Tag Archive "peter-saul"

Reclaiming Women’s Anatomy: The Visible Vagina at Francis M. Naumann Fine Art and David Nolan Gallery

Explicit views of women’s pudenda have never been in short supply in New York City but one found them on 42nd St. (before Disney arrived), not in established art galleries. Inspired by Eve Ensler’s Vagina Monologues, Francis Naumann began collecting work for an exhibition and when it grew too large, enlisted David Nolan to join him; the exhibition, The Visible Vagina, continues at both galleries through March 20.  The results include the entire range of responses one might expect from women to their own most singular parts, and respectful, appreciative study by men of the most mysterious parts of women.  ... More » »

Peter Saul skirts the truth but so does everyone really, and we all have a great time at PAFA panel

Patricia Hills, David Curtis, Daniel Heyman, Peter Saul, Jane Irish at the Symposium at PAFA, Nov. 1. Peter Saul‘s exhibit at PAFA was the excuse for an all-day symnposium there on political art earlier this month. But Saul wasn’t the only headliner participating. We also fell for Art Spiegelman‘s bon mots, Laylah Ali’s sometimes veiled wait-wait-don’t-tell commentary about her own work, and Enrique Chagoya’s conflation of art and cartooning. The day also included insights from Philadelphia artists Daniel Heyman and Jane Irish, scholar David Carrier, New York artist/activist Sue Coe and moderator Patricia Hills. Two political posters by artists. On ... More » »

Weekly Update — Peter Saul’s super heat at PAFA

This week’s Weekly has my review of the Peter Saul retrospective at PAFA. Below is the copy with some words added back in. And here’s Libby’s and my chat with Saul at the show’s preview party. Peter Saul. Icebox Number 7, 1963; Oil on canvas, 74 1/2 x 63 inches (188 x 160 cm); Collection of Mr. and Mrs. Bill Lenox, Dallas Peter Saul is not a pacifist or a left wing radical. And he’s not a communist, because, he says, he never did find where the party hung out. But the wry contrarian—now having a major museum retrospective at ... More » »

Peter Saul tells us a few stories

Peter Saul (left) talking with artist Polly Apfelbaum at the opening of his exhibit at PAFA. We attended the Peter Saul retrospective preview party last week at the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts and wanted to share a few photos and a short but interesting conversation we had with the artist. David Brigham, PAFA’s Director, gave some brief remarks in which he thanked (among others) PEI for its funding which allowed them to program all the lectures, seminars and gallery events they’re doing to supplement the show. Bob Cozzolino, Curator of Modern Art, talked about how wonderful it was ... More » »

Angry Populism: Peter Saul (coming to PAFA)

Peter Saul Donald Duck Crucified (1964) oil on canvas, 63 x 59 in., collection Karen E. Tappendorf When Jeff Koons’ work sells for millions and Paul McCarthy’s chocolate butt plugs do brisk business at an international art fair, it may be hard to remember that not too long ago some art had the power to offend. Peter Saul’s anger directed at American social and political mores, delivered in a style wrought from popular culture (Mad magazine to Disney) and with his finger often directed at the eye of political correctness, did offend. And the offense outlasted all of those younger ... More » »

Weekly Update – Fall in Philadelphia, go see

This week’s Weekly has my fall roundup story. Below is the copy and there are more pictures at flickr. Libby’s post on Global Suburbia. Robert CrumbComplete Crumb Comics #1018 7/8” h x 16 15/16” w x 1 1/8” d, framedCover, 1991Ink on paperCourtesy of Denis Kitchen Art Agency Social satires, politics and science give an electric charge to the fall art season. From Peter Saul’s paintings at the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts (PAFA) to R. Crumb’s comics at the Institute for Contemporary Art (ICA), we’ll be laughing as we cry with these artists about history, war, injustice, incompetence ... More » »

Peter Saul –Incoming at PAFA, read Holland Carter on the show

Peter Saul, Self-Portrait as a Woman, 2006, acrylic on canvas, 72 x 102″, seen at Leo Koenig Gallery, Chelsea in 2006. The traveling Peter Saul retrospective opens at the Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts Oct. 18 to Jan. 4. Holland Cotter saw it at the Orange County Museum of Art in Newport Beach, CA (there til Sept. 21) and wrote a wonderful piece about it a few weeks back in the NY Times. Here’s the link in case you missed it. ART REVIEWProvocateur: The Peter Saul ManifestoBy HOLLAND COTTERPublished: August 16, 2008 Saul is a major American painter and an ... More » »

Newsblast from PEI–2008 grant winners announced!

Peter Saul, who will have a show at PAFA. This is one of the exhibits supported by PEI this year. The big surprise here is not in the big dollar grants this time but in the awards to some surprising smaller outfits that are doing really interesting work, like $20,000 for Megawords (Anthony Smyrski and Dan Murphy) for a Megawords Storefront; and $5,000 planning grant for Screening Video (Nadia Hironaka and Matt Suib) for a project with filmmaker Pat O’Neill. James Castle, featured in an exhibit at the PMA funded in part by PEI. These smaller players in the Philadelphia ... More » »

A good day in Chelsea

We said it before and we’ll say it again, we had a good trip to Chelsea Friday and saw a lot of great stuff. Much of it is in its last week, so run if you want to catch it. These guys are fantastic. Robert Colescott at Kravets-Wehby We loved Robert Colescott At Kravets-Wehby for his raunchy straight-ahead sex, lies and Minnie Mouse imagery. Great painter, great compositions. He takes Jim Crow and makes it his own. We are reminded of energy and transgressiveness of Jorg Immendorff and his Cafe Deutchland paintings. Nick Cave at Jack Shainman Nick Cave‘s fashion ... More » »

New York revives my faith in art

A digital C-Pring of the artist Nick Cave modeling one of his body art/costumes/sculptures Imagine the pleasure of seeing really great stuff in Chelsea!! My energy has returned. I’m going to start with an ode to the return of juicy sculpture and then move on to remind us that cartoons are not just a kiddy medium. Nick Cave Soundsuits, by Nick Cave Nick Cave at Jack Shainman Gallery continues to mix costume, ritual, Mardi Gras and African imagery using the most unlikely scavenged thrift shop materials, making silk purses from sows’ ears. The Soundsuits knocked me off my feet–once again ... More » »