Only in America

Art by jailed politician; methinks the club may expand soon. See it here.

Thanks James!

The Year in Review

In January:

- We were informed that painting was hot again (yawn).

- In DC, Kelly Towles was (and still is) hot at Adamson in his first solo show.

- In Germany, some street cleaners were punished with having to take modern art lessons when they erroneously threw away some public art that they thought was abandoned garbage.

- I almost became an eunuch.

- Anne Ellegood was selected as one of the new Hirshhorn curators (I still haven't met Anne).

- I started raving about PostSecret.

- The Arlington Arts Center re-opened after a long refurbishment hiatus.

- We were told that painting is no longer hot.

In February:

- I revealed how I once fooled a curator by guessing her choices.

- Hot DC painter Ian Whitmore had a great solo at Fusebox.

- Isamu Noguchi opened at the Hirshhorn. Gopnik hated it; I liked it.

In March:

- I raised old issues about missing DoD art.

- A new gallery opened in DC: Shigeko Bork MU Project.

- I urged artists to contact their elected representatives to support the artists' bill making it possible once again for artists to receive a fair market value deduction for donated works.

- Local blogger Kriston Capps raised issues about me contributing gallery announcements to DCist, so I quit.

- The then new WaPo Style editor Deb Heard promised to re-assess gallery coverage. We're still waiting.

- I reviewed some Seattle galleries.

- The exhibition "Faces of the Fallen" caused a lot of angst and opinions.

- The 48th Corcoran Biennial opened.

In April:

- The National Portrait Gallery announced their portrait award competition.

- I curated a worldwide homage to Frida Kahlo.

- Lida Moser became our best selling photography show ever.

- I threatened to kick another blogger's ass.

- The Katzen Arts Center was about to open.

In May:

- Melissa Ichuiji caused a local stir with "Stripped."

- Blake Gopnik had an idea for the Corcoran and the Corcoran responded. And then Bailey interpreted it for th rest of us.

- I was asked to curate Seven for the WPA/C.

- DCist almost outed Borf.

- The Corcoran director called it quits.

- Olga Viso was chosen as the new director of the Hirshhorn.

In June:

- A local artist told us about the Worst New York Gallery Experience in History.

- Joe Kabriel won the inaugural $10,000 Bethesda Painting Prize.

- Kodak announced that all black and white silver gelatin photographic papers have been discontinued.

- Seven opened.

In July:

- The WaPo explained why Blake Gopnik does not review our area art galleries.

- I kicked a Neo wannabe out of the gallery.

- Borf was arrested.

- I reported from the International Comic Book Convention.

In August:

- I discussed the impact of subject matter.

- Michael Brand was chosen as the new head of the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts.

- I explained what a "gallery backer" is.

- We began art auctions to help Katrina victims.

In September:

- Hot DC artist Jiha Moon opened at Curator's Office and also took the $10,000 Trawick Prize.

- Warhol Legacy: Selections from The Andy Warhol Museum opened at the Corcoran.

- A list of things that make me go mmm...

- Testudo is coming.

- Options 2005 opened. I reviewed the show here.

- Mark Jenkins got in hot water over plastic excrement.

- Andrew Wodzianski had the first DC podcast of a visual art show.

- I made a proposal to the DC Commission on the Arts and Humanities. Nothing heard so far.

- Hot DC sculptor Yuriko Yamaguchi opened at Numark.

In October:

- The city announced $4 million in additional arts funding.

- Alice Neel opened at the NMWA.

- PostSecret was the second highest ranked blog in the world.

- Hot DC artist Tim Tate opened his third solo at our Bethesda space.

- Blake Gopnik announces a new category of artists: "barely emerging."

- The Galleries column moved to Saturdays.

- Terry Teachout wrote about art blogs and art criticism.

- A new gallery opened.

- The Art Bill passed the Senate.

- The Smithsonian debuted a new arts blog.

- I discussed the Vlogging Revolution.

- The Whitney Biennial list was announced and a reader broke it down. No DC area artists were included.

In December:

- Paul Greenhalgh was selected as the new Corcoran director.

- I wrote how video killed the art star.

- The Hirshhorn finally added some DC area artists to its collection.

- PostSecret WPA/C show opened in Georgetown. It became (easily) the most heavily attended non-museum visual art show of the year.

- Borf pleaded guilty.

- JET Artworks closed.

