Roberta reports on a book documenting the African and African American art collected by Peggy Cooper Cafritz, who died last February at age 70. The book, with many full-page color plates and an autobiographical section, and short writings by artists in the collection, captures a woman who was as on fire about collecting art as she was about educating museums, curators, other collectors about the excellence of art by contemporary black artists.
Read MoreAndrea Kirsh visits the moving retrospective of multi-disciplinary artist and AIDS activist David Wojnarowicz, one of three exhibits on the artist currently on view in New York. Kirsh also takes a look at the catalog for this timely exhibition, which does important research that should open the door for more. The show runs through September 30th at the Whitney Museum.
Read MoreLogan Cryer visits Sloppy Seconds, the 2-person show at Space 1026 featuring work by Wit López and Heather Raquel Phillips. It’s a whimsical affair and both artists draw heavily from craft aesthetics to celebrate brown, queer desire. NOTE: The closing reception is Tuesday, July 24, 6:00 PM – 8:00 PM with a performance by Kol-Kez. The exhibit closes July 28.
Read MoreA nice idea — rounding up the rejects from other juried exhibits — produces a show with mixed results and some good moments, says our reviewer, Deborah Krieger. The 40-work salon-style show at Practice Gallery is worth a visit.
Read MoreOur collaborative team says the 41 large-scale abstract collage prints, made between 1984 – 1999, based on four (dense, somewhat obscure) books caused them to seek meaning subjectively, which sparked thoughts of what it means to be a major (or minor) artist; whether Stella is major or minor; and whether art should have clearer reference markers to be understood.
Read MoreJessica Rizzo attends the opening for “SWARM.,” a two-person show on view through September 9 at the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts. Pairing works by Cuban-American artist Nestor Armando Gil and Haitian-born artist (and current PAFA MFA chair) Didier William, “SWARM.” frames the history of caribbean migration in terms of multiplicity, solidarity, and revolution.
Read MoreA new book highlighting the career of performer, artist and experimental musician Laurie Anderson is out now from Rizzoli Publishing. “All the Things I Lost in the Flood: Essays on Pictures, Language and Code” follows in the footsteps of Anderson’s 2015 experimental film “The Heart of a Dog,” drawing inspiration from the great losses of life.
Read MoreMichael is moved by the exhibit of works at the AAMP. The works touch on social injustice issues — the aftermath of slavery, police shootings of Black victims, Afro-Futurist utopias created to escape and take revenge. The imagery is stirring if also grisly in some cases, he says.
Read MoreIn her U.S.solo museum debut, Armenian-Egyptian artist Anna Boghiguian treats the politics of today amidst historical lessons from the U.S. past to create the heated emotional environment of protests singed with issues of slavery, bigotry, militarism and more. Katerina says it’s a show you will, if not enjoy, then appreciate for its passion and art making.
Read MoreOur contributor Carly Bellini is frustrated and infuriated by the Netflix series, based on young adult fiction, with what she calls irresponsible portrayals of such serious teen issues as suicide, rape, bullying, and gun violence. Giving season two the benefit of the doubt, she weighs in on her frustration and offers a couple suggestions to Netflix, because, of course, there’s a third season in the works. Oy! Caution: Spoilers ahead.
Read MoreLogan Cryer is back and thinking about their experience at the Institute for Contemporary Art’s current group show, “The Last Place They Thought Of,” on view through August 12. The exhibition views race and landscape through the specific lens of the black female body.
Read MoreDeb Krieger visits the Clay Studio’s biannual juried show of American ceramic art, “The Clay Studio National,” open May 26th – July 15th. She reports back on the wide range of practices in contemporary clay, from the abstract to the figurative and from the formal to the political.
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