A Whirlwind Glance Back at ArtWeek Miami 2016.

A R T W E E K    M I A M I    2016

Life imitates art? – A visitor to the SCOPE art fair, beside the piece “Luxury Dinner” by Philippe Shangti, at the Art Angels booth, in Miami Beach, on Sunday, 12/4/16.

TAKING A WHILRWIND GLANCE BACK AT ARTWEEK MIAMI 2016.

(I originally wrote this article back in 2016 and it got stuck in my Drafts Folder when other life events hit my plate. Jut thought I’d go ahead and post what I’d written so it could finally see the light of day.)

MIAMI ~ Seeing everything on view during ArtWeek Miami is a seriously impossible task. With more than 20 official fairs, countless galleries, random gatherings, and pop-up street events, it’s just too much to take in, even if you can get early VIP previews and media access.

In this article, we’ll take a whirlwind tour, stopping to highlight just a fraction of the seemingly infinite events that were vying for viewers on the first weekend in December 2016. Before our more in-depth reviews, (to follow later), we’ll take a quick look at the following events. ArtMiami, Superfine, Wynwood Walls, Peter Tunney Experience, Goldman Global Gallery, Wynwood District Street Art, Aqua Art Fair, INK Miami Art Fair, and Secret Walls Miami. I also covered the The Raw Project at Hartner Elementary School, ArtBasel Miami Beach, and SCOPE Art Fair. But who knows If I’ll ever get to posting those reports.

~ ArtMiami

First up is the Art Miami fair. Located at 3101 NE 1st Ave. in Midtown.

As the longest-running contemporary art fair in the city, this fair showcases modern and contemporary art from 125 international galleries. It strives to provide “an intimate look at some of the most important work at the forefront of the international contemporary art movement.” Housed in a huge tent on a lot between the neighborhoods of Wynwood and Beverly Terrace, it made a good starting point, or base station for exploring most of the other events, especially since it offered a free shuttle service to its sister events CONTEXT Art Fair, just a block away, and AQUA Art Miami on Collins Avenue in Miami Beach.

Their post-fair press release stated they had 78,000 attendees combined for Art Miami and CONTEXT, and hosted 10,500 guests at their VIP Preview.

Art Miami 2016 had all the powerhouse names you’d expect in a Modern and contemporary show, like this Damien Hirst “5-Hydroxyuridine” (above) from Galerie Von Vertes. This Zurich gallery had an impressive booth, with several works by other heavy-hitters like Alexander Calder, Josef Albers, and Robert Rauschenberg.

There were Warhols and Hairings and Banksys and their followers around every corner, but there were definitely some lesser-known gems to be discovered.

Daniel Cherbuin, The Shrimp (groß), 2015, mixed media, edition of 8, video loop: 55 min. 11 sec., 73 x 63 x 3 cm

I was lucky enough to meet the artist Daniel Cherbuin at the booth of Galerie von Braunbehrens. His mixed media “video paintings” were definitely drawing crowds. Their whimsical nature combined with retro iconography, feel like the next step toward the inevitable future of art. Check back later to read my interview with this intriguing artist from Zurich.

Gordon Parks – At Segregated Drinking Fountain, Mobile, Alabama, 1956
2016 – Archival pigment print, Edition of 7 – 34 x 34 inches; 40 3/4 x 39 3/4 inches framed

The New Orleans based Arthur Roger Gallery had a number of unexpected finds. Some incredibly relevant color photographs by groundbreaking photojournalist Gordon Parks, and other wonderful pieces by James Drake, Troy Dugas, and George Dureau.

Detail from “Portrait Group” by Maurizio Anzeri. Embroidery on found photographs.

Another exciting find was the colorful, stitched work by Italian-born London artist Maurizio Anzeri at Haines Gallery out of San Francisco. Using thread and yarn seems to be one of the current fads in contemporary art, but Anzeri definitely puts the medium to an effective use and his embroidery on vintage found photographs was a big standout at this fair.

Another big crowd magnet was the melty work of “3 (three),” a trio of artists from Fukushima, Japan  (above) at the booth of the Miami gallery Now Contemporary Art. The anime doll mashup figures and panels pulled viewers in and beckoned them to look closer at the colorful conglomeration of sexy schoolgirl figures. In some cases the figures were bisected, a la Damien Hirst, and allowed viewers to peek inside at the fleshy innards of the pieces.

