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12.2.16

Chelsea Galleries and Robert Blackburn Printmaking Workshop

It is fitting to end the semester near where we began: the Chelsea Galleries. Emblematic of change in the contemporary art world, the Chelsea Galleries strive to present a variety of new art in as many ways as possible. Often transformative, these spaces suit the art displayed inside and fit the theme of the exhibition while waiting to transform again for the next show. We visited many of the same galleries today, but were able to see the change these galleries represent as all had completely transformed into another show one way or another.

At the Lisson Gallery, a space we have never visited before, Chinese artist Ai Weiwei has taken over the gallery. His series of cast iron tree trunks and roots populate the empty gallery space, and are accompanied by a wallpaper of his design. Presenting themes of displacement, the pieces work together in transforming the space into their own home. Ai Weiwei continues this interaction between space and art to another gallery in Chelsea, the Mary Boone Gallery, which was populated by a large tree by Ai Weiwei, and another set of his wallpaper.

One space completely overhauled was the Hauser&Wirth gallery, now holding Paul McCarthy’s Raw Spinoffs Continuations. The interior walls of the gallery have been entirely torn down to emulate a warehouse or another large space for McCarthy’s works. All tongue in cheek, deconstructed versions of the seven dwarves populate the front gallery area with a backdrop of pirates and dildos. The artwork commands the space, and the transformative quality of the galleries allows this hostile takeover.

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11.18.16

Dreamlands

Note: I was originally absent on the day of class, but made the trip up on 12.3.16 with Art Club.

Film is a relatively new medium, only surfacing in the late 19th century with the simple loop of a horse running. It has grown and evolved since then, diversifying into animation, stop motion, cinematography, and even full 3D animation. The Whitney Museum of American Art has celebrated this new and broad history of film with its immersive exhibition: Dreamlands. Though largely exploring new film media, it also presents pieces of film history, elevating each piece of pop culture to the level of art it should be recognized as.

Arguably, the main attraction for this exhibition was the wide variety of contemporary film media. The Whitney was able to transform space to fit some of the films, creating entirely new environments to better suit their theme, design, or simply aesthetic. While Ben Coonley’s Trading Futures projected 3D film onto the interior of a cardboard dome, Alex Da Corte and Jayson Musson received a hot pink room with oranges and shag carpet illuminated by neon. Other works were featured in transformative spaces, but the room for Hito Steyerl’s project was perhaps the most extreme. A blue neon grid illuminated a completely black gallery space, while 3D characters danced on screen. The exhibition was not simply limited to new film media, however, as the exhibition also elevates older projects to the same level of art. Disney Studios had provided samples for Fantasia, an animated film. The presence of these images framed in the gallery space, again, elevated the images and the film associated with it to that of fine art. They were not the only “older” pieces featured, as the exhibition included early black and white films as well. Together, the exhibition allows these projects to reach the same status as other works of art featured in the museum. Despite being a new medium, film has quickly found its place as art and as art history worthy of study.

11.11.16

Guggenheim and Neue Gallery

Contemporary art does not exist in a vacuum. It is as equally important for artists to study art history as it is to study their craft. Generations of artists have come and gone, but left a legacy that has shaped material culture for centuries. For a contemporary artist to successfully follow in the masters’ footsteps and shape our world, we must first see theirs. Today, we were able to see two exhibits on famous artists to learn from their extremely different styles and techniques.

Guggenheim - Agnes Martin (minimalist) The first exhibition of the day was a retrospective show on Agnes Martin at the Guggenheim. A minimalist and abstract expressionist painter, Martin’s large scale paintings and collection of drawings fit in well with the design of the Guggenheim, and ultimately transformed the space into not only a timeline of her life but also an otherworldly space of quiet and calm. In her pieces, Martin explores the natural world through a lens of grids and muted color palettes. In my opinion, Martin’s work places ideas of peace and order above being "aesthetically pleasing,” and softly commands attention from the curving walls of the Guggenheim. Though the quiet nature of this exhibition creates stark contrast to the Klimt exhibit later that day, it creates some sort of stirring feeling of inspiration to explore simplified colors and order when addressing abstract issues.

