The immense shame at the University of Maryland

The University of Maryland has cancelled a screening of the movie American Sniper in response to "complaints by Muslim students."

"The Muslim Students Association at the University of Maryland started a petition requesting that the school pull the screening of American Sniper. In the petition, the group stated that the film “perpetuates the spread of Islamaphobia and is offensive to many Muslims around the world for good reason.” 

Ironically enough, the group also requested that students “exercise their freedom of speech” by signing the petition to remove the film from campus." - Amy Lutz

In response to the petition (which apparently gathered 318 signatures), the screening was cancelled, or (as described by the University's Student Entertainment Events), "postponed... after meeting with concerned student organizations. SEE is choosing to explore the proactive measures of working with others during the coming months to possibly create an event where students can engage in constructive and moderated dialogues about the controversial topics proposed in the film."

This, no matter from which angle it is examined, is nothing but brutal art censorship, and not only does the Muslim Students Association at the University of Maryland now joins the notorious club of North Korea, Cuba, China, etc. in using suppression techniques in shutting down something that they oppose (for whatever reason), but more concerning, it shows an absolute lack of understanding and immense intellectual dishonesty by these Muslim Terps for the common American values of freedom of speech, inclusion, discussion and constructive engagement, rather than brutal suppression.

The issues that Muslim Students Association at the University of Maryland has with American Sniper may be valid to some of its members and certainly at least 318 people on the Maryland campus, but their demand is not only disturbing and very scary, but also a complete failure at understanding how they could have pursued an acceptable course of action to express their views on the film without the brutal boot of censorship.

Muslim Terps could have held a protest outside the film screenings, they could have authored an opinion piece in the school's paper, they could have held discussions on the issue, etc. These are all constructive and acceptable means to express a difference of opinion about a film, a work of art, or anything else that draws out more than one pro/con opinion.

But the real shame here, the disturbing and reprehensible side to this story, is how the University appears to have folded in this case, rather than using this issue as a constructive teaching event to show all 318 censors, how differences of opinion are handled in free speech societies.

Shame on you Maryland.

What can we do? Express your opinion respectfully to:

Dr. Wallace D. Loh
President
University of Maryland
1101 Main Administration Building
College Park, MD 20742-6105
Phone: 301.405.5803
Email the President: president@umd.edu

ARTPRIZE Announces Jurors for the 2015 Grand Prize and Category Awards

ArtPrize, the radically open, international art competition that takes place annually in Grand Rapids, Michigan, has announced the 2015 panel of jurors for the Grand Prize and Category Awards. ArtPrize will return for its 7th edition, Sept. 23 – Oct. 11, 2015.

The 2015 Juried Grand Prize ($200,000) winner will be chosen by a panel of three jurors that includes Franklin Sirmans, department head and curator of contemporary art at the Los Angeles County Museum of Art (LACMA); Chicago-based artist Michael Rakowitz; and Brooklyn-based artist Wangechi Mutu.

The five Category Awards ($12,500 each) recognize one outstanding work in each of the four artist entry categories (2-D, 3-D, Time-Based & Installation) plus one venue for outstanding curatorial presentation. These awards will be selected by: Indianapolis-based curator, creator and host of The Art Assignment (PBS Digital), Sarah Urist Green (3-D); Los Angeles-based Senior Programmer of Sundance Film Festival and curator of New Frontier at Sundance, Shari Frilot (Time-Based); New York-based editor and art critic, Robin Cembalest (Installation); and Cincinnati-based curator at the Contemporary Arts Center, Steven Matijcio (Venue). The 2-D juror will be announced at a later date.

Exhibitions Director of ArtPrize, Kevin Buist, said, “We chose to work with jurors who are not only experts in their field, but also bring a distinct point of view. The public vote functions as an aggregate of thousands of opinions, and we’ve designed the juried awards to operate as a foil to that populist approach. The jurors’ job is not to ferret out the objectively ‘best’ artwork, instead they’re charged with finding works that are surprising, masterful and relevant from their expert perspective.”

Since expanding in 2010 to include both public and juried awards, ArtPrize has sought to use its unique parallel awards structure – splitting the $500,000 purse evenly between public vote and juried awards – to spark lasting dialogue about public and art world perceptions of art. The participation of the jurors also presents the opportunity for leading curators, critics and institutional representatives to engage the public in their distinct and diverse viewpoints, pointing out new frameworks for interpreting and viewing art and encouraging a conversation around what makes art impactful and significant. Previous years’ jurors have included Theaster Gates, Jerry Saltz, Susan Sollins, Mel Chin and Anne Pasternak, among others.

