The Art Quarterly: Contemporary Art Magazine Online

Over The Edge - A Cult Classic Comes of Age

2010-02-20T08:08:00.011-07:00

The preservation and the celebration of old works of film is an infrequent occurrence unless one lives in New York City, where its commonplace. For example, The Film Forum is well-known for screening movies such as “Paris is Burning” and “Annie Hall” regardless of their age and availability on DVD. Ditto the MOMA and Walter Reade Theater at Lincoln Center as both curate retrospectives on a regular basis.

The Walter Reade Theater at Lincoln Center can now boast they have screened the cult classic “Over the Edge” - selected for the opening night film for Film Comment’s Select series (in conjunction with VICE Magazine) on February 19, 2010.

Released in theaters in 1979 by the now defunct Orion Pictures, the film was quickly removed (despite its PG rating). The reason - concerns that audiences would riot. Indeed, "Over the Edge" was deemed controversial due to its "authentic" portrayal of disenfranchised youth in "Anywhere" America (many scenes in the film were actually shot throughout Colorado and cities like Denver and Aurora).

Thirty-one years after its initial release, “Over the Edge” still resonates due to its timely subject matter - youth engaging in vandalism, violence and drugs in the context of neglectful parents who are more concerned about the value of their real estate. As such, elements of the film can be seen in the works of artists that have come of age in the 1990s, namely filmmaker Richard Linklater (“Dazed and Confused”) and Kurt Cobain (“Smells Like Teen Spirit” the music video).

There is no doubt the film will continue to influence up and coming artists. Now if only HBO would program multiple airings of the film as it did in the 1980s so the newer generations can discover this "gem."

Click on below to watch the post screening panel discussion with the cast and crew.

Still Collection not alone as new documentary portrays

2010-02-16T10:42:00.003-07:00

As Denver readies for the Clyfford Still Museum an excellent film is set to hit theaters on On February 26, 2010. The must-see documentary getting a theatrical release courtesy of IFC Films is “The Art of the Steal.” The film tells the David and Goliath story of what happened to the thirty billion dollar private art collection amassed by Dr. Albert Barnes after his death. The film documents the struggle between those loyal to his will and the foundations eager to house the collection in a public Philadelphia museum – an act that violated the terms of the will.

While the film is strongly biased towards the former, it is this strong point of view that gives the story its emotional heft; the audience has someone (or rather people) to root for. And similar to many good stories, this too has villains - the foundations and unfortunately the teams that run them. Portrayed as power / money-hungry, the foundations are clearly looking out for their best interests first and foremost.

Meanwhile Dr. Albert Barnes is portrayed as a cantankerous man who had a penchant for “sticking it to the man,” due to the initial rejection of his art collection by the esteemed Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts.

The outcome – a really great story portrayed on film worthy of your time.

Perspectives on Romance and Love

2010-02-09T13:08:00.004-07:00

This Valentine's Day is an opportunity - as many have been in the past. Romance is severed by those creative spirits that encourage, beckon your fascination.

We at The Art Quarterly want to "share a little love" to a few contributors (along with a heavy list of fine art greats) who have recently reviewed various venues for our readers benefit.

You were able to garner the inside scoop at "The Sundance Film Festival" through the critical reviews and entries by contributing writer Joanna Rudolph. (more) Back east, Brooklyn's Rock and Roll photography exhibit at BAM wound down - but not before contributing writer Jeff Price could capture the basic along with sophisticated connection of photography to our music lexicon (more).

This Valentine's, stop on in at a reputable gallery before or after your saunter in the park, your stroll in the carriage or your foot getting stuck in a hybrid floor mat. Ensure that you find a work that you love - and one that has lasting significance. Galleries, like Denver's GALLERY M, ensure that you can find quality and substance in your fine art collection.

And in the process you will see a glamorous shot of scenes that transform, mesmerize and invoke a tingling sensation - once found only with butterflies and cupids.

Recommended inspirations for your collection: The Birth of Venus, Lubie's Love (The Painting and the Movie), Imperial Cheetahs and Ice Skating Waiter.

