Saturday, October 20, 2012

(e)merge's performance and critics

I've been scrubbing what art critics have been writing about the second iteration of DC's (e)merge art fair, which...
(a) they all agree has become the world's leading "performance art fair" and
(b) mostly get overwhelmed by sooooo much performance offerings that they get Artomatic Syndrome and
(c) are unable to have the brain power to process sooooo much performance,
 and then shut down after the first two or three and call it a day some, (such as the CP's fired-then-rehired art scribe), even make some newbie reporting mistakes (but hey - not the first time... right?). You get what you pay for...

But - and this is a nice surprise - the Pink Line Project's Eames Armstrong delivers what is the best piece on (e)merge's spectacular delivery of performance art. It is clear that Armstrong didn't just hang around the Skyline's Hotel's cool bar, drinking on the job after just watching a couple of performances, but returned to (e)merge a few times, watched several artists and then put down some intelligent thoughts for a superlative and insightful review of (e)merge's best offerings in their surprising unique strenght: performance art.

Bravo Zulu Eames! Check him out here.

Read this...

When he dies, his skin will be cut up and framed. His family had to agree to it. Steiner says he doesn’t care what happens after he dies.
 Read the whole thing here.

Friday, October 19, 2012

Who's on Second?

(Via)
Although Switzerland’s Art Basel is still incontestably the top fair for contemporary art, London’s Frieze, which took place last week at Regent's Park, and Paris's FIAC, which begins Thursday, are now sharing the  second place on the podium.

"Each fair has a different identity and energy. Paris is more established, while London is younger. The different languages spoken attract buyers from different geographical regions," says Olivier Belot, director of the Yvon Lambert gallery, which is exhibiting at both fairs.

Frieze London is more hip and focused on contemporary art, while FIAC, more prestigious in its beautiful Grand Palais museum setting, shows a wider spectrum, from modern to contemporary art. It features international galleries and "bankable" artists, although it also includes some promising younger artists, for collectors looking for the next big thing.
Read the whole story here.

Thursday, October 18, 2012

For Halloween

Remember the world's worst ever art restoration?

In 2008, it was Sarah Palin. In 2011, it was Amy Winehouse. This year, pundits are predicting that the Halloween costume of choice will be none other than Cecilia Gimenez’s bastardized “Ecce Homo.” Widely known as “Beast Jesus,” the Spanish octogenatian’s botched restoration of a 19th-century fresco gained worldwide fame last month, just in time to inspire scores of homemade costumes like this one in advance of Halloween. If you still need help with your costume, ARTINFO has compiled three different methods to recreate “Beast Jesus” with minimal effort and maximum effect.
Read all about it here.

Wednesday, October 17, 2012

When Cubans argue politics

Check out what happens when two Cubans begin to argue politics; on one corner MarĂ­a de la Soledad Teresa O'Brien, half Cuban, Democrat from CNN and anchor of CNN's morning news program Starting Point. On the other corner, John Sununu, full Cuban born in Havana, Republican and former Governor of New Hampshire and former White House Chief of Staff for Bush The First.

See the entertaining video here.

DCCAH Award winners

This year, like many times in the past, I was on the Advisory Panel to the D.C. Commission on the Arts and Humanities (DCCAH) for the Artist Fellowship Program, and I was energized by the superior number of applications, which always makes the process harder but more fun... anyway:
Mayor Vincent C. Gray, and the D.C. Commission on the Arts and Humanities (DCCAH) are pleased to announce the awarding of 258 grants awarded to local artists and not-for-profit arts organizations for fiscal year 2013. The awards total $4.2 million, representing all eight wards of the District of Columbia. This total does not include the new programs that will be released this fiscal year, which have been added as a result of the Commission’s $6.8 million budget increase.

The awards reflect the ten grant programs the DCCAH administers – Arts Education Program, Artist Fellowship Program, Artist Residencies In Schools, City Arts Projects, Community Arts Grant, Cultural Facilities Projects, East of the River, Grants-In-Aid, Public Art Building Communities, and the UPSTART Program.

“A thriving arts community has always been a hallmark of world class cities, and the District is no different,” noted Mayor Vincent C. Gray. “I’m particularly proud of our continuing efforts to integrate art and art based programs into the lives of young people across the District. Once again, we are leading the way.”
The DCCAH will announce additional funding opportunities because of a budget increase granted by the D.C. City Council on June 5, 2012.

