Artland: USA is a 12 episode road trip that covers the USA looking at art - anywhere but in New York or Los Angeles. Of course a lot of what is covered is able to be seen in the cultural centers, however seeing them outside of the usual settings is indeed interesting. Here is the basic disclaimer: Art on television is incredibly difficult, and probably impossible to not water down to a certain level. I think Artland: USA does this better than most.



Shown in high definition on the VOOM HD Networks, Artland: USA is a real treat to watch. A lot of the credit goes to the crew - maximizing the wide aspect ratio to it's fullest extent. The host's of the show Charles Luxton and Mame McCutchin are personalities that are engaging and not overpowering. A strong choice for a show about traveling in a motor-home.



Week four airs this thursday night and covers the region from Denver to Minneapolis. Highlights will include; Carhenge, The Des Moines Art Center, The Quilt Study Center, The General Mills Art Collection, a vist with photographer Alex Soth, and the Walker Art Center.



What I like is the diverse approach to the subject matter - small museums, artists at work, roadside art, architecture and folk art.

Some previous episodes have covered Marfa Texas and the Chinati Center, The Farnsworth House (Mies van der Rohe) in Plano, Illinios, as well as the Cadillac Ranch in Amarillo, Texas, and Michael Heizer's Double Negative in Overton, Nevada.

Artland: USA is on the Dish Network on channel 9472.

All photos from Artland:USA

Labels: Artland: USA, TV

Undercurrent Arts presents the Second Saturday Art Walk. November 11, 2006 at 7pm.
2563 N. Miami Ave.  Miami - In the Wynwood Art District
For more info: www.undercurrentarts.com

Labels: general notice, Miami

Things are going to be chock-a-block full. here is what is on the plate:

• An interview I don't want to jinx yet (maybe two)
  
• The editions art fair
  
• The NY Art Book Fair
  
• Brice Marden at MoMA
  
• the eight or ten events that are in orbit around Art Basel Miami Beach
  
• Marc Cameron Boyd at the Katzen
  
• The show of post minimalist artworks also at the Katzen
  
• plus all the usual posty type things

Seems like a pretty good plan for the next two months. Let's meet often, shall we?

Labels: general notice

Earlier this summer I took a photo of a boat that was turned into a sign for a marina. I was told by my local authority figure (my friend Haleh - who has a house nearby) that it had been there "forever" and wasn't really going anywhere. Well guess what - its gone. I did take the picture, and while it's not the best thing I've ever taken - its not a bad image.

The real thought lies not so much with the story of the boat/sign but with the permanence of art objects versus art experience.

Try as I might I have no real answer for this - although a lot has been written in the past about matters such as this, I'm trying to find a way to find my words for it. More and more though I am coming to a thought that art for the most part is a temporary thing, to be embraced and remembered. Even owning an art object is not really owning art - to actually own the art you would need a way to capture experiencing the art object and the viewer. Effectively owning a piece of art is really only owning the object that produces art in the first place. It is not the same as owning the art experience - it simply makes the owner a gatekeeper of sorts.

I think this is closer to the truth, but I'm not 100% convinced. I really don't want to sound like a three year old trying to rationalize this, but like I said, words are really failing me on this one.

Labels: thoughts

So you might have guessed that I was on vacation last couple of weeks and caught up on my reading. As an artist the best thing I read that two weeks was the interview of these two painters talking about painting. No art history or polemics - just the standard studio type questions friend might talk about. Did you know that Marden really likes and paints to Jay-Z? I never would have guessed. The interview is just low key and really just two guys talking about painting - not about the idea of painting, but about light, oily spots to fix, music and studios.

It's a great read.

Labels: Artforum, Brice Marden, Chris Ofili, Painting

I think the headline speaks volumes - however I need this vacation badly. I look forward to posting again on or around Nov.1.

Thanks for your paitence.

Labels: general notice

As time passes, Andy Warhol's art continues to become more and more relevant (weather you like it or not). This season we are seeing more of AW than ever (the celeb paintings, the piss abstractions, and we will see plenty at the fairs this fall/winter) Warhol's understanding of the mundane is in force now more than ever. On July 25th 1964, from 8:06pm till 2:42am, Warhol (or an assistant) trained a camera from the Time-Life Building to the Empire State Building and treated this architectural icon, he once described, as "a star" to the full on Warhol method. Just watching - not judging - not interfering. The Camera's lens never moves, nothing happens, lights on and lights off, people enter and leave..."nothing" happens -- for eight hours.

Empire is on view in Andy Warhol Supernova: Stars, Deaths and Disasters, 1962-46 at the Art Gallery of Ontario in Toronto, Canada

Labels: Film, Warhol

I had an ok SPX. I was able spend some time with my friend Harris and see some interesting stuff in the process. That said I bought four things - one of which was a complete bust. However I'm pleased to report that I bought the Johnny Miller (see previous post) and it surpasses my greatest expectations. However the show is really just a comic book show for people who no longer read "spandex comics" (or prefer to read "spandex comics" parodies)I would love to see more small book (ie, not comics) presses and folks really doing something a bit different. That said, I'm holding out hope for Printed Matter's event next month in New York. More than likely, I'll take next year off from SPX and try it in a couple years.

One word of advice - dont bother reading "Slaves of Christo" - what a waste.

Labels: Comics, general notice

Printed Matter, has announced its new initiative, The NY Art Book Fair, New York City's first annual fair devoted to contemporary art books. Over 40 international exhibitors, from major distributors to antiquarian dealers and independent publishers, will occupy a dual-level 20,000 square foot space. The fair will take place November 17th through 19th, 2006, at 548 West 22nd Street. Admission to the fair is free. A preview event on Thursday, November 16th will benefit Printed Matter, Inc.