Rock & Roll, I Thee Wed: "Who Shot Rock & Roll" at the Brooklyn Museum of Art

2010-02-04T12:48:00.016-07:00

“The world, in truth, is a wedding.” –Erving Goffman

Chuck. Mick & Keith. John & Paul. Jimi. Patti. Madonna. Bjork. These names we know.

Annie. Philip. Richard. Gered. Judy. Amy. Stephane. These, somewhat more vague.

As intrinsic to the pull of rock star allure as the music itself are photographic images, or so the recent exhibition, Who Shot Rock & Roll: A Photographic History, 1955 to the Present, at the Brooklyn Museum of Art, would lead a visitor to believe. While the exhibition notes call photography, the profession, “rock & roll’s handmaiden,” let’s take the metaphor one step further and label the images themselves, those which immortalize these singing, swaying, sweating, smoking, screaming figures, dressed in majestic rags, as the rock star’s true spouse. Not such a stretch, after all. Paul and Linda only literalize it (“My Love”: Linda McCartney’s shot of Paul’s deep eyes in the rearview mirror, as, seen from the back, he directs their car down a quiet London street). Rock stars are people married to their own image. Like Pan and his shadow.

And, O, what hath they begot? After a generation or two: us. Social networking bunnies. No matter how jumbled our thoughts on love, we’ll never forget their names, those of our rock & roll icons. From the slowest creeping of the clock in our parents’ sinking homes, they drew us forth to what is bright and exciting and of NOW.

Yes, and the creators of these images, with their own names freshly etched on the walls of a fine art museum, at last receiving their due—some casual photographers, some committed, some company hands, some artists in their own right: Leibovitz, Townsend, Avedon, Mankowitz, Linn, Arbus, Sednaoui, to list a few.

Organized under six headings, the exhibition ranged from images tentative and unguarded to polished and knowing: Starting Out, Fans & Crowds, Performance, Behind the Scenes, Constructing an Image and Portraits.

Is that George Harrison of The Beatles, in shades, enjoying a smoke, back to a barred gate against which a crowd of admirers press themselves, the sign above his left shoulder reading ‘WAY OUT’? Yes, viewer, it is. (Bob Whitaker, photographer, from the Fans & Crowds section, circa 1965.)

Is that Paul Simonon of The Clash, bent almost to the floor, bass guitar brandished primordially overhead, two hands on the neck, the lights from behind him throwing his shadow forward? Viewer, it is. (Pennie Smith, from Performance, circa 1979.)

Is that Patti Smith touching her cheek, a gesture of refinement—is she really there at all?—outside CBGBs in the East Village night of 1976? (Bleeker St. sign just a little down the way.) Viewer, yes. (Godlis, from Behind the Scenes.)

How many ways can a band—three figures… four… five… more?—arrange themselves in front of a camera, as in a police line-up where “all the suspects have attitude” (the exhibition notes again); how many contexts; outfits; hair-fashions? Kiss. The Yardbirds. The Stones. Those Beatles again… with some guy named Pete and another named Stuart… and where’s Ringo? “They were just discovering who they were,” said the latter photographer, Astrid Kirchherr, “and I think that [my] photos helped them make that discovery.”

Singing on video is that a bleached out David Bowie in powder blue jacket and red mullet, wearing eye-shadow and rouge on his cheeks, telling a story with the most precise gestures of the hand, blinks of the eye? Oh man! Look at those cavemen go/ It’s the freakiest show. (Mick Rock, from Portraits.)

And how is it that we, once under the wings of parents, drawing an understanding that an image must be struck in the world to announce our presence, to make our desires felt—as different! so different! from those who came before us—found these ideas of ourselves running into those at which we stared, during the slowest creeping hours, our stored peace let loose like the yellow from within the yolk?

Lloyd Shearer’s image of Elvis in 1956, head reclined against a hotel bed, eyes gone dreamy with languor, looking almost girlish in his otherworldliness: They screamed for him. They all screamed for him.

Before a series of images showing Jimi Hendrix on his knees, pouring kerosene on his prone guitar, then lighting it aflame (Ed Caraeff, the Monterey Pop Festival of 1967), a father and son paused.

The son looked up to his father and said: “He’s crazy!”

Responded the father: “No. That was his style.”