“The arts in D.C. have seen tremendous growth this year – both from the Commission as well as the arts community, at large,” said Lionell Thomas, Executive Director of the D.C. Commission on the Arts and Humanities. “The increase in funds for FY 2013 has provided the opportunity to spearhead this growth. The anticipation of funding a second round of applicants gives us great pride.”

This year, the DCCAH received 511 eligible applications requesting over $12.5 million in funding. The funding rate of 50% percent of eligible applications shows both the significant demand for support while also highlighting the ongoing vitality of the not-for-profit arts community.

The DCCAH funded a broad spectrum of innovative and exciting programs and institutions. These grantees will contribute to the District’s cultural landscape that provides an economic impact of over $1.1 billion to the city.
 And the winners are:

Artist Fellowship Program

Program
Organization Name
Official
Amount
Ward
AFP
Ben Crosbie
$5,000
1
AFP
Dana Maier
$5,000
1
AFP
Deb Sivigny
$5,000
1
AFP
Helanius J Wilkins
$5,000
1
AFP
Holly Bass
$5,000
1
AFP
Kim Roberts
$5,000
1
AFP
Kristen Arant
$5,000
1
AFP
Nguyen Nguyen
$5,000
1
AFP
Nistha Raj
$5,000
1
AFP
Reginald Cabico
$5,000
1
AFP
Tim Doud
$5,000
1
AFP
William Wytold Lebing
$5,000
1
AFP
Ashley Ivey
$5,000
2
AFP
Brandel France de Bravo
$5,000
2
AFP
Brian Wilbur Grundstrom
$5,000
2
AFP
Evangeline J. Montgomery
$5,000
2
AFP
Jonathan Gann
$5,000
2
AFP
Justin McLaughlin
$5,000
2
AFP
Terri Merz
$5,000
2
AFP
Willona Sloan
$5,000
2
AFP
Alexandra Silverthorne
$5,000
3
AFP
Cory Oberndorfer
$5,000
3
AFP
Dana Tai Soon Burgess
$5,000
3
AFP
Dean Kessmann
$5,000
3
AFP
Elizabeth Graeber
$5,000
3
AFP
John Anderson
$5,000
3
AFP
Martin Irvine
$5,000
3
AFP
Miya Hisaka
$5,000
3
AFP
William Newman
$5,000
3
AFP
Alexis Gillespie
$5,000
4
AFP
Anna Ulrika Edholm Davis
$5,000
4
AFP
Daniel Phoenix Singh
$5,000
4
AFP
Gemal Woods
$5,000
4
AFP
Linn Meyers
$5,000
4
AFP
Marjuan Canady
$5,000
4
AFP
Sarah Browning
$5,000
4
AFP
Assane Konte
$5,000
5
AFP
Brandon Bray
$5,000
5
AFP
Emma Jaster
$5,000
5
AFP
Frederic Yonnet
$5,000
5
AFP
Jack Gordon
$5,000
5
AFP
Kymone Freeman
$5,000
5
AFP
Michael Iacovone
$5,000
5
AFP
Terry deBardelaben
$5,000
5
AFP
Colin Hovde
$5,000
6
AFP
Jeffrey Barninger
$5,000
6
AFP
Tommy Taylor
$5,000
7
AFP
Jason Anderson
$5,000
8
AFP
Melani Douglass
$5,000
8
AFP
Roderick Turner
$5,000
8

See all the winners here

Facts not Bull

About the debate: Before you succumb to the dogma, stretches and outright lies of either side, or if you think your guy is always truthful and the other guy is always full of lies, please visit FactCheck.org.

Write Home Soon

For an upcoming exhibition at the Art Museum of the Americas, local student Mark Strandquist worked alongside individuals in prisons, shelters, libraries, studios for disabled artists, senior citizen facilities, mental health clinics, universities, high schools, museums, and a multitude of other locations to create hundreds of postcards all of which will be included in the upcoming AMA exhibition. 

Opening Reception, October 25th, 2012 6-8PM 

Write Home Soon, by Mark Strandquist, is an ongoing project that bridges public installation with social practice methods.  The project includes interactive public installations, citywide workshops, and an exhibition of participant created postcards depicting places—mental, physical, metaphorical—that individuals have lost access to in their lifetime.  These postcards will be mailed to the Art Museum of the Americas and exhibited from October 25th, 2012 to January 13th, 2013. 