The first weekend of the competition, September 26–27th, jurors will assess the entries within their respective categories, each selecting a shortlist of five entries. The 20 total finalists will then move on to the Grand Prize jurors’ selection.

On Monday, September 28th, the Category Jurors will reveal each of their 20 category finalists during the ‘Jurors’ Short List’ event, broadcast live on NBC’s Grand Rapids affiliate, WOOD TV8. Category and Grand Prize winners will be officially announced at the ArtPrize Awards on October 9, 2015 at 9 p.m. EST.
  ARTIST REGISTRATION AND GRANT DEADLINES
Artist Seed Grants, supported by the Frey Foundation, are available for a second year at ArtPrize to offset the cost of especially ambitious and challenging entries for ArtPrize Seven. Awarded on the basis of financial need and artistic merit, and determined by the ArtPrize Arts Advisory Council, 25 grants of $2,000 each will be announced shortly after the May 20 deadline. Apply for your grant after registering online.

Artist registration for ArtPrize Seven is currently open. Visit artprize.org to complete your Artist Registration before midnight, June 4th.
  ABOUT ARTPRIZE
ArtPrize is an international art competition, open to any artist and decided by public and juried vote. It invites artists to try out new ideas on a large and diverse population of people. It seeks to broaden the critical dialogue around contemporary art by awarding the world’s largest art prize. Two, $200,000 awards are decided by public vote and expert jury, and an additional $100,000 in prizes is awarded to the top entries in each category. Registered artists and venues connect online at artprize.org and agree to present the artwork for public display during the 19-day event. The public voters use mobile devices and the web to distribute their awards, while a group of international art experts determines the winners of the juried awards. ArtPrize 2014 included 1,536 entries representing 51 countries and 42 U.S. states and territories. ArtPrize 2014 attracted more than 400,000 active participants. Since its inception, individuals of all backgrounds have cast more than 2.4 million votes for public art.

Dotted Line Project's first one...

DMV artist, professor and arts activist Barbara Januszkiewicz wants all of us to join the Dotted Line Project in hosting their first “Happening” PopuPPhotobooth [PPP]: ARTHUGS campaign, and show your support for the visual arts in the Metro DC community. Stop by the booth, take a selfie, and post it on social media using the hashtag #popupphotobooth (or #arthugs) to show your support. Come meet some cool creatives, while becoming one yourself! After taking your groovy selfie, feel free to add some personality (your own work of art) to their backdrop! This art happening is about connecting and having fun.

"We are having an art protest 4/30. I was hoping to ask you to gather up as many people as you can to come to this. I have a very small art opening at cove, and using this art opening to stage to press conference, to show that art nurtures the community. Frustrated with the closing of Artisphere, No ICE inDc and the Corcoran; trying to show the media, the governments, that actually cutting back of the arts is not the way to have a world-class community!!! I'm going to have an open mic, for about to talk about support, A pop-up Photo Booth, to post sefies, on FC site, and I would really like it if you get help you get this word out."

 Barbara Januszkiewicz

Some 2013 drawings and watercolors

Adam and The Lilith Watercolors

"Adam and The Lilith" Watercolors

"Adam Begging God" Charcoal

"America Desnuda" Charcoal
In a private collection in Italy

"America Desnuda II" Charcoal
In a private collection in Canada

"Batman Agonizes" Charcoal
In a private collection in New York

"Cut" Watercolor
In a private collection in Miami

"Drunk" Watercolor

"Woman Being Lowered from Heaven" Charcoal

 

"Fading Away" Charcoal
In a private collection in New York

"Female Nude (Back)" Watercolor
In a private collection in Florida

"Female Nude (Leaning)" Watercolor
In a private collection in Argentina

"Female Nude (Back)" Watercolor
In a private collection in North Carolina

"Gym Rat" Charcoal

"Hassid" Charcoal
In a private collection in New York

"Cernnunos" Watercolor
 

"High Heel Shoes III" Charcoal
In a private collection in New York

"High Heel Shoes II" Charcoal
In a private collection in New York

"High Heel Shoes IV" Charcoal
In a private collection in New York

"High Heel Shoes" Charcoal
In a private collection in New York

"Hippie" Charcoal

"Pictish Princess (House of the Asp)" Charcoal
In a private collection in Florida

 

"Woman Being Lowered from Heaven" Charcoal

"The Batman Naked" Charcoal
In a private collection in Holland

"John The Baptist" Charcoal
In a private collection in New York

"The Last Copy of The Constitution" Charcoal
In a private collection in Miami

"Gams" Watercolor
In a private collection in New York

"Love Slave II" Watercolor

"Love Slave"Charcoal

"Seated Male Nude with Tattoos" Watercolor
In a private collection in Florida

"Seated Male Nude" Watercolor
In a private collection in Florida

"Spiderman Naked" Charcoal

"Woman Bowing Down to Life" Charcoal

Luce Artist Talk with Molly Springfield

Saturday, May 9, 1:30 - 3:30pm

DMV artist Molly Springfield talks about her work with large scale prints and book marginalia. She will connect her work to objects on view in the Luce Foundation Center.