Jeff Price is a writer and editor living in Brooklyn. In 2009, he held the position of Associate Editor at Electric Literature (http://electricliterature.com/blog/). Contact him here: jt_price at hotmail dot com.

Sundance TwentyTen Wrap Up

2010-01-30T20:12:00.017-07:00

Facts about Sundance TwentyTen: Most buzzed about film was "Winter's Bone." Most buzzed about film that lost steam: "Catfish." Out of the nine films I screened, none of the films had deals with theatrical distribution companies except for "The Runaways" (a biopic about Joan Jett's first band) and "Enter the Void." Since my departure, two of the films of the nine films have been acquired. Please find below the titles and ratings (just like in school - A being awesome, F being fail) of Sundance films that were screened in TwentyTen.

Winter's Bone (acquired by Roadside Attraction) - C + -- Over hyped melodrama. Other than a solid performance from leading actress Jennifer Lawrence, who really cares about her character's search for her deadbeat drug-addled father, who may or may not be in jail. Her character is unlikable as are the rest of the people she encounters. Nevermind the pacing of the film is super slow.

Enter The Void (acquired by IFC Films) - D (borderline F) - Sundance Programmers have declared director Gaspar Noé a genius. And yet they happily ask festival attendees whether they stayed for the entire screening. They don't need to ask; they know the answer. When half the theater walks out in the middle of the film, there is something seriously wrong. Enough said.

Jean Michel-Basquiat: The Radiant Child - B - see my report from Park City for my analysis.

The Runaways (scheduled to be released on March 19, 2010 by Sony's Apparition) - B - Story has been told before (legendary band rises and falls together) but there is something enjoyable about watching Dakota Fanning play a "bad" girl. Make no mistake -- this is her film; she kills in the Cherie Curry role (movie is based on Currie's autobiography) as does Michael Shannon, who plays the scrupulous band manager. Beautifully directed by former photographer Floria Sigismondi and of course the soundtrack rocks.

Holy Rollers - B + - see my report from Park City for my analysis.

High School - C - - Billed as a comedy, the film is not particularly funny as humor is very low brow. Film will no doubt become a cult classic for the stoner set given that the plot is about two high school students who lace the bake sale brownies with concentrated THC crystals.

The Romantics - C - A poor man's Big Chill and/or St. Elmo's Fire, "The Romantics" explore similar themes (friendship, love, betrayal) but the aforementioned films do it so much better. The characters in "The Romantics" are underdeveloped and unlikable. Film belongs on the Lifetime channel.

Exit Through the Gift Shop - B + - see my report from Park City for my analysis.

The Kids Are Alright (acquired by Focus Features) A - My favorite film of the bunch. The title is in reference to the teenage kids of a lesbian couple (played by Annette Benning and Julianne Moore), who search and ultimately befriend their sperm donor (Mark Ruffalo). Needless to say, things can't stay the same for this happy family unit now that the sperm donor is in the picture. "The Kids Are Alright" is relevant, authentic and poignant without being overly sentimental.

Art questioned in the Sundance hit “Exit Through the Gift Shop”

2010-01-29T14:27:00.002-07:00

Anyone who is expecting to see a docu about famed international graffiti artist Banksy will be sorely disappointed should they decide to watch the well-received, spotlight surprise Sundance film “Exit Through the Gift Shop.” That said, the unexpected is what makes the film so compelling.

The docu introduces us to frenchman Thierry "Terry" Guetta, a Los Angeles retail shop owner by day, filmmaker by night. A passion for film, Guetta documents anything and everything with his camera. Even his family is fair game. But it isn’t until he decides to document graffiti artists that he discovers his true calling.

Without revealing any spoilers, Guetta earns the trust of local graffiti artists and as such is given permission to follow them around with his camera. These relationships prove to be paramount as they eventually lead him to Banksy, who takes a liking to him as well; Guetta becomes Banksy’s assistant.

When Banksy demands to see Guetta’s docu on graffiti artists, Guetta produces “Life Remote Control,” an unwatchable mess of a film. It is at this point Bansky takes matters into his own hands. Banksy decides to produce a docu that is better than the one Guetta put together. With that in mind, Banksy turns the camera on Guetta (who turns out to be a great subject) and that is when the real journey begins.

