As we are getting closer to the end of the month of May, we are making a list of shows that have opened/opening recently and are on our radar to see! Here are 7 from across Europe.
Basquiat in Nude on View in New York
We are used to seeing Jean-Michel Basquiat's name associated with auction records and top prices, but an exhibition that just opened in New York offers a great opportunity to see the artist in a more private intimate setting.
The Suzanne Geiss Company put on display a selection of rare black&white nude photographs taken of the artist by his then girlfriend Paige Powell in the 80s. Together with Pink Martini musician Thomas Lauderdale, Powell have began sorting through her extensive photography archive that chronicled her life in the midst of the 1980s art scene in New York as an inner member of Andy Warhol's Factory crowd. The result is this first exhibition focusing on Basquiat, and the 2-year relationship with Powell, where we see the artist in a series of nude portraits taken by Powell in her apartment. In these natural poses, Basquiat looks pretty relaxed, drawing, smoking, and watching cartoons. It is wonderful to witness Basquiat on a more personal level, who died when he was only 27 from a drug overdose in 1988. The exhibition is on view until 22nd of February 2014.
MoMA is Expanding Again, Drawing Criticism
Last week MoMA announced its new expansion plans which is basically adding more space by razing the adjacent old building of the Folk Art Museum (purchased by MoMA in 2011), and criticism is coming from both sides of the Atlantic. Michael Kimmelman of the New York Times criticised the plan calling it "lacking vision" while Los Angeles Times Archicture critic Christopher Hawthorne explains the facts and reasoning behind this expansion, but concludes "The great irony of this plan, as with so many recent museum expansions, is that out of frustration with its packed galleries MoMA has decided to raise hundreds of millions of dollars to build more of the same."
If you remember, MoMA had a big expansion just back in 2002 which had the museum move to Queens temporarily until it was re-opened to the public in September 2004. There were critics of that expansion too and the Guardian's Michael Wolf tells you why he thinks "...it is really too late for MoMA. The damage is done. Glenn D Lowry is the villain of the piece" because "The intimate, jewel-like space has become a standard-issue institutional structure, more suited to a corporate headquarters in Los Angeles or Dallas." Read the rest of his article here.
British Museum Expands Contemporary Collection with Canan Tolon, on view at Parasol Unit
Tonight is the opening of the Turkish-born artist Canan Tolon's first major London show at Parasol Unit. Dividing her time between San Francisco and Istanbul, Tolon's work is based on and deals with space, time, gravity, and chance interactions between disparate materials. She had an early interest in the marks left by the processes of growth and transformation over time which led to her using unusual techniques such as applying coffee grounds, letting grass grow on a canvas, or allowing rust to occur naturally and mix with pigment in her paintings. This exhibition also coincides with the British Museum's recent acquisition of a set of Tolon's drawings, Futur imparfait, 1986–1999, a series of 33 ink-wash and crayon figurative drawings. Since 2009, the British Museum has an active acquisitions committee for Modern and Contemporary Art from the Middle East since 1980s, CaMMEA. This patrons group has joined forces with the Turkish SAHA Association that provides funding to projects and museum acquisitions which contribute to the presence and visibility of contemporary art from Turkey. There is a good educational program alongside the show as well with talks, poetry and concerts. Spanning over Tolon's career from the 1980s until present day, this show promises to be an interesting one to visit. It is on view until 16th of March 2014.
An Artist wins Best Picture at the Golden Globes (first time!)
Congratulations to Steve McQueen, whose “12 Years A Slave” won the Best Picture at the Golden Globes last night, making him the FIRST ARTIST to win this title – what an honor! McQueen is not new to receiving praise and awards for his film projects, remember his 2008 feature film “Hunger” which got him the Camera d’Or at Cannes Film Festival (and thus became the first British director to win the title)
Moving between film and art circles, "Hunger" was followed by McQueen’s brilliant representation of Britain at the 2009 Venice Biennale with his new video piece “Giardini,” and followed by his 2nd feature film “Shame” 2011 which also received good reviews. But regardless of being a feature film or an artwork, McQueen’s imagery is always beautifully haunting and at times faces you with the harsh realities of life. Michael Fassbender, who starred in all three of McQueen’s feature films so far, explains why he thinks McQueen’s works are so powerful:
With his (Steve's) films, as an audience member you end up participating in the experience instead of just sitting there safely in your seat, removed from what's happening on the screen. I think that's what makes it difficult, and rightly so. When I saw the film (12 Years a Slave), it took a couple of hours to digest.
