Melbourne Art Fair 2008 Opens, 30 July - 3 August 2008

MELBOURNE, AU - Melbourne Art Fair, Australia’s premier international visual arts event returns to the World Heritage listed Royal Exhibition Building in Carlton Gardens, Melbourne from 30 July – 3 August 2008. Over 3,000 contemporary artworks including Paintings, Works on Paper, Sculpture, Photography to Digital Media and Video, will be showcased under one roof at the 11th Biennial Melbourne Art Fair 2008.

More than 900 artists will be represented by over 80 leading national and international galleries from all states and territories of Australia; as well as from New Zealand, China, Japan, South Korea, Malaysia, Indonesia, India, Switzerland, Germany and Ireland during the 4-day event.
Rarely is such a diverse collection of artists from so many countries represented under one roof. Melbourne Art Fair offers artists and galleries alike the opportunity to exhibit work on a significantly larger scale than the gallery setting; and in turn gives the public a fantastic chance to view and purchase quality artwork by some of the best Australian and international emerging and well-known artists working today.

One of the highlights of Melbourne Art Fair is the commissioned works, which are positioned within the Royal Exhibition Building and gifted to an Australian institution at the conclusion of the Fair. In 2008 two prominent Australian artists have been commissioned to realize large-scale works that will be unveiled during the 4-day event. 2006 saw contemporary New Zealand artist, Michael Parekowhai create Cosmo, a monumental inflated rabbit sculpture standing 8m high x 5m wide, later gifted to the National Gallery of Victoria.

View of Rabbit Sculpture at the Melbourne Art Fair in 2006 Exhibiting artists include: Brook Andrew (Aust), James Angus (Aust), Billy Apple (NZ), Lyndall Brown & Charles Green (Aust), Daniel Buren (France), Ian Burns (Aust), Martin Creed (UK), Li Dafang (China), Hayden Fowler (NZ), David Griggs (Aust), Claire Healy & Sean Cordeiro (Aust), David Hookey (Aust), Callum Innes (Scotland), Silvana & Gabriella Mangano (Aust), Samuel Namunidja (Aust), Tomoko Sawada (Japan), Julie Rrap (Aust), Sally Smart (Aust), Louise Weaver (Aust), Ai Weiwei (China).

The Project Rooms include: Damiano Bertoli (Aust), Jonas Dahlberg (Sweden) and Pat Foster and Jen Berean (Aust) curated by Mark Feary; Centre of Contemporary Photography Melbourne; Gertrude Contemporary Art Spaces; Joint Hassles; Next Wave Festival, The South Project; Kyungah Ham (South Korea); and, Anne Zahalka (Aust) at Sofitel Melbourne.

All components of Melbourne Art Fair directly benefit the work of living artists. Over it’s 20-year history, the Fair has generated a wealth of national and international commercial and critical attention for artists and galleries. The 2006 Fair was attended by over 26,000 people and provided living artists with over AUD $6M from sales. Presented by the Melbourne Art Fair Foundation – a not-for-profit organisation with its primary goal being the promotion of contemporary art, the ethical representation of living artists and raising awareness of artists working today– the Melbourne Art Fair is a breakeven event that takes no revenue from the sale of artworks.

Source: Art Knowledge News

BUCKMINSTER FULLER: STARTING WITH THE UNIVERSE @ The Whitney Museum of American Art

An accomplished writer, thinker and engineer, R. Buckminster "Bucky" Fuller (1895-1983)is widely recognized as one of the world's great modern visionaries of the 20th century. A natural Futurist, Fuller created a concept known as "Comprehensive Anticipatory Design Science" which means the essence of human life on the planet is to solve problems and continue expanding our awareness and views of what is possible.

Bucky Fuller was best known for his design of the geodesic dome, and pushing forward the notion that the Earth was a ‘spaceship’ passing through a much more vast universe that could challenge and inspire us as we addressed global problems.

He was an early advocate for renewable energy, developed the highly efficient three-wheeled Dymaxion car, and also the ‘World Game’ which allowed individuals to test strategies for global solutions. He would surely love Second Life and the ability to simulate real world situations virtually!

"Explore the ideas and theories of one of the great American visionaries of the twentieth century. Best known as the inventor of the geodesic dome, R. Buckminster Fuller (1895-1983) addressed fields ranging from mathematics, engineering, and environmental science to literature, philosophy, architecture, and visual art. This exhibition includes rare original examples of Fuller’s most important works from both private and public collections."

This exhibit is now on view through September 21, 2008. Check out the video posted below to learn more about The Buckster.



www.whitney.org

Future Shock Lost by Rowan Smith, WHATIFTHEWORLD GALLERY

05 - 30 August 2008
OPENING: Tuesday 05 August 2008 18h00 - 21h00

With one small step from Mr. Neil Armstrong we reached a world that had seemed to reside outside of the reach of human experience. Yet, almost half a century later, the romantic longing for large-scale space travel, residence and communication with some yet unknown extraterrestrial force remains. This desire, a continual and unfocussed looking outwards, is linked both to the nostalgia born of our millennial uncertainty, and a looking forward to The Future, a vision simultaneously of apocalyptic dystopia and magical technological efficiencies and entertainments.

