Millennium Arts Salon: Scholars Speak
Against the backdrop of the Jacob Lawrence Migration Series (he's one of my former professors and now on view at The Phillips Collection through October 26), three leading scholars on African American art speak:
- Dr. Beth Turner, University Professor at the UVA and curator of two major national traveling exhibitions on Jacob Lawrence, Over the Line: The Art and Life of Jacob Lawrence (2001-03) and The Migration Series (1993-1995) for The Philips Collection, former senior Phillips curator and vice-provost for the arts at the University of Virginia.
- Dr. Leslie King-Hammond, Dean of Graduate Studies and Professor of Art History, at the Maryland Institute College of Art and Chair of the Board of The Reginald F. Lewis Museum of Maryland African American History and Culture.
- Dr. David Driskell, an emeritus professor at the University of Maryland, College Park where the David C. Driskell Center of African American and African Diaspora Visual Arts and Culture was founded in his honor, artist, collector, and cited as one of the world's leading authorities on the subject of African American Art.
One scholar asks, the others respond. All reflect on artists of the 20th century and look ahead to artists in the new millennia.
Millennium Arts Salon and The Phillips Collection are jointly sponsoring this event, to be held in the Sant Auditorium at The Phillips Collection, 1600 21st Street, NW, Thursday, May 29th starting at 6:30pm. The cost is free with museum admission.
Wednesday, May 21, 2008
Early Look Peek
Here's another early peek at another student whose work I've selected for the "Early Look" student exhibition at the Long View Gallery in DC next month.
Her name is Deborah Shapiro and she's a student at Virginia Commonwealth University in Virginia. See more of her work here.
The show opens at Long View Gallery DC on June 7 from 5-8PM.
AOM Panel on "how to price art"
On Thursday May 22, 2008 at 7:30PM at AOM. The panel includes Arthur Mason, lawyer and art collector with his wife Jane Mason, Lee Eagle, Eagle Associates, Collector and Specialist in the DC secondary art market, Zenith Gallery owner, Margery Goldberg, Gallery Directors Amy Cavanaugh and Briony Evans from Honfluer Gallery, and artists Joyce McCarten and Matt Sesow.
They will each offer their own unique perspective on the subject of pricing art. Free and Open to the Public. For more information contact Adah Rose Bitterbaum, Studio Gallery, 202-232-8734. Sponsored by the Washington Project for the Arts.
Tonight is the "Information Overload: Finding Reliable and Useful Information About Art Collecting" panel at 7PM.
It will be moderated by DC ubercollector Dr. Fred Ognibene and will include JW Mahoney, Sharon Burton, Martin Irvine and yours truly.
See ya there!
Tuesday, May 20, 2008
Rik Freeman at GRACE
Last weekend when I was in Reston I had an opportunity to look at the current GRACE exhibition, the Chittlin' Circuit Review which features the gorgeous paintings of DC area artist Rik Freeman at the Greater Reston Arts Center.
They are powerfully painted, sensual imagery of dancing, singing, sweating, moving, shouting... in a sort of visual musical African American experience.
And on Wednesday May 21 from 7:30 - 9pm (Free and no reservations required) you can join artist Rik Freeman for an insightful and very personal evening of discussion about his work, the Chittlin' Circuit Review.
Participants will be taken on an imaginative journey of blues history and treated to a recitation of his original spoken-word poem The Ballad of the Grit Gal.
I like this course
The course "Gallery and Museum Resources for Contemporary Art" is being offered on both a credit and non-credit basis in the School of Art + Design at Montgomery College, Takoma Park/Silver Spring Campus in MD. It will be taught by Dr. Claudia Rousseau.
It will meet on Wednesdays, 7/9/08 - 8/06/08, all day. Mornings will meet in the new Morris and Gwendolyn Cafritz Foundation Arts Center at 930 King Street (just off Georgia Ave) for a lecture, followed by field trips to galleries in the afternoon.
