Hirst the gallerist

Damien Hirst is bidding to launch his first gallery, in Hyde Park. He and architect Mike Rundell have submitted plans to the Royal Parks to create a gallery space from an old munitions store.

Read the story here.

Art Basel: Where are the women?

A list of the artists whose work you are most likely to see at this year’s Art Basel, based on the number of galleries who are bringing pieces, is headed—perhaps unsurprisingly—by the prolific Andy Warhol, with works on show at 28 stands. Artists making work in the first half of the 20th century rank highly, including Alexander Calder and Pablo Picasso, although the list is also speckled with 1960s conceptualists such as Sol LeWitt and Lawrence Weiner. But the top 40 most represented artists on show at the fair are all men

Read the Art Newspaper story here.

Wanna go to an opening tomorrow?

Remember when I stumbled upon Alexa Meade's fabulous work and pointed all of you to it?

Well.. she's been picked up by Irvine Contemporary and has a show opening tomorrow, Saturday, June 19, with reception from 6-8PM.

This is but the beginning for this artist. Keep an eye on her.

Ariel Sigler

The criminal Castro dictatorship in Cuba has released Cuban political prisoner Ariel Sigler after seven years in jail for the high crime of demanding that human rights be respected in Cuba.

Sigler lost half his body weight in jail and was turned by Castro's jailers' beatings into a paraplegic, paralized from his waist down.

His body was broken and yet, his soul was never broken down.

The photo below, courtesy of Penultimos Dias, shows the brutal transformation Sigler went through in Castro's workers' paradise in 7 years in jails that haven't allowed Amnesty International to visit them in 30 years.


Puts a new face on the word "torture" and a new face on the word "hero."

War of 1812 Commemorative License Plate

Deadline: June 30, 2010.

The Washington, DC War of 1812 Bicentennial Commission invites Washington, D.C. visual artists and citizens to submit designs for a new War of 1812 Commemorative License Plate. The deadline for submission is June 30, 2010.

All the design submissions will be examined carefully by the Washington, D.C. War of 1812 Bicentennial Commission and the Division of Motor Vehicles. The first place winner design will appear on the commemorative tag and will receive $200.00 and the second and third place winners design will be displayed on the Commission’s website and print media along with the first price winner.

The new license plate competition will give citizens the opportunity to participate in the process for the first time,” said Chairman Acqunetta Anderson. “We want the new plate to be a positive representation of Washington, D.C. Submissions must be submitted via email For more information about Washington, D.C. license plates, visit the Washington, DC War of 1812 Bicentennial Commission’s Web site here.

All submissions must comply with provisions of this Application, and with the Commission’s guidelines, instructions, and directives issued to the Participant from time to time. For additional information, please contact the Commission at 202-722-1947 or via this very long email address: wdcwar1812@washingtondcwarof1812bicentennialcommission.org

Opportunity for photographers

Deadline: July 30, 2010.

The Nonprofit Village at the Washington School of Photography. Theme: This permanent exhibit will showcase the beauty and scope of the Washington, DC area, from macro images to landscapes. Open to residents of the DC metro area. Any photographic work is eligible: Traditional B&W and color; Digital; Alternative Processes; etc. Maximum dimension of any one side must be less than 36 inches. Slides/CDs - All photographs will be judged from slides or CDs (jpeg only, low res). Cash prizes will be awarded to first, second, and third place winners. Opening reception for artists and guests September 24, 2010. Download a prospectus and find out more information about entry requirements here.

Boot on the throat of BP