For, like the idea of outer space, the notion of The Future is in itself filled with nostalgic yearnings and anxieties. Why do we long for the future of the 1950s, buying toy tin robots with alarming zest? Why is it that when we think of the future, we still imagine a place of flying cars and household robots, fantasies we have been holding onto for over a century? How do we posit any individual identity when we know ourselves to be merely a speck of dust in the cosmos?
Michaelis Prize Winner 2007

All of these are the questions that Smith posits in this, his first solo offering, hosted by Whatiftheworld / Gallery. Using the language of outdated retro-cool technology and handcrafted sculptures, Smith presents a series of works that subtly, sadly investigate a nostalgia for the future and an insatiable and unanswerable lust for something outside of our everyday experience.’

from The Ghosts of Futures Past
The Work of Rowan Smith
By Linda Stupart

Photo: Untitle 2008

Source: WHATIFTHEWORLD

my feelings exactly....

This is how i am feeling the moment: artistic chaos and mental meltdown. Do you ever feel that way? This piece is by Beijing-based artist Cao Fei. Google her and find out the more about her inspiration for RMB City which is an experimental community in the Internet-based virtual world of Second City.

Acion Gallery presents Contemporary Artists from Pakistan

NEW YORK CITY - Aicon Gallery, 206 5th Avenue, 5th Floor, New York, presents a group show of contemporary Pakistani miniaturists; artists Ayesha Durrani, Ahsan Jamal, Amjad Ali Talpur, Farida Batool, and Sumaira Tazeen. These artists are being presented for the first time at Aicon Gallery, though many of them have exhibited internationally already. This exhibition is a collaboration with Canvas Gallery, Karachi. On view through 30 August, 2008.

A tradition of the past, miniature painting is the most popular genre in today’s art world. Unavoidable to all who venture into the art practice—artist, collector, and viewer alike—this rich sense of history exists beyond the formal qualities of the works. As with all modern art, there is a complex, often over powering relationship between this practice and its history. This popularity is in part a result of this relationship.

Priding itself like most societies on is rich heritage, Pakistan struggles with the dilemma of how to deal with her history. Past can turn into a disturbing and often damaging force for all spheres of life. The past presents itself as an ideal solution or formula for challenging the present and this accumulation of conventions and well tried methods can pose a burden for those living in a post modern age.

Working separately in Lahore and Karachi, these four artists reference technique, taste and transformation of heritage as a means of identifying the urgency to address these issues of history and tradition. The artists included in this exhibition each take a unique approach to miniature painting and its history that both challenges the viewer and allows for individual interpretations.

Farida Batool NAI REESAN SHEHR LAHORE DIYAN 2006 - Lenticular print 34 x 48 in. - Edition 5/7 Amjad Ali Talpur, for example, both contemporizes and converts the format of miniature painting into an unusual form as he completely abandons the methods of the past. Rather than creating a small scale piece with a variety of motifs, Talpur constructs works as visual and actual puzzles. In turn, these puzzles invite and require the viewer to participate in the rearranging of its components.

Ahsan Jamal similarly plays with the relationship between miniature painting and tradition by applying the technique of Pardakht (the conventional scheme of building shades with tiny marks of a single hair brush) with a modern tool. However, Jamal moves beyond simply modifying or mutilating the tradition, he allows it to develop a personal, yet contemporary imagery.

Sumaira Tazeen again ventures into the art of miniature making, yet takes a more primitive and primordial approach. Classified as miniature based on scale, her imagery presents a personal narrative—identifying with a woman’s world in a male dominated society. In her color, however, Tazeen defies traditional decorative dimensions of the genre.

Similarly, Ayesha Durrani explores the female body through faceless mannequin and roses. She comments on the traditional role of women in a conventionally patriarchal society.

Source: Acion Gallery

Saint Louis Art Museum to show " Action / Abstraction " 1940-1976

Saint Louis, MO - The Saint Louis Art Museum announces the October 19 opening of Action/Abstraction: Pollock, de Kooning and American Art, 1940–1976, the first major U.S. exhibition in 20 years to re-examine Abstract Expressionism and the movements that followed. Prior to traveling to St. Louis, Action/Abstraction opened May 4 at The Jewish Museum in New York. The Albright-Knox Art Gallery in Buffalo, N.Y., is the exhibition’s third and final venue.

Source: Art Knowledge News

MoCADA hosts "Kindred Cool: Portraits Inspired by the Jazz Friendship of Ralph Ellison, Romare Bearden and Albert Murray"

Kindred Cool:

Portraits Inspired by the Jazz Friendship of Ralph Ellison, Romare Bearden and Albert Murray

Photography by Laylah Amatullah Barrayn

On View: August 3 - September 14, 2008

Opening Reception:
Sunday, August 3, 3-6pm

Please join us on August 3, 2008 at 3pm for the opening reception of Kindred Cool: Portraits Inspired by the Jazz Friendship of Ralph Ellison, Romare Bearden and Albert Murray.

Kindred Cool is a photography project that uses relationship between Ralph Ellison, Romare Bearden and Albert Murray as an inspiration for documenting other friendships forged and fostered through a shared appreciation for jazz. Through photographic portraits, Kindred Cool serves as a visual documentary project showcasing the diversity of the jazz diaspora, that is, individuals who are inspired by American classical music: jazz. The subjects of Kindred Cool are a motley crew of jazz educators, vocalists and instrumentalists, rappers, aficionados, journalists, publicists, dancers and painters. A partial list of those photographed for Kindred Cool are Ellis Marsalis, Ladybug Mecca, Randy Weston, Mos Def, DJ Spooky, Vijay Iyer, Rhonda Ross, Brian Jackson, Farah Jasmine Griffin among many others of the 'jazz society.'

RSVP for the Kindred Cool opening reception at WWW.KINDREDCOOL.ORG.

