I'm a big fan of the so called "new image painters" so I'm very interested to see how this will look at MoMA. I'm pretty sure it will not be everyone's favorite - especially since this period is not very fashionable right now. I think its going to be real nice to see a piece of art that deserves a bit of notice. I like Peter Doig too, but I don't see myself missing his work at the moment.

"Rhapsody" is composed of 987 painted steel panels, each 12 x 12 inches, It is focused many stylistic tendencies of the 1970s, from minimalism to pattern and decoration to conceptualism, in a single work. It is a large and over-reaching piece that I believe is successful in many ways - in my opinion, its well worth a few minutes of your time.

Labels: Museums, Painting

The Aperture Foundation is selling limited edition prints. "Talking Handkerchief" is printed on archival watercolor paper. It is signed and numbered by Laurie Simmons and sold in an archival paper folder.

Simmons is a photographer who creates elaborately staged narrative photographs. Using dolls to act out scenarios within specially constructed environments, she comments on contemporary culture while re-creating “a sense of the 50s that I knew was both beautiful and lethal.”

$600 from the Aperture Foundation



Art deal of the week (mine)
For everyone who ordered a print they have been printed and look great I did print two extras - so if your interested in grabbing one of the last ones - let me know - you can even use email: mlangley@mediastudio.com

If you don't remember, the print is "The Boneyard #2", 2005. It is 4.75 X 4.75 inches, and in open edition. The price is $100.00 for the print. The print is archival and delivered in a 4 ply, 11 X 14" mat.

I think everyone in the DC area knows that The Phillips Collection has recently re-opened due to its renovation there are a couple others that I think are worth knowing. The Blanton Museum at University of Texas (Austin) has moved into its new spaces to house its large collection of Latin-American art and Italian old masterworks. A second building will open next year. In Savanah The Telfair Museum added 64,000 square feet. It had much the same problem as The Phillips - an older building not fully capable of handling artworks of dramatic size - this new renovation will allow it to showcase its rather large collection of Robert Rauschenberg artworks (most notably Page 1, Paragrapgh 8 (short stories).

A lot of this reconstruction/renovation is from capital projects funded by the "philanthropy boom" of the late 1990's. As of this writing over 20 museums are in planning or construction phases.

"Howl" by Allen Ginsberg turns 50 this year
I feel and I think a few would agree that this poem made poetry a critically valid art form in modern society. I'm trying hard no to sound like an asshole here so bear with me - "Howl" is a poem of raw nerves reflecting concerns and life - unlike say someone like Robert Frost. The poem to me is so very real.

Anyway, I'm always amazed that a work of art that is so modern can hold up so well - Stuart Davis's work is the king of this effect.

Interesting Art Fair Trend
In the latest ArtNEWS two different art fairs are touting themselves as art fairs without new york hype or new york prices. I guess the price thing is good - but is this the strength of your fair? I think it's time for a new marketing plan. Here's one, how about stressing the quality of the work or the quality of the galleries showing.

One last ArtNEWS tidbit - there is a great photo of Richard Serra in the Gagosian ad on the back cover.

Same as it ever was
This month, police and propaganda officials have launched a crackdown yet on Beijing's art district, where at least three galleries have been ordered to remove politically sensitive works. An oil painting by Gao Qiang depicting a sickly yellow Mao Zedong bathing in a Yangtze river the color of blood, a child-like depiction of the 1989 Beijing massacre by Wu Wenjian, and the centerpiece of the celebrated artist Huang Rui's first solo exhibition on the Chinese mainland are some of the works ordered to be removed. "I was surprised because, after twenty-five years of economic reforms, I thought China was ready to accept creations like these," said Chen Xindong, owner of Xindong Chen Gallery.

Read the whole story in The Guardian.

Art related gossip
In the early 80's my wife's aunt used to own a bookstore called George Sand Books. Located on Melrose (in LA) it was quite a bookstore in its day. It was known for a large volume of poetry and art books. My wife (Catherine) would work there in the summer during her college years. So with that out of the way, here's the story. Larry Gagosian walks in one day and is looking for a newly released art book (no one can remember) and is quite insistent that it's there, long story short, Catherine is in tears and they cant find the book. and LG orders the book and its there in a few days. But LG makes people cry (this is probably not news).

Finally someone else is talking about Dada
Tyler at MAN has something like 3 large posts going up this week (http://www.artsjournal.com/man/) He's taking a far more art criticism type approach than I did (so it's probably a better read).

Some new photos
I visited Dinosaur Land recently - images will be up soon.

The Art Newspaper is reporting that scholars working on Edvard Munch's catalogue raisonné have discovered "The Scream" isn't the only painting missing. Conservators at the Munch Museum, claim that the location and ownership of more than seventy of Munch's important works are unknown.

The Glass Project - Chapter One: The Bathroom
A MULTIMEDIA WINDOW INSTALLATION
The Glass Project dedicates itself to the liberation of J.D. Salinger’s much adored Glass Family, imprisoned behind their cream and rainbow insignia paperbacks and littered about his short stories including Franny and Zooey, Raise High the Roof Beam Carpenter, and Nine Stories. In The Glass Project, these circumscribed darlings, published in the Kennedy era,and part of a tradition of controversy over copyright and reproduction, become accessible through a final, unnamed character in the epic saga: their house.