“Exit Through the Gift Shop” is that rare docu that plays like a narrative in that there are plot twists and there is a character arc. And while there is speculation that the story is inauthentic, one can’t help but be fascinated by the universal themes the docu addresses - celebrity obsession and what is popular versus high art. To that end, film should appeal to a broad audience.

Photography and Fair Use

2010-01-27T16:49:00.002-07:00

You see it all the time in our digital age: someone as a spokesman for a corporate product. President obama wore Weatherproof's charcoal coat while in China - and walla it's the billboard photo for the company's Time Sqaure/Fashion District billboard. Did Weatherproof pay Pres O for his dapper look? Nope. And hence the White House pulled the plug on this Madison Ave blatant attempt to curb and twist the fine line of America's capitalist legal boundaries. Factually the firm is in the right side of the law because big O is a public figure. He just couldn't collect an editorial fee. For more on the legal use of public space check out Lubie Love - The Movie.

Holy Rollers is one serious trip - Sundance

2010-01-27T15:04:00.003-07:00

The following is the 3rd entry by The Art Quarterly's Sundance correspondent, Joanna Rudolph.

11:34 AM MST - Park City, UT:

Based on a true story, the film “Holy Rollers” explores the theme of loss of innocence by following 20 year old Sam Gold (played fantastically by Jesse Eisenberg), a Hasidic Jew who transforms into a secular Jew as he takes up a new vocation-- Ecstasy smuggling.

Initially wide-eyed to the drug smuggling trade, Sam eventually embraces the 1998 Ecstasy / rave culture. In doing so, he falls further aways from his faith as evidenced by his change in attire and in a powerful scene, he chops off his curls.

Much like how Sam loses his innocence, visual artists have been known to do so as well. For example, the death of a close friend represented Picasso’s growth into adulthood and a loss of innocence, which were expressed in his paintings. Basquiat’s personal life also impacted his work in that as he became famous, his paintings became more political in terms of the themes he explored. And of course there’s the self-portrait of Van Gough, who cut off his ear, an act that can also be interpreted as a loss of innocence.

It is this "character arc" that is explored in "Holy Rollers" and seen in fine art that makes for complex and fascinating work.

Jean-Michel Basquiat is the "The Radiant Child"

2010-01-26T21:37:00.006-07:00

This is the second entry by our Sundance TwentyTen Fest writer, Joanna Rudolph.

2:08 PM MST - Park City, UT:

Director Tamra Davis uses archival footage from youtube (a sign of the times) amongst other sources and interviews with artists such as painter turn director Julien Schnabel and Sonic Youth’s Thurston Moore to pay tribute to her friend Jean-Michel Basquiat in the documentary “Jean-Michel Basquiat: The Radiant Child.”

Not overly sentimental, "The Radiant Child" successfully chronicles the life and career of Basquiat, which significantly includes interviews with the man himself. Davis also goes one step further by turning the camera on herself, a decision she debated but ultimately went with because she wanted the film to be personal. Filmmakers are not the only artists to “turn the camera” on themselves; painters have as well in the form of self-portraits (e.g. Picasso, Rembrandt, Warhol and Schnabel). As it so happens, Warhol and Schnabel were good friends of Basquiat and their relationship with the artist is explored through Radiant Child.

The story of Basquiat (told for the big screen) is not uncharted territory. Schnabel directed a narrative film about his friend in 1996 (“Basquiat”). However, unlike Davis, he was unable to get the rights to use Basquiat’s paintings from the Basquiat estate, which is overseen by his father. As per Davis during the screening's post Q & A, Jean-Michel gave paintings to his friends as gifts and yet his friends would profit from these gifts by selling them. This exploitation greatly upset the artist and his father. Davis was one of the few to keep her gifts, which automatically instilled trust in Basquiat’s father. It is this act that ultimately rewarded Davis with the consent to use the paintings for her docu. Meanwhile, Schnabel (who may or may not have sold his Basquiat paintings) had to resort to recreating Basquiat’s work for his 1996 film.

The review of "Basquiat" on imdb.com states that the film is "a work of art." The same can be said of “Jean-Michel Basquiat: The Radiant Child.”