Presented in part with the
Up South International Book Festival
www.upsouth.org

*
Jazz at Lincoln Center
&
ArtSpectra



Source: KindredCool

WOSENE KOSROF @ Stella Jones Gallery, New Orleans, LA

Ethiopian-born artist Wosene Kosrof, whose usage of his native language of Amharic, is exhibiting his "JUST WORDS" collection at the STELLA JONES GALLERY, August 1-September 28, 2008. For over twenty-five years, Kosrof has created works of art that almost always reflect back to his homeland and their usage of symbols in art as well as life.
Educated at the School of Fine Arts in Addis Ababa (BFA, 1972) and Howard University in Washington, D.C. (MFA, 1980), Kosrof work is represented in museums and galleries in Africa, North America and Europe. "As an artist who worked to move traditions into contemporary art," Wosene states, "I see myself definitely as a representative of contemporary art in Africa....I also see myself as an individual, drawing on my culture, bringing my culture to the wider world...I'm simply trying to examine and interpret my own emotional understandings, my feelings, and my spiritual journey, using the Amharic writing as a base."

If you are in the area or would love to take a trip to view this exhibit (as well as take in the beauty that is New Orleans) I promise that you will take a new perspective of mixing phonetics with contemporary cultures with you. The information is listed below.



"Just Words"
August 1-September 28, 2008

ARTIST RECEPTION
Saturday, August 2, 6:00-9:00 p.m.
(White Linen Night)

STELLA JONES GALLERY
Place St. Charles
201 St. Charles Avenue
New Orleans, LA 70170
(504) 568-9050
www.stellajonesgallery.com

To learn more on Wosene Kosrof, please click here.

Duke News: Nasher Museum's "El Greco to Velazquez" Inspires Other Cultural Events

------------------------------------------
DUKE UNIVERSITY NEWS
Duke University Office of News & Communications
http://www.dukenews.duke.edu
-------------------------------------------

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Monday, July 28, 2008

CONTACT: Wendy Hower Livingston
(919) 684-3314 (office); (919) 475-3425 (cell)
wendy.hower@duke.edu

NASHER MUSEUM EXHIBITION “EL GRECO TO VELÁZQUEZ: ART DURING THE REIGN OF PHILIP III” INSPIRES OTHER CULTURAL EVENTS

DURHAM, N.C. -- The Nasher Museum of Art’s upcoming exhibition “El Greco to Velázquez: Art during the Reign of Philip III” has inspired a celebration of the Golden Age of Spain throughout the Research Triangle region.

Cultural institutions, restaurants and tourism officials are planning ways to complement the first comprehensive exhibition of art made for this Spanish court 400 years ago. They include a new symphony piece, a new ballet, musical performances and cooking classes, among other activities.

The exhibition will be on view at the museum on the Duke University campus from Aug. 21 through Nov. 9.

The North Carolina Symphony has commissioned composer Stephen Jaffe to write a piece based on the exhibition and the music of El Greco’s time. Jaffe is the Mary and James H. Semans Professor of Music Composition at Duke and has fulfilled commissions from the National Symphony Orchestra, Philadelphia Chamber Music Society, Fromm Foundation at Harvard University and Oregon Bach Festival. The symphony will perform Jaffe’s work in concerts in Chapel Hill and Raleigh Oct. 2-4.

“We’re excited to be a part of this tapestry of events which weaves together so many parts of our artistic community,” says North Carolina Symphony president and CEO David Chambless Worters. “Multi-faceted partnerships like this, under the Nasher Museum’s leadership, show the world how integrated the arts are into North Carolina culture.”

Robert Weiss, artistic director of Carolina Ballet, will create a new ballet, “Don Quixote,” based on the Cervantes novel of the same name, with choreography in the style of Spanish painters during the reign of Philip III.

“I see a ballet that combines the elements of these great painters with Cervantes’ wonderful story as a poetic evocation, a dreamscape and a chance to push the boundaries -– to take classical ballet in a new direction,” Weiss said.

Carolina Performing Arts will present Spaniard Jordi Savall, the world’s preeminent viola da gamba performer, and his ensemble, Barcelona-based Hesperion XXI, to complement “El Greco to Velázquez.” Savall and his ensemble are noted for scholarship in early music, especially that of 16th- and 17th-century Spain. The performance Oct. 23 at the UNC-Chapel Hill’s Memorial Hall will feature music inspired by Don Quixote and the Spanish Renaissance.

“It will be a colorful musical journey,” said Emil J. Kang, director of Carolina Performing Arts. “Savall conceived and meticulously researched the work to richly display the great musical treasure of the day that Cervantes preserved in his classic and enduring tale.”

Duke Performances will present “Dream Visions from the Spanish High Renaissance,” a performance by the Tallis Scholars, the acclaimed Renaissance vocal group.

The statewide public television network UNC-TV is producing a 30-minute documentary about the exhibition, with footage from Spain that will provide historical background, insights into the painting motifs and techniques of the period, and a visual introduction to the layout and scope of the exhibition. The documentary will air numerous times throughout North Carolina during the exhibition.

School groups and university professors are building curricula around “El Greco to Velazquez.” Durham County Library is planning free programs to engage readers with this period of art history. Books and other materials that complement the exhibit will be available at the library.

Local restaurants are planning tapas menus, wine tastings and cooking classes inspired by Spain, past and present. Restaurant partners include Fairview Dining Room at the Washington Duke Inn, Four Square, G-Loft, George’s Garage and Parizade in Durham; and Elaine’s on Franklin and Spice Street in Chapel Hill. A Southern Season and Weathervane Restaurant in Chapel Hill plans classes, tasting and a wine dinner, and the Wine Authorities in Durham plans two Spanish wine tasting events. Local hotels are offering special packages to out-of-town visitors: Washington Duke Inn & Golf Club, Durham Marriott at the Civic Center, Millennium Hotel Durham and the R. David Thomas Executive Conference Center at Duke.