An overall impressive show, the Art Miami fair is a good median point (both geographically and aesthetically) on the scale between the ultra-high ticket Art Basel Miami Beach, and the more edgy and emerging events like SCOPE and Superfine.

In a recent release, Art Miami claim they’ve signed a multi-year agreement to hold the event at the former Miami Herald site (One Herald Plaza at NE 14^th Street at Biscayne Bay) in downtown Miami starting in 2017.

~ SUPERFINE: The Fairest Fair

The Superfine Art Fair had a much more laid back vibe. Located just one block south of Art Miami at 56 NE 29th St. Superfine was also open later (11pm), so offered an inviting spot to wind down after the larger, more buttoned-down fairs.  There was more of a festival feeling to this show, with dance music playing and drinks available. Many of the artists themselves accompanied their work and were pleased to interact with attendees.

Argentine artist Ramiro Davaro-Comas (above) was just one of the great artists presented by Organized Chaos Curation and one of the many artists attending the fair and available to discuss their work.  His unique, stitched and collaged drawings have a certain naive charm at first, but they get more complicated and refined the longer you investigate their intricate structure. Check back later for my interview with Ramiro.

deStijl is still alive and kicking! One of my favorite art styles, the geometric lines and shapes emblematic of the Dutch deStijl group, pioneered by Mondrian and Van Doesburg, has an infinite potential for new possibilities. New Orleans artist Bean Blackett (above) has tuned in to that wavelength and produced some canvasses that are both fresh and classic at once.

An installation at the booth of Airplane Mode collective presented the controversial work of Master Garrett, with “editions” of the piece available to purchase on USB drive. The rolling video detailed his performance piece titled “PATRON,” where devotees offer the artist “tributes” in exchange for being virtually abused by the burly character portrayed in the piece. Zines from the project were also available for purchase for $3 with intro essay by Emma Sulkowicz.

The vibrant photography of James Miille occupied one of the main central walls at Superfine and it was not surprising to learn that he’s part of the curatorial team and provided most of the imagery for the fair itself. His work walks the tightrope between the real and the surreal. The images often invoke a questioning feeling in the viewer, and that question is “why?” – Why am I seeing what I’m seeing? That visceral interaction is part of its success as a piece of art, and separates it from being just a pretty picture.

The collages of Theodora Richter were another delightful find and another booth where the artist was on the scene to discuss their work. Richter is investigating that eternal relationship between imagery, shape, and structure. Collage is a bit like chess, simple to learn and nearly impossible to master. But with these pieces Richter has proven she’s no novice and makes a strong statement to be added to the lexicon of the medium. Definitely one to keep an eye on. My interview with her will also be coming later.

The Superfine art fair was a blast this year and will hopefully continue to keep its relaxed feel for future fairs. It seems to know what size britches to buy, so it won’t get too big for them.

~ Wynwood Walls.

Kenny Scharf mural near the entrance at Wynwood Walls 2016.

Now in its seventh year, Wynwood Walls has become a kind of defacto geographic center for street art, murals, graffiti and other urban art during ArtWeek in Miami. Each year they invite some of the most popular muralists from around the world to make their mark on the walls of their open-air garden/gallery. While sanctioned “street art” is always somewhat more sterile than work that’s done without permission, the talent and success of their previous roster can’t be denied, and this year’s familiar lineup is no different.

Ron English mural at Wynwood Walls 2016.

PixelPancho mural at Wynwood Walls 2016.

In addition to murals by Kenny Scharf, Ron English and PixelPancho, (all pictured above,) this year’s Wynwood Walls were painted by Aiko, Alexis Diaz, avaf, Case, Crash, Cryptik/DALeast, Daze, eL Seed, Ernest Zacharevic, Fafi, Faile/Bast, Faith47, Futura, Gaia, HowNosm, Hueman, Inti, Kenny Scharf, Lady Pink, Logan Hicks, Maya Hayuk, Miss Van, Neuzz, OS Gemeos, P.H.A.S.E. 2, Peter Tunney, Picho & Avo, Retna, Ron English, Santiago Rubino, Shepard Fairey, Swoon, The London Police, Tristan Eaton, and Vhils.

