counted!

- In 1522, La Victoria, the only surviving ship of Fernando Magellan's courageous expedition, returns to the sherry-growing town of San Lúcar de Barrameda in Andalucia, Spain, thus becoming the first seagoing vessel to circumnavigate the world.

- In 1620, the Pilgrims sail from Plymouth, England, on the Mayflower to settle in Massachusetts.

Potomackers: Wanna go to an opening tomorrow?

Seen on Univision...

I was commenting to a friend that it is clear to the most casual observer that Spanish language TV stations, and more specifically (here in the US) Univision, have a very clear and machista attitude on how they cast and present their weather forecasters (most of which are young women), such as Univision's muy bonita Jackie Guerrido, as this image search of Univision's famous weather lady yields.

Then out of the blue I received a mass email which was titled "Why God Sends Rain to Latin America and not to the Middle East‏" - The email consists of a collage of images of female weather presenters from various TV stations across Latin America and closes with three images of weather newscasters in Middle Eastern countries.

I'll let you be the judge, but this re-affirms what I have been droning about for quite a while here, and that is how I've noticed how Spanish language media in the US (and I guess Latin America) gets away with stuff like this obvious objectification of female news staff that would get your local TV station picketed left and right.

And, ahem... the mass email ends with "Any Questions?"

Watching Bill on TV

I've noticed that Bill Clinton's right hand is shaking a little... I hope that he's just nervous and not something bad...

RSVP Opens Friday!

Although over the years I’ve had the honor and pleasure of judging, organizing, curating, etc. my fellow artists many, many times (by my last count almost 300 times now!), one fact is always a constant and solid, never-changing, ever-present, add some more of your own metaphors for “you can count on this” fact: It is never easy!

OK, two facts: the second constant is that I am always refreshed and surprised by the spectacular diversity and pluralism of visual ideas that artists can deliver. This is the main reason that I really, really like putting together, organizing and jurying art shows.

And even after all these years and all these shows, I was still astounded by the quality and wide ranging sources used by the artists who gave me the honor to review their work for RSVP, a show that I had the honor to jury for the New Wilmington Art Association in Delaware.

And I can honestly say that this was not only one of the most difficult (and most fun) shows to whittle down to a select few, but also one which truly puts together a remarkable sampling of the revolving capacity of the artistic mind to educate, entertain, baffle, lead, record, interpret, upset, delight and make us proud to be part of the visual arts component of the human race.

RSVP surprised me by how far artists went to explore contemporary issues – in some cases by delighting the viewer with a new take on a 70-year-old British slogan; or by a performance that humanizes one of the simplest and most popular of childhood toys; or a painting that manages to inject us with the same lust that it so adeptly visualizes.

If you can, go and see this show; you will walk away (as with any group show) with a variety of reactions all fighting to control your reaction to it. But you will walk away also with multiple reactions, and you will walk away with the refreshing and never-ending breath of fresh air that good art injects into our daily lives.

Come see this show and join me in applauding the always-evolving skill and intelligence of contemporary artists who wield brushes, pencils, charcoal sticks, palette knives, computers, metal, stone, found objects and their own bodies to punch the solar plexus of our minds with ideas and reactions.

The opening reception is this Friday, and it includes a performance at 7:30pm titled “Dress Me” by Kara Dunne. 
“As a living paper doll, the audience may dress me however they choose with a wide selection of paper garments adjusted to my size.  Included in the wardrobe are vests, skirts, dresses, lederhosen, bellboy jacket, a tuxedo, hot pants and lingerie.”

A second opening (sans performance) will take place October 5th.

Participating Artists
Terry Anderson
Paul Andreas
Leslie Boyd
Nancy Breslin
Breck Omar Brunson
Tibi Chelcea
Hunter Clarke
Suzanne Comer
Kathryn Cook
Christina Day
Elyssa Duckett
Kara Dunne
Alicia Eggert
Francine Fox
Patricia Goslee
Kevin Gross
Atom Gunn
Stacey Gruver
Jeannette Herrera
Daniel Johnson
Kim Knauer
Patrick Koziol
Larry Lairson
April Loveday
Meagan Mika
Bert Pasquale
John Reef
Dan Rios
Chuck Schultz
Alexandra Silverthorne
Fierce Sonia

Page 4 of the Daniel Smith 11th Annual Customer Contest... is it me or is this agreement asking a wee bit too much?