Here's the course description in the non-credit tab:
Gallery and Museum Resources for Contemporary Art
Field trips to Washington DC and Montgomery County galleries, museums and art centers will provide a working laboratory for this course which will expose students to contemporary art in the area and to the extraordinary range of resources available for viewing contemporary art. The course will focus on developing a critical approach to modern and contemporary art through understanding of its recent history and current trends. The goal is to make students more confident about individual encounters with contemporary art, especially in gallery settings. Tuition waiver applies; seniors pay fee only.
Course: ART041, 5 sessions, Wed., 7/9-8/6.
For credit the course is listed under ART, School of Art + Design
AR285L Individual Workshop Art History, 3 credits.
Early Look Peek
Here's another early peek at another student whose work I've selected for the "Early Look" student exhibition at the Long View Gallery in DC next month.
His name is Aaron Miller and he's a student at George Mason University in Virginia. Below is "Banana," which will be in the show:
Banana, oil on canvas by Aaron Miller
The show opens at Long View Gallery DC on June 7 from 5-8PM.
2008 International Peace Corps Show
Deadline: May 29, 2008
A national juried exhibition of photographs created by current and former Peace Corps Volunteers. No entry fee. Submission is completed online. For more information, contact:
The Center for Fine Art Photography
400 N. College Ave.
Fort Collins, CO 80524
Phone: (970) 224-1010; or check website: www.c4fap.org.
Grants for Artists
The George Sugarman Foundation makes grants available for artists in need of financial assistance. Award amounts are open, but the artist must provide a budget for the amount requested. For information, contact:
George Sugarman Foundation
448 Ignacio Blvd.
Novato, CA 94949
Phone: 415/713-8167
Fulbright grants are available for artists for 2-6 week lecturing and research abroad. No application fee, stipends are available. Contact:
Fulbright Senior Specialist Program
Council for International Exchange of Scholars
3007 Tilden St NW, Suite 5L
Washington, DC 20008-3009
phone: 202/686-7877; email: apprequest@cies.iie.org; website: www.cies.org
The Charles A. Lindbergh Fund - Deadline: June 12, 08. Offers grants for research and educational projects in various subjects, including the arts and humanities. Grant amounts up to $10,580 awarded. Application deadline: June 12, 2008. For more information, contact:
The Charles A. and Anne Morrow Lindbergh Foundation
2150 Third Ave. North, Ste. 310
Anoka, MN 55303-2200
Phone: (763) 576-1596; email: info@lindberghfoundation.org; or website:
www.lindberghfoundation.org
Artists' Websites: Ana Maria Cortesão
Three of a Kind by Ana Maria Cortesão
Ana Maria Cortesão is a Portuguese street photographer and her work captures a really cool portrait of that European nation. Visit her website here.
Jennifer Lea Hall in Alexandria
I get a trillion gallery opening postcards every week, and every once in a while one catches my eye above the rest.
So is the case with Jennifer Lea Hall's Thesis exhibition (from VCU) at the Del Ray Artisans' Nicholas A. Colosanto Center in Alexandria, VA.
The opening is Friday, May 23 from 7-10PM.
Lorton Artists
This week I will judging the Lorton Arts Foundation exhibition at the University of Phoenix, Reston, VA (11730 Plaza American Drive, Suite 200, Reston, Virginia 20190).
The opening for the show will be on Friday, May 23rd from 7 - 9pm.
Monday, May 19, 2008
Opportunity for Sculptors
Deadline: June 30, 2008
The Polk Museum of Art is now accepting submissions from North American sculptors for their annual public art exhibition, Sept 2008 - Aug 2009. Three artists will be selected to exhibit 4-5 works each (depending on size). Each artist will receive a $5,000 honorarium.