~ Peter Tunny Experience

Peter Tunney in his Wynwood gallery during ArtWeek 2016.

Nestled right in the center of the Wynwood Walls complex, is the Miami studio and gallery of New York artist Peter Tunny. Stepping into the space offers a nice respite from the Florida heat (yes, even in December), but your eyes certainly don’t get a rest here. There’s an instant onslaught of imagery and Tunny’s artwork is not easily taken in at a glance. It has imagery upon imagery within imagery.

ArtWeek 2016 visitors to Peter Tunney’s gallery in Wynwood, Miami.

Like the proverbial a riddle, wrapped in a mystery, inside an enigma, Tunney’s pieces can be seen on many levels. Most of them have one strong, simple slogan, such as “Change the way you see everything”, or “Crazy Good,” but upon closer inspection, you could spend hours investigating his collage and graphic techniques and still not take in every little detail. His blatant appropriation of contemporary and vintage advertising, not to mention the work of other artists such as Andy Warhol, may put some off, but his skill in combining text and images for impactful results is without question.

~ Originals at Goldman Global Arts Gallery

HUSH & other artists on view at Goldman Global Arts Gallery during ArtWeek Miami 2016.

Goldman Global Arts is the curatorial project of Goldman Properties, which owns the Wynwood Walls property. The Goldman Global Arts Gallery sits in the farthest back section of the Wynwood Walls property, where they hosted the exhibition “Originals,” featuring additional work by many of the artists who who painted this year’s murals. Curated by Jessica Goldman Srebnick and Peter Tunney, visitors got to see new canvasses by artists  1010, Alexis Diaz, Beau Stanton, BIO, Case, Crash, Dasic Fernandez, Daze, Faith XLVII, Fin-Dac, Hueman, Hush, Ken Hiratsuka, Jordan Betten, Logan Hicks, Matthew Ryan Herget, Maya Hayuk, Okuda, Pichi & Avo, PixelPancho, Risk, Ron English, Santiago Rubino, Shepard Fairey, Tatiana Suarez, The London Police, Tristan Eaton, and VHILS.

The gun paintings “Fear Me 1 & 2” by Tristan Eaton (seen in background above) were particularly strong. The monochrome palate is a nice departure from his normally color-rich style. Other standouts were pieces by Hush (2nd above) and PixelPancho, who’s panels in custom-made frames felt a bit like vintage, family heirloom daguerreotypes. And I don’t think anyone stepped up to Beau Stanton‘s eight-foot tall canvas, “Antediluvian Aftermath,” without saying “wow!.” I must have heard it half a dozen times while standing there myself.

Having a “wall-side” gallery with available work by each year’s mural all-stars seems like a no-brainer, and for those of us who normally only get to see Instagram versions of work by the artists we follow, viewing newer work, up close and in person is always a pleasure.

~ Wynwood District Street Art

For about eight blocks in every direction from the Wynwood Walls location, graffiti and street art cover nearly every inch of every wall that isn’t guarded by heavy security. It’s a great place to wander around and discover unsanctioned work by local and international writers and artists alike.

There’s “not even a square to spare” so, in many cases, older pieces are buffed over to make room for new work. Graffiti writers, crews and mural painters from all over the world descend upon the area like locusts and work throughout the week to re-cover every surface they can access. Tags, throwies, masterpieces, and full-blown murals are everywhere you look.

Paint isn’t the only medium used in this yearly attack. Street stickers are a quick and easy way to get your name out there with just a peel and a slap, and they are everywhere!  Many are hand drawn on pilfered labels like those from the USPS (Label 228), while others are made by screen-printing or alternative methods of mass production. Stickers are also a good way for artists to make small, quick pieces that are always ready to go up, or get sold to a fan or traded to a fellow artist, and are sometimes collaborated on by several artists or representing a particular crew.

Wheatpasted posters are another popular medium. I saw some nice work by SacSix, Unpolite Art Machine, Bournrich, Barcelona’s Konair, and Denver’s brilliant Frank Kwiatkowski (seen above.)

Other types of installations are all around if you know how to look for them. Minneapolis yarn artist Hot Tea (above) was hitting the fences around Wynwood with his signature three-dimensional wordplay. Cash for Your Warhol, had placed his signs in some strategic locations, and those faux traffic signs (possibly by Olivia Steele?) with slogans like “Control Yourself” (below) were also being ignored by the masses of people who passed by them.

