Tomorrow: Gilliam at the Katzen

On Saturday, April 2, from 6:00 to 9:00 pm, is the opening reception for "Close to Trees", a site specific installation by Sam Gilliam on the entire third floor of the American University Museum at the Katzen Center.

"Sam Gilliam first took his paintings off their stretchers in 1965, using the liberated canvases to transform gallery walls into three-dimensional abstractions. He has continued to experiment with the practice of painting and the line between painting and sculpture. For this exhibition, Gilliam will transform the 8,000 square foot space of the third floor of the American University Museum at the Katzen Arts Center into an exciting and colorful work of art."

April 2 to August 14, 2011.

Gilliam also broke my heart when he declined to be included in my 100 Washington, DC Artists book (in spite of a joint press front that included several artists who tried to convince Sam to join in the project). Anyway, do not miss this opening and exhibition of work by the DMV's leading artist and a true innovator.

Opening this Friday in DC

International Art & Artists, Washington Project for the Arts, and Black Artists of DC have all gotten together to put together a show titled Process: Reaffirmation (at Hillyer Art Space, 9 Hillyer Ct. NW), curated by Gina Marie Lewis, Assistant Professor of Art, Bowie State Univ.

Opening Reception: Friday, April 1, 6-9pm

Artists Talk: Saturday, April 23 at 3pm

Featuring work by Anne Bouie, Daniel Brooking, Joel D'Orazio, Victor Ekpuk, Corwin Levi, Barbara Liotta, Adrienne Mills, and Cleve Overton.

Aperture magazine

"Judy and The Boys," currently in the collection of the Library of Congress, is perhaps Lida Moser's most iconic image and a gorgeous example of her work around the streets of New York City in the 1960s.

Aperture Magazine will feature this image in their April issue as part of a piece on the Photo League.

New Latin Music Legends Stamps: A Lesson in Labeling

A new set of five forever American stamps going on sale Wednesday honors Celia Cruz, Tito Puente, Carmen Miranda, Selena and Carlos Gardel. They represent a range of "Latin musical styles, including Tejano, tango, samba, Latin jazz and salsa."


Postal Service vice president Marie Therese Dominguez said the stamps are "a lasting tribute to five extraordinary performers."

I think that they may also be a lasting tribute to America's love to put labels on people.

You see, a couple of these "Latin" stars were actually born in Europe, albeit in "Latin" countries, if we accept that Portugal and France are still OK with that label.

So if the stamps are there to honor "Latin music", then I suppose it's OK to include Carmen Miranda (born in Portugal) and Carlos Gardel (born in France).

Gardel was without a doubt the king of tango, and although born in Tolouse, France of French parents, was raised in Argentina. Miranda, born in Portugal of Portuguese parents, was easily a star samba singer, a decent Broadway actress and a mega Hollywood film star popular in the 1940s and 1950s, when she was according to some sources, the highest-earning woman in the United States.

Tito Puente was a NewYorkRican, Celia Cruz was born in Cuba and Selena was an American-born singer of Mexican ancestry and called the "Queen of Tejano Music."

I wonder if Celia Cruz, "the Queen of Salsa", is the first Cuban-born person on a US stamp?

I'll have to research that...

Azucar!

Update: Man! The power of the web!

Less than a few minutes into this posting, someone already emailed me to tell me that Father Felix Varela Morales was the first Cuban on a US stamp back in 1997.

Update 2: And below is the photo from which the artist who designed these stamps clearly copied for the Miranda stamp:

Update 3: Also, Desi Arnaz in 1999.

Viral: Back to work...

Secretary goes back to work after 30 years... the video is only five seconds long but makes a very clear point:

Most...

Most recognizable true blue rock chords ever?

This:

or this:

Congrats!

To the very young DMV area artist Teresa Oaxaca, who is one of the top 15 finalists in the International Portrait Competition (Portrait Society of America, 2011)!

"Father Time", 64 x 62 in. Oil on Canvas, 2011 by Teresa Oaxaca
Her portrait of "Father Time" was selected among 15 out of over 1,800 entries in the Portrait Society of America's most prestigious competition.