November 2007 Archive

Best Bets in Baltimore

Two very different exhibitions are making their only East Coast appearances in Baltimore at the moment; either would be worth the trip. For anyone who shares my breadth of interests, the two are a must-see double-bill. Edward Steichen Matisse with plaster cast of The Serpentine, Issy-les-Moulineaux (1909) Archives Matisse, Paris. ©2007 Succession H. Matisse, Paris/Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York Matisse: Painter as Sculptor If Matisse’s only efforts as a sculptor were his four monumental reliefs (The Back, I – IV, 1909-1930, which are actually four states of one, evolving idea) he would be one of the great sculptors of ... More » »

Woo Foo…Potato chips…and Diane Arbus

Post by Christopher H. Paquette anonymous, Lucas & Potato chips, from showhistory.com This is a photograph of Charlie “Woo Foo” Lucas and Andy “Potatochips” Patoachess, at Hubert’s Dime Museum & Flea Circus ( New York City), taken sometime in the late 1950′s. Hubert’s is related to a discovery of a cache of Diane Arbus photographs in Philadelphia–soon to go on auction. In 2003, Philadelphia book dealer and African-Americana collector Bob Langmuir purchased a pile of old papers that contained documents and records kept by Lucas during the years he managed Hubert’s. Charlie Lucas was a one-time side show performer known ... More » »

Cat Woman of PIFAS: K-Fai Steele

K-Fai Steele in her installation at PIFAS. She’s holding one of her papier mache pigeons which, like the cat-people in her self-created feline-human universe, is white and has long black hair. I heard about PIFAS, Philadelphia Institute for Advanced Studies, a couple months ago from from Jesse Greenberg, who has a studio there (See post) and from the Bobo’s on 9th crew who are also affiliated, so when I got an email from K-Fai Steele, artist in residence at PIFAS I was intrigued. Greenberg had mentioned the PIFAS artist in residence program but it seemed highly improbable given the rough-hewn ... More » »

Hot movies, tonight

Still from Paul Chan’s Happiness… Look what’s showing at the Art Making Machine Studios tonight, 8:30 p.m. Paul Chan‘Happiness (Finally) After 35,000 Years of Civilization – After HenryDarger And Charles Fourier’2003, 19min. Julie Zando‘Bud’1987, 10min. The Wooster GroupRhyme ‘Em To Death1993, 10min. Roberta and I had seen Chan’s Happiness at the Carnegie International, and it was pretty terrific. I know I can’t make it, but perhaps someone out there can and will enjoy.

Susan Moore’s taboo tattoos and Peter Campus’ landscapes at Locks

by Susan Moore Don’t judge Susan Moore’s work in her exhibit Second Skin at Locks Gallery by a digital image. The scale is confrontational–as large as or larger than life (many of the pieces are about 80 inches tall), and although the nudes are traditionally executed, the confrontation is not so much about the nudity, but rather about the stereotypes we have about people’s identities and their relationship to their bodies–and to the implications of the tattoo imagery they sport. The tattoos that Moore draws atop the bodies do belong to the people in each drawing. But in most there’s ... More » »

Photography alert

A nice story on group photo studio Project Basho is in the Philadelphia Inquirer today. Basho is one of two such studios with darkrooms and gallery space that opened almost simultaneously in Philadelphia this year. The other is Yo! Darkroom.

Beyond the Canon

I’ve previously expressed appreciation for exhibitions that reveal unknown or forgotten artists, or overlooked aspects of a well-known artist’s work. The Philadelphia Museum of Art has two such exhibitions at the moment: Renoir Landscapes and Antonio Mancini; Nineteenth-century Italian master Renoir In the Woods ca. 1877, oil on canvas, 22″ x18 3/8″, The National Museum of Western Art, Tokyo, Matsukata Collection More than Pretty Pictures of Plump GirlsI first came to a serious appreciation of Pierre-August Renoir as a landscapist a couple years ago in a previous exhibition at the PMA, Manet and the Sea. A painting of waves had ... More » »

Ben Peterson Reports on Poland

Ben talks to a friend at the “Psychedelic Club”, part of a project being undertaken at the residency program at the Center for Contemporary Art in Warsaw. Ben Peterson is an artist currently residing in Philadelphia, artblog talked to him in detail back in May regarding his all-round awesomeness and detail-oriented mega-realistic yet fantastical landscapes/architectures. Once I overheard a friend who isn’t all that into art in general compliment one of Ben’s pieces by saying “If I was high I could look at that all day”. . . so drug-induced stupor or no Ben’s the kind of artist who generously ... More » »

Dig break

An installation shot of dig, with Nick Lenker’s Elephant in the Room, Thom Lessner’s John Coltrane behind, small Thom Lessner pieces to left and Zoe Strauss Pushpin Installation of photos to right We’re taking a break tomorrow, taking down Dig, the exhibit we curated for H&F Fine Arts in Mt. Ranier, MD. (Here’s our post on the exhibit, if you missed it previously). A big hug to Christopher Lawrence, who’s transporting the work for us. Here are more people we want to thank:J.T. KirklandCheryl FountainKaren Handy …and a big xoxo to all the fabulous artists who agreed to show their ... More » »

Auction come-ons–sex and money

This in from Penn Design: LIVE NUDE ART BENEFIT AUCTION, UPENN And this in from the Print Center: WARNING: Graphic Content A contact high (have you walked down the street in Philadelphia, lately?) must have inspired two rather conservative organizations to play with titillating come-ons for their auctions. Not that sex and art is anything new. It’s just the surprise of who’s doing IT that made me take notice. Here’s the info on each: UPENN LIVE NUDE ART AUCTION Friday, November 30th 6-9 p.m.Meyerson Hall, 210 South 34th Street, University of PennsylvaniaAuction preview: Nov. 28 and 29, 9 a.m.-5 p.m. ... More » »