Write Home Soon was selected by the Washington Project for the Arts and curator Raquel de Anda to be exhibited as part of the AMA's upcoming 2012-13 exhibit "Ripple Effect."  The exhibit showcases international artists and collaborations that aim to incorporate viewers as direct participants, address pressing social issues, and blur the boundary between artistic practice and social engagement. 

Hundreds of Postcards from all over the DC Metro area have been mailed into the Art Museum of the Americas to be included in the upcoming exhibit. 

Workshop / partner locations (nearing 70) have included prisons, shelters, libraries, mental health and addiction recovery clinics, studios for disabled artists, Arts for the Aging, Habitats for Artists, the Corcoran Museum of Art, We Are Family, Street Sense, Space of Her Own, Books to Prisoners, Free Minds, Miriam’s Kitchen, a variety of museums, local universities and schools, art centers, independent galleries, and more. 

Want to participate? Then hurry and send your postcard to:

Write Home Soon
Art Museum of the Americas
1889 F Street, NW
Washington, DC, 20006

Opening Reception: October 25, 6-8PM  

Mark Strandquist is a multi-media artist and curator currently based in Richmond, Virginia.  His work has been featured in various film festivals and independent galleries as well as an upcoming exhibit at the Art Museum of Americas in Washington, DC. He is currently working on a BFA at Virginia Commonwealth University. 

Tuesday, October 16, 2012

Triton Foundation Collection Heist

Here we go again...

(Via)
University of Wyoming officials sped up the removal of a controversial anti-coal sculpture because of the furor it caused, but chose to tell the public the removal was as scheduled and because of water damage, emails show.
Read the whole story here.

You gotta see this...

Just click here... are these pics great or what?

Monday, October 15, 2012

A home after 33 years

It's interesting how sometimes a work of art will travel around the years (or in this case stay put) before it finds a home.

Frida Kahlo Inside a Washington School Painting (Morris Louis) was done as an art school assignment for Prof. Alden Mason's painting class at the University of Washington in 1980. In the piece, my obsession with Kahlo peeks out as a pencil portrait within the abstract work.

This piece was part of the Passion for Frida: 27 Years of Frida Kahlo Artwork that I had at the original Fraser Gallery in Georgetown over a decade ago.

Frida Kahlo Inside a Washington School Painting (Morris Louis)
Now out of the blue, a collector in New York sees it, loves it, and tomorrow the work will be on its way to a  New York City apartment!

Sunday, October 14, 2012

Review <-> Renew

REVIEW < - > RENEW: AN EXHIBITION IN CELEBRATION OF THE 25th ANNIVERSARY OF VISARTS
 
On View OCTOBER 28 – DECEMBER 29, 2012
 
25th Anniversary Celebration (tickets required)
Saturday, October 27 from 7:30 – 10:30 p.m.
(VIP Reception at 5:30 with Curators' Tour)
 
Public Opening Reception (free)
Friday, November 9 from 7:00 – 9:00 p.m.
 
Manon Cleary, Big J, 1977. Oil on canvas.
Manon Cleary, Big J, 1977. Oil on canvas.
 Twenty five years ago Judy Greenberg and Jack Rasmussen teamed up to bring the highest quality contemporary art found in the Washington Metro region to galleries and resident artist studios located behind a strip mall in Rockville, Maryland.  Rockville Arts Place (RAP) was born. Visitors encountered compelling exhibitions that reflected the vibrant community of artists living and working in the area. Offering arts education, studio and exhibition spaces, RAP became an important addition to the cultural climate of the Rockville community.

Now renamed VisArts and housed in a glass walled building on three floors in Rockville Town Square, the tradition of excellence in the arts continues. VisArts presents Review <-> Renew co-curated by Judy A. Greenberg (Director of the Kreeger Museum) and Jack Rasmussen (Director and Curator of the American University Museum at the Katzen Arts Center) in celebration of the 25th Anniversary of VisArts. This group exhibition brings together the renowned artists who brought critical regional success to the fledgling organization, Rockville Arts Place (RAP). The artists selected for the exhibition all exhibited at RAP while Greenberg was President of the Board and Rasmussen was Executive Director.