Only completed, maintenance-free works will be considered. Work must be able to be anchored to concrete. Submit slides or digital images of 5-10 available works, 1-3 views each, resume, and artist statement to:
Polk Museum of Art
Lakeland Sculpture Invitational
800 E Palmetto St
Lakeland FL 33801
Or call 863-688-7743x241 or email Tbehrens@PolkMuseumofArt.org
Opportunity for Artists
Deadline: August 1, 2008
The Art Renewal Center's International 2008 ARC Salon 5th Annual Competition. Over $44,000 in cash awards with $10,000 Best in Show. Jury of Awards: Nelson Shanks, Gabriel P. Weisberg, Paul W. McCormack and Fred Ross.
Have your work seen by 5.5 million yearly visitors. Visit: www.artrenewal.org for a prospectus, or send a #10 SASE to:
Art Renewal Center
Box 837
Glenham NY 12527
Or inquiries may be addressed to Katie O'Hagan at arcprograms@artrenewal.org
Food & Friends
On Monday, June 16th Food & Friends will be hosting its 18th Annual Chef’s Best charity auction and dinner at the Washington Hilton in Washington, DC.
Throughout the evening, more than 1,500 guests will enjoy culinary tastings from local chefs, as well as participate in live and silent auctions, which help raise thousands of dollars to help support Food & Friends clients.
Please consider becoming a vital part of this year’s event through donation of an item to their auction (I will). For more information on auction donations, or to contribute to either the live or silent auction, please contact Dorota Porawska, Development Coordinator, at (202) 269-2277 or dporawska@foodandfriends.org.
Along with nutrition counseling, Food & Friends prepares, packages and delivers meals and groceries to more than 1,400 people living with HIV/AIDS, cancer and other life-challenging illnesses throughout Washington, DC, seven counties of Maryland and seven counties and six independent cities in Virginia. Since 1988, Food & Friends has provided food and companionship to their clients, their loved ones and caregivers.
Please donate.
Santa Fe
As the official Tim Tate cheerleading site, it would be remiss of me not to mention that Tate received this really good review in Santa Fe during his gallery debut there.
Read the review by Hollis Walker here.
James Marshall (Dalek) at Irvine
I've been hearing good things about Irvine Contemporary's current exhibition of James Marshall (Dalek) in his only 2008 solo exhibition, Overweight. The show opened last weekend in DC and sold out on opening night!
A new limited edition print published by Irvine Contemporary accompanies the exhibition, but it also sold out on opening night!
It’s the biggest hit by an international-level artist in a solo DC show in a long time, and I can't think of a recent DC gallery show that has done this well in recent memory. This is James Marshall’s only 2008 solo show, and a terrific coup for a DC gallery to host it. Congrats to Martin and the Irvine staff.
James Marshall (Dalek), Untitled (2008.4). Acrylic on panel, 30 x 30 in.
This Wednesday night at AOM
The Pink Line Project will be presenting a series of panel discussions to educate the emerging and experienced art collector at the soon to open a Art-O-Matic. Click on the image below for details.
I will part of a panel which will be held this coming Wednesday, May 21 at 7 pm in the 7th Floor Education Room. It is the "Information Overload: Finding Reliable and Useful Information About Art Collecting."
It will be moderated by DC ubercollector Dr. Fred Ognibene and will include JW Mahoney, Sharon Burton, Martin Irvine and yours truly.
See ya there!
Saturday, May 17, 2008
Today: Glass party and open house
The Washington Glass School is having their big annual open house and 7th Anniversary Party today. Tons of glass sculpture and bowls for sale.
This annual event is always a load of fun and a great way to grab some real bargains! Over two dozen artists from the DC area will be participating... so you don't want to miss this one!
Saturday, May 17th from 12noon to 5pm! Details here.
Friday, May 16, 2008
Early Look Peek
Here's another early peek at another student whose work I've selected for the "Early Look" student exhibition at the Long View Gallery in DC next month.
Her name is Lauren Albert and she's a senior at Moore College of Art & Design in Philly. Below is an animated video which will be in the show. See some of her 2D artwork here.
The show opens at Long View Gallery DC on June 7 from 5-8PM.
Thursday, May 15, 2008
Artists' Talk: DC
Christine Gray's "Spring Thaw" exhibition ends on May 4, but there's a closing reception at Project 4 in DC and an artist's talk this coming Saturday, May 17 at 3:00pm.
