September 2009 Archive

Mois de la Photo in Montreal

Every two years, Montreal hosts Mois de la Photo, a citywide festival organized by a guest curator that showcases photographers from around the world. This year the exhibitions revolve around the theme of The Spaces of the Image, a topic articulated by this year’s guest curator, the French art historian and freelance curator Gaëlle Morel. The 11th edition of the event (in its 20th year) runs from Sept. 10 until Oct. 11 and showcases 24 solo shows from artists from 13 countries.

Weekly Update – First Friday happens everywhere

This week’s Weekly has my First Friday roundup.  Below is the copy with some pictures. In the world of visual art, kinetic sculpture is like the kindergartner in a room full of grown-ups—loud, rambunctious and ready to have a good time. Delaware Center for the Contemporary Art ’s anniversary show, “SHIFT: Kinetic Sculptures,” is a perfect example. Eight artists— including Philadelphia’s Tim Belknap—present works using electronics, motors, compressed air, water and found objects (including a trash container, a motorcycle and cow bones). The works may remind you of children’s toys or mad science experiments. Belknap’s water-filled trash container feels like ... More » »

Hanging fire: Contemporary Art from Pakistan at the Asia Society, New York

I recently met a Pakistani grad student on a Fulbright fellowship; he was distressed that Americans’ first thoughts about Pakistan tend to be negative, following the news,  and they don’t know anything of the culture, past or present.  It pleased him that I was familiar with Mohenjo-daro (perhaps the world’s oldest city) and Gandharan sculpture (influenced by Greek art, in the wake of Alexander), but I admitted I knew nothing of contemporary art beyond the work of Shazia Sikander.  Thanks to the Asia Society, that has changed!

Chelsea bits and pieces

Cate and I spent last Saturday afternoon in Chelsea and a couple things leaped out as really good. More pictures here. Chris Ofili

One Book, One Artist Talk: Marjane Satrapi at the Free Library

Wednesday was a long night if you were one of the eight hundred people who waited to hear Marjane Satrapi speak about the Complete Persepolis (Pantheon, $24.95), chosen for this year’s One Book, One Philadelphia. The night was also emotional. Mayor Nutter confessed that passing bill 1828 was “the most emotionally challenging” situation he ever undertook in his 25-year political career. Applause was loud and long for the library staff who prepared for Satrapi’s talk, even though a week ago they did not know whether or not they’d still have a job come Oct 2nd. As Marjane Satrapi walked onstage, ... More » »

Art populates a chilly expanse at the Perelman Center for Advanced Medicine

Some terrific enormous sculptures have populated the otherwise cool and swank enormous lobby and atrium of the Perelman Center for Advanced Medicine at the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania.

New York ramble

Steve and I and Cate covered a lot of territory last weekend in New York. We were up and down and crosstown and back. It was fun and glorious weather and we walked and walked. Here’s a few pictures and notes about what we saw. More photos at flickr. Public Art Lever House

More time to think–Annette Monnier’s One Review a Month

One Review a Month, Annette Monnier’s blog about art, is sort of an anti-blog, stepping back from the frenetic pace of daily and inclusive and choosing a single theme for a single essay. In her first post, she ponders Jade Townsend, Duke Riley, and their submarine approach to art making. She also fits in Huck Finn, Swoon, Robert Smithson and river art. Check it out!

FLUX Re-task picture post

Here’s a few pictures from last night’s Re-task up at FLUXspace.  The event was packed and there were a lot of really creative things being made and a lot of very good energy.  I have more photos at flickr.

No, It’s Not a Real Wii™ Game, It’s John Karel Making Macaroni and Cheese

I have been a fan of John Karel’s work ever since I met him in 2007. His animations, drawings, and paintings are literally and metaphorically reflections of him, his friends, and the vloggs/vloggers (video blogs/bloggers) he finds on the internet. John infuses his artwork with horizontal-lipped humor and a fantastic sense of color and drawing. Clearly he has grown up “studying” Sunday comics. What I find most interesting is how John’s artwork pulls you aside and whispers a critical gesture at avatar culture, that exhibitionist style of interacting with the world that was solely bred of the internet. In his show ... More » »