Location: Smithsonian American Art Museum, Luce Foundation Center

Tickets: Free

Event Link:  http://americanart.si.edu/calendar/event.cfm?trumbaEmbed=view%3Devent%26eventid%3D113666413

How does the email art scam work?

Every time that I out an art scammer, I get some emails from artists asking "how does the scam work?"

All the details here.

cove Hosts Art Reception: Barbara Januszkiewicz

On April 30, 2015 cove will partner with ArtSee to celebrate their relationship with Washington, DC based artist Barbara Januszkiewicz. Cove will open the doors of their newest location in Rosslyn (1735 Clarendon Blvd, Arlington, VA) for an opportunity to meet and dialogue with the artists about her work featured in the cove space. For this exhibition, Barbara Januszkiewicz hopes the works on display will spark a dialogue about the use of color and her fascination with conceptual link to music. In an effort to show support for the Arlington art scene, Januszkiewicz hopes to use social media to share her work and support for alternative art spaces. Cove’s wall space has been turned in to an alternative art gallery through September 9, 2015, showcasing Januszkiewicz’s fine artwork. The public, press and art supporters are welcome to tour the space to see the artwork and interact with the artist on April 30, 2015 from 7:00 – 9:00 PM.

 

Barbara Januszkiewicz is influenced directly by music and strives to capture sound in her paintings. She finds it intriguing that there is a vocabulary of words that apply to both music and visual art, from movement, patterns, perspectives and layering.  Januszkiewicz’s expression in visual art is based on reacting directly to music. Januszkiewicz has been working in watercolor, a medium that makes it difficult to capture the complexity and color of a song. For cove, however, she will display her latest work of acrylic on canvas, a new medium for Januszkiewicz. Exploring the effects of every genre from jazz to thumping garage rock and vintage blues has helped express that moment when sound becomes visual. 

 

Cove features different local artists in each of their eight spaces. Januszkiewicz admires that cove is creating an intimidation free atmosphere where art speaks for itself. Cove is providing an alternative art experience to that provided by a gallery; it is reaching new audiences and exposing visual art to a new crowd. Members of the cove community come from different backgrounds and work environments. Cove was created with a simple objective: building places you want to be. They boast fast Wi-Fi, color printers, conference rooms, and now, local art for their members.

 

ArtSee works to bring local art and artists into each cove space with a six-month rotation of their work. With the recent rise of non-traditional gallery spaces, cove will become the first space of its kind to welcome artists into their community. Each artist will not only have their work displayed but will be introduced to the cove community through a series of receptions, talks and workshops, coordinated by ArtSee.

Goya, LACMA and the PI

Read this very cool story on how a Goya made its way from LA's LACMA Museum to the Philippine Islands (named after Spain's King Felipe).

Call for painters

Deadline: July 10, 15.

 

The UMW Galleries are proud to host the tenth edition of their juried painting competition. It is open to artists 18 years of age and older living in Delaware, the District of Columbia, Maryland, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Virginia, and West Virginia. Entries will be judged by a guest juror. Cash prizes and a purchase award are also available. The exhibition will be on view January 15- February 28, 2016. For more information, visit umwgalleries.org

Call for Math Art

Submission deadline: May 15, 2015.

 

The Pearl Conard Art Gallery at The Ohio State University’s Mansfield Campus seeks mathematicians who use visual art to express their findings or visual artists whose work is inspired by mathematics for possible inclusion in an exhibition to occur Monday, November 9 – Tuesday, December 8, 2015. Faculty members from Ohio State University's Departments of Mathematics and Art will curate the exhibition.

 

For consideration, please send the following to pearlconardgallery@gmail.com: 1. Examples of works available for exhibition (jpegs, website, or video links). 2. An inventory of works indicating title, medium, size, year, and installation requirements. 3. An artist statement or description of works. 4. Resume or CV. 5. Your contact information. Artists are responsible for delivering or shipping work to the gallery.