DCist on Janis
DCist's pops in with a really good profile of DC area sculptor Michael Janis.
Because of Janis’ strong architectural background, he works with industrial glass, giving it new meaning, context and function. Much of Janis’ work deals with self identification, and how luck and chance have influenced his life, work, and how one views oneself. Drawing with crushed glass powder, he uses static electricity to take away the powder and reveal the desired image
Read it here. Michael Janis (whom I now represent in my new art venture) has been on my "Buy Now" list for a long while and he's in my own collection; buy Michael Janis now.
Pat Monk
The WaPo's Christina Ianzito checks in with a really cool profile on DC area artist Pat Monk.
As a young physicist, Pat Monk helped build the atomic bomb. Now, at 87, it's his creativity as an artist that's exploding.Read it here.
Friday in DC: Artomatic Meet The Artists Night
Mix, mingle and meet the artists at Artomatic on Friday, May 16, 7 p.m.–10 p.m
Many Artomatic artists will be throwing mini-gallery openings in their spaces tomorrow night and will be on hand to answer questions about their work.
This year’s Artomatic has more to see than ever before. Ten floors of work, including ceramics, sculptures, installations, paintings, fiber works, murals and photography are on display, and in many cases, the work is for sale.
Visitors on Meet the Artists Night will be able to sample the fun, creative energy that is Artomatic. A full schedule of free events is planned for Friday, including films, dance, poetry, music and even fire dancing. Live music will kick off at 6 p.m. and run through 1 a.m., with performances by James Stephen Terrell, Movimiento, Collider, DJ Sequoia and others.
New Wilmington Gallery
Tonight is the grand opening (between 6-8pm) of a new art gallery in Wilmington, Delaware.
Come celebrate the opening of the new Montage Gallery at WHQR.
RSVP by calling 910-343-1640.
Opportunity for Artists
Deadline: Friday, May 30th, 2008 at 5:30 pm
The DC Commission on the Arts and Humanities (DCCAH), in collaboration with District Department of Transportation (DDOT) and surrounding communities, is seeking an artist or artist team to work with urban designers, transportation and trail planners, landscape architects, civil engineers and District government employees to create a comprehensive and cohesive plan that visually unifies the Metropolitan Branch Trail (MBT) with artistic enhancements.
This artistic driven identity created by the selected artist(s) will be included in a variety of signage and amenities along the trail as well as maps and materials about the trail. This call is open to Mid-Atlantic artists and the Design Budget is $7,550.
To download the Call to Artists please visit the Commission's website.
For more information please email Deirdre Ehlen at Deirdre.Ehlen@dc.gov or call 202-724-5613.
Wednesday, May 14, 2008
NYT on Hirshhorn
The New York Times takes an interesting look at DC's Hirshhorn Museum.
Gorgeous image of the hangers installation is by DC's own Dan Steinhilber, one of the precious few DC area artists whom the museum has glanced at in recent memory; let's hope that the museum's new refocusing on its identity expands on that area and begins looking more into its own backyard.
Alternative
Those of you who attended my bootcamp for artists' seminars in the past know well that I think that the worst place for art is hidden away in your closet or studio or basement: art should be displayed as much as possible so that an artistic dialogue - and maybe a few sales if that's the aim - can take place.
And I am a big fan of alternative spaces to show artwork. DC is loaded with those and I wanted to alert you that I am hearing good things about such a to a place for DC area artists to get some exposure for their work.
There is a very cool restaurant in the Shaw area of DC called Vegetate. I am told that the food is artful and that they show good local art on the walls.
Currently Judith Peck is showing fifteen of her paintings alongside with Ken Ashton's photographs and they look great. Check it out.
Tomorrow in DC: Int'l Art Affairs
On Thursday the fair opens at 2:00PM with a 4:00PM wine reception at 1209 10th Street (rear). This will be followed by art and video at 903 N Street – The Space-DC.