At Neue Gallery, we were able to see a retrospective exhibition on Gustav Klimt'a body of work. A lover of women, his portraits explore ideas femininity while utilizing lavish decoration and patterning. This exhibition was particularly inspiring to me not just for the art historical value, but to explore the material and textures Klimt used in a variety of his works. He is an artist I have admired for a long time, and texture is one element I explore very often in my own works. To study both his paintings and drawings even for a day has contributed to my understanding of the craft and desire to experiment more. This is, after all, the main purpose of artists studying other artists’ works and general art history. To learn from the past and present is the best way for us to prepare for the future, and today was truly a great day for study.

11.4.16

Linda Weintraub and Postmasters Gallery

Art has never stood still. It is always evolving, changing each day and with each generation of artists. While some techniques have been passed down from master to pupil, contemporary artists are finding new media and new methods for their responses to contemporary problems. This can range from environmental problems to addressing gender identity, and some artists strive to be on the cutting edge of the art world.

More artists today than ever before are addressing environmental concerns. Linda Weintraub, curator and author, has shifted interest into making art and workshops. We had the unique opportunity to participate in an exercise exploring the fragility of the natural world through fire and ice. This interactive experience was unique to each group and explored how each of our actions can impact the world we live in. Though a bit out the box at times, Weintraub's program was truly thought provoking and unique in its handling of the materials. She, like many contemporary artists, attempts to be part of a new narrative. A narrative of enginuity and experimentation that both attempts to reinvent art while remaining a part of it.

It is often difficult for some artists to find spaces to display work like this. While Weintraub had the luxury of space and income, up and coming artists do not always have the same opportunities. The Postmasters Gallery is a rare space and has existed in various spaces for over 30 years. Director Magdalena Sawon has largely run the space alone, but has remained a constant ally to the inventive. We were given the opportunity to speak to her about running a gallery, and in particular the challenges she has faced in finding the most cutting edge art today. In the first gallery space, photographs of male bonding rituals hung on the walls. Sawon explains that these pieces were all shot by a trans* artist attempting to connect to the experiences they missed in adolescence, and that these were the types of pieces she looks for. Things new, things relevant, things unseen. The Postmasters gallery is one of the few galleries who continuously searches to push the envelope, and allows art to continue to evolve. Another space in Postmasters Gallery combined both narrative video and an interactive environment for the audience, allowing us to explore and exist the same space. Though not as marketable as photographs and paintings, Sawon is more concerned about the presence of art than its profitability. The future of art is not always going to make money, but it will make an impact on society the same as previous generations of artists.

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10.28.16

ARTNews and New Museum

For as long as theres been art, people have written about it. Art critics have been known to set the tone and tastes for the period, and can be as influential as artists. Growing out of 17th century patronage and 19th century Academy reviews, today’s art criticism has developed to meet the demand of an international audience while retaining the right to promote specific artist careers and trends. Many contemporary critics have chosen to use the internet as a vehicle for their articles, while some others continue to use traditional forms of print. ARTNews is one of the oldest forms of art criticism in America, whose quarterly magazines continue to inspire and promote the careers of artists.

When meeting with Katie McMahon, creative director of ARTNews, the group was able to learn more about contemporary art criticism in print and some of the challenges related to the medium. For example, ARTNews had recently shifted from monthly issues to quarterly. This provided an opportunity to curate thematic issues whilst retaining the same opportunities to promote individual artist careers and new exhibitions. This change in production also allows the publication to stand out from its competitors, as the quarterly issues may seem more “special” or “unique” to the average consumer. This change also allows ARTNews to utilise higher quality materials. The most noticeable tends to be a higher quality paper, which allows more lifelike reproductions of artists’ works. While meeting with Katie and her colleague Kate, of Art in America, I was able to ask a question regarding representations of installation works and video in print media. Kate referenced past publications in her answer, saying that it is typical to include as many images as possible to emulate the movement in a video, or the environment of an installation. Despite challenges such as this, print media like ARTNews and Art in America remain popular for their ability to publish high quality productions, while also publishing articles promoting the careers of certain artists and gallery exhibitions.

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10.14.16

SO-IL and BAM

The contemporary art world is incredibly diverse and not simply limited to traditional forms of media. Architectural designs, and the art pieces meant to compliment them, are increasingly recognized as works of art.