Among the works of two giants of Spanish art, “El Greco to Velázquez: Art during the Reign of Philip III” will introduce unknown masters of painting and sculpture. The exhibition includes 52 master paintings, including seven late works by El Greco, three early works by Velázquez and works by their contemporaries. The exhibition will be the largest-ever assemblage of international loans of Spanish art in the Southeast, includes monumental altar pieces, life-sized portraits, some of the earliest still-life paintings in Europe, full-length carved and painted wooden sculptures of Spanish saints and more than 50 pieces of period glass and ceramics. Many works are traveling to this country for the first time, some from major museums and some from the churches for which they were originally commissioned.

When “El Greco to Velázquez” opens Aug. 21, museum hours will be 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday and Saturday; 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. on Thursday and noon to 5 p.m. on Sunday. The museum is closed on Mondays except for two Member Monday events, on Sept. 8 and Nov. 3, when a limited number of tickets will be available to museum members at the door.

The museum’s admission price for “El Greco to Velázquez” is $15 for adults, $5 for children ages 7 to 17, $5 for students and $5 for Duke faculty, staff and students. Children 6 and under are free. Nasher Museum members receive free tickets, depending on the level of membership. Visitors may purchase an Antenna Audio guide complementing the exhibition, in English or Spanish, for $3. Visitors can purchase tickets by visiting the Nasher Museum’s information desk, visiting the Duke University Box Office, going to www.tickets.duke.edu or calling (919) 660-1701.

For more information, go to www.nasher.duke.edu/elgreco or call 684-0700.
_ _ _ _

Fall Events:
The Nasher Museum’s fall schedule of events includes two free admission days and two free-admission Family Day events, performing arts and music programs, a lecture series and Antenna Audio tour. All events are free and take place at the Nasher Museum unless otherwise noted. For complete listings, and the latest information, go to www.nasher.duke.edu/elgreco.

-- Aug. 20, Preview Day, open to Duke students, faculty and staff and museum members only (limited free tickets available at the door only), 10 to 5 p.m.

-- Aug. 21, Opening Day, exhibition opens to the public (tickets required), valet parking available, 10 a.m. to 10 p.m.

-- Aug. 24, Elaine’s on Franklin, special wine dinner with local Spanish wine importer Andre Tamers, (919) 960-2770 or go to www.elainesonfranklin.com.

-- Aug. 28, “Patronage and Style at the Court of Philip III,” lecture by Nasher Museum curator and exhibition organizer Sarah Schroth, reservations required, call (919) 681-2272, valet parking available, 7:30 p.m.

-- Sept. 5 and 26, Spanish Wine Tasting at Wine Authorities store, call (919) 489-2884 or go to www.wineauthorities.com, 7:30 to 9 p.m.

-- Sept. 8, Member Monday, limited free tickets available at the door for museum members only, noon to 7 p.m.

-- Sept. 10, Weathervane Restaurant at A Southern Season, Spanish Wine Dinner, reservations required, call (919) 929-9466.

-- Sept. 11, "Cabezón to Cabanilles: The Golden Age of Iberian Keyboard Music," concert by Robert Parkins, harpsichordist, free (tickets required), call (919) 660-1701 for tickets, 7:30 p.m.

-- Sept. 12, Free Day, limited free tickets available at the door only, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

-- Sept. 18, “Patronage and Style at the Court of Philip III,” encore lecture by Nasher Museum curator Sarah Schroth, reservations required, call (919) 681-2272, valet parking available, 7:30 p.m.

-- Sept. 19, A Southern Season, Spanish tapas class with Sarah Schroth and Marilyn Markel, reservations required, call (877) 929-7133.

-- Sept. 21, “El Greco to Velázquez in Flowers,” at the Sarah P. Duke Gardens, by international designer James L. Johnson, tickets $25 including exhibition, call (919) 684-3698 or go to www.hr.duke.edu/dukegardens/, 2 to 4 p.m.

-- Sept. 23, “Art with the Experts,” discussion with exhibition curator Sarah Schroth, Durham County Library’s main branch, go to www.durhamcountylibrary.org, 7 p.m.

-- Sept. 23, “El Greco to Velázquez: An Evening of Art and Wine,” at the Fairview at the Washington Duke Inn & Golf Club. Dinner features regional Spanish cuisine and fine Spanish wines. Followed by a talk from a museum docent about these works of art. Reservations required, call (919) 493-6699.

-- Sept. 25, “The Historical and Religious Context in 17th-century Spain,” conversation with contributors to the exhibition catalogue Antonio Feros and Rosemarie Mulcahy, reservations required, call (919) 681-2272, valet parking available, 7:30 p.m.

-- Sept. 27, Peter Fletcher, performance of classical Spanish and Latin music to celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month, at the Durham County Library’s main branch, 3:30 p.m.

-- Sept. 28, Family Day, limited free tickets available at the door only, noon to 4 p.m.

-- Oct. 1, Free Day, limited free tickets available at the door only, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

-- Oct. 2, 3, 4, North Carolina Symphony: Commissioned Work by Stephen Jaffe, world premiere. Grant Llewellyn, music director; Los Angeles Guitar Quartet; Bonnie Thron, cello; Anton Jivaev, viola; program includes Rodrigo: Concierto de Andaluz, and Strauss: Don Quixote. Oct. 2, Memorial Hall, UNC Chapel Hill; Oct. 3 and 4, Meymandi Concert Hall, Progress Energy Center for the Performing Arts, Raleigh. For tickets, go to www.ncsymphony.org or call (919) 733-2750; 8 p.m.