Art in Motion - Sundance Twenty Ten first report

2010-01-24T20:02:00.005-07:00

The Art Quarterly's on site correspondent, Joanna Rudolph, is at the dance reporting the in's and outs of this annual winter gathering. Due to limited connectivity (called weak wi-fi), Rudolph's first report follows:

8:02 PM MST - Park City, UT:

Having arrived in Park City on Friday, it is not surprising to discover that Sundance is more than just a launch pad for filmmakers; it is a venue for visual artists to reach audiences as well. Case in point -- the New Frontier on Main, which is the home of art installation projects and hitREcord.org, a multimedia company founded by actor Joseph Gordon Levitt. Fittingly, it was also the location for the panel “Migrating Imaginations: Visions from the Art & Music Worlds.” Moderated by Elvis Mitchell, he conversed with "leading" artists Shirin Neshat and Piplotti Rist to explore the intersections of art and film. Known for their photography and/or video art installations, both artists have followed in the footsteps of visual artists Matthew Barney, David Lynch and Julien Schnabel; they are visual artists turned filmmakers. Neshat is at Sundance with her film “Women Without Men” and Rist with “Pepperminta.”

They gravitated towards filmmaking because of their desire to challenge themselves but also because film has the ability to reach a broader audience. While video art installations and the like make it difficult for artists to control the audience attention span, thereby making the relationship between the piece of art and artist fleeting, a filmmaker can command the attention of an audience for nearly two hours. Not to mention, art installations typically explore abstract concepts whereas storytelling in film is universal. Then there is the issue of cost; ownership of a movie as a DVD is much less costly than ownership typically of a unique work of art. By blending art installations seamlessly into the film world, Sundance is not only making art more available to the wider masses, it is educating audiences on the connectivity between the two media.

A dervish of a movie - Un prophète

2010-01-21T09:10:00.006-07:00

When Sony lent it's hand, nod of approval for the French equivalent of Goodfellas mixed with the Sopranos, they did so with more than a handshake. Un Prophète (A Prophet), amazingly carries the unsuspecting into the societal issues that confront the French - and American criminal system today. With America hypersensitive to Islamic advances, and it's own jail system overflowing and in disarray, this Sundance film can open the eyes to classic issues deeply routed in each of these developed countries.

The main character, knows no one and has nothing upon his arrest, and through classic stereotypes undergoes a transformation required of survival. The film properly diagnoses the moral decisions that a "convict" has to face: do you knock off someone to ensure your own chances of survival? In a whirling dervish of a dash, this film might be the underdog at Sundance. Like it's premise - you're either with us or against us (Dar al Harib or Dar al Islam). Of course, handshakes only go as far as one can see.

National Artist teams up for Haitian Relief in Denver

2010-01-19T18:27:00.010-07:00

When Haiti was rocked by the 7.0 earthquake, global citizens watched intently. Denver's own GALLERY M reached out to select fine artists who could ideally relate and legitimately assist with the turmoil before this country.

Enter Jay Wolf Schlossberg-Cohen. Jay's role as a leading social justice advocate, along with being a world class international artist, immediately offered his works as a basis for a 24 hour relief fund raiser. Recognized for his flowing and vibrant performers, the Baltimore native has selected his "Haitian Dancers", an original acrylic, cut-out on paper as the lead painting in the 24 hour effort. The significance of the work is actually more than just the Haitian Dancers flowing on paper - it was completed in 1995 during the same period that Schlossberg-Cohen used the technique for a memorable work in President Clinton's private residence at the White House (now on display at the Clinton Library).

Keeping with the gallery's standard leadership role in the community, local artists are encouraged to stop in and choose from a beautiful selection of exhibition frames that might contain the next great masterpiece. A minimum donation of $10 is requested to assist in the overall goal of $100,000 from this local, independently owned gallery.

Citizens and collectors interested in participating in the 24 hour event can do so through GALLERY M in three methods: In Person between 11AM and 8PM on Wednesday or on Thursday from 10:30A to 11A; by phone between 8P til 11A, and online. All donations to be directed toward Unicef/RedCross/Yele relief efforts.

Electric Cars That Speed Ahead of Gas Guzzlers

2010-01-15T19:47:00.002-07:00

As part of the LUBIE LOVE - GRID installation, the following entry from our friends at The Street.com features some insight into what you might drive sooner than later. Or perhaps these are just more "Tuckers" in a mirage.