In the Kaplan Gallery, paintings by Lisa Brotman, Manon Cleary, Sam Gilliam, Tom Green, Margarida Kendall Hull, and Joe Shannon are on display. Early and more recent works by the artists are exhibited alongside Paul Feinberg’s photographs of the artists early and late in their careers. The paintings and photographs are accompanied by interviews with the artists conducted by Feinberg.  

In the Common Ground Gallery, Review <-> Renew features more outstanding artists important to the history of VisArts. Margaret Boozer, Robert Devers, Tim Tate, and Mindy Weisel, working in glass and clay, have received wide acclaim for their exquisite sense of material and rich, potent forms. They continue to push the boundaries of ceramic and glass traditions with astonishing intelligence.

Review <-> Renew offers a brilliant sample of the artists who helped shape the history of VisArts and the region’s artistic excellence. Their work has found its way into important collections, museums and exhibitions around the world. Rasmussen’s and Greenberg’s choice of artists and art, past and present, embodies the idea that the practice of making art, particularly art of the highest quality, is a process of patient accumulations and provocations over time. The resilience of VisArts as a non-profit art center is due in large part to its long list of exhibiting and resident artists. This celebratory exhibition acknowledges the past and looks forward with renewed vigor and relevance.
 
Review <-> Renew  will be on view in the Kaplan Gallery and Common Ground Gallery at VisArts from Sunday, October 28 – Saturday, December 29. The public is invited to attend a free Opening Reception on Friday, November 9 from 7:00 to 9:00 p.m. VisArts is located three blocks from the Rockville Metro station at 155 Gibbs Street, Rockville, MD. Gallery Hours are Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday from 12 p.m. to 9 p.m., and on Saturday and Sunday from 12 p.m. to 5 p.m. For more information, please visit www.visartscenter.org,or call 301-315-8200. Admission is always free.
 
 ABOUT THE ARTISTS:

Manon Cleary (b. 1942 – d. 2012) Born in St. Louis, Missouri, Manon Cleary earned her MFA from Temple University, spending her first year in Rome, Italy. There, she studied the work of old masters, an experience to which she credited her becoming a figurative artist. In 1970, she moved to Washington, D.C., and began a teaching career at the University of the District of Columbia. Her work has been displayed internationally and is in permanent collections at the Art Institute of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois, Brooklyn Museum, Brooklyn, New York, Phoenix Art Museum, Phoenix, Arizona, and National Museum of Women in the Arts, Washington, D.C. Manon’s work has been exhibited at the Osuna Gallery, Washington, D.C., Addison/Ripley Fine Art, Washington, D.C., Maryland Art Place, Baltimore, Maryland, Jackson-Iolas Gallery, New York, New York, J. Rosenthal Gallery, Chicago, Illinois, and Grand Palais in Paris, France.

Sam Gilliam (b. 1933) Born in Tupelo, Mississippi, Gilliam earned his MA in painting at the University of Louisville before moving north to Washington, D.C. Absorbing the innovations of the Washington Color School, Gilliam quickly moved beyond it, following his own original and radical impulse to take over the exhibition space and not confine his painting to the picture plane. His work is in important collections across the United States, and he has had major retrospectives at Corcoran Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C., the Speed Art Museum, Louisville, Kentucky, and the Contemporary Art Museum, Houston, Texas.  Gilliam’s work is included in public collections at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the Museum of Modern Art, and Whitney Museum of American Art, New York, New York, SzĂ©pmĂ¼vĂ©szeti MĂºzeum, Budapest, Hungary, and Tate, London, England.

Tom Green (b. 1942 – d. 2012) After receiving a BA and MFA from the University of Maryland, Green moved to Washington and became a hugely influential artist and teacher. He has exhibited in numerous solo and group shows, including Whitney Biennial, New York, New York, and 19 Americans at the Guggenheim Museum, New York, New York, Tretyakov Gallery, Moscow, Russia, and in the Washington, D.C. region, at the Kreeger Museum, the American University Museum at the Katzen Arts Center, Smithsonian Museum of American Art, and The Corcoran Gallery of Art. He received two National Endowment for the Arts Fellowships, a Maryland State Arts Council Individual Artist Award, and residencies at the Vermont Studio Center and the Virginia Center for the Creative Arts. Green’s work is in public collections, including the Guggenheim Museum, the Baltimore Museum of Art, Corcoran Gallery of Art, and Smithsonian American Art Museum.