SO-IL is a contemporary architectural firm whose projects not only serve artistic institutions, but become works of art themselves. Founded by Florian Idenburg and Jing Liu in 2008, the pair has continued to blur the line between art and architecture. Their designs are incredibly popular with galleries and museums, which allows experimentation with material. The Kukje Gallery in Seoul, for example, has a blanket of chainmail draped over the exterior of the building. This diffuses the modern building so it may better incorporate into a traditional area of Seoul. SO-IL continues to experiment with materials, as seen in Passage, Blueprint at Storefront, and Dichroicarus, toying between architecture as a necessity as well as an art form.

Its not common for a theatrical venue to exhibit art regularly, but the Brooklyn Academy of Music (BAM) has full time curatorial staff creating exhibitions and selecting installation works all the time. While some are confined to more traditional gallery spaces, others transform the interior entryway as an interaction with the architectural design of the space. The Cithara and the Aulos by Lauren Clay explores traditional book marbling, featured over many of the doorways, while Well VI by Ester Ruiz interacts with the audience as they go upstairs. As it is necessary to navigate the space, it is necessary to see and develop a relationship with these works.

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Blog Analysis • 11.4.16

Two Coats of Paint

Contemporary art blogs follow in the footsteps of 19th century art critics. They choose which artists and exhibitions to feature, often focusing on trends in the contemporary art world. Today, the majority of contemporary art critics have found their audience online, and are as diverse as the artists they represent. Two Coats of Paint is one such blog, focusing on painting as a medium. Each article varies in its content, though the majority of which tend to be either reviews of exhibitions or interviews with artists, while keeping the medium in focus. Much like art critics of the past, I believe that contemporary blogs like Two Coats of Paint will be valued for their contributions to art history, particularly in their historical context and by providing information regarding the artist as an individual for future study.

Many of the articles featured on Two Coats of Paint feature new painting exhibitions, often including artist talks and responses to the show. “Examining queer @ Yale University,” by Sharon Butler and contributor Rachel Farber, is one such article examining an exhibition on representations and interpretations of queer perspective. The article is a combination of social history, images of some featured works, and quotes by the artists. The art historical value of this article comes in the form of understanding. The works and conversations featured here will serve as a reminder of how our society currently understands ideas of queer as an overarching theme. The article talks about how this term, once derogatory, has been reclaimed by a group seeking a fitting identity. While ideology and understanding of the term may change overtime, as often as themes do in art history, it will be preserved in relation to its time period. This will prove valuable in interpreting these artists’ works again in the future, as there will be evidence to how themes of queer were addressed in relation to the history surrounding the subject.

Two Coats of Paint is unique in its frequency of artist interviews. There seems to be a new feature weekly—at a bare minimum—compared to some other competitors. The frequency of these interviews combined with the data gathered provides vital information for contemporary art historians, who will often look to articles like this in order to understand more about current artists. One interview with artist Scott Daniel Ellison, aptly titled: “Scott Daniel Ellison: ‘Every artist is in some way self-taught’,” provides detailed information regarding his life, inspirations, and processes. Sharon Butler, of Two Coats of Paint, successfully builds off of the artist’s biography to provide a stronger context to his body of work. Speaking to its art historical value, the article delves deep into Ellison’s life and early experiences to uncover new facts that provide excellent context to the paintings reproduced in the article. The conversation starts by exploring his training as a photographer and his experiences in finding his own artistic style. Butler begins here as a way to establish a history for Ellison. This introductory section shows his growth and development as an artist, completely separate from any widely-published biographies. This soon transitions into his childhood influences, like horror and heavy metal, which seamlessly translates into many of his paintings featured within the article. Butler continues to build on this developing history, seeking insight into Ellison’s color palettes (muted), relationship to other painters (inspired by), and influences on his work (varied). This information is incredibly detailed, citing favorite artists from Amalia Angulo to Rousseau, and even his favorite films. Butler’s interview, like critics’ reviews of the 19th century, provides unique information concerning the artist. While Butler is less concerned about whether Ellis is a member of an Academy or not, she is interested in creating a record of the artist’s life in relation to his paintings. Much of this information, particularly regarding his most recent works, was not readily available up until this point. Butler has provided new information directly related Ellison’s body of work, which will live on as highly coveted primary source evidence in the future.