The following days will be filled with Art talks, social gatherings in the evenings and art browsing time from place to place.
Details
here.
Tuesday, May 13, 2008
This weekend in Reston
17th Annual Northern Virginia Fine Arts Festival at the Reston Town Center — Reston, Virginia. May 17 & 18, 2008 - 10am — 6pm daily.
Come see 185 juried artists from all over the nation; about 30,000 art lovers will be there as well. Details here and see ya there!
Early Look
As if you didn't know... I've been visiting schools up and down the Mid Atlantic and getting submissions in the mail for "Early Look" which is a show curated by me offering to the DC area some really good undergraduate artwork. The show will be in DC's Long View Gallery and then some work will travel to Norfolk's Mayer Fine Art.
I've looked at work by around 1,000 students and I am now in the process of inviting students. More details later, but as a teaser look at this gorgeous, dark, macabre pastel drawing by GMU's own Tanya Wilson (click on the drawing for a larger image).
Untitled #1 by Tanya Wilson. 106”x 42” 2008. Pastel on Paper
This is a huge work, as are most of her other work that I have seen. And I predict that this young artist will be getting some very focused attention by DC gallerists and collectors.
If you want to see some more of her pieces, drop me an email or come to the opening at Long View Gallery on 7 June from 5-8PM.
Artists' Websites: Andrea Haffner
Andrea Haffner's elegantly composed wall sculptures and jewelry have to be examined closely in order to have then give you a most intelligent treat for your senses. See her work here.
Monday, May 12, 2008
What the $#%& Happened at the Corcoran?
By Rosetta DeBerardinis
Participating artists and ticket-holders to the Corcoran’s “Art Anonymous” exhibit and fund-raiser were asking that last week when the museum sent out an e-blast canceling the fundraising gala. But, the questions didn’t stop there; the preview for the artists and the sale were just as confusing.
Some events in the art world are more priceless than the art. And, this event had all the ingredients of an art reality show. The high-point of the evening was standing behind Martin Irvine, owner of Irvine Contemporary, whose layered blonde hair swung across the collar of his black jacket as he banged on the massive black Beaux-Arts doors of the Corcoran Gallery of Art.
Priceless, I tell you! Mr. Irvine had volunteered to assist with the event but like the bewildered artists and ticket-holders but found himself locked out.
The Corcoran’s second email to the artists who had donated work for its fundraiser to benefit the College of Art consisted of another apology and a second bite at spin-control. That email invited artists to attend a reception and sneak-preview two hours prior on the day of the sale from 4-5 p.m. on Saturday.
And, I was told that the spin on the other-side was that tickets had suddenly become available for purchase a few hours prior to the sale. Rumor has it that it sold 175 tickets within that time so things were back on track again.
Well, not exactly.
The ticket holders were now entitled to one free painting, instead of paying $100 for it, in lieu of the advertised gala with food and dancing. Should they wish an additional work of art it was available for $100 each.
Upon entering the small gallery adjacent to the school across from the Hammer auditorium one quickly realized that it would have been impossible to hold any gala in there with dancing even if the guests were intimate. The small works with a size limitation of 5” x 7” or 7” x 5” were hung in three tiers around the walls of the white- cube. Since the artists were not identified one could only speculate on its creator. Some were easier to identify than others; although I couldn’t tell Tim Tates’ from Michael Janis, however, I felt certain it was one of them. Many of Washington’s top artists donated their work to be sold for $100. But, they expected to attend a gala and mingle with the patrons and sip wine with each other too. Not happening!
At 5 p.m. artists were politely asked to leave the gallery in preparation for the sale an hour later and not allowed be attend the sale. Outside there was lots of speculation about what happened, but no answers offered. Attendees soon began to arrive forming a line down the marble staircase on New York Avenue and along the sidewalk. Martin Irvine rightfully was at the head of the line continuing to bang on the doors and taking breaks to dial his assistant Laura on his cell phone who was inside the gallery, hoping she would grant him entry.
