Sandra Ramos Lorenzo

Later this year I will be curating two exhibitions of art by Cuban and Cuban-American artists for Mayer Fine Arts in Norfolk, Virginia and H&F Fine Arts in Maryland.

One of my favorite contemporary Cuban artists is Havana's intelligent and courageous Sandra Ramos Lorenzo, whose American commercial gallery debut took place at the original Fraser Gallery in Georgetown a few years ago.

Cuban artist Sandra Ramos is considered by many to be the leading Cuban visual artist of her generation, and it was a surprise in the case of that Fraser show because she was not allowed to visit the US for her opening.

Since she had previously visited the US many times, both for museum shows in other American cities and for museum art conferences (as invited speaker), and since her work is in the permanent collection of many prestigious American museums, such as The Museum of Modern Art (MOMA) in New York and the Museum of Fine Arts (MFA) in Boston, it came to her as a shock when her visa to attend her Washington, DC opening was denied a few years ago.

Her work, which often delivers visceral commentaries dealing with taboo issues in Cuban society such as racism, mass migration, freedoms and liberties and the impact of Communism on the Cuban psyche, has placed Ramos at the very leading edge of a group of young Cuban artists who use their art as a narrative medium to describe, criticize and export the harsh realities of Cuban life and the world in which they live and work.

One of Ramos’ most poignant works, in the collection of MOMA in New York best exemplifies the work that has made her famous. Titled in Spanish “The Damned Circumstance of Being Surrounded by Water,” Ramos transforms her image (as a little girl) onto the shape of Cuba, her body pinned to the island by bright red Royal Palms (the national tree of Cuba) changed from its natural color to the color of the Cuban Revolution. This mixed media print sells for $5,000 USD and I am told by Ramos that she's about to run out of the edition (edition of 50 as I recall).

This is one of those key Cuban artists who should become better known once Cuba's Communist sentence ends and Cuban artwork can become easier to obtain and show in the United States.

Buy Sandra Ramos now!

States' Arts funding grows in Fiscal Year 2008

We are being told that the economic sky is falling, but the National Assembly of State Arts Agencies' latest Legislative Appropriations Annual Survey reports that appropriations to state arts agencies currently stand at $359.6 million. Between fiscal years 2007 and 2008, state arts agencies gained $9.5 million in state funds, an increase of 2.7 percent.

Note Florida's massive cuts, accounted for "lower than anticipated state revenues."

Also note that the District of Columbia puts out $9.38M, while cheapskate states like Colorado ($1.5M) appear to barely support the state's arts agencies, and even more amazing, DC puts more money towards the city's art agencies than Virginia (which did increase by almost 27% by the way).

Real cheapskate award: California at $4M.

Spending too much for its own good award: New York state is projected by some to have a 6.3 billion dollar budget deficit, yet the Empire State puts out a whooping $51.8M.

Odd state territory out in the list: tiny Puerto Rico, which has an astronomical unemployment rate and pays no federal income tax, but gets to vote in the Presidential elections - while DC residents do pay and until the 23rd Amendment couldn't even vote - puts out $28.3M!

Phoenix Art Lessons for Cities

Here's a model for cities trying to make the arts work for them:

Freedom is the key to economic growth - The City of Phoenix decided a vibrant arts district would be a nifty idea to revitalize its downtown core. Too often, cities are tempted to achieve such a goal by taxpayer subsidies, eminent domain, tax hikes, or draconian zoning requirements. Instead, Phoenix decided to try a different approach --deregulation.

The City is proposing an “arts, culture and small business overlay” that eases zoning restrictions and increases the number of activities that no longer need a special permit in a small area near downtown. New businesses such as art galleries, bookstores, and restaurants will be allowed to operate without special permission. Restrictions on alcohol sales, musical entertainment, and outdoor dining will be relaxed. The City also will make it easier to rehabilitate existing structures.

Read the article here, then someone please print it and mail to the mayors of Philadelphia, DC, Wilmington, Richmond and Annapolis.

Artists' Websites: Eric Fischl

"Bad Boy" c.1981 by Eric Fischl. Oil on Linen, 66 x 96 inches
Eric Fischl needs little introduction, and is certainly one of the most influential artists of that generation that flowered in th 1980s.

Visit his website here.

Cain

"Cain Son of Adam - From him MacCain, McCain, Ibn Cain, MakkCain, McKane, Fitzcain, Cainish, Cainson, Kanesen, Kanesson."
Charcoal on Paper. 9" x 7" c.2008
By F. Lennox Campello

5,000 frames

I've been offered a super sweet deal on 5,000 custom made frames in a spectacular diversity of sizes, mouldings, styles and colors. Each one is a custom made frame that was a mistake (too big or too small for the custom job). Over a couple of decades, these huge framing shop has accumulated several thousand mistakes and now I can get them all for around $3,500... or maybe even less (I've already talked them down from $5,000).

Some are huge, some are small, but they are all high quality mouldings.

But I have no room for 2,000 frames much less 5,000. But if I found 3-4 people, or gallerists, or artists, or cooperatives, or schools, willing to go together with me, so that we each get 1,000 frames or so, then I'd be willing to piss off my wife, and use the water tight storage shed and the garage to get this sweet deal.

Email me if you are interested and I'll arrange a viewing and discuss terms.

Secrets Are More Than Just Secrets, Blogger Tells Fans

So said Frank Warren, 43, creator of the blog PostSecret, to a crowd of nearly 800 at the University of Maryland Tuesday night.

Warren is no stranger to secrets. Roughly 1,000 find their way to his Germantown mailbox each week.

Read the article by Michelle Williams here.