Electric Cars That Speed Ahead of Gas Guzzlers

By: Jonathan Blum

DETROIT (TheStreet) -- Ford, Chrysler, Toyota and General Motors might soon face increased competition from electric carmakers, whose custom cars offer more power and better performance than gas-powered vehicles.

Even worse for traditional automakers, these new electric muscle cars will be street legal and affordable for even people with average-car salaries.

Photo Gallery: Auto Show: Take a Look at Some Cars

The star here is Santee, Calif.-based

SSI Racing
. The two-person firm, with less than $250,000 in sales last year, was founded by software engineer and car nut Michael Kaide. His move to electric cars started in 2006, when he wanted a vehicle he could use for weekend drag races and his daily commute to work.

Kaide spent a year building himself his dream car: a Type 65 racer, which looks a lot like the Shelby classic racer and drives like one too. It can go from zero to 60 mph in as few as 2.9 seconds with 800 horsepower. It's racetrack fast, but street legal.

Kaide, who's attending the North American International Auto Show in Detroit this week, is getting ready to make 10 of these super-fast racers for real consumers. The SSI will cost $120,000 to start, which is about average for electric cars. The car, which might hit the market next year, will be able to ride in California's exclusive HOV lanes with just one passenger.

San Jose, Calif.-based

Saba Motors
is gearing its equally small car toward consumers who can't afford a $120,000 car. Chief Executive Simon Saba wants his pocket rocket to be the model of affordability and fun.

The Saba Roadster is cut from the classic roadster block, with two seats, an open cockpit and not much else. There's no roof, radio or operational doors. You get in and out by climbing over the side of the car.

Saba's simplicity adds to its fun factor. It goes from zero to 60 mph in a respectable 6 seconds, with a top speed of 105 mph.

Saba plans to mass produce the car and sell it for as little as $30,000. If he lands the necessary financing, he could be in medium-range production by the end of the year.

This new breed of electric car may prove its mettle this summer. Kaide expects electric-car racers to be allowed to enter the hollowed National Hot Rod Association Finals this year. In some categories, he believes his electric cars will be faster than gas-powered rivals.

"There is no way a gas-powered engine can compete in terms of smoothness and instantaneous power for drag racing," says Kaide.

Politics and green factor aside, if you're running gas, you are running slow. The age of the gas-powered muscle car is over.

-- Reported by Jonathan Blum in Detroit.

The art of a code - missed by Microsoft

2010-01-10T15:12:00.003-07:00

The tech world is all about using form, function and design to let little gizmos make our life simpler. With a camera fairly standard on phones Microsoft hopes you can shoot straight. They want you to point and shoot on little graphics in ads, on walls and probably in your sleep to win copies of the latest offer - theirs and others. After 4 snaps the curve's camera just wouldn't register. What gives Balmer?

A larger vision unedited.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0USn7eufXps

Sophia Loren

2009-12-21T16:06:00.004-07:00

Heads are turning again for Sophia Loren as she co-stars in the new movie (releasing this week), NINE. Daniel Day-Lewis is the male lead and co-stars with Loren, Fergie, Kate Hudson, Judi Dench, Nicole Kidman, and Penelope Cruz. Based on Fellini's 8 1/2 and directed by Rob Marshall (Chicago), Loren is the only Italian in the film. Her appeal is still as
strong as it was when Alfred Eisenstaedt shot her during the filming of the 1964 Oscar nominated "Marriage Italian Style."

Basel Beat - and the finest in art that matters

2009-12-07T00:54:00.014-07:00

Art Basel Miami and it's satellite show relatives came to a strong close Sunday. The winners this year seem to be the return of astute collectors. In years past, throgs of ooglers filled the halls of the main convention center. This year there was a continuous pace of the more established. As the pre-eminent contemporary circuit in the arts today, established names from Tom Sachs (Relativity Telegram, 2009), Julian Opie, and their meaningful predecessors (yes Picasso, Lichtenstein, Warhol and Calder) were more than represented and collected.