Lisa Montag Brotman (b. 1947) After graduating with a BFA from the State University of New York at Buffalo, Brotman moved to Washington, D. C. where she attended the Corcoran College of Art + Design and earned an MFA from the George Washington University. Brotman has received two Individual Artist Awards in the Visual Arts from the Maryland State Arts Council. Her work has been exhibited in Europe and the United States, including the Washington, D.C. area, at the Corcoran Gallery of Art, the American University Museum at the Katzen Arts Center, Saint Mary’s College of Maryland, The George Washington University, Longwood University, Washington Project for the Arts, Rockville Arts Place, School 33 Art Center, Arlington Arts Center, and Gallery Neptune. Brotman’s work has been exhibited in five solo shows at Gallery K, London, England and in a mid-career retrospective at the Maryland Art Place, Baltimore, Maryland.

Margarida Kendall Hull (b. 1935) Born in Lisbon, Portugal, Kendall Hull attended the University of Lisbon/College of History and Philosophy. After moving to Washington, D.C., she graduated from the Corcoran School of Art + Design in 1973 and earned her MFA in 1982 from the Catholic University of America, Washington, D.C. Her paintings of alternative realities were shown regularly in Washington, D.C., by the Osuna Gallery and Gallery K. For the past ten years she has been represented by Galereia de Sao Mamede in Lisbon, Portugal. Kendall Hull’s work has been in museum exhibitions at Gulbenkian Museum, Lisbon, Portugal, Museum of Contemporary Art, Lisbon, Portugal, and the Art Institute of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois. Her works are in numerous public and private collections in the United States and Portugal.

Joe Shannon (b. 1933) Born in Puerto Rico, raised in Washington, D.C., Joe Shannon studied art at the Corcoran School of Art, but he was largely self taught. Looking at masterworks, lots of practice and self-criticism revealed his direction. Shannon worked for the Smithsonian for 26 years as an exhibition designer and curator. He has organized world class exhibitions, and written articles in major art magazines and newspapers, and juried many shows. Shannon teaches currently at the Maryland Institute College of Art in Baltimore; he lectures, and has taught at other universities. His work has been shown in galleries and museums around the world and is in many important collections, private and public, including Corcoran Gallery of Art, Hirshhorn, and Brooklyn Museums.

Paul Feinberg (b. 1942) Paul Feinberg’s stories and photo essays of Washington life have been appearing in the Washingtonian Magazine, the Washington Post Magazine, and numerous national publications for over 30 years. Focusing on portraits of city life and personal relationships, his stories have included everything from “Days and Nights by the Bus Station” to “Mothers and Daughters.” “Best Friends,” his Washingtonian piece on long term friendships, was expanded nationally into his book Friends. Feinberg has had solo shows at the American University Museum at the Katzen Arts Center, the Washington Arts Museum, Washington Project for the Arts, the Picker Gallery at Colgate University, and University of the District of Columbia. He has been a part of group shows at Corcoran Gallery of Art, Washington Project for the Arts, Studio Gallery, Tartt Gallery, Kathleen Ewing Gallery, Jack Rasmussen Gallery, Osuna Gallery, and Arlington Arts Center.

Margaret Boozer (b. 1966) Born in Anniston, Alabama, Margaret Boozer lives and works in the Washington, DC metro area. She received a BFA in sculpture from Auburn University and an MFA in ceramics from New York State College of Ceramics at Alfred University. Her work is included in the collection of the Smithsonian American Art Museum, The Museum of the City of New York, The US Department of State, The Wilson Building Public Art collection and in many private collections. Boozer taught for ten years at the Corcoran College of Art and Design before founding Red Dirt Studio in Mt. Rainier, Maryland where she directs a ceramics and sculpture seminar. Recent projects include a commissioned installation at the US Embassy in Djibouti and writing a chapter for  U. S. Geologic Survey’s Soil and Culture. Recent exhibitions include Swept Away: Dust, Ashes and Dirt at the Museum of Arts and Design in New York.