-- Oct. 6, Manning Chamber Music Series, North Carolina Symphony musicians perform El Greco-inspired chamber music, at Peace College, Raleigh, go to www.ncsymphony.org or call 919-733-2750, free, 7:30 p.m.

-- Oct. 9,10,11,12, “Don Quixote,” Carolina Ballet performance with all new choreography by artistic director Robert Weiss, at Progress Energy Center for the Performing Arts, Raleigh; performances at 8 p.m. on Oct. 9, 10, 11; 2 p.m. on Oct. 11 and 12. For tickets, call (919) 719-0900 or go to www.carolinaballet.com.

-- Oct. 10, Pub Concert Performance, North Carolina Symphony musicians perform El Greco-inspired chamber music, at G-Loft in Durham, go to www.ncsymphony.org or call (919) 733-2750, free, 7:30 p.m.

-- Oct. 17, “The Spanish High Renaissance,” performance by the Tallis Scholars, a choral group based in England, at Duke Memorial Chapel, presented by Duke Performances. For tickets, call (919) 684-4444 or go to www.dukeperformances.org, 8 p.m.

-- Oct. 18, Annual Semans Lecture: Jonathan Brown, the Carroll and Milton Petrie Professor of Fine Arts at New York University and noted authority on Spanish art, reservations required, call (919) 681-2272, valet parking available, 7:30 p.m.

-- Oct. 19, “Iberian Organ Music from the Golden Age” (featuring images of paintings from the exhibition), by Robert Parkins, organist, at Duke Memorial Chapel, free, call (919) 684-2572 or go to www.chapel.duke.edu, 2:30 p.m. and 5 p.m.

-- Oct. 23, Carolina Performing Arts Concert: Hesperion XXI with Jordi Savall, viola da gamba and Montserrat Figueras, soprano; Barcelona-based early-music ensemble performs music and text inspired by Cervantes’ “Don Quixote,” at Memorial Hall, Chapel Hill, go to www.carolinaperformingarts.org or call (919) 843-3333, 7:30 p.m.

-- Oct. 30, “Common Images and Themes in Art and Literature in the Age of Phillip III.” Conversation with contributors to the exhibition catalogue Ronni Baer and Laura Bass, reservations required, call (919) 681-2272, valet parking available, 7:30 p.m.

-- Nov. 1, Salsa Cinderella, performance by the Grey Seal Puppets, at Kirby Horton Hall, Duke Gardens, tickets $8, children 12 months and younger are free, call (919) 684-4444 or go to dukeperformances.org, 11 a.m.

-- Nov. 2, Family Day, limited free tickets available at the door only, noon-4 p.m.

-- Nov. 3, Member Monday, limited free tickets available at the door for museum members only, noon-7 p.m.

-- Nov. 6, “La Vida es Sueño,” drama by Pedro Calderón de la Barca, interpreted and directed by Alejandra Juno, presented by Duke’s Department of Romance Studies, at 209 East Duke Building, free, call (919) 660-3100, 8 p.m.

-- Nov. 7, “A Night in Golden Age Spain,” gala benefiting the Nasher Museum, go to www.nasher.duke.edu/elgreco/gala.

-- Nov. 9, Exhibition closes, last day on view, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Exhibition Sponsors:
The exhibition is sponsored at the Nasher Museum and at the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, by Bank of America and is supported by an indemnity from the Federal Council on the Arts and the Humanities. Additional support was provided by the National Endowment for the Humanities, The Homeland Foundation and the National Endowment for the Arts. The exhibition and accompanying catalogue are presented with the collaboration of the State Corporation for Spanish Cultural Action Abroad (SEACEX), which is supported by the Spanish Ministry for Foreign Affairs and Cooperation and the Ministry of Culture.

A list of other sponsors is available at www.nasher.duke.edu/elgreco.

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Source: Nasher Museum/Wendy Hower

Central Park x Zaha Hadid = CHANEL Mobile Art

CENTRAL PARK TO HOST MOBILE ART
CHANEL CONTEMPORARY ART CONTAINER
BY ZAHA HADID

— OPENING TO THE PUBLIC OCTOBER 2008-

For all you fashionistas, Chanel (the famed fashion house), has commissioned London architect Zaha Hadid to design a traveling exhibition that will house works by 15 artists. I cannot believe this is actually happening; this is 31 years (my age) in the making. Be sure to check out the article from The New York Observer listed below. See you all in October!


If you’re strolling through Rumsey Playfield in Central Park between Oct. 20 and Nov. 9, and you stumble across a grounded UFO, don’t panic. It was sent by Chanel (not the Sci-fi Channel) as a nomadic exhibition of artistic interpretations on its classic 2.55 quilted-style handbag, named not for its price but for its debut month of February 1955. Coming off stops in Hong Kong and Tokyo, the 7,500-square-foot space donut will round up its voyage in London, Moscow and Paris.

The pieces inside the mobile museum come from origins as international as the trip’s itinerary. The Russian arts collective Blue Noses submitted a collection of boxes with a series of satirical handbag videos called “Fifty Years After Our Common Era or Handbags Revolt.” Sylvie Fleury of Switzerland created a mammoth model of a handbag lined with pink fur and containing a TV rolling clips of women firing at handbags. Other sculptures, photos, videos and installations come from France, India and elsewhere.

The Central Park Conservancy will receive a payoff “in the low seven figures” for hosting the slick behemoth, and the city will be paid a “use fee” of $400,000.