The articles also feature images of certain paintings belonging to each exhibition. “Examining Queer” uses this as a way to emulate gallery space and provide as close to an authentic interaction with the exhibition as possible. The interview with Ellison features recent paintings by artist, again emulating an individualized gallery space. The images pair well with the questions, allowing the reader to appreciate the works and simultaneously learn more about their conception. This concept builds on 19th century practices, as critical sources would often incorporate prints or reproductions of certain works in their review. Two Coats of Paint, however, has the luxury of being an online source able to incorporate as many full color images as they wish. These images paired alongside their primary source information will continue to serve as visual aids for future study. In terms of art historical value, Two Coats of Paint is providing generations of art historians with relevant artist interviews, depictions of gallery space, and context to the history of works.

Examining Queer http://www.twocoatsofpaint.com/2016/10/queer-yale.html

Ellison http://www.twocoatsofpaint.com/2016/10/scott-daniel-ellison-every-artist-is-in-some-way-self-taught.html

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9.30.16

Mark Dion and Julie Mehretu

Today we were able to meet with Mark Dion, a contemporary artist whose work focuses on the themes of collecting and time. His work is largely inspired by the kunstkammer, or Cabinet of Curiosities, which later evolved into the museums we see today. Much of his work is inspired by contemporary museums, and he was able to provide insight into his process as we walked around the Natural History Museum in New York.

When I was able to ask Mark about the factor time plays on his sculptures, he brought up the idea of capturing time. For example, when placing some plastic dinosaurs into an installation, they aren’t the dinosaurs we see today but are the dinosaurs from his childhood. This idea of timelessness was extremely important to him as he applied it to the Natural History Museum and questioned the museum’s need for modernization. According to Mark, the beauty of museums are their ability to become time machines, and bring you back to another time. The insect exhibit brought us further back than any other, as it has been largely untouched since the 1950′s. The museum’s need to be relevant and utilize new technologies is in direct conflict with their mission to preserve the past.

Since the majority of Mark’s work is related to installation, I was curious to find out how his role of an artist has changed and developed over time. Mark mentioned taking on a more curatorial role in recent years as he has been assembling and curating shows for other museums. I did, however, get the impression that this is secondary to his role as an artist, rather than an evolution of it. He still very much considers himself an artist first and foremost, and the insights into the world of curation may serve as experience or inspiration to his next project. These two roles remaining constant, funnily enough, ties in perfectly to his wish for museums to remain the same as windows into their time.

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9.23.16

Chelsea Galleries and Whitney Museum of American Art

The lifeblood of the contemporary art world are the many galleries and exhibitions that hold artists’ works. In New York, the Chelsea galleries display art of every kind and permit the type of experimentation and ingenuity that drive current art trends. While some galleries are larger than others, they all provide a window into the flux that is contemporary art. For this day, I was particularly interested in artists’ installations of other elements to create a separate space for their art, a concept permissible in a gallery space, and the impermanency of these shows as a reflection of change.

Reminiscent of the separation of religious and non-religious spaces in architecture, Sarah Cain’s Dark Matter exhibition divides the outside world from the world of her art. As you step into the gallery space, you step onto geometric patterns and bright colors directly related to Cain’s paintings. She creates a world of her own, using floor space and decorating the walls with her multimedia paintings, a world soon to disappear as the show comes to a close. At Pace, we were able to see Michal Rovner’s exhibition Night, a new body of multimedia work focusing on themes of darkness and the nocturnal. What results in an other-worldly experience, bordering on a biological study of some new species. The Pace galleries have the luxury of space, allowing Rovner to fully equip one room into an immersive experience, bringing the viewer face to face with her subject. Rovner is able to utilise everything from film, to lighting, sound, and even temperature in this work. Perhaps serving as a commentary on emerging virtual reality technologies and the obsession with the unknown, the Rovner exhibition is able to combine art and technology into a new multimedia experience.

Unlike museum display, independent galleries allow artists to reestablish a space for exhibition. With some paint and spackle, it is easy to reinvent the gallery for the next show. Constantly in flux, the galleries continue to represent changing tastes and transform to meet the demands and trends of the art world.

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9.16.16

Storm King and Dia:Beacon

Location will oftentimes play a role in the interpretation of art, as it can provide some context for a piece. Today we were able to explore two venues for location specific art: one natural and one manmade. This in conjunction to our trip to MoMA the week before helped us explore how the presentation of art can be an extension of the art itself, and how art can be specific to its environment.