Robert Devers (b. 1960) Born in Shamokin, Pennsylvania, Devers received a BFA in Ceramics from the Kansas City Art Institute and an MFA from the Cranbrook Academy of Art in Bloomfield Hills, Michigan. He maintains a studio in Mt. Rainier, Maryland and has taught at the Corcoran College of Art + Design in Washington, D.C. since 1988. Devers is also the Visual Arts Coordinator of the Amalfi Coast Music & Arts Festival. His work has been exhibited in the Corcoran Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C., Ruth Chandler Williamson Gallery at Scripps College, Claremont, California, and the Smithsonian American Art Museum’s Renwick Gallery in Washington, D.C. Devers work is in the permanent collections of the Smithsonian American Art Museum, Renwick Gallery, the International Monetary Fund, the Museo Artistico Industriale “Manuel Cargaliero” in Vietri sul Mare, Italy and Museo Manuel Cargaliero, Castelo Branco, Portugal, as well as numerous private collections.

Tim Tate (b. 1960) A Washington, D.C. native, who has been working with glass as a sculptural medium for the past 25 years, Tim Tate is Co-Founder of the Washington Glass School in Mt. Rainier, Maryland. Tate’s work is in the permanent collections of a number of museums, including the Smithsonian's American Art Museum, Renwick Gallery and the Mint Museum. He was awarded the title of “Rising Star of the 21st Century” from the Museum of American Glass and was also the recipient of the 2009 Virginia Groot Foundation award for sculpture. His work has been shown at the Milwaukee Art Museum, the Fuller Museum, the Asheville Art Museum and the Museum of Arts and Design in New York. He is a 2012 Fulbright Scholar recipient and was Artist-In-Residence at the Institute for International Glass Research (IIRG) in the UK.

Mindy Weisel (b. 1947) Born in Bergen-Belsen, the only daughter of Auschwitz survivors, Weisel grew up in New York and Los Angeles. She began painting at age 14, studied at California State University and received a BFA from George Washington University in 1977. An acclaimed abstract artist, working in paint and glass, Weisel has had numerous international commissions and exhibitions. Her pieces are in the permanent collections of the Smithsonian Institution, Hirshhorn Museum, National Museum of American Art, Baltimore Museum of Art, The Israel Museum, and the United States House of Representatives.

Saturday, October 13, 2012

USN

Petty Officer Third Class Florencio Lennox Campello, circa 1974
Happy birthday to the United States Navy, established 237 years ago today, 13 October 1775. 
To all my Shipmates with whom I had the honor of serving so many years ago, I hope that you are still enjoying fair winds and following seas.

Minnie Mouse at 5'11" and size 0

From Ragen Chastain:
Lenny -

What's the world coming to when we're telling little girls that Minnie Mouse is too fat? Believe it or not, that's exactly what the department store Barney's is doing.

For a holiday window display, Barney's and Disney have agreed to showcase Minnie Mouse wearing a designer dress -- and distorted so she looks like she's 5'11" and size 0.

I work with kids who have eating disorders, so I'm not exaggerating when I say the message this sends is deadly. According to one study, hospitalization for children younger than 12 with eating disorders went up 119% from 1999 to 2006. Younger than 12.


Studies warn again and again of the dangers of promoting an unrealistic body image. 81% of 10-year-old girls say they're afraid of being fat, and 47% of girls in 5th-12th grade say they want to be thinner because of the pictures they see in magazines.

There is nothing wrong with tall, thin women. There is something wrong with changing a beloved children’s character’s body so that it looks good in a dress that almost nobody looks good in.

Earlier this year, Seventeen magazine agreed to stop photoshopping all models after 75,000 people signed a petition asking them to do so on Change.org. I know that if enough people sign my petition, we can convince Barney's and Disney not to distort Minnie Mouse to make her look tall and skinny.


Thank you,
Ragen Chastain
Los Angeles, California

Thursday, October 11, 2012

Talk, talk talk...

No, not the VP debate tonight (Man... Joe Biden has some really awesome, pearly white teeth!), but my talk earlier today at Montgomery College - it was well attended and there were great questions and all the free artwork disappeared!

The talk now goes to some other venues around the nation - stay tuned!

Wednesday, October 10, 2012

Don't miss this tomorrow! Free Artwork!

Those of you who know me well, and those of you who know me through my writing, know that one of my pet peeves is the usage of "labels" to box people and art, or art and people, into easily distinguishable categories.