Tales from the London Old Master Sales: from 17,000 to 3.2 million!
Following the low energy at Christie's and Bonhams Old Master sales in London, there was more buzz and excitement at Sotheby’s evening last night and the sale did quite well. Although some of our favourite works are reserved for the New York sales in January, there were still some works that we loved in the mix. Such as the delicate tiny "Lucretia" by Lucas Cranach the Elder which sold for just over £1million, and the Rogier van der Weyden of the Pieta - although by a follower, it is a strong work and it’s not like you can buy the original from the Musée Royaux des Beaux-Arts in Brussels. One of the highlights of the evening was the Portrait of a Gentleman by Sir Peter Paul Rubens, a very fine, Velazquez-like work by the master. This portrait was sold for £3.2million, well above its estimate £400,000-600,000. What makes the story interesting is that this painting was purchased at Christie’s Paris in 2003 as Circle of Rubens for a mere € 17,000!! Christie’s must be upset for getting this one wrong, so is the owner who consigned it to them. This is where one clearly sees the importance of expertise and talent for spotting good quality paintings.
What Do Artists Do All Day? with Edmund de Waal
If you love the bestselling book, The Hare with Amber Eyes, and were curious about its author, Edmund de Waal, here is your chance to watch this celebrated ceramics artist at work! A Thousand Hours, the film directed by Camilla Robinson and produced by Alan Cristea Gallery, will be shown at 8.30pm, 6 November, on BBC4. This 30 minute film of Edmund de Waal at work was premiered at the British Film Institute and now reappears as part of the BBC series What Do Artists Do All Day? So far the series have featured Norman Ackroyd, Polly Morgan, Jack Vettriano, Cornelia Parker, and John Bryne, and will focus on Shani Rhys James on 13th of November.
Guide to PERFORMA 2013
Every two years in November, the city of New York buzzes with exciting performances and programs all under the roof of PERFORMA, founded by RoseLee Goldberg. We are warned that tickets are selling fast! For instance, Rashid Johnson's revival of Amiri Baraka's famous play "Dutchman" to be staged at the Russian and Turkish Baths is already sold out. Tonight is the opening night gala, and until Thanksgiving, Performa loving New Yorkers will be running around the city trying to see all the action (which we tried once and found it impossible!) Check out what looks from this year's program from Art F City.
Mike Kelley Screenings in London !
http://vimeo.com/77221402 It is officially November and time for the special Mike Kelley screenings in London! Organized by Artangel and the Mike Kelley Foundation for the Arts, and coinciding with the major survey of Mike Kelley's work at MoMA PS1, the Mobile Homestead videos will be screened at independent cinemas across the city 2nd-18th November. Mobile Homestead was the final work made by the great American artist Mike Kelley before his untimely death in 2012. The project involved Kelley building an exact replica of his childhood home, a 1950s suburban house in the Detroit suburb of Westland, with a special detachable façade that could be mounted on a chassis and driven around like a conventional mobile home. Check out the full program and more information on Artangel website.
Heartfelt Goodbye from Lou Reed's Wife Laurie Anderson
Laurie Anderson has published a short message in remembrance of her late husband, Lou Reed in a small newspaper of East Hampton, New York where they have been spending much time. Read her moving words here:
To our neighbors:
What a beautiful fall! Everything shimmering and golden and all that incredible soft light. Water surrounding us.
Lou and I have spent a lot of time here in the past few years, and even though we’re city people this is our spiritual home.
Last week I promised Lou to get him out of the hospital and come home to Springs. And we made it!
Lou was a tai chi master and spent his last days here being happy and dazzled by the beauty and power and softness of nature. He died on Sunday morning looking at the trees and doing the famous 21 form of tai chi with just his musician hands moving through the air.
Lou was a prince and a fighter and I know his songs of the pain and beauty in the world will fill many people with the incredible joy he felt for life. Long live the beauty that comes down and through and onto all of us.
— Laurie Anderson his loving wife and eternal friend
