William Eggleston has two movies out right now.
The one that is going to get all the art press is “Stranded in Canton” which is using found Sony Port-a-Pac video he shot in the seventies in and around New Orleans and Memphis. I have not yet seen this, however the raves are already piling up.
The other film, “William Eggleston in the Real World”, filmmaker Michael Almereyda asks the renowned photographer: What does it mean to see the world so differently that “common” images are converted into unforgettable photos? Granted, this is going to be a little bit more general and not as specific, although from a few of the conversations I’ve had with some artists recently – maybe a little bit of generalness is in order. Your mileage may vary. “William Eggleston in the Real World” is available at netflix.
Joan Snyder, The Storm, 1974
High Times, Hard Times, New York Painting 1967 – 1975
This is one of my favorite periods of art in the USA. Sitting between Pop and Neo-Expressionism and best known for the “New Image Painters” this period really pushed the advancement of painting in a time when people really believed painting to be dead. (just like punk – paintings not dead – you are!) Richard Tuttle, Mel Bochner, Blinky Palermo, Pat Steir, Elizabeth Murray, Joan Snyder are just a few of the names you’ll see here. of curious note: Nearly half the painters presented in High Times, Hard Times are women, many dismissed by art critics, who saw them only as creating artworks limited value and not as leaders in painting at the time.
American University Museum at the Katzen Art Center, Washington, D.C. November 21, 2006 – January 21, 2007
“Anselm Kiefer: Heaven and Earth” at Hirshhorn Museum. “William Wegman: Funny Strange” at the National Museum of American Art this summer
Ok I’ll admit the title really says it all – both artists are either loved or hated. (that might be too strong a wording, but you know what I mean) Some feel that Keifer has developed into a cult of personality that is starting to erode the importance of the work – but give the man credit – grand themes are harder to come up with all the time and he does this time and time again. I also love the use of materials – thick paint, hay, lead, etc.
William Wegman is even more difficult – known at one time as a conceptual artist (video and performance) he has fallen into a universally loved series of images (I’m talking about the dogs) that I think he is just now breaking away from. His new postcard paintings are fantastic. This show, Funny/Strange is a retrospective and should be interesting to see just how it’s put together.
May 18 in NYC
EVA HESSE: BEYOND MINIMALISM A distinguished panel of artistic peers and friends of Eva Hesse will consider her influential art and career. Topics for discussion include personal recollections of the artist, and the relevance of her work to that of the panelists at the The Jewish Museum, 1109 Fifth Avenue. Carl Andre, Mel Bochner, Nancy Holt, William S. Wilson are panelists.
June 14 in NYC
BOMB Magazine celebrates its 25th anniversary year of publishing interviews with a line-up of its contributing editors, including: Kimiko Hahn, whose new collection of poetry, The Narrow Road to the Interior, will be published in July; poet Matthea Harvey, author of the collection Sad Little Breathing Machine; Jaime Manrique reading from his latest novel, Our Lives Are the Rivers; Robert Polito, author of Savage Art: A Biography of Jim Thompson; and Ned Sublette, reading from his work in progress, The Year Before The Flood: Music, Murder and the Legacy of Slavery in New Orleans at The Kitchen, 512 West 19th Street, 7pm $5