One such label is the American invention of the Hispanic (now apparently not a PC term because technically it includes two European nationalities) or Latino label to pass for ethnicity and often and always wrongly for race.

What does that mean in art? And what does it mean to "Latino" artists? Does it mean anything?

If you want to hear my opinion on the subject then come by tomorrow, October 11, 2012, where starting at 4PM I will be presenting a lecture titled "On Identity in the Arts: What Does It Mean to be Latino?" at Montgomery College in Silver Spring, MD.

Note that it is at 4PM! ---- A change from previously announced times!

Prepare to understand why us "Latinos" are often as confused by the use of this term as the rest of the world. Bring an open mind and be prepared to be educated, entertained, and possibly pop-quizzed (kidding!). There will also be some free artwork to people chosen at random (not really) by me.

Plenty of free parking! Directions here.

Lori Anne Boocks at Studio

“Evidence” by Lori Anne Boocks

EXHIBITION DATES: October 31 - November 24, 2012
First Friday Reception: Nov. 2, 6:30 – 8:30 PM
Opening Reception: Nov. 10, 4 – 6 PM

WHERE: Studio Gallery, 2108 R Street N.W. Washington, DC 20008 
Backwards Words by Lori Anne BoocksLori Anne Boocks's solo show at Studio Gallery is a dynamic exploration of the power of stories and memory. In her acrylic paintings, she renders text in expressive charcoal and forces the personal to become universal. Words are rehashed, reworked, and stripped down to the bone then built up again. Layers of color are added and partially removed to become a lens through which she shares her cache of stories and invites viewers to reflect upon their own.

By documenting the past, she is gathering evidence: Evidence to describe what a memory looks like and how it changes over time. Evidence from the little crime scenes of our lives and the things we walk away from—or the things we can't. Through these works, Boocks offers visible proof of the significance of the many moments that make up our lives while questioning her own remembrance of events.

ABOUT THE ARTIST:
Lori Anne Boocks received her BFA from Old Dominion University. Her work is included in private collections in the Metro DC area, California, and beyond. Recent solo and group shows include the University of Maryland University College, Delaplaine Visual Arts Center, Maryland Federation of Art, and Adah Rose Gallery.

For more information about Lori Anne Boocks visit:

The Trawick Prize "best of the best" Sapphire Award

Carol Trawick, founder of The Trawick Prize, has established The Trawick Prize "best of the best" Sapphire Award to mark the contemporary art competition's 10th anniversary and honor the Best in Show winners from the past 10 years. In conjunction with the Bethesda Arts & Entertainment District and the Bethesda Urban Partnership, Trawick will hold a special "best of the best" competition and exhibition, featuring artwork by winners from 2003 - 2012.

A jury comprising the 30 jurors from the past 10 years will determine one "best of the best" Sapphire Award winner, who will receive $10,000. In addition, the public can view the artwork online and vote for a "People's Choice" award winner, who will receive $1,000. 
Online voting will begin on Sept. 17, 2012 and will be open through Friday, Oct. 19, 2012 through a partnership with Bethesda Magazine.

Click here to vote online for the Trawick Prize People's Choice award winner.

Artwork by nine of the 10 Best in Show winners will be on display in a group exhibition taking place Nov. 3 - Dec. 1, 2012 at Gallery B, located at 7700 Wisconsin Avenue, Suite E. The award winners will be announced Friday, November 2, 2012.
Past Trawick Award Winners 
2003: Richard Cleaver 
2004: David Page  
2005: Jiha Moon  
2006: James Rieck  
2007: Jo Smail  
2008: Maggie Michael 
2009: Rene Trevino 
2011: Mia Feuer 
2012: Lillian Bayley Hoover 
 
The public opening reception will be held Friday, November 9 from 6-9pm in conjunction with the Bethesda Art Walk. Gallery hours for the duration of the exhibit are Wednesday through Saturday, 12 - 6pm.  

The Trawick Prize was established in 2003 by Carol Trawick, a longtime community activist in downtown Bethesda.  She is the past Chair of both the Bethesda Arts & Entertainment District and Bethesda Urban Partnership, and also the Founder of the Bethesda Painting Awards. In 2007, Ms. Trawick founded the Jim and Carol Trawick Foundation to assist health and human services and arts non-profits in Montgomery County.