“The cell phone is in her purse and the purse is not with her,” he repeated several times. Local collector, Veronica Jackson, dashed up the stairs with the hope that Mr. Irvine had some answers. But, he responded by shrugging his shoulders and citing his personal dilemma then started to dial and bang again.
The doors parted at exactly six o’clock. We all insisted that poor Mr. Irvine be the first to enter. A woman stood at the entrance with a printed list of names to avoid the chance of “walk-ins.” Inside there were velvet theatre ropes along the walls.
This must be what they needed time to do. And, they had added Pellegrino to
a clothed table which only had wine an hour ago. Entry was only granted to about ten people at time and they had the confused look of the day. Corcoran staff sat at a table in the center of the floor with forms and Laura stood next to it holding a cordless microphone. Runners were stationed in all four corners holding pages of red dots.
This is what happened. At the start of the exhibit there was a pedestal with a form and pencils. One was to run between the ropes as quickly as possible hastily jotting down their picks. Then you hurried to submit your picks at the table and if it was still available Laura belted out the number and a red dot landed next to it. The room soon began to fill because some people’s choice were scooped-up and they had to quickly run to make another decision then run back to the table for submission. The patrons who were not accustomed to running and rushing around created a bottle-neck at the door spinning around bewildered.
All in all it was a good night. Where else could you get a piece of original art at those prices?
Bethesda Painting Awards Finalists
The 2008 Bethesda Painting Awards finalists have been announced and they are:
Amy Chan, Richmond, VAThe jurors are Timothy App, who teaches at the Maryland Institute College of Art (MICA); Dr. Anne Collins Goodyear who is assistant curator of Prints and Drawings at the National Portrait Gallery and serves on the Board of Directors of the College Art Association; and Reni Gower, who is a Professor in the Painting and Printmaking Department at Virginia Commonwealth University.
Suzanna Fields, Richmond, VA
Janis Goodman, Washington, D.C.
Tom Green, Cabin John, MD
Lillian Bayley Hoover, Baltimore, MD
Sangram Majumdar, Baltimore, MD
Katherine Mann, Baltimore, MD
B.G. Muhn, North Potomac, MD
Bill Schmidt, Baltimore, MD
The exhibition will be at the Fraser Gallery in Bethesda from June 4 - July 5, 2008 and the award winners will be announced on the opening night Friday, June 13 from 6pm - 9pm.
Art Talk: DC
On Tuesday, May 20, the Jackson Art Center will host ART/TALK, a free community event with noted DC art collector and arts activist Philip Barlow. Doors open at 6:15PM, talk/discussion at 6:30PM. Refreshments served. 3048 1/2 R Street, NW (across from Montrose Park in Georgetown, in DC).
Investing in art
There's no question that the upside of art investing can be way, way up. An untitled Jean-Michel Basquiat painting — purchased by New York collectors Barbara and Eugene Schwartz in 1981 for $3,150 — sold at Sotheby's last year for $14.6 million to benefit a museum. If that original amount had instead appreciated in step with the S&P 500, its value would have been about $36,000 in 2007. But for every Basquiat with breathtaking returns, there are thousands—millions?—of paintings sitting bashfully in attics or boastfully on walls, worth even less than some admiring buyer paid for them years earlier. So is it foolishness for the average boomer with some savings and a little spare time to try to buy beauty with the parallel goal of building wealth for retirement?Read the USNWR article here.
Not if you ask Walter Manninen, a 53-year-old collector and former executive who now is a senior business adviser in the small-business-development center at Salem State College in Massachusetts. Manninen grew up in the nearby artists' magnet of Cape Ann and began buying art with his grocery money in his early 20s. "I grew up with art in my backyard, but I wasn't born with a silver spoon in my mouth," he says. His purchases—each, in the beginning, no more than $2,000 to $3,000 — now are one of his most valuable assets. As investments, his collection has "really outperformed everything," he says, stocks, bonds, and real estate included.
