January 2009 Archive

Report from Thailand: Foundry days

Post by Mei-ling Hom and David McClelland This is part 2 of a report from Asia. Part I, on 8Q, the new Singapore art museum, is here. The scale of the castings is really impressive Working in the bronze foundry near Ayuthaya, Thailand is art on an industrial scale. The energy conveyed through the noise, smell, and visual overload is only matched in our experience by the earth shaking intensity of the limestone mills in southern Indiana. But it is stimulating to be surrounded by fine artists working with a superb technical staff.

Journeys of the eye and heart–Michael Olszewski at Swarthmore

In the Half Sleep, 2008, 16 ½ X 16 inches, All photos courtesy the artist and List Gallery Fiber artist Michael Olszewski makes abstract but highly textured collages that creep up and assert their presence slowly–aesthetic journeys for the eye. Most of Olszewski’s work is based on slow processes–crocheting and other needlework and fiber processes like couching and embroidery and dying, journeys for the artist in his studio as he works. But they also are aesthetic journeys for the soul. Michael Olszewski, Undercurrent, 2007, 12 X 9 ¾ inches That sense of patience, thought and emotion comes through powerfully in ... More » »

Beasts in the house: Amy Stein speaks at Penn

Post by Ann Northrup Amy Stein, from the series Domesticated. Amy Stein gave a talk at University of Pennsylvania last Thursday, in conjunction with her show at The Print Center (1614 Latimer Street until February 14th) and the publication of her book (“Domestications” by Amy Stein published by Photolucida, Portland ORE). She laid out a clear analysis of her development as an artist and a person, showing images mostly from 2 bodies of work: “Domesticated” and “Stranded” . Some of the images are compelling in themselves, but it is she and the trajectory of her work that holds a fascination. ... More » »

Inbox activism–petition to create Secretary of the Arts

artblog contributor Max Mulhern recently wrote us: Tyler Green of Modern Art Notes has suggested that a White House arts advisory be created. His argument is that culture is a vital sector in our society that needs to have its institutions properly coordinated between themselves and the government. He also believes that art can play a role in government. I agree. Many of you have also been circulating emails about the issue. Here’s the link to an online petition begun by Quincy Jones to ask President Obama to appoint a Secretary of the Arts.

Weekly Update – ICA’s Dirt on Delight is sexy and great

This week’s Weekly has my review of Dirt on Delight at ICA. Below is my copy with some pictures. Robert Arneson Lustred Rose, 1966 glazed ceramic 29×60 1/2 x 28″ From earthly delights in clay to pithy word art and a cerebral video animation, ICA’s Spring shows are bon bons of creamy goodness, crunchy ideas and beautiful packaging. Kathy Butterly speaking about her sexy pots at ICA’s opening. The big downstairs show, Dirt on Delight, commands attention by sheer volume of gorgeousness on display.  The survey of sculptural clay brings together 22 artists breaking ground in the traditional craft material.  ... More » »

Beauty, sex, politics and joy in New York

Spencer Finch does Jorge Pardo in the gallery front window at James Cohan Gallery (see way below). Beautiful or ugly? You decide. Once again we went to hear Robert Storr at the Met last Saturday. (See previous post for Storr’s lecture on abstraction last week. ) We were looking for the light as usual but by the time the lecture ended we were confused as ever about the lecture’s point. In a lecture that ran at breakneck speed through a zillion slides with not a lot of commentary here’s what he said, more or less. Beauty is a mutable concept ... More » »

En Pleine Air

Camile Corot Fontainebleau: Oak Trees at Bas-Bréau, 1832 or 1833Oil on paper laid down on wood; 15 5/8 x 19 1/2 in., Metropolitan Museum of Art.Studying Nature: Oil Sketches from the Thaw Collection at the Morgan Library Oil sketches present a particularly intimate view of the artist’s working process. Usually defined as works created out of doors and directly in front of the subject (although views out a studio window may qualify), the earliest date to the 17th century although the bulk of the genre dates from the late 18th- early 19th centuries. They can be considered paintings as they ... More » »

Bob Strauss, critic, died Jan. 13

Critic R. B. (Bob) Strauss died Jan. 13. Here’s a lovely appreciation and a video clip at DoNArTNeWs. Bob explored many types of art and many venues in Philadelphia and he wrote for many local publications including Art Matters. He was 54 at his death from a heart attack according to this posting at PA8News but he’d been ill for several years. This story says there will be a memorial for him at High Tower Gallery in Philadelphia but I believe they mean Highwire Gallery. It was always a pleasure to run into him in the galleries. He was cheerful ... More » »

Radical Cartography at Basekamp

A stack of monochrome marker drawings, with a common motif of stick figures linked by arrows to “$” icons and symbols of economic hardship: a boarded-up art gallery announcing “For Rent”; elsewhere, under a list titled “Basekamp costs”, the stratagem “Steal materials from construction sites.”  These drawings were the fruit of a 2-hour workshop held at Basekamp this past Saturday.  It followed the opening of An Atlas, an exhibit of “radical cartography” that compliments a two-volume publication of essays matched to artist-made maps.    Different approaches to the assignment “map the global economic crisis” The workshop kicked off a global tour; Lize ... More » »

8Q, The New Singapore Museum for Contemporary Art

We recently got this note from Mei-ling Hom and David McClelland: Mei-ling and I are working on a couple of projects in Thailand this winter, casting bronze sculpture and editing a funeral book for a close friend who decided he needed to have his life summed up long before (hopefully) he died. We needed to make a visa run to Singapore to extend our month in Thailand to two and we met a couple of people in Singapore who gave us a quick look at what is happening in the business capital of Asia. I hope to send a couple ... More » »