December 2004 Archive

Web art frustrations

The trouble with the internet as we all know is there are no filters to separate the wheat from the chaff. So we rely on institutions to keep us on tracks–universities and libraries and respected publishers for facts and information, art museums and galleries for taste. Well, I was noodling around Dia:Beacon’s site thanks to a link on Doug Witmer’s new blog and noticed the Artists’ Web Projects link. Last time I had looked here, right around when Dia:Beacon opened, it wasn’t worth a look. But this time there is quite a list of things, ranging from the brand new ... More » »

Just perfect

So what is perfect anyway? I grew up with a father who was always looking for it, expecting it, demanding it. I never knew what it was but I lived in fear of it. Dennis Beach‘s practically perfect in every way sculptural objects at Schmidt-Dean got me started thinking about artists seeking perfection. Libby referred to the surfer dude ambiance of Beach’s brightly-colored, surfboard-like works in her post. Indeed the beach and the waves are all over Beach’s work. The freestanding sculptural wave (shown at top) made of glued wood and laminated into that perfect rams horn curl is a ... More » »

Susan Sontag, age 71

Her book “On Photography” is still the book to quote almost thirty years after its making. The writer died yesterday of leukemia. Read the NY Times appreciation by Charles McGrath. (user: lrrfartblog; password: artblog) The Times is running some pre-web archival material about the writer, like a Dec. 18, 1977 book review of “On Photography” by William H. Gass. http://www.nytimes.com/1977/12/18/books/booksspecial/sontag-photo.html Here’s a gush I agree with: Every page of “On Photography” raises important and exciting questions about its subject and raises them in the best way. In a context of clarity, skepticism and passionate concern, with an energy that never ... More » »

When it’s public it’s got to be big

My mantra for years has been small is beautiful. I say it to all the young artists I meet who tell me, apologetically, while standing in front of their reasonable-sized art, that they’re working on something bigger… or that they want to work bigger. Small, I tell them. Small is the way, not bigger. But sometimes big is the way after all —when there is a reason …when the scale makes sense. Like with former Philadelphia artist Randy Bolton‘s huge new banner prints in his solo exhibit “Twice Told Tales” at Cranbrook Museum of Art in Bloomfield Hills, MI. (top ... More » »

Sam Maitin dead at 76

I learned on Christmas Day that Philadelphia artist Sam Maitin had died. He was 76 years old (image, Maitin’s “Much Happiness 2,” collage). Maitin is scheduled to have three simultaneous shows at the University of Pennsylvania in February, one at the Arthur Ross Gallery, one at Hillel, and one at the Burrison Gallery. A Penn alumnus, Maitin also taught for a time at the Annenberg School for Communication there. He was working on a number of pieces at the time of his death Dec. 23. His work was collected by museums around the world, including The National Gallery of Art, ... More » »

Gift of giving

Videos of Philadelphia artists at work are popping up on artist Vincent Romaniello’s website (image, Romaniello’s Untitled 420, 24″x32″, mixed media on panel, 2004). The project is an outgrowth of the usual artist frustration with media coverage of the arts. “I don’t understand why [if] the local stations can bring a portable camera to [videotape] someone’s backyard,…their pets, …tailgate parties, why can’t they just go to First Friday or somebody’s studio?” Romaniello said. The technology has arrived When I talked to him last week, he said he began posting the videos in September because the technology suddenly came together in ... More » »

The market and the way we live now

I was brought up cold out of my post-Christmas reveries yesterday morning by an article at artnet by Richard Polsky. He’s the guy that does the art market watch (i.e., auctions — secondary market) and the piece, a 2004 wrap up talking about how particular big name (brand name?) art was trending at auction — up, down or status quo — was like a hammer hitting home again and again about monetary value, worth and history. Polsky’s comprehensive list of hotties past and present seemed to show most artists on the upward trend or even keel which spoke as much ... More » »

In memorium 2004

Rebecca Westcott; Gretchen Worden

Wish list from artblog

Pews for Charles Burwell, Zoe Strauss, Terry Adkins, Liz Rywelski, Randall Sellers, Daniel Heyman, M. Ho (image from Rywelski’s K-Mart photo series) Most eagerly anticipated –Janet Cardiff at Eastern State Penitentiary InLiquid becomes more computer-user friendly. Our carpal tunnel syndromes are screaming and we wish we could find what we’re looking for. We know it’s there somewhere. Icebox–watch out Mass MOCA once this space gets a big grant to bring in some really big stuff R.I.P. goth–enough already; it’s the 21st century. Stow your cauldrons now. A revival of the African American Museum in Philadelphia’s formerly excellent art program Greater ... More » »

Best of 2004 and some disappointments

The best local genius award–Terry Adkins (image right, from his show at Pageant) Best indoor show by outdoor artist: David McShane at Artists House Sexiest art talk: Ernesto Neto Best night-time video lounge in town (too much glare during the day) at Vox Populi: best so far, Guy Ben-Ner with his lo-tech “Moby Dick” in the kitchen and backwards walking ostriches; best dirty video there, “Chirpy” (okay, so it wasn’t in the video lounge) by John Goras in the “Screwball” show; Sheena Macrea’s layered version of “Dallas” reduced to its essentials. most long overdue solo museum show–Sarah McEneaney at the ... More » »