 

The gallery will provide return shipping. https://u.osu.edu/pcagallery/

Artists & Makers Studios Expanding

Artists & Makers Studios - the Washington region’s new innovative, artist-focused studio center - will soon expand its 9,000+ square foot White Flint facility to include an additional 3,619 square feet.  This announcement comes just days before the facility’s Grand Opening Celebration set for Friday evening, April 17, 2015.

 

Artists & Makers Studios opened at 100% capacity in March, with a waiting list of artists in need of creative space.  The studio center which is currently home to 43 Resident Artists will add another ten studios in a variety of floor plans that will offer creative space for arts professionals of nearly every medium.  Its recent agreement to acquire more square footage will allow Artists & Makers Studios to provide more affordable studios in the Rockville area to talented professional artists.

 

Artists & Makers Studios offers studio space and support to select professional artists as they work to advance their careers.  Artist and visionary Judith HeartSong led the studios from concept to concrete facilities in less than six months, guided early on by an 18-member Advisory Committee of artists, community activists, and business and communications professionals who recognized the need for studio facilities with a supportive staff and a collaborative environment.  In addition to its 43 Resident Artists, Artists & Makers Studios is pleased to be the home of The Compass Atelier.

 

Resident Artists enjoy a strong sense of community and camaraderie, and benefit from a philosophy that encourages artists to work when the timing best suits them - with no mandatory studio hours, they work days, nights or weekends, according to their commitments and inspiration. Artists also enjoy many opportunities for professional networking, like Salon – an Artful Conversation.  Now in its fourth year, this program provides access to arts professionals, attorneys and community leaders who offer career advice and concrete assistance for artists looking to promote their arts business.

 

Artists & Makers Studios is dedicated to providing a supportive and vibrant environment for artists to realize their creative goals - through studio practice, collaboration, education, opportunities, networking and connecting with the community beyond our doors.  Located in the heart of Rockville’s White Flint business district, Artists & Makers Studios is rapidly becoming a vibrant and lively part of the community.  Some of the best talent in Montgomery County has come to join in this effort, and classes and workshops will soon round out the offerings at Artists & Makers Studios.  

 

Artists & Makers Studios is located online at ArtistsAndMakersStudios.com.

CRAVE III Micro-Granting Dinner a Boost to Local Arts Innovators

Fiber artists Erika Cleveland and Stacy Cantrell were voted to be the newest grantees at the third CRAVE event, hosted by the Torpedo Factory Art Center and Convergence on Saturday, March 28. They received a record $1,581 for their project, Materialized Magic.

 

CRAVE (Creating Resources or Artistic Vision and Engagement) is a micro-granting dinner. Cleveland and Cantrell were among four groups of presenters who pitched their idea during a community dinner. Afterward, attendees democratically select which project to fund. The size of the grant they received at the close of the night was determined by ticket sales and donations to the kitty.

 

“The beauty of CRAVE is that it engages the community with creative work that’s happening right here at home,” said Lisa Cole Smith, pastor and artistic director at Convergence. “The on-the-spot grants provide resources for artists and creators who don’t fit neatly into oftentimes limited arts funding categories.”

 

“CRAVE connects like-minded people who want to learn about and support emerging arts programs in the region,” said Eric Wallner, CEO of the Torpedo Factory. “It such a unique program or our region and we are happy to see it grow.”

 

Materialized Magic is a mixed-medium collaborative fiber-art community that works primarily in crocheting, knitting, and felting. Cleveland and Cantrell intend to organize weekly yarn-bomb sessions, where fiber artists will build a collective habitat from their individual creations.

 

Through this program, they hope to provide free lessons to the community and shine a light on the contributions of the fiber artists who participate. Any materials that are left over at the close of the project will be donated to nursing homes, community centers, and other nonprofit organizations. The grant money will be used to purchase supplies, which will help ensure there is no cost to participate.

 

Cleveland, an associate artist with the Torpedo Factory Artists’ Association, is a former registered and board-certified art therapist with experience working with children, adolescents, and the elderly in hospital, day treatment, and mental health settings. She taught art therapy at Lesley University and Emmanuel College in Boston. She is now a healing-doll artist and the founder of Transformative Healing Dolls. She offers art and writing workshops for women experiencing major life transitions.

 

Cantrell learned to crochet at age 4 and became an expert making everything from scarves to doll clothing. Over time her style has developed into a free-form exploration, and she’s been creating macro three-dimensional works. She participated in the Smithsonian Hyperbolic Crochet Coral Reef Exhibition as a featured artist and also created work for Artisphere’s Yarn Bomb. Cantrell holds a master’s in the history of decorative arts from George Mason University.