New entrants to the main stream big tent had a warm media appeal. One such artist, Alex GuoFeng Coa, received Miami Herald exposure, despite the fact that his photographs are swiped from other photographers. Of course, swiped vs homage is what makes the art world tick - and GuoFeng Coa has won the media fascination by contrasting the main subject (Bruni or Michael Jackson for example) with an obvious but much smaller photograph of a connecting subject (His work's titles give the story away i.e. Bruni vs Sarkosy 2009). Available in various sizes, Alex's works offered recession proof value for the contemporary art he has borrowed. The works also give the media an outlet in the arts - Alex we can't wait for Bubble Boy vs Bubble Boy's Father or Tiger vs Woods, 2010. Just find a good snap shot created by someone of acclaim before you.

If there could be one show that should not return next year, it would need to be the mess created at the Art Viceroy and anything connected to it. The location should have been a dead give away - hosted in one of many "dark" towers hanging on from the real estate debacle in South Florida. Kudos to many of the artists who ventured there - yet the skill and talent seemed over priced and guest lists were a meaningless venture that a grand mother could have strolled in on.

The museum watch though seems to find select Asian artists still of interest. From Vietnam to the Rising Sun, Asia was a central obsession. Photographers, sculptors and painters are all on board with the digital revolution. Media arts is possibly going to be perfected by those who have had the most exposure to it's technology - and who best than our manufacturing friends. Stay posted to which Asian artists seem to be America's next darlings.

Ernie Gehr - Still to motion in small gestures

2009-11-16T09:24:00.004-07:00

The journey from a crisp snap of the shutter to the waves of a falling sunset transcends. That simplicity may only find us through an Ernie Gehr camera obscura shoot. Of the two films shown at Denver's 2009 International Film Festival, Glider shifts you through winding waves to coastlines to sand bars. Gehr's experimental use of a camera let's the audience witness nature - straight on and in the roundness of the atmosphere. Specifically his 3 phase journey is shown in silence - a form that forces the audience to wonder without being told the meaning. When sound entered the mix at the mostly full Stars Theater complex - yes even on a Sunday snow filled evening - Gehrs second showing flowed liked a master impressionist's work. What would P Renior have felt when Gehrs ferry boat on the Hudson framed a westerly sunset? For those in attendance you may now know. The after party was held in Cherry Creek North's fine art gallery - GALLERY M. A place where there is truly more than meets the wall.

From still to motion

2009-11-05T06:48:00.002-07:00

The integrity of a "shutter's" frame is a defining moment. When the world around you is a digital blur a single shot, that frozen moment in time, will transform you. Denver's GALLERY M opens their Fall-Winter 2009-2010 season with a dynamic exploration for newbies and collecting pros titled "From Still To Motion". Start the journey at 6 PM Friday with the introduction and advantage of collecting documented, signed photographs and rare uniquely printed works based on photography. If you miss this opportunity, the gallery is celebrating it's 14th year and is certainly able to assist you 6 days a week.

Alberto Giacometti hits a homer

2009-11-04T21:31:00.004-07:00

In the flicker of a frame and crack of the bat, the November auction season has it's first home run. During the evening sale at New York's Sotheby's, Alberto Giacometti's painted bronze sold extremely north of it's estimate. The bidding only took 5 minutes with 5 active bidders. From 7:23 to 7:28 pm, the back and forth met the crowd's oohs and appreciation for the L'HOMME QUI CHAVIRE. It's initial estimate may have been initially low by some accounts - 8,000,000 to 12,000,000. As the ball rose out of the park, the final fan caught this work just under 20 Million $US (19,346,500). Going forward the day auction has a wide grouping of works that may be excellent finds for those looking to step up to the plate.

Remembering Accomplished Artists

2009-10-28T15:03:00.009-07:00

Fourteen years ago, a then younger African American photographer came to The Art Quarterly and GALLERY M's attention. Then about 70 years young, Ted Williams, appeared to have seen - and by many accounts - taken the photographs of legends yet to come. Jazz greats, performers and leaders of the day as well as story features for major magazines. His years prior to our meeting were shared with legends like Miles Davis, Stan Getz, Count Bassie, Tony Bennett and Lena Horn, and perhaps a still timely, Sarah Vaughan.