Chapter 1: The Bathroom, the first in this series of multimedia installations and performances, explores the universal themes of voyeurism, relief, and release associated with this most private and precious of rooms. This exploration of the Glass Family’s history with bathrooms will serve as a crossword puzzle that has been written over, incompletely erased, yet is still legible to all observers. Through video, sound, and an interactive telephone line, Chapter 1: The Bathroom becomes a medium for both the family’s prodigious catharses and the reader’s blind obsession with these cult figures. In an age where paper literature’s popularity has shifted towards tabloids, The Glass Project harkens instead to a cultural obsession with a fictional reality.

For more details visit: www.theglassproject.net

Podcasts from museums
I was reading Warren Craighead's blog the other day and stumbled upon a little post about MoMA putting podcasts online and at itunes - I downloaded a few and felt like I was really just listening to excerpts from the guided tour - that was a bit sad really because I was hoping for a much more engaging experience. While eating breakfast on Saturday, I came over an article on museums allowing visitors to use there own cell phones and ipods for the walking tours. Evidently the cost of managing and supplying the traditional recorded tour is a huge financial loss for most museums.

Warren Craighead's blog is at: http://www.wcraghead.com/weblog/blog.html

Hockey night in the art world
Most anyone who reads this knows I'm trying real hard to not talk hockey as often as I wish, however I've recently stumbled over a bit of knowledge that makes me start to re-think this moratorium on ice hockey. Tyler at MAN talks hockey far more often than I (not that either one of us is on our way to a sports page) and we both have to root for the caps. But here comes OGIC (another Arts Journal blogger - hmmm.) learning how to skate (bonus points for hockey skates by the way) and she has to root for the Blackhawks (for those not following the NHL it's as dire as the Capitals). That said, lets hear from the rest of you closet hockey/art people.

I'm seriously thinking ABMB needs a street hockey game this year. Can goalies hold little dogs as they play?

I love art, making it, buying it, and (sometimes) selling it. I am a huge believer in low cost, high edition or no-editioned art. I am always excited to see high volume / low cost editions - I do believe that there is a place in art for this. I will be trying in the next few weeks to showcase as much as this as I can. BTW I'm not opposed to low edition low cost art either.

These are a few of my favorite urls for lower cost, high quality art.

Printed Matter
Art Metropole
eyestorm.com (use the search engine)

Blind Spot Tribute Edition
Blind Spot's next issue will be a tribute to the magazine's founder Kim Zorn Caputo who died last year. 

In a special edition of the book (that includes five signed and numbered 8" x 10" photos by Uta Barth, Jem Southam, Ed Burtynsky, Vik Muniz and the Starn twins) only 100 copies of the limited edition available book will be available for a special price. 

The prints are each in an edition of 100 and the remaining 75 can be bought separately starting at $250 per print.
For more info, contact Sarah Stout at 212.633.1317. 

Sam Wolov
Check out Sam Wolov - She's trying to move and save a little bit of money at the same time and is selling a few photo's for prices she should be ashamed of. Licked (below) is one of a few she has available.



"Licked", 2005
Here are the details - Digital archive print from Chrome, 8"x12" image, double matted (front and back) on acid-free white mat to 16"x20", Both print and mat are signed. $75.

I have a serious fixation on Laika the Cosmonaut - If you've read any of the archives look for the review of "I am not Jackson Pollack". "Laika A Dogs Journey into Space" will be published by First Second (in the fall? in time for christmas?) Anyway it's a graphic novel (comic book) seen through the eyes of Laika. Do you know that the Russian scientists never had enough oxygen to keep Laika alive during the flight - and on her last meal had put poison in her food. They thought and I agree that they believed that it was the right thing to do, however it is now thought that she died after about the second day because of the poor heat shielding of the rocket.

Regardless of Laika's end, her story is fascinating and I can't wait to see Nick Abadzis's work. See more at: www.firstsecondbooks.com

I can only imagine Laika orbiting the earth hearing her heartbeat slowly dying and maybe hoping she in some way is helping the very people who are responsible for her. Possibly hoping to hear just a quiet "good girl".

All the World's Fighter Jets [unique poster series]
Fiona Banner

As part of the exhibition "All the World's Fighter Planes", Printed Matter, Inc. is offering a limited series of unique posters by Fiona Banner. Each poster is printed on the uncut printer's proofs for the final book. Each print is stamped in the lower left hand corner with the embossed initials FB and stamped by Banner's imprint "The Vanity Press". While each of the 30 posters has unique variations, similarities are seen in the posters depending on the selection of text, text color and page selection for 11 different variarions.

$250.00

The Hirshhorn Museum is having a “Meet the Artist” lecture with Jonas Mekas, pioneer of avant-garde cinema, creator of the Film Culture journal, and founder of Anthology Film Archives.