Eminent London architect Zaha Hadid told The New York Times she likes that the “Mobile Art” structure “lands, creates a buzz and disappears.” To infinity, and beyond!

Source: The New York Observer

Living Art x ICON: Grace Jones's "Corporate Cannibal"

Get into the direction of this video! From the forthcoming 2008 release "Hurricane." Happy Friday! I will keep this song in mind as I sit at my corporate gig.

Scion + Giant Robot: "Insiders, Outsiders & The Middle"

**FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE*
SCION PRESENTS: INSIDERS, OUTSIDERS & THE MIDDLE – Curated by Giant Robot

Los Angeles - July 2008 -In conjunction with Giant Robot, Scion presents Insiders, Outsiders & The Middle at its 4,500 square foot Installation L.A. Gallery. At Giant Robot, the definition of art ranges from straight contemporary painting to sculpted figures (which were considered action figures just a few years ago). This exhibition celebrates not the disparate mediums, but the divergent mindsets of artists--as well as the gray areas.

Insiders are artists who work so hard in front of their computers that they don't leave their chairs long enough to hang their pieces on walls. More often, their art is found onscreen, in print, and on T-shirts. Adrian Johnson is an example from the U.K., with a retro drawing style inspired by children's books. The other Insiders are from Japan. Noriko Ashino runs the A Piece of Design firm, and specializes in a variety of disciplines including character design and graphics. Sometimes known as ZariganiWorks, the duo of Taro Mukasa and Yoshitane Sakamoto are responsible for the infamous Suicide Bomb Button, have created the Kore Janai Robo (which has gone from handmade wood figurines to vinyl characters with a TV show), and freelance design toys, characters, and products.

Outsiders include Space Invader, a street artist from Paris who makes his mark on walls around the world and calls each tiled piece an "invasion." He painstakingly documents each one before it gets ripped down—either by city workers or collectors—and publishes his work in books and maps. Kami is revered as a graffiti legend in Tokyo and has successfully transitioned from the streets to art galleries. His pieces often resemble flowing water.

And then there's The Middle. The original work of Kyoto-based Shinya Yamamoto has been found in many exhibitions as well as the drum set of Sonic Youth's Steve Shelley. Part Basquiat and part left-brain madness, his style is free flowing and dreamy. Nao Harada, proprietor of the Wrecks clothing line, sketches, draws, and paints with no regard to the meaning of art. He rides around on his BMX leaving stickers and tags around Tokyo. The lone American in the group, Ed Trask, is from Virginia. He tours constantly as the drummer for the veteran punk band Avail. Through painting, he recalls and reinterprets the slices of Americana that he sees on the road. Although there is no obvious correlation between the artists, they form a powerful cross-section of creative forces that are physically active with their art. They belie the image of the stationary artist and pose the question of how they will co-exist in a restrained gallery setting.

The opening reception takes place August 2, 7:00 P.M. – 10:00 P.M. at the Scion Installation L.A. Gallery, 3521 Helms Ave. (at National), Culver City, CA 90232. The show will run until August 23. Dedicated to fostering independent artistic expression, the Scion Installation L.A. Gallery is a space that allows artists to explore their creative visions. The Scion Installation Gallery hosts art shows and art-related events for cutting-edge artists from across the globe. Gallery hours are Wednesday through Saturday 11:00 AM – 6:00 PM and by appointment - 310.815.8840. For more information, visit www.scion.com/space.

About Giant Robot:
Giant Robot magazine began in 1994 as a stapled-and-folded zine and has grown into a fullfledged bi-monthly magazine available at most stores and newsstands. Giant Robot opened its first store in 2001, and formulated a combination of pop culture goods, ranging from Japanese import toys, graphic design and art books, and monthly art exhibitions. Giant Robot has since opened stores and galleries in San Francisco and New York City, and also operates a restaurant called gr/eats in West Los Angeles. Curating this exhibition is the publisher/co-editor and owner, Eric Nakamura who curates most of the 36 exhibitions Giant Robot presents annually in the three
cities.

About Scion:
Scion is the newest line of vehicles from Toyota Motor Sales (TMS), U.S.A., Inc. Developed with a new generation of youthful buyers in mind, Scion's mission is to provide distinctive products, the opportunity to personalize, and an innovative, consumer-driven process at the retail level. The Scion brand features three groundbreaking models: the xD subcompact five-door; the xB, an urban utility vehicle with an iconic shape; and the tC sports coupe. For
more information, visit www.scion.com.

Source: Elemental Consulting/Lucy Beer

THE IDEAL MAN: FASHION FOR REAL MEN, The Hague, Netherlands

WHO: Gemeentemuseum Den Haag

WHAT: Fashion & Design Exhibition

WHEN: July 26-October 26, 2008

WHERE:Address: Stadhouderslaan 41 The Hague 2517 HV
Tel: +31 (0)70 338 1111

WHY: Curated by the art director Maarten Spruyt, this thematic show examines the clothes of menswear designers from the 17th century to the present day. The show focuses on the idea of men “dressing to impress” and details the change from men’s clothes being functional to being a representation of personality. The show features pieces worn by President Mitterrand of France, the first menswear to be worn by a woman in public and designs by Jean-Paul Gaultier, Vivienne Westwood and Walter von Beirendonck. The show also features fashion photographs by Oof Versc.