Sunday, May 11, 2008
WGS Open Studios
The Washington Glass School is having their big annual open house and 7th Anniversary Party this coming Saturday. Tons of glass sculptures and bowls for sale as well as music, food, and class specials. This annual event is always a load of fun and a great way to grab some real fine art as well as some decorative bargains! Over two dozen artists in the area will be participating... so you don't want to miss this one - pencil it in now.
Saturday, May 17th from 12noon to 5pm. Details here.
AOM
Heather over at DCist has a terrific overview of Artomatic and one that gets it: it's not just about the art. Read it here.
It will take several visits to digest this massive show, but I am already hearing the usual mix of kudos and complaints about the show.
It is also easy to predict what the press and writers think: if you never liked AOM because it was free, open, unjuried and democratic, then you won't like it this time or 100 times from now, regardless of what the actual art or artists do. This is called being "close minded" and it is an integral part of being a human being. Some people prefer controlled, juried or curated exhibitions only, and that's OK, even though sometimes -- often times -- they can yield silly shows like the most recent Whitney Biennials. Others are OK with both environments.
Having been to and seen every single AOM since it started, for me the fun part -- other that breathing in all the artistic good karma and energy that it releases upon the Greater DC area -- is trying to figure out who the emerging new art stars will be.
The past AOMs have yielded artistic finds such as the Dumbacher brothers, Tim Tate, Frank Warren, Kelly Towles, Kathryn Cornelius, Laurel Lukaszewski and many others.
I look forward to visiting AOM and this year I will focus strictly on artists who are new to me.
More later...
On the other side of the coin
The Washington Post's chief art critic is dead on when he bashes the whole issue of:
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.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.
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.
Gopnik makes 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.
He's also disregarding the huge controversies and arguments raised at the time over his second example, 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 will be for Dr. King's statue.
Gopnik takes a stab at what would work and then backs out before making a striking observation:
What would a monument to King look like that was as forward-looking, as change-inspired as the man himself? I've no clear idea. It would probably be figurative, like most of today's best art. Abstraction has lost the power it once had to make us think in terms of big ideas; it's mostly come to have the feel of lobby decoration.Insight into Gopnik: "figurative, like most of today's best art" - that was news to me, somewhat of a Gopnikphile... although I already knew that he thought that "Abstraction has lost the power it once had to make us think in terms of big ideas."
It will be a difficult process to select a statue for Dr. King; that much we already know, but the current Maoist-Stalinist piece of merde being constructed inside the Chinese BORG is not the answer.
Bravo Gopnik! Read the article here.
PS - What's with that "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?
Saturday, May 10, 2008
Tonite in DC: Scott Brooks
Scott Brooks' "Under the Skin" - opens tonight at the Long View Gallery in DC. For a sneak peek of the work click here. Opening is 5-8PM. Buy Scott Brooks now.
Bilbao Guggenheim fires CFO in embezzlement case
Spain's Guggenheim Museum says it has fired its chief financial officer for allegedly embezzling some €500,000 (US$800,000).Read the article here.
The Bilbao museum says it began legal proceedings Wednesday after firing Roberto Cearsolo Barrenetxea. Cearsolo has been financial director since 1997.
The museum opened an internal
Friday, May 09, 2008
Tonite: Artomatic
Artomatic opens tonight. This is the place to be in DC tonight. Bethesdeans should do their 6-9PM art walk and then head on to AOM.
From past experience, there will be dozens of parties going on throughout the spaces. This is the DC art event tonight.
Highlights of Artomatic’s opening weekend include:
• Unveiling of nine floors of 2-D and 3-D visual arts presentations by more than 700 local and regional artists.
• Flights of Fire – a fire dancing performance to be held outside at 9 p.m., Friday, May 9.
• “Electro-acoustic psychedelic world dance music” by Baltimore’s Telesma at 9 p.m., Friday, May 9.
• A Latin dance workshop with professional dance instructor Ibis Villegas, featuring salsa, merengue, samba, and other styles at 2 p.m., Saturday, May 10.
• Progressive rock by Guardians of Iridescence at 8 p.m., Saturday, May 10.