Our first stop of the day was Storm King, a sculpture garden in New York. The works here are featured either in open fields or forests, and are exposed to the elements. Storm King serves as a venue for some major installation pieces, the majority of which are larger than life. They stand outside year-round and, depending on the season, the sculpture will react differently to the landscape. In winter, for example, Mirror Fence by Alyson Shotz would reflect not only the landscape, but also the reflection of light from snow. This additional element is exclusive to the winter, and thus the interpretation of the piece may vary. Storm King also allows for some site specific pieces, like the Storm King Wall. Here, sculptor Andy Goldsworthy corbeled found stone to create a contour line stretching between existing trees on the Storm King property. What started out as a dilapidated farm wall evolved into an icon of the garden, and seems to fit perfectly in its environment. Goldsworthy took inspiration from the location, and planned art to complement the site’s history, environment, and other pieces.

Dia:Beacon, on the other hand, is an indoor museum with expansive galleries. As a remodeled factory, Dia:Beacon has the luxury of space for some larger installations. It houses a collection of Richard Serra pieces, which can be explored in one of the museum’s largest spaces. The benefit of keeping these pieces indoors is how the space can narrow and define the interpretation of the sculptures. Without the added element of weather or nature, the focus remains on the piece of art itself. Inside of Dia:Beacon, for instance, the Richard Serra pieces become a playground that define the space they are in, rather than the environment defining the space. This is similar to MoMA, where the overall “themes” of the galleries are determined by the pieces within them.

This interaction of art and the environment it is displayed in will always have an impact on its interpretation. The location of art can be just as significant as the piece itself, as seen by the examples of Mirror Fence and Storm King Wall. The space can also simply be a blank space for the art to be the focus without interruption. Still, the artist must consider both types of environment when displaying their piece and the environment can quickly become another element in their art.

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9.9.16

MoMA

On this day, we had the unique opportunity to meet with a conservator working in the painting and sculpture department at the Museum of Modern art in New York. After walking through the permanent exhibits, and even a quick trip to the special exhibition, we were invited to the conservator’s office on the 9th floor. The office is more of a workshop, with various projects laid out on tables and ventilation shafts everywhere. It is nerve-wracking at first, (at least, for me it was standing next to a Picasso casually propped up against a wall) but the slight panic eased into wonder listening to projects of the past and present, and of the various techniques and processes used in day to day operations.

One question that came into my mind while walking through the conservators’ area was where do we draw the line between conservation, restoration, and replication? All words with different connotations, and all seem to fit under the job description of a conservator. The first attempts to prevent the inevitable destruction of a work through good maintenance and upkeep. Correct lighting, monitored exposure to the elements, cleaning when needed. It is whats expected of a museum professional and is meant to prolong the life of an artwork. Naturally, these objects get damaged and require some level of restoration. Some are as easy as wiping lipstick, sure, but others require more work. What happens when a sculpture is damaged? When an object is keyed or scraped for no particular reason? Sure the piece must be repaired, but can you still say it is the artists’s work? Like many works of the past, collaboration goes unrecognized. Apprentices under Raphael were never recognized for assisting in his works, are conservators not recognized in the same vain? More questions follow when considering the conservators role in near replication of a piece. Some artworks are damaged to the brink of disrepair. We were given one example from the special exhibition of Bruce Conner’s works, where he declared one of his wax sculptures “dead” after its extensive repair. One conservator was rebuilding pieces from a demolished Frank Lloyd Wright facade. Where do we draw the line between the artists’ work, who have lived and died in their own ways, and the replication or complete restoration by a third party?

While the conservator was not sure herself, as these are ethical questions conservators must face each day, I think the most indisputable part of working as a conservator is conserving the essence of a work. The artist makes every executive decision on the presentation of a piece. They must consider every formal element, interpretation, even the title. It is the role of the conservator to make it possible for others to see and react to these works, so that the artists’ pieces can fulfill their so-called duty. A sculpture with a scrape could be misinterpreted from the artist’s original intention, so it is completely necessary for a conservator to restore damage and restore the piece to better represent the artist’s intentions. It is the role of the conservator to respond to these events in an effort to preserve the essence of a work of art as close to the original as possible.

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