Each entrant irrevocably grants Sponsor and its affiliates, legal representatives, assigns, agents and licensees, the unconditional and perpetual right and permission to reproduce, encode, store, copy, transmit, publish, post, broadcast, display, publicly perform, adapt, exhibit and/or otherwise use or reuse (without limitation as to when or to the number of times used), each element of the entrant's Entry, and to use of the entrant's name, likeness, photograph (collectively, "Likeness"), and/or statements regarding his/her participation in this Contest (with or without using the entrant's name) in any and all media without limitation as to time or territory, and without additional compensation or approval from the entrant/Finalist or any other party. Entrant waives intellectual property rights, privacy/publicity rights or other legal or moral rights that might preclude the Sponsor's use of any element of the Entry, and agrees not to sue or assert any claim against the Sponsor for the use of any element of the Entry or entrant's Likeness or statements. Entrant further grants all end users of Sponsor’s Web Site (a) the ability to rate, vote, review, comment on and tag the Entry; (b) the ability to send and distribute the Entry via e‐mail, instant messenger, and via social media or other electronic means.

Malik M. Lloyd at Asman gallery

NBC's Asman Gallery presents, GOOD MEDICINE - A solo exhibition featuring the art of Malik M. 
 Lloyd. 

Mr. Lloyd is the founder of FIND ART information bank and was one of the artists featured in the 100 Artists of Washington, DC book.

Malik's artwork explores the African–American historical and religious experience. His overarching intent is to "create artwork that examines relationships between history's truth, unearthed by contemporary scholars of African decent, and it's detrimental, but more accepted falsehoods, perpetuated for centuries – this falsification of history is so pervasive, that it remains the dominant historical narrative taught in schools and provided in the media". He uses his artwork to promote awareness of these historical inaccuracies. 

Asman Gallery
4001 Nebraska Ave., NW
Washington, DC. 

Reception: September 8, 12. Time: 5 – 7pm. 
Works on exhibition until September 22. 

Note: NBC's Channel 4 is a secured building. Visitors to the exhibition need to be placed on visitors list in advance of entering building by emailing names to Malik@FINDARTinfobank.com. The gallery is available to visitors, Monday – Friday, from 5pm to 8pm. Saturday and Sunday, 12noon to 5pm.  

The Worst Art Restoration Mistakes of All Time

So now we all know what not to do when restoring great works of art. Don't go into a church in Spain and try to touch up a century-old fresco if all your attempts at art so far have ended with people asking you what you're painting. But it turns out that even professionals can screw up horribly when it comes to art restoration. Here's how art restoration screwups can lead to impromptu nose-jobs, cracked paintings, or sand-blasted sculptures. 

 (Via) Read the whole article here.

On Identity in the Arts: What Does It Mean to be Latino?

Those of you who know me well, and those of you who know me through my writing, know that one of my pet peeves is the usage of "labels" to box people and art, or art and people, into easily distinguishable categories.

One such label is the American invention of the Hispanic (now apparently not a PC term because technically it includes two European nationalities) or Latino label to pass for ethnicity and often and always wrongly for race.

What does that mean in art? And what does it mean to "Latino" artists? Does it mean anything?

If you want to hear my opinion on the subject then start by penciling in October 11, 2012, where starting at 5PM I will be presenting a lecture titled "On Identity in the Arts: What Does It Mean to be Latino?" at Montgomery College in Silver Spring, MD.

Prepare to understand why us "Latinos" are often as confused by the use of this term as the rest of the world.

Directions here.

Collecting Art

The Role of Art Fairs in Building a Contemporary Collection 

Thursday, September 13, 6:30-7:30pm

Location: UBS Financial Services, 1501 K Street, NW, Washington, DC

This event is free but registration is required, email bmurphy@wpadc.org to register

Fernando Silva Pinto, Washington Correspondent for TV Globo, moderates this panel discussion with collector Dani Levinas, curator Joanna Marsh (Smithsonian American Art Museum), and gallerist Amy Raehse (Goya Contemporary). The participants will discuss their experiences with art fairs, tips for negotiating them, and the role they play in building a contemporary collection.

 

Organized by Washington Project for the Arts in partnership with UBS Financial Services, Inc., this forum is part of a series of stimulating conversations on current art concepts and trends, which give artists, curators, and collectors an opportunity to gain insight on new directions in contemporary art.

(e)merge needs volunteers

(e)merge art fair is looking for energetic, efficient volunteers to assist with various aspects of the  fair. No experience is necessary, but knowledge of the art field or experience with art events is preferred. This is a valuable experience for anyone involved with or  interested in contemporary art. 

(e)merge will take place at the Capitol Skyline Hotel October 4-7, 2012. 

Volunteers will be invited to an orientation at the hotel prior to the event. Whether you want to assist for a day, or for the duration of the art fair, dedicated volunteers are essential to the success of the fair and deeply appreciated. 