So needless to say, what’s now (apparently) being called the Wynwood Art District is kind of like ten square blocks of nonstop streetart treasure hunt, and there are jewels to be discovered around every corner.

~ Aqua Art Fair

The Aqua Art Miami fair is one several “hotel” fairs. Similar to the INK, NADA, Fridge, Satellite, and other fairs, Aqua virtually takes over a Miami Beach hotel and utilizes the existing layout to feature its exhibitors. At the Aqua Hotel, 1530 Collins Ave., each room facing the courtyard has been mostly emptied of furniture and replaced with artwork.

There were too many impressive rooms at Aqua to mention them all here, but there were certainly some that rose above the crowd.

I may be definitely am biased when it comes to the Tampa-based gallery Cass Contemporary. Since opening in early 2014, they have hosted many of my favorite artists and their exhibition space (above) at Aqua was no different. After their opening of a magnificent Shark Toof show, “Red Everything” back in Tampa, they presented some of his innovative work in Miami as well. Some three-dimensional objects have begun to emerge from Shark Toof’s paintings and the effect is fantastic. Accompanying that was new work by St. Petersburg artist BASK, (“Sweet Savage” center) and some remarkable pieces by Dallas artist, Michael Reeder, (right) who’s work was so popular at several fairs, that most of it sold out during the preview events. Check back for more in my full report on Cass at Aqua.

The Kallenbach Gallery, from Amsterdam, paired with Favela Painting, to make a superb presentation.  In their space, the Dutch duo Haas&Hahn showcased colorful, geometric details and photographs from their massive mural projects in Rio, Philadelphia, and other cities. The gallery also featured works by other impressive international artists including some exquisite collage/mixed media wood panels by  WK Interact.

Working Method Contemporary, is a collective of MFA students at Florida State University, in Tallahassee. Their exhibit presented one of the most unforgettable paintings of the entire weekend. Viewing the piece “Hoarders Paradise” (detail above) by Christina Klein, feels like being caught in a tornado time-warp, one that’s swept through the cubism section of MOMA. Her amazing ability to present an image of such profound structure blended with an equal dose of chaos, leaves the mind properly boggled, and definitely wanting more.

I could have spent the entire weekend just at the Aqua Art fair and still not had enough time to properly appreciate every gallery in attendance. Every time I tried to make my way to the exit, I happened upon another room containing work I HAD to stop and look at. Some of those included: The Derek Gores Gallery from Eau Gallie, FL, Gama Gallery from Istanbul, The Gallery from St. Petersburg, FL, Chicago’s Vertical Gallery, McCaig-Welles & 212 Arts from New York, and J. Fergeson Gallery from Farmville, VA. I hope to write more about my discoveries at these galleries in due time.

~ INK Miami Art Fair

Another “hotel fair,” the INK Miami Art Fair was held at the Dorchester South Beach Hotel at 1850 Collins Ave.  Unlike other fairs, this one focuses solely on contemporary and Modern works on paper.  Sponsored by the International Fine Print Dealers Association, the exhibitors are all association members, but that doesn’t seem to have restricted the diversity of of the works on offer.

A somewhat hidden gem of the University of South Florida in Tampa is their GraphicStudio, which had a room-full of magnificent work (above) on display at INK.

Established back in 1968, their artists list reads like a who’s-who of printmaking from the last fifty years. Robert Rauschenberg was one of the first artists to work in their facility, but many other greats were to follow, including James Rosenquist, Jim Dine, Ed Ruscha, Judy Chiago, and Chuck Close, just to name just a few.

Robert Rauschenberg “Sheephead” – 1974 – Multicolor relief and intaglio print on fabric with collage of wooden ruler sewn on print.

It’s rare that you get to view such little-known works by Modern masters in person, nevermind having the option to actually purchase one. The Rauschenberg”Sheephead” print (above), priced at $15,900, appeared to have been sold by Saturday morning when I got to see it.

Ed Ruscha – “DO AS TOLD OR SUFFER” – 2001

Many newer artists have also discovered the mastery of GraphicStudio. Artists like Vik Muniz, Alex Katz, Trenton Doyle Hancock, and Christian Marclay (below) have started working with them more recently, and some were on exhibit during this show. If you ever find yourself with spare time in Tampa, do check them out.