The week prior to Mr. Mekas’ talk, the Hirshhorn Musuem will be screening a selection of his groundbreaking diary films. On May 4, the program will include Walden, 1964-1969 and Happy Birthday to John, 1999, drawn from footage of a 1972 celebration of John Lennon’s birthday. The second screening, on May 5, Reminiscence of a Journey to Lithuania, 1972, runs 180 minutes.

Above image: Andy Warhol, myself, c. 1974. From SCENES FROM THE LIFE OF ANDY WARHOL

Every once in a while I will use this forum to discount a work I like. I have decided to sell a few images in a smaller format - these will be 4.75 X 4.75 inches, and in open edition. The price is $100.00 for the print. The print is archival and delivered in a 4 ply, 11 X 14" mat.

The print for this week is The Boneyard #2, 2005. Sale ends next Monday 4/17. Contact me at mlangley@mediastudio.com. I can take practically any kind of payment.

Finally a reasonable article about collecting and understanding art - without the phrase "you have to love it". Clearly you have to like what you spend your money on - but the emphasis on the love aspect is ridiculous. Dwell this month devotes about 11 pages to how to collect and stay on top of the art market. It's not pedantic nor is it too highbrow. There are two pages of FAQ's covering shipping, hardware and framing, placement, preservation and insurance.

This is really the best article that I've ever seen on starting a collection - Dwell is available where most magazines are sold.

Artists Talk on Art presents Post Post Modern, an examination of the newest trends in postmodern art. Dealers, artists, and writers show and discuss current art, considering how societal, political, and technological developments influence these trends. How has the information explosion, globalization, and cybernetics contributed? In what way does the distribution of art through art fairs, digital prints, and websites impact the work? Finally, what could the future hold? After an opening introduction by the moderator, each panelist will present 10 minutes of images, followed by a moderated discussion, and ending with 30 minutes of Q/A with the audience. Moderator: Chris Twomey, artist, writer Participants: Lea Rekow, artist, founding director of Gigantic Art Space Francis Hwang, net artist, writer, software engineer, current director of technology for Rhizome.org Joel Beck, copartner of Roebling Hall Galleries Ben Goldman, artist, director of City Without Walls, founder/president of United Visual Arts Inc. Organizers: Chris Twomey, artist, writer Tamara Wyndham, artist

POST POST MODERN will take place on Friday, April 28th, 2006 at 7pm, in the amphitheater at the School of Visual Arts. 209 East 23rd Street, (between 2nd & 3rd Ave.) NYC Artists Talk on Art www.atoa.ws

Is a new auction group starting in NYC. I see this as a great way to get started collecting and seeing some new things without being afraid of talking to the person behind the desk at your local white cube. Sparkling Fresh Silent Art Auction had an auction on Tuesday April 4th, at Chashama @ 217 E. 42nd Street. The auction only features emerging artists with bids starting at $100 (and of course more). This is a group with a great idea - I'm sure we'll see more of them

Try this link http://www.sparklingfreshart.com/ for more details and to sign up for their newsletter.

Also Noted: Have you seen VroomJournal? give it a look.

Gonzalez-Torres to "represent" at the VB
The US State Department has selected the work of Cuban-American artist Felix Gonzalez-Torres to represent the United States at the 2007 Venice Biennale. Gonzalez-Torres will be (in my recollection) the first artist representing the US who died (publicly with advance knowledge) of AIDS-related complications.

Charles Saatchi and Royal Academy put together show of US art
The BBC reports that the Royal Academy is working with Charles Saatchi for an exhibition celebrating new American art. "USA Today," opens in October, will feature thirty artists who work in the US. Among the artists included are Kelley Walker, Rodney McMillian, Inka Essenhigh, Jules de Balincourt, Josephine Meckseper, and Ryan McGinness. Royal Academy president Sir Nicholas Grimshaw said: "This is a thought-provoking and exciting array of works from tomorrow's big art names."

I wonder if Saatchi can get Damien Hirst in this show just for grins. One last dig - has DH been "knighted" yet?

Art Deal of the Month (not mine)
For those who loved the Marilyn Minter in the WB or on the cover of ARTnews this month, Creative Time has an 11x14 inch, Limited Signed Edition of 100 prints available for $500.
Follow this url: http://www.creativetime.org/programs/archive/2006/minter/limited.html

A photograph of mine has been included in the current show at MOCA DC. The Show opens April 7 and closes April 28. Hope to see you there.

Begins filming this summer(!). Director Spike Jonez, screenplay by Dave Eggers.

Here's what I know, the script is one of the most guarded in the history of Hollywood. Sendak is allegedly very happy with the script and approach to imagery. What I always forget is how dark a story WTWTA really is. The relationship between a mother and son, and the separation of children with their parents. There are hints that more detail will be fleshed out for the journey home as well as the back story of why Max (the protagonist) is having problems with his mother. The film will be live action not animation.

I'll stay on this as I can through the year - expect a fall 2007 release at the earliest. (my guess)

I've recently been selected as a participant in a photo show curated by Marshall Clarke titled "Close To Solitude" It runs from March 24 - April 21, with an opening on March 24 at 6 pm. The location is the Current Gallery (30 south Calvert Street).