August 2006 Archive

Betye Saar retells it like it is

Midnight Madonnas by Betye Saar The exhibit Extending the Frozen Moment at the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts has a pretty interesting premise–to recontextualize photographs of African Americans, thereby redefining the people in the photographs and pulling them and their peers into the heroic story we tell of our culture. The work, about 60 pieces, is by Betye Saar, one of a generation of African-American women who overcame with grit and spirit and fine art the white male bias of the art world in the 1960s. Photographs and found African-American and family memorabilia are key in the pieces, which ... More » »

Some happenings I thought I’d mention

TalksThe top artists talks coming up that I am aware of this season are at the Print Center, in conjunction with its show Taken With Time, featuring camera obscura commissioned work by Ann Hamilton, Vera Lutter and Abelardo Morell. Thanks to Astrid Bowlby for reminding me of this. Here’s the who-when-where: Ann Hamilton, Friday, September 8 at 6:00 p.m., Moore College of Art and Design Abelardo Morell, Friday, September 29 at 6:00 p.m., Philadelphia Museum of Art Vera Lutter, Monday, October 23 at 5:00 p.m. at University of Pennsylvania, B-1 Meyerson Hall, 34th and Walnut Streets Philly on the road ... More » »

Love, Time, Cholesterol and Art

My photo of the beautiful Santiago Calatrava addition to the Milwaukee Art Museum, summer, 2005. Love in the Time of Cholera. Art in the Time of Cholesterol. Lipitor commercial filmed inside the Milwaukee Art Museum. Magical realism meets its match.

Sarah McEneaney in Georgia Review

Cover of the literary publication, now celebrating its 60th year, includes a Sarah McEneaney painting. The letter from the Georgia Review said I might be interested in this: Sarah McEneaney‘s painting is on the cover of the current issue. Interested? Of course I’m interested! Yahoo! (are we allowed to say that anymore?) The quarterly journal of arts and letters is celebrating its 60th anniversary, and the issue with McEneaney’s art on the cover — and in a portfolio of images inside — also includes a poem by Pulitzer prize-winner Philip Levine and a conversation with National Book Award winner (and ... More » »

Reflections on windows and art

Bill Lohre’s Light Life and Airhas enough eye appeal to overcome reflections and draw into its magic world a casual passerby What a great idea! Put art in a store front and bring art to the masses! Uh, but you better watch out. Unless the installation has some juicy eye candy that can overcome both the mindset of pedestrians and distracting reflections, it doesn’t work. You can walk a pedestrian past a window installation but you can’t make him look. I recently visited four different window art installations and find myself wondering in some of the cases, who would even ... More » »

Radio Times features Chuck and Iris one year post-Katrina

Chuck and Iris, in New York, during the time they were staying with us. We had gone up to the city for the press opening of the Robert Smithson Floating Island. (see post about the Smithson and post about our journey to NY and post about the Smithson) Here, Chuck is taking a call from one of his co-workers who had evacuated to either Houston or Atlanta. Chuck and Iris were on Marty Moss-Coane’s Radio TImes yesterday at 11 am. The talk show was doing a feature on Katrina evacuees. A year ago, Chuck and Iris and their daughter were ... More » »

Artnet News – artnet Magazine

There’s an item here in Artnet News – artnet Magazine on the Barnes, just in case you haven’t had enough. (I’m only a couple of weeks late with this, but better late than never).

Chris Ashley rants about Matthew Barney

Look, See: August 20, 2006 – August 26, 2006 ArchivesJust in case you want to refresh your animus against the unfairness of an artworld that can adore Matthew Barney, check out Chris Ashley’s rant.

City of Hope

Mayor Ray Nagin on the airport tarmac with President Bush the first time Bush set foot in New Orleans. Did you see the Spike Lee documentary, When the Levees Broke, on HBO last night and Sunday night? Did it make you cry? Make you laugh? Make you angry? Me too. My favorite part was Mayor Ray Nagin calling Airforce One a pimpmobile. This was in the middle of an interview with Nagin who’s telling the story about Bush wanting to meet with him at the airport. Nagin knows he’s being bad but he just can’t help himself and out it ... More » »

Publico at Vox: Do-it-yourself culture

a detail of Russell Ihrig’s full-length self-portrait as a paper doll with moveable parts–yes, that part moves too, and is the only part that doesn’t lay flat on the door The Cincinnati gallery Publico is showing its brand of exuberant artmaking at Vox Populi Gallery this month. The show has three main events, all of them in some way referring to our do-it-yourself culture and the difference between hand-made and manufactured: The merchandise table had this terrific bandana for disguise. 1) The gallery scene: The front room at Vox is filled with artifacts from the Publico lifestyle–a vitrine with show ... More » »