Christian Marclay – “Fisssss Bang!” – 2015 – photogravure with aquatint etching

The Rabley Contemporary Gallery, from Marlborough, England, had a lovely display of work, including some very intriguing intaglio and woodcut prints by Naomi Frears. (below)

Naomi Frears – “Just Passing Through” – intaglio and woodcut

I then casually wandered in to the rooms of Stoney Road Press from Dublin. What I saw there, tucked in a back alcove, unassumingly framed, with a standard, white, printed placard, was a piece of artwork that instantly became one of my all-time favorites.

The Irish artist Brian O’Doherty, (before he had temporarily changed his name to Patrick Ireland), invited Marcel Duchamp to his New York apartment in 1966, with intentions to make a portrait of the enigmatic master. The results of this endeavor may be the single most appropriate portrait of an artist I’ve ever seen.

Duchamp once said, “I came to feel an artist might use anything – a dot, a line, the most conventional or unconventional symbol – to say what he wanted to say.”

I can’t imagine a more unconventional way to make a “portrait,” than hooking the subject up to a cardiograph machine, to create a drawing, representing the literal beating heart of the artist himself, (see above). The result is quietly seismic.

Also on exhibit from Stoney Road Press was a series of 28 stunning prints by Garrett Phelan titled “The Hide Suite.” Here’s a detail (below) showing some of the brilliant color combinations.

One of the artists presented by Wildwood Press, out of St. Louis, was Casey Rae.  Her large, tryptic titled “Mackinaw City 4 Huron” (below) was simply stunning. The haunting, surreal labyrinth depicted in the three, giclee-printed panels, is easily recognizable as a frozen icescape from a few meters away, but when viewed up close, (which was necessary in the small hotel rooms), the amazing clarity and detail accomplished with the original 4×5 film transparency photograph, really comes to light and virtually sends a chill through the viewer.

I often like smaller concise fairs like this one by INK Miami. They offer a much more narrow selection of work and this allows the viewer to concentrate on one particular medium or movement. The larger (anything-goes) fairs have so many different types of work available, it can be difficult to wrap your mind around it all.

~ Secret Walls Miami 2016

The last shot is just a quick look at the finished wall from early the next morning.

That’s all folks.

20×16 at Cass Contemporary Tampa

Gallery view during the 20×16 exhibition at Cass Contemporary in Tampa, photographed on Saturday, 1/9/16. LANCE ROTHSTEIN / STAFF

By LANCE ROTHSTEIN ~ Tribune staff

Reposted from Tampa Tribune article originally published: January 14, 2016

TAMPA — Today’s burgeoning urban art scene has been cutting new trails into the Tampa Bay area lately and may have found a good place to set up camp on South MacDill Avenue.

After the successful “SHINE on St. Pete” mural festival and accompanying “Leave a Message” exhibit at the Morean Arts Center last fall, Cass Contemporary followed up with the show “Corrosively Bright,” featuring work by 12 artists, including international heavy-hitters like Ben Frost and Shark Toof. They also hosted the notorious Secret Walls live illustration battle with artists Frank Forte, Denial, Greg Mike, and local favorite BASK.

Cass Contemporary now has brought together 40 artists for its “20×16” exhibition, running through Feb. 13.

To ring in the new year, gallery owners Jake & Cassie Greatens asked this carefully curated group of artists to create works that were exactly 20 inches by 16 inches for this show. Next year they plan to do a “20×17” show.

A week ago, scores of people converged on the gallery, where live music played and projections flickered on a wall. The dance of the night was the “gallery shuffle,” moving from one artwork to the next, pausing only to discuss perceived merits or missteps. Cass had a full-page ad for the show in Juxtapoz magazine, an oracle of art and culture for the past decade. Art Week Miami may have been last month, but that vibe migrated to Tampa, at least for this one night.

“We wanted something that made us stand out and made the art stand out,” said co-owner Cassie Greatens, “and to bring a new art scene to Tampa.

“The idea was to show Tampa 40 different artists, and to put something in the space that’s good for everyone, not just different styles but also the price point, there’s a variety of prices and styles, and I feel like anyone can come in here and find something they like,” Greatens said.