Photo: Walter van Beirendonck, Sex Clowns Collection, 2008
Source: Gemeentemuseum Den Haag

Work of the Day: Irving Amen's "Many Children Dwell in my Father's House"

Known for his work with woodcut, sculpture and painting, Irvin Amen (b. 1918) usage of religion and love for mankind is ever present in this piece that seem to speak volumes. Travels to Jerusalem, Turkey, Greece, Paris and Israel are all reflective in his work; his earlier works emulated Michelangelo's masterpieces but soon found his own unique style. The above piece is etched entirely in woodcut; etching is the process of taking a hot sharp object and cutting into the given material to create art. Typically, woodcut or woodblock pieces then to have a religious or spiritual theme. Take the time to carefully examine this piece and reflect on what this really means to you.

The ALR Recovers Mario Carreño Painting Found in Closet of Harlem Townhouse

Does this painting not remind you of Picasso? There are traces of Cubism presence; just look at the usage of distinct coloring and shapes. Read the article to find out how this masterpiece went from a Harlem townhouse to the auction block at Sotheby's.



NEW YORK CITY - The Art Loss Register (ALR) has recovered a Mario Carreño painting with the cooperation of Sotheby's New York and the Atlantic Mutual Insurance Companies. The painting, a gouache on paper entitled Tres Mujeres, was hanging in the offices of a New York law firm when it was stolen in October 1993. The painting was not seen again until years later, when it was discovered by a woman in the back of a closet in a Harlem townhouse which she had recently purchased.


Curious as to the value, she brought the painting to Sotheby's for appraisal in early 2008. Sotheby's extended an offer of consignment to the potential seller, and the painting was researched and catalogued for their May Latin American Art Sale in New York with an estimate of $25,000-35,000.

Sotheby's, a subscriber of the Art Loss Register (ALR), sent the catalog for routine checking against the ALR database of lost and stolen artworks. There, the Carreño painting was matched by an art historian on staff at the ALR who recognized it as exceptionally similar to that which was stolen in 1993. With the help of Sotheby's legal department, and the Atlantic Mutual Insurance Companies, which had insured the painting prior to the 1993 theft, the Art Loss Register was able to recover the work on paper for the owner and brokered a deal between all parties.

The Art Loss Register maintains the world's largest database of lost and stolen artworks. Currently there are over 180,000 items registered on our database. Our global record of thefts including losses from the 1930s to the present, is compiled from losses reported by Interpol, the FBI, numerous insurance agencies, private institutions, and the public. We systematically screen the open market, including auction sales, art fairs, dealers' sales and museum acquisitions to determine if any stolen artworks are entering the marketplace. The Art Loss Register has been instrumental in recovering over $320m worth of stolen items.

Photo credit: Sotheby's New York - Latin American Art, May 20 & 30, 2008. Lot 255, Mario Carreno-Tres Mujeres

Source: Art Knowledge News

Who were "Blaue Reiter, Der (The Blue Rider)"

The Der Blaue Reiter movement was a German expressionist art period lasting from 1911 to 1914. The name Der Blaue Reiter was taken from one of Kandinsky’s works, Le Cavalier bleu. The movement was led by Kadinsky, Klee, Marc, and Macke – a group of expressionist artists greatly influenced by the Brucke artists of the previous decade – the Der Blaue Reiter did not believe in the main objective of the Brucke movement (simply focusing on one group of artists).

The Der Blaue Reiter artists attempted to find spiritual truths that they felt impressionists had not conveyed. The art movement was not stylistically unified as demonstrated by the range of pure abstractions created by Kadinsky versus the romantic images of Marc. The Der Blaue Reiter believed in changeability, new ideas, and the mixing of different ideas of spirituality and art.

Source: Art History Guide blog

artist of the week: JULIUS POPP

Julius Popp (born 1973) is an artist based in Leipzig and New York.

Popp was born in Nuremberg. His work often uses technology,[1] resulting in interdisciplinary ventures which reach across the boundaries of art and science.[2] An example of Popp’s work is Bitfall (2005):[3] a machine which displays words selected from the internet via drops of falling water in precise configuration, each word visible only for a second[4]

Popp studied at the Hochschule für Grafik und Buchkunst in Leipzig and he won the Robot Choice Award in 2003.[5] The Fraunhofer Institute, Bonn, and the Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence Laboratory at MIT have both studied elements of Popp’s work which made unique advances in the field of artificial intelligence.[6]

Installation brief: Julius Popp > bit.fall > 2006 > water, pump, magnetic valves, electronic devices, computer > width: approx. 9 m; variable height. > View at Art Unlimited, Art Basel 2006

Biography courtesy of Wikipedia.

HIDE & SEEK in South Korea....

The 9th Annual Art for Life Gala, The Hamptons

A few years ago, I had the privilege of attending Art of Life Gala (East Hampton) courtesy of Vibe Magazine and it was the most incredible act of philanthropy I had ever witnessed by African-Americans. Sponsored by Rush Philanthropic this celebrity-studded event is designed to raise money for Rush's various programs; there is also a second Art for Life held in Miami, Florida. Though I am most certain that my invitation got lost in the mail, I was not able to cover the event in person. Listed below are some pictures from last weekend's soiree so please enjoy. Find an organization in which you can perform generous acts of philanthropy; if not monetarily then a huge currency is your time.













Photos courtesy of Nunez/WireImage.

The New Yorker's portrayal of the Obamas = TASTELESS ART

Speak on it!

Source: The Gawker

Fashion x Art= Kate Moss hologram @ Alexander McQueen's Fall/ Winter 2006

Though this was produced two years ago, it is all new to me. This is really incredible.