Did you know that Printed Matter, Inc. was founded in 1976 by Sol Lewitt, Lucy Lippard? I sure did not.

Labels: general notice, Richard Prince

SPX 2006 will be held this weekend at the Marriott Bethesda North Hotel & Conference CenterBethesda, MD. Now in its tenth year SPX now serves as the preeminent showcase for the exhibition of independent comic books and the discovery of new creative talent - and it's right here in our backyards.

It's well worth a few hours on friday or saturday.

Labels: general notice

Botero - Abu Ghraib
Leave it to a man who paints chubby people to turn my head about the US atrocities at Abu Ghraib.

Here's my deal, I don't usually care for political art. Most of the time it's simply "something is bad, we should protest" type messaging. To me this defeats the basic notion that there are multiple concepts that make the struggle and trivializes the art with this childish simplicity. Fernand Botero is now showing paintings showing under the title Abu Ghraib. I'm glad he is. For if for no other reason - no one else will. Botero has approached a serious subject with his usual style and in doing so forces the viewer to see the ideas and concepts of torture differently. Will we get to see a fat woman with her finger pointed like a gun? or will we start to finally see the brutality of just what man is capable of doing to his fellow man?

I can see the jumping off point for FB and it opens doors to a deeper subversive quality to his work that never thought was there.


Neil Jenney & Donald Sultan
I never thought of Jenney or Sultan as "uptown" artists in fact both of them being more or less interested in reductive approaches to their work it seems like a curious fit. I know you might disagree with me on that, however even Jenney's "Bad Paintings" were extremely reductive in approach as well as final presentation. Both of these artists are not afraid to simplify - and both do so in a way that only reflects the amazing editing that goes on in the studio. This is a great pairing of artists who reward the viewer the longer the viewer cares to spend with the work.

This seems to me to be a great "artists for artists" type show, for it shows just how well smart decisions in the studio benefit the viewer on the other side of the object later on. That said - don't dismiss this show for lack of interest in process - it just might point to the fact that "how" is often more important than "what" gets created.

Labels: Painting

Frieze Talk: Art Beyond Art - Jean Baudrillard and Sylvere Lotringer
Regent's Park, W1 (020.7833.7260) 2:30 pm Free

I know that there are folks out there who hate this kind of art criticism - however I do see a lot of merit in this approach. What he hell these guy's are geniuses (as far as how they do what they do) and it's free.

astroturf presents adams griffiths
thursday, october 5th, 7-9pm
@ unsung designers boutique
2412 18th Street, nw - rear door
(pink doors in alley between felix and new orleans cafe in Adams Morgan)

Astroturf and Unsung Designers are exhibiting the pen & ink drawings of artist Adam Griffiths. Star guests will include Adam, his art work, the hot threads of Unsung Designers, food and drink, and DC's turntable superstars.

This is a interesting idea - a gallery without a space. I did some checking and the last show was in a laundromat. seems like it might be interesting...

For more info http://www.astroturfdc.com

From Artforum - As many of the world's most notable museums raise their admission prices, the cultural institutions of Baltimore and a few other cities are going in the opposite direction, with both the Walters Art Museum and the Baltimore Museum of Art now offering free admission, reports the New York Times' Jennifer Conlin. "The museum's mission is to bring art and people together, and we were finding the cost was an impediment to fulfilling that mission," said Gary Vikan, director of the Walters.

Labels: general notice

The Museum of American Illustration at the Society of Illustrators is hosting "30 Years of Fantagraphics," a retrospective art exhibition of original art published by Fantagraphics. The show will include pieces spanning three decades of publishing, including pieces by Daniel Clowes, Chris Ware, Peter Bagge, Joe Sacco, Jim Woodring,Frank Frazetta, Tony Millionaire, Gilbert Hernandez, Jaime Hernandez, Robert Crumb, Drew Friedman and dozens of other revolutionary cartoonists.

Fantagraphics has been one of the great bastions of adult oriented comics (not x-rated, although they have those too). They are probably best known for the "Love and Rockets" series, although they also publish a lot of books as well as the always under-rated Comics Journal which has almost singlehandedly created comics journalism. But really all of this is secondary, go see it for the great art.

For more information go to www.fantagraphics.com

Image above by Jamie Hernandez from the "Mechanics" series.

Labels: general notice

E|AB|FAIR|06 is scheduled for November 2-5 (in New York). It will feature a special edition by Allen Ruppersburg (for 150.00 - no less). Frankly, isn't that enough to know you want to be there...

For more info go to www.eabfair.com

Labels: general notice

Just a quick FYI, the annual report RP did for Ringier AG is now available as a non-business publication (you might call it a book - "Jokes and Cartoons" here is the URL). There is also a new book from MIT Press titled "Richard Prince: Untitled (Couple)". The book focuses on RP's use of appropriated imagery and focus's on his series of the same name.

for more information mitpress.mit.edu

BTW - not really a big fan of the MIT Press web site...

Labels: Richard Prince

I know a lot of folks love Nobuyoshi Araki and I'm with them about 35% of the time. This weekend I watched "Arakimentary" and frankly it just didn't do it for me. The Documentary was interesting enough and Araki seems like a huge personality - but I feel like I need a little bit more - especially as it pertains to the images he creates. It seems like he's not interested in the dichotomy between his pornography, commercial, and his personal work - which to me is the more interesting thing when you look at his entire body of work. Clearly your milage may vary.

I rented a copy from netflix, you might have heard of them.