Zofie Lang opens Saturday at NVCC

The very talented Zofie Lang's first solo exhibition will be taking place at the Margaret W. & Joseph L. Fisher Gallery from April 3 - May 17, 2015. There will be an opening reception and artist talk on April 18th, from 6pm - 8pm (the talk will start around 6:30).

Certain narratives, such as those in fairy tales, have existed for millennia and maintain a grip on our collective imagination. They are refreshed and reiterated, showing up in popular culture in both familiar and novel ways; similar themes also emerge across cultures and generations. Using photography, digital photomontage, and found object assemblage, Zofie Lang’s work reconstructs these narratives visually by extracting their key elements. Zofie examines the underlying meaning of narratives, including the fairy tales she remembers her Polish grandmother telling her as a child and literature that has inspired her. Her assemblages creates new layers of meaning, consisting of a mix of nostalgia and contemplation of our present popular culture. 

The gallery is located at NVCC, Alexandria Campus, in the Schlesinger Center, 915 East Campus Lane, Alexandria, Virginia 22311 (your GPS will tell you it's at 3001 N Beauregard Street. Don't be alarmed: it is the same place, just a different mailing address). There is a campus parking garage just across the street.

If you need help getting there, please text or call 443-310-3076.

For more information, please check out this link.

You can also rsvp here.

Just for you on tax day

Who pays what in income taxes? With April 15 just around the corner, filers may be curious about where they fit into the system as a whole.

Read this eye-opening WSJ article here.

Brooklyn Hit With Anti-Hillary Street Art

The signs appear to be a riff on a group of supporters calling certain words often used to describe Clinton as sexist. Words such as 'secretive,' 'ambitious,' and 'entitled.'

See more pics and read story here  Unless the posters are being put up by Native American Senator Elizabeth Warren's supporters, it is quite rare to see the vast right wing conspiracy employ art to drive political points home. The even vaster left wing nuthouse, on the other hand, is quite good at using art for this purpose.

Art Scam Alert!!!

Beware of this art scammer!

Thomas Boswell (thomasgreatlife@aol.com)

Hello,

I will like to make a purchase to my store in Finland. I will be making payment via my credit card.I will also like to know the type of card you require ? shipment will be handled by my shipper once my payment has been made.

I hope to read from you soon

Warmest Regards.
Thomas Boswell
Lönnrotinkatu 13, 00120 Helsinki, Finland

Jessica Van Brakle would have loved this

Construction crane falls on museum, everyone assumes it's a new sculpture.
Attention Dallas: The construction crane that is upended, dangerously resting on your Museum of Art is not a sculpture, it is just a crane that fell. Please stop getting so close to it.

Read the article and check out loads of photos here.

Chris Kraus on the Ambiguous Virtues of Art School

Art and commerce have always been two sides of the same coin and to oppose them would be false. Instead, I want to talk about a shift that has taken place during the past ten years in how art objects reach the market, how they're defined and how we read them.

Read the whole article here.

Some 2014 drawings and watercolors

"She knew that crying was not the solution" Charcoal

"She knew that crying was not the solution" (Detail)

"Eve and The Lilith" Charcoal

"Fallen Angel" Charcoal

"Fallen Angel" (Detail)

"Fallen Angels" Watercolors 40x30 inches

"Male Nude to the Right" Charcoal

"The Lifestyle" Charcoal

"The Lifestyle" (Detail)

"Woman Being Lowered from The Heavens" Charcoal

"Woman Being Lowered from The Heavens" (Detail)

"The Lilith" Watercolor

"The Lilith" Watercolor

"The Lilith" Watercolor

"Young Pict" Charcoal

"Young Pict" Charcoal

"The Catcher in the Rye" Charcoal

"Superman Naked" Charcoal

"Superman Naked" (Detail)

"A Man Alone" Charcoal
In a private collection in Florida

"Male Nude to the Right II" Charcoal

"Superman Flying Naked" Charcoal

"Superman Flying Naked" (Detail)

"High heel Shoes" Charcoal

"The Lilith Plotting" Charcoal

"Woman Falling from the Sky" Charcoal

"The Last Copy of The Constitution" Charcoal

"Man Overwhelmed by The Light" Charcoal

"Pictish Princess" Watercolor

"Tart" Charcoal

"Woman Falling from the Sky" Charcoal

"Woman Falling from the Sky" (Detail)

"Suddenly, She Was No Longer Afraid" Charcoal