Opens Sunday - Home Delivery: Fabricating the Modern Dwelling

Home Delivery: Fabricating the Modern Dwelling
July 20–October 20, 2008

The International Council of The Museum of Modern Art Exhibition Gallery, sixth floor
West lot, exterior, first floor

5 PREFAB HOUSES ASSEMBLED FOR THIS EXHIBITION

Be sure to visit MOMA and experience this collective survey of past, present and future of prefabricated homes. Located on the Museum's vacant lot, 5 prefab houses are constructed by 5 design teams: Kieran Timberlake Associates (Philadelphia); Jeremy Edmiston and Douglas Gauthier (New York); Horden Cherry Lee Architects / Haack + Höpfner Architects (London/Munich); Massachusetts Institute of Technology School of Architecture and Planning / Associate Professor Lawrence Sass (Cambridge); and Oskar Leo Kaufmann (Dornbirn, Austria). I am not one to let the "cat out of the bag" so you will will to experience this exhibition for yourself. The information listed below will further instruct you on how to achieve this experience. Hope to see you soon!

The Museum of Modern Art
(212) 708-9400
11 West 53 Street,
between Fifth and Sixth avenues
New York, NY 10019-5497
MOMA.org

i heart art recommends: ART IS MY HUSTLE

I am constantly on the search for the new and . On 21st Century Hustle page, founder Ali Muhammad posted this link for ARTISMYHUSTLE.COM. Check out the link and make sure to review this brother's credentials listed below. Art will forever rule the world and I plan on remaining a part of the movement.

ARTBIOGRAPHY:

T.Magic is a thought-provoking artist that defies convention. Hailing from London, England, his self-determination and irrepressible optimism formed his business mantra from an early age: Art is my Hustle. Defending his dreams through an aerosol can, the young Artistocrat painted pictures of a forgotten community fighting for the right to be heard in a world of limited space.

Having graduated from the vicious school of the hard knocks, his is that rarest combination of talents: untethered creativity plus commercial savvy. Defiantly independent, the 24-year-old Magic produces striking works of heart and soul that demand we know and remember, not just consume.

T.Magic’s internal think-tank is driven by a simple philosophy: Creating Something Out Of Nothing. Drawing inspiration from his environment, his groundbreaking artwork is infused with layers of meaning and deliberation. Keeping up his furious work pace, Magic continues to advance the art form and enrich the culture by any means necessary.

WWW.ARTISMYHUSTLE.COM

photo and artbiography courtesy of ARTISMYHUSTLE.COM.

ghettogloss Press Announcement: RYAN GRAEFF AND RESTITUTION PRESS

My favorite fine art gallery and retail store, Ghettogloss, are at it again and this time is serving you with Ryan Graeff and Restitution Press. Please take time to read over the press release announcing this awesome collaboration.


PRESS RELEASE
AUGUST 2, 2008

For Immediate Release
Contact:
FIORA OR JESSICA


RYAN GRAEFF AND RESTITUTION PRESS EXHIBITION AT GHETTOGLOSS

LOS ANGELES, CA AUGUST 2, 2008 THRU SEPT 22, 2008
Opening reception Saturday, Aug 2, 2008 from 7P-Midnight.
Join us for a Pabst Blue Ribbon reception and have a cold one on Ryan!

Ryan Greaff and Restitution press exhibition at Ghettogloss in Silverlake.

banditFrom bombing the streets of this nation with a wheat paste icon named "Bandit" to hand silkscreening over a dozen volumes of urban-coated, texture-saturated, color-enriched newspapers called "The Restitution Press," Graeff gets around. Based in his warehouse studio in downtown L.A., Graeff is a full time artist by day, and a slave to bombing the streets by night.

With his "Bandit" image, a band called The 1990s, the newest pop craze out of London, has worn Graeff's latest t-shirt line. His art is featured on the big screen in Will Smith's film, Hancock. Graeff is loved by collectors, fellow artists, and celebrities alike. He has a large following including Tim Armstrong (leadman of Rancid.)


Ghettogloss is a gallery located in the heart of Silverlake. We have monthly exhibitions, rent cleared art to feature films, television, and commercials. We throw wild events around town, have a boutique attached to the gallery and are known for fun, off-beat wildness.

Source: ghettogloss

National Black Art Festival 2008: 20 Years Later....July 18-27, 2008

The National Black Arts Festival is a year-round cultural celebration presenting the best in dance, music, visual arts, theatre and literary arts of Africa and the African Diaspora. This year marks their 20th anniversary and they have brought out the best of every category: Carrie Mae Weems, Dr. Cornel West, Gladys Knight, Charles S. Dutton and more. They present to you the Pan African Film Festival, Alice Walker, James Baldwin's "The Amen Corner" and "The Color Purple." You can the opportunity to "embrace" the fine arts market as well as peruse The Children's Education Village. I have the privilege to attend this amazing event while I lived in Atlanta and it was an auditory and visual treat. Be sure to check out the video listed below and it explains the festival in more detail.

Christie's Announces Sale of Yves Saint Laurent's Art Collection

PARIS—Christie's International has announced that it will sell the art collection of Yves Saint Laurent, who died last month, and his former business partner, Pierre Berge, reports Bloomberg. The collection, which includes works by Picasso, Warhol, Mondrian, Matisse and Goya, is believed to be worth up to £300 million ($599 million). While Christie's has yet to announce the specific date and contents of the sale, the house did say it will be held in Paris in February 2009 in association with Berge's auction house, Pierre Berge and Associates.

Source: ArtInfo

i heart art was there: the studio museum of harlem presents kehinde wiley's "the world stage: africa-lagos~dakar

thelma golden, kehinde wiley, artists, models, editors, designers, liquor, music and popcorn brought us all together and a good time was had by all!!!!!!