Before Sarah's first national performance in 1949, Williams had found his way into the backstage area. When Ted shared the story it was truly impressive - but today it is even more so. Upon access, he found Sarah who was not supposedly camera friendly. She insisted on absolutely no photographs. Ted, always with a young, cheerful demeanor, was 24 years old at the time. He convinced Vaughan to agree because he stated he was shooting for his college newspaper. While elegant and stunning, the photograph shown here as a signed, limited edition photograph, had her own photographs scattered throughout the dressing room. The images of her family accompanied that of the great Negro icons for both Vaughan and Williams - Roy Campanella, Satchell Paige and Jackie Robinson. Ted Williams caught Vaughan not head on - as most would have attempted - but through the opposite end of the mirror. While her image is clear - her presence is just slightly detectable from the bottom left corner of the frame.

Years later, Ted and Sarah ran into each other. She asked how the college paper liked the photograph. He smiled as only he could and coolly stated - I was never with the college paper. They laughed together. Ted's perseverance for the shot, in his long journey called life, enabled many to remember moments as only a photographer can. Ted Williams - The Photographer passed away a week ago. His photographs and his spouse and wife remain his beacon of an accomplished and collected artist. For burial, donations or licensing information please contact GALLERY M.

Viewing and experiencing art

2009-09-21T11:45:00.002-07:00

In case you've been sleeping at the wheel the art world has a great new medium - the three www. While stocks might look like a classic w (dub yah out west) photography, video and film are quickly becoming homogeneous. The technology is forcing an exponential change in what once was considered the still. Will crowd sourced art be one of the outgrowths in the media art world?
Manufacturers like Canon are pushing your camera into one technically powerful tool to shoot images - still and motion.

Marilyn Monroe

2009-08-29T12:46:00.004-07:00

Marilyn Monroe, the icon of American beauty, would be in her eighties
today, if she had lived. The fact of the matter is that she lives on in
the minds of many as another biography is being released within the next
few weeks stating research about her 'affairs' with President John
Kennedy and his brother, Senator Robert Kennedy. Along with this new
information and photographs never seen before (so states the author).
She was a natural beauty with demons, as this book states. But her
presence in photographs still endures no matter how she is portrayed in
words.

The Last of the Kennedy Brothers

2009-08-29T12:39:00.003-07:00

It seems so amazing to watch the last few days in contemporary American
history as the country pays respect to Edward M. Kennedy, the youngest
of the 9 children of Joseph and Rose. This family has a storied history,
from the late 1920's through today. We all know the litany of events
including JFK and RFK, but I have been amazed at the outpouring of
respect and admiration for a man, who in his early years was looked on
with disdain, ambivalence, and mistrust by the general public. After
all, one could only know 'Teddy' by the news reports, which were not
positive at all. Listening to his family, friends, and colleagues, a
different picture emerges. One could say, thank goodness for Ted Kennedy
and his affect on the life of Americans today.

Visions and Memories of Woodstock

2009-08-20T16:36:00.003-07:00

Forty years ago, the memories of Bethel's field were snapshots to some and moving frames and images to others. The photograph told so much then - and again now. Now ...40 years later...what is left of this Woodstock generation: the baby boomers who professed 'freedom to all' and 'freedom for all?'

This generation brought us women's rights, civil rights, the peace movement, the beginning of the environmental movement, and the need to have healthier bodies and minds. Forty years later so many seem stuck in glorious psychedelic memories. Art and more accurate, photography, has documented this vividly. A black and white photograph mints your memory - as your mind was on a lucid trip when dancing alongside friends in the mud laden fields. So what is next for these aging psychedelic rockers...protecting the financial and medical stability for their children and grandchildren?

Bravo casting to wind down this weekend

2009-07-18T05:48:00.003-07:00

NBC affiliate company Bravo is making a stab into the arts. Like their housewives and fashion niche programming, they believe they will find the next great fine artist. Called "Untitled Art Project", the show hopes to uncover great talent in painting, sculpture, photography or the digital formats loosely titled as New Media.

Casting has been going on for the past week in LA, MIAMI and today/tomorrow in New York City. Details are at Bravo's site.

CAVET EMPTOR to applicants - the art world will have a hard time accepting the drama that is expected out of this show without legitimate backing of more than flash in the pan celebs acting as de-facto purveyers of the arts.