- What Your End-of-the-Year Top 10 List(s) Says About You

Spanish Subject

From 2004:

In Spanish, Mona Lisa means (roughly translated) "Smooth Female Monkey."

And now it seems that Leonardo's subject for his most famous masterpiece may have been a Spanish noblewoman.

Read it here.

Bad Things Artists do to Galleries

This actually happened to one of our neighbors in Georgetown:

One of the galleries there (at one time there were eight galleries in Canal Square - soon they will be down to four) had given a show to a local (at the time "hot" artist) who was a painter (I say "was" because I haven't heard of the dude in years).

The artist was supposed to deliver and help hang all the paintings on a Wednesday, in order to be ready for the Georgetown third Friday openings. He did show up on Wednesday with about 50% of the work, and brought some more (freshly finished) on Thursday and to the gallerist's horror, even brought some more on Friday, and even as the show was opening at 6PM, was adding the last painting touches to several of the works.

Needless to say, several of the oils were actually wet.

On opening night, it was crowded (let us not forget that this was a very "hot" painter) and someone apparently rubbed against one of the paintings and smeared some of the oil paint.

Now the gallerist is faced with a very irate person, demanding that his suit be cleaned (it eventually had to be replaced) and with a furious artist, demanding that the gallery pay him in full for the damaged painting.

If I am to believe the gallerist, the case actually went to court, where the judge threw it out.

More bad things that (a) galleries do to artists or (b) artists do to galleries or (c) galleries do to collectors here, and here and here.

Bloggies 2006

Nominations for the 6th Annual Web Blog Awards (the 2006 Bloggies) have started. Anyone can nominate blogs in a variety of categories.

I have nominated PostSecret as the Blog of the Year.

Nominate your favorite Blog here.

Artists Interview Artists

Thinking About Art has my interview up. Read it here.

Art Jobs at Local Universities

Graphic Design Position: American University

Assistant Professor rank. New tenure track faculty line. Beginning Fall 2006. Qualifications: MFA or equivalent terminal degree in the discipline. Teaching and professional experience preferred, but not required. The applicant should be knowledgeable of current issues in design, the demands of the professional field and the tools, technologies and resources inherent to the discipline. Expected familiarity with the theoretical issues of graphic design as well as its historical background. Ability to contribute to the teaching of interactive and experience design courses.

Responsibilities: Teaching graphic design at the undergraduate level, basic through advanced levels. Student advising, including mentoring women and minority students. Scholarship/Creative work: active professional in the field. University service: serving on Department, College and University Committees. Salary is competitive and dependent on qualifications and experience. Review of applications will begin on November 1, 2005 and will continue until the position is filled. Selected candidate will begin appointment working at facilities located in a brand-new building.

Visit www.design.american.edu and www.american.edu for further information on the University and the design program. Include letter of application stating teaching philosophy, curriculum vitae, a minimum of 20 slides or disk media with samples of own work and (if available) examples of student's work, and printed writing samples if any. No email applications will be reviewed. Send materials along with a self-addressed, stamped envelope for their return, and three letters of recommendation to:

Chemi Montes-Armenteros
Committee Chair
Graphic Design Search Committee
Department of Art
American University
4400 Massachusetts Ave. NW
Washington, DC 20016-8004

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Assistant Professor of New Media: George Washington University

The department is seeking applicants from a wide range of practices, such as digital arts, installation, and time-based media. Applicants must have an MFA or extensive professional experience and recognition; two years teaching experience beyond graduate school is preferred, and creative work should demonstrate a thorough understanding of the history and theory of New Media, as well as the ways in which contemporary artists incorporate emerging technologies into their practice. The successful candidate will be expected to take the leading role in developing a New Media curriculum that encourages the fusion of traditional and contemporary media. Responsibilities include actively producing and exhibiting work, teaching at the undergraduate and graduate levels, developing curriculum, keeping current with technology, supervising a digital lab, serving on departmental, college and university committees.

Applicants must submit a letter of application, curriculum vitae, artist's statement addressing current creative work, sample syllabi of courses taught or proposed (please specify), 20 slides (or equivalent in digital format) each of current personal work and that of students, 3 letters of reference and SASE to:

New Media Search Committee
Department of Fine Arts and Art History
The George Washington University
801 22nd Street, NW
Washington, D.C. 20052

Review of applications will begin on January 23, 2006, and continue until the position is filled. Salary: Open. Type: Tenure-track.