If interested or have any questions please contact Irene Clouthier at irene@emergeartfair.com

2nd Thursday Art Night: Fall for the Arts in Old Town

WHAT:              2^nd Thursday Art Night: Fall for the Arts

WHEN:             Thursday, September 13, 6-9pm

WHERE:           Torpedo Factory Art Center, 105 N. Union St., Alexandria, VA 22314

ADMISSION:     FREE

INFO:                www.torpedofactory.org; 703-838-4565

DESCRIPTION: Browse open studios, interact with artists, enjoy live music, refreshments, and special activities at this free monthly event! Celebrate Target Gallery’s silver anniversary at the reception for 25: Target Gallery Celebrates 25 Years, and then commemorate the occasion by creating your own button using images from the gallery’s past exhibitions. Attend the exhibition reception for Microcosms and the All-Media Membership Show in The Art League Gallery. View artwork from this year’s Visiting Artist Program at the reception for Synergy in Site 2 & 3 Galleries.

Special Reception to celebrate Target Gallery’s 25^th Anniversary

From 6-8pm, celebrate Target Gallery’s silver anniversary at the reception for 25: Target Gallery Celebrates 25 Years, an all-media exhibition featuring work that responds to world events that have occurred over the past twenty-five years. Stick around for a special presentation at 7pm featuring a gallery talk by the show’s juror, J.W. Mahoney, followed by birthday cake and sparkling wine.

The Art League Gallery Reception

From 6:30-8pm, The Art League Gallery hosts the reception for Theresa Esterlund’s solo show, Microcosm, and the All-Media Membership Exhibit with an awards ceremony at 7:30pm.

Live Music by Tedd Baker

Enjoy live music by acclaimed saxophonist Tedd Baker.

Synergy: Artwork from the TFAA’s 2012 Visiting Artist Program
Visit Site 2 & 3 Galleries for the reception for Synergy, an exhibition of work created by artists from the Torpedo Factory Artist Association’s 2012 Visiting Artist Program.

DIY Button Making

In conjunction with the reception for 25, visitors are invited to create their own button using images from up-cycling postcards from Target Gallery’s past exhibitions.

About 2^nd Thursday Art Night: 2^nd Thursday Art Night is a free monthly event held on the second Thursday of each month at the Torpedo Factory Art Center. Visitors are invited to browse open studios, interact with artists, and enjoy refreshments while taking part in special monthly programming and activities.

Visit http://www.torpedofactory.org/thursday.htm for more information about 2^nd Thursday Art Night and this month’s special activities.

Torpedo Factory Art Center
82 Artist Studios – 6 Galleries
The Art League School – Alexandria Archaeology Museum

Gift Shop – Café by Bread & Chocolate

Open Daily 10 am – 6 pm, Open Thursdays until 9 pm
On the Waterfront in Old Town Alexandria
105 N. Union St., Alexandria, VA 22314
703-838-4565
www.torpedofactory.org

New Arts Center

Partnership of Two Montgomery County  

Nonprofits Creates New Arts Center 

Numerous Art Studios and Offices Provide Unprecedented Workspace 

The Washington School of Photography and Capitol Arts Network invite photographers and artists to an informational meeting about forthcoming opportunities for affordable studio workspaces.   

WSP and CAN will soon jointly occupy facilities in Rockville, MD, expanding space for the landmark photography non-profit and creating a new home for the arts education organization.  This remodeled 25,000 square foot facility will feature photographer offices and studios and artist studios, providing affordable workspace for individuals without studio and gallery space. 

The Washington School of Photography will feature six classrooms, three shooting studios, a gallery, public darkroom, conference rooms and office/studio space for up to 12 photographers.  Within the same facility, Capitol Arts Network will feature a gallery, studio space for up to 30 affiliate artists, meeting rooms, classrooms and space for many arts groups to meet with synergy, activity and interaction.     

These two organizations have historically taught, among other courses, the business of photography and the arts. They will now provide studio and workspace for photographers and artists to work, network and collaborate with clients.  This partnership will host gallery exhibits and opening receptions, classes, and will be open 70 hours a week, seven days a week with classes and events. 

Photographers and artists interested in resident artist or photography office/studio opportunities are highly encouraged to attend one of two informational sessions at the Washington School of Photography:  

• 7:00 PM – 9:00 PM, Wednesday, September 5th 
• 11:00 AM – 1:00 PM, Saturday, September 8th 

Representatives of the Washington School of Photography and Capitol Arts Network will offer floor plans and photographs of the building, an information packet, application and overview of both groups and our collective vision.  

With studio space for approximately 30 artists and 12 photographers, and a multitude of photographers and artists needing space, they expect to fill quickly!  So plan to attend one of these informational meetings! 

To attend, RSVP by Tuesday, September 4th to Judith HeartSong of Capitol Arts Network: 

Judith@capitolartsnetwork.com  

Informational Meeting Location: 

Washington School of Photography 

[4850 Rugby Avenue 

Bethesda, MD 20814 ] 

301-654-1998 

For additional questions, please call Judith HeartSong of the Capitol Arts Network at 301-661-7590.