Masked

"Masked," curated by my good friend Joan Weber is at School 33 Art Center in Baltimore through June 27, 2009 with an opening reception on Saturday, May 9, 2009 6-9pm and a Curator's Talk on Saturday, May 23, 2009 1-3pm and a poetry reading on Thursday, June 11, 2009 6:30-8:00pm.

MASKED is an exploration of work about concealment, secrets, self-conscious and social constructions of identity which ultimately reveal a new face – a brilliant corona of strength, integrity and courage. Each work is a performance piece of sorts; the artists have used their own bodies or their own biographies to very directly create a presence that suggests a story or a secret. However, rather than being a study in psychology or narrative, where one might work to discover that secret – this assembly is exciting in that even while experiencing the powerfully posited content on the surface, we know that there is an equally powerfully complex internal life.

The artists in the exhibition include: Dawn Black (paintings), Iona Rozeal Brown (pigment prints), Lynden Cline (sculpture), Bailey Doogan (drawings), Susan Fenton (hand painted silver print photographs), Inga Frick (pigment prints), J.J. McCracken (performance), Ledelle Moe (sculpture), Elsa Mora (photographs), Elena Patino (painting), Phyllis Plattner (painting), and Athena Tacha (sculpture) and the poets are Teri Cross Davis, Clarinda Harriss, Judith McCombs, and Rosemary Winslow (Poetry curator).

Red and Blue Philistines

Today the Pennsylvania Senate is calling for ZERO funding for arts and culture in the FY 09-10 state budget. If the Senate version (SB 850) prevails, there will be no arts and culture grants in the state of Pennsylvania starting on July 1 of this year.

Take action here.

Nam June Paik

The Smithsonian American Art Museum has acquired the complete archive of the artist Nam June Paik, one of the most influential artists of his generation and one who helped to transform television and video into artists' media.

"The Nam June Paik Archive is a landmark addition to the resources available to scholars and curators at the Smithsonian American Art Museum. The museum now becomes the major center for Paik scholarship," said Elizabeth Broun, The Margaret and Terry Stent Director of the Smithsonian American Art Museum. "The museum has made a strong commitment to Nam June Paik's work through acquisitions, which makes it the perfect home for his archive."

Call to Artists: In the Spirit of Frida Kahlo

Deadline: June 6, 2009

Frida Kahlo remains one of the most influential artists of the 20th century, but her spectacular life experiences, her writing and her views on life and art have also influenced many artists throughout the years.

From July 1 - August 29, 2009 The Joan Hisaoka Healing Arts Gallery at Smith Farm Center in Washington, DC will be hosting Finding Beauty In A Broken World: In the Spirit of Frida Kahlo.

This exhibition hopes to showcase the work in all mediums of artists influenced not only by Kahlo’s art, but also by her biography, her thoughts, and her writing or any other aspect in the life and presence of this remarkable artist who can be interpreted through artwork.

This will be the third Kahlo show that I have juried in the last decade and we are seeking works of art that evoke the prolific range of expression, style and media like that which Frida Kahlo used as an outlet for her life’s experiences.

Get a copy of the prospectus by calling (202) 483-8600 or email gallery@smithfarm.com or download it here.

Job in the Arts

Position Opening: Gallery Director

International Arts & Artists, a visual-art non-profit in Washington, DC seeks a Gallery Director to coordinate Hillyer Art Space and its programs. Hillyer Art Space (HAS) is a contemporary exhibition site which presents quality exhibitions and programming to the public, and is an integral part in IA&A’s local, national and international initiatives. IA&A fosters intercultural and international understanding through the arts.

HAS presents a dual series of exhibitions in its two-room space showing work from artists living and working in the mid-Atlantic region, particularly the DC area, alongside work of their international peers. Exhibitions feature artists of both emerging and established stature and are solo, group or thematic. The exhibitions are selected by a panel of renowned artists and other professionals and in consultation with other IA&A program staff.

In addition to their exhibitions, they also present the Hillyer Open Mic Events (HOME), the Hillyer Art Space Film Series (HASFS) and life drawing sessions on a regular basis. Other events can include artist group meetings, private receptions, and other relevant events. HAS partners with artists, curators, arts organizations and cultural institutions to foster a collaborative spirit within the local and global art scene. In this way, HAS serves as an open forum for a variety of artistic visions and disciplines.

International Arts & Artists is looking for candidates who are passionate about artists and supporting their work. This position is “artist focused” as opposed curatorial in nature. We have a selection committee for our shows and the Director will need to liaison and coordinate the selection process for our advisory committee.

This individual will be required to work outside of normal work hours to manage programming at Hillyer Art Space. The successful candidate will need write and communicate clearly; present him/herself to foundations and funders well; be very organized; supervise others; handle press; budget; and all matters related to operating Hillyer Art Space. Fund raising and grant writing / reporting are central to this position. The Gallery Director needs to have proven experience in organizing, working cooperatively with others, and getting tangible results.

To be considered candidates applications must include:

- cover letter with specific minimum salary requirements
- chronologically arranged and comprehensive resume
- professional references (including past supervisors for last 5 years)

Send to info@artsandartists.org

Airborne


Heading South to Cary, North Carolina to jury the Fine Arts League of Cary 15th Annual Juried Art Exhibition.

From what I've already seen in the digital entries, it promises to be a terrific show! That's Susanna Pantas' "Slumber with Friend" to the right. These are the artists selected to exhibit.

More later!

DC gallery to close

I've been holding this closure very ahhh.. close to my chest, waiting for the owner to announce it, but already several of you have emailed me asking about it... so expect a major DC area gallery to announce its closure soon.

Update: Bethesda's Heineman-Myers is the gallery which is closing its physical doors, but I understand that Zoe will continue to work as a private dealer.