With so many different artists there’s not a binding theme in this exhibit, but the size constraint does make it feel like a cohesive show.

There’s an urban/street art feel to many of the pieces exhibited. A majority of the artists have, in fact, made their bones by spray painting on outdoor walls before they moved to indoor works on gallery walls.

St. Pete painter BASK is a stand-out. His work titled “Debate” hangs alone on a smaller wall of the gallery. It offers the viewer an obscured scene of two wolves fiercely attacking each other, but seen through a finely painted grid of hexagons that give the impression of chicken wire and blood spatter.

“Debate” by St. Petersburg artist BASK, in acrylic, latex and enamel on box frames.

“It seems like a fitting piece given the escalating political climate, and given that it’s an election year and so forth,” said BASK about his painting.

Another local artist, Pale Horse, contributed his two mixed-media illustration pieces titled “Forbidden Knowledge” resembling polished enamel and copper etchings. In these cleanly executed works, a hand hovers just above a trio of mushrooms that are guarded by a devilishly decorated and fork-tongued serpent. These pieces feel like new versions of ancient icons.

Speaking of icons, there’s no lack of pop-art iconography in this exhibition. In 1962, Andy Warhol put his giant thumb down on the art world, and 50-plus years later, some artists are still struggling to get out from under it.

One could grab a handful of dice with the usual pop-art suspects printed on their sides. Things like: cartoon character, super model, couture emblem, graffiti tag, dollar bill, soft-drink logo, etc, then just roll the dice and paint whatever comes up together. (Wait, did I just give away the best idea for a pop-art app?)

Anyway, this often results in a less-than-inspiring combination, but once in a while you’d throw a true winning roll.

“Equality of Paint” mixed media by Rene Gagnon

Massachusetts-born artist Rene Gagnon certainly has a winner with his piece “Equality of Paint” which presents a spray-paint can adorned with the Campbell’s Soup logo, accompanied by a rainbow background and the word “equality” replacing the soup variety. The frame is even spattered with a rainbow of paint, which brings the piece together. It rises above the simplicity of its blatant appropriation to make a real statement for our time.

“Nadi” oil on board by Miami artist Tatiana Suarez

Another winning painting strays pretty far from the typical imagery and brings us the masterful and mystical visage of “Nadi,” a character brought to life by Miami native Tatiana Suarez. Her exotic and mythological large-eyed figures first got my attention at SCOPE Art Miami in 2014, and I was delighted to see her work in the gallery.

Local star Tes One (along with BASK & Pale Horse) has been bringing creative color to some of the Bay area’s well-trafficked walls, most notably a five-story mural on the Poe Parking Garage in downtown Tampa. For this exhibit, his acrylic on wood piece titled “Frostbite” was drawing a warm reception from gallery visitors.

Michigan artist Kelly Allen had perhaps the most unique piece in the show, a simplistic face, seemingly finger-painted into deep, rippling stripes of vibrant color. Titled “Cocoon,” it pulls you in and demands contemplation.

“Cocoon” 2015, Plastisol on canvas, by Kelly Allen.

Others that need mentioning are Greg Gossel’s puzzle-like wood collage “Butterfly,” Chris Buzelli’s elephant/tiger/monkey beast titled “Lotus” and Beau Stanton’s surrealist oil painting “Elysian Voyage.”

But these are just my favorites. You should visit the gallery and pick out your own.

 

LINK: Cass Contemporary

Basquiat: The Unknown Notebooks

Late in the 1980s, burgeoning New York art collector Larry Warsh acquired a series of eight, common composition notebooks from members of a seemingly-defunct and little-known band called “Gray.” Those notebooks sat boxed in a closet of Warsh’s Manhattan apartment for more than 25 years. Now they are on a touring exhibition from the Brooklyn Museum, with stops at the High Museum of Art in Atlanta, and the Pérez Art Museum in Miami, and the books are likely reaching a much bigger audience than the band ever attracted back at C.B.G.B.’s in 1980.

Of course, these aren’t just any notebooks. “Gray” isn’t just any band born in the Bowery. And it turns out that Larry Warsh is a damn good judge of groundbreaking art.

The sparsely-filled books contain years of hand-written notes by revolutionary artist Jean-Michel Basquiat and they seem to offer a peep-hole in to the mind of that unconventional genius. This exhibit presents pages from the notebooks alongside a selection of his larger compositions, providing the visitor an in-depth exploration of the Basquiat lexicon that is both verbal and visual.