• “The Road to Success,” performance art by Carolina Mayorga in the form of a new TV game show at 8 p.m., Saturday, May 10.
• New wave/indie rock by Plastiq Passion, an all-girl band from Union City, New Jersey at 11 p.m., Saturday, May 10.
• An expressive drawing workshop with Giliah Litwack at 1 p.m., Sunday, May 11.
• "In-your-face" jazz/jam music "with a touch of funk" by Bethesda, JD-based Bassment Breaks at 4 p.m., Sunday, May 11.
A full schedule of events is available at www.artomatic.org/event.
Held regularly since 1999, Artomatic transforms an unfinished indoor space into an exciting and diverse arts event that is free and open to the public. In addition to displays and sales by hundreds of artists, the event features free films, educational presentations and children’s activities, as well as musical, dance, poetry, theater and other performances.
Who will be this year's AOM emerging star? Let's get those "Top 10" lists going!
May 9–June 15 at Capitol Plaza 1
1200 First Street, N.E., (Corner of First and M Streets)
Washington, D.C. 20002
(New York Avenue Metro station: Red line)
Free, but donations accepted
Directions- here.
Senior Art Show at Moore
Because I am currently curating an undergraduate student show, which I have titled "Early Look," I have been visiting a ton of art schools along the mid Atlantic.
I recently visited Moore College of Art & Design in Philly and will soon review their "Senior Art Exhibition" here.
Meanwhile, see a quick walkthrough of the show below...
International Art Affair in DC
The International Art Affair will take place in Washington, DC May 15-18!
Details, agenda, party dates, artwork and stuff here.
Expect Multimedia, Traditional Media, Video, Art Clips, Skate Board Art, Skating Demonstration, Parties, More Video, Brazilian Art, Indian Art, Chinese Art, Slovakian Art, Austrian Photography, Australian Sculpture, Washington DC Graffiti, People with People, and more parties.
This weekend: 5th Annual Bethesda Fine Arts Festival
The Bethesda Arts & Entertainment District will present the 5th annual Bethesda Fine Arts Festival, a two-day fine arts event highlighting 140 contemporary artists who will sell their original fine art and fine craft on the streets of Bethesda, Maryland. The festival is scheduled for Saturday, May 10 from 10am-6pm and Sunday, May 11, 2008 from 10am-5pm.
The festival will take place in downtown Bethesda’s Woodmont Triangle along Norfolk and Auburn Avenues, located six blocks from the Bethesda Metro Station. Free parking is available adjacent to the event in the parking garage located on Auburn Avenue.
With over 20,000 attendees over the two day period, the Bethesda Fine Arts Festival has become one of the top art events in the Greater DC region and a must see for those who think that good art is only available in gallery or museum walls.
Directions here and a list of details here.
Go buy some artwork!
Baltimore screen painting
Kitsch or folk art, screen painting is undeniably Baltimore...Details here.
A dwindling breed tries to preserve a quintessential Baltimore art form, which will be celebrated this weekend
Seattle's Regina Hackett is my new art critic heroine.
She tackles the WaPo's Blake Gopnik jaw-dropping Takashi Murakami review and his WTF? comparison of Murakami's cartoony artwork to Goya.
Unless the Blakester actually comes from the planet Quintumnia, I think that the seed for this asinine comparison is deeply rooted in Blake's Anglocentric education in Britain, and a harmonic echo as a way of dealing with England's arch enemy through the centuries: the Kingdom of Spain.
My pop psychology thinks that the Gopnikmeister is simply channelling the British desire to diminish all things not English -- note that I said "not English" and not "not British."
What better way to bring the great Goya a notch or two than a silly comparison to a cartoony contemporary artist?
And if Gopnik wants to see "caustic" I second Hackett's call for the WaPo to send Blake to Madrid and have Gopnik take one look at Goya's painting of the Spanish Royal Family and take a close look at the Queen's face and then smell the scent of "caustic" in the air.
From the archives: Blake blows it with El Greco as well.