View from the Basquiat exhibition at the High Museum of Art.

Basquiat started the band, eventually called “Gray” with performance artist Michael Holman in 1979. They, with various other bandmates, played their ambient/industrial music at the usual downtown haunts, but with growing recognition of his visual artistic talent, Basquiat left the band in mid 1980. It was right about then his career seemed to lasso a shooting star and the artist struggled to hold on tight for as long as he could.

Surviving band members reunited to play at Basquiat’s memorial service in 1988 and again more recently for art happenings and music festivals. In 2011 they even released a “new” album “Shades of…” which includes cuts of  the late Basquiat’s voice and music.

GRAY – SHADES OF… from Plushsafe Records.

 

But this is about the notebooks…

View from the Basquiat exhibition at the High Museum of Art.

Since the beginning, Basquiat’s artistic efforts have focused on words and short phrases. The SAMO@ graffiti he perpetrated with school friend Al Diaz in the late seventies often seemed like excerpts of Beat poetry.

MICROWAVE & VIDEO X-SISTANCE
“BIG MAC” CERTIFICATE
FOR X-MAS
-SAMO©

Even after his painting evolved from street walls, to paper and fabric, to canvas and wood installations, these words and phrases infiltrated every aspect of Basquiat’s artwork. In fact they seem to be the actual essence of it, merely enhanced by the more visually dominant graphic elements.

Basquiat – Untitled, 1982–83. Oilstick, colored pencil, crayon, and gouache on paper mounted on canvas. Collection of Fred Hoffman.  Estate of Jean-Michel Basquiat.

This first major exhibition of the books displays 160 pages of the artist’s personal writings, sketches and notes, accompanied by other drawings, paintings and historical Basquiat ephemera. The pages on display often reveal a kind of evolution on many of the subjects he used in his more extensive paintings, along with those iconic motifs like figures, faces and crowns.

Page from Basquiat notebooks – Famous Negro Athletes.

Basquiat drawing – Famous Negro Athletes, 1981, oil stick on paper. Collection of Glenn O’Brien.

 

Basquiat developed a unique way of using language the way other artists used paint, or filmmakers use footage. The notebooks seem to be like mental scrapbooks for the artist to collect and manipulate phrases and ideas.

The exhibit presents them as “autonomous works” and not the “preparatory studies” of a sketchbook. But they do have a sketchbook feel to them, only these sketches are made with words instead of line and shadow.

This brings me back to the Beat Poets, and Kerouac in particular. On the back cover of my copy of the book: “Jack Kerouac Book of Sketches“, (Pengiun 2006), it says:

“…Ed White mentioned to Jack Kerouac ‘Why don’t you just sketch in the streets like a painter but with words.’ White’s suggestion is credited with helping to inspire Kerouac’s move to spontaneous prose.”

Here’s an excerpt from a Kerouac “sketch” in Massachusetts.

———————–

Concord River RR
Bridge
Sunday Oct 24 ’54
Lowel
5 PM

     A ridiculous NE
tumbleweed danced
across the RR bridge

     Thoreau’s Concord
is blue aquamarine
in October red
sereness — little
Indian hill towards
Walden, is orange
brown with Autumn
The faultless sky
attests to T’s solemn
wisdom being correct
— but perfect wisdom is Buddha’s

—————-

Many of these Basquiat notebook pages have a very similar feel…

Basquiat – from Untitled Notebook #2, 1980–1981 – Collection of Larry Warsh, Copyright © Estate of Jean-Michel Basquiat, Photo: Sarah DeSantis, Brooklyn Museum.

 

Just as other collage artists like Ray Johnson and Robert Rauschenberg collected little snippets physically from newspapers, letters and trash piles, to later assemble and re-arrange in their artworks, – Basquiat seems to have been collecting these snippets verbally instead. He collected them in the notebooks by writing them down when he read them, heard them, witnessed them, or just thought them up.

While many lines are filled with these intriguing collections of phrases, and developing ideas, other pages do indeed feel more like finished works of art on their own.

Basquiat –  Untitled Notebook Page, circa 1987 – 

Collection of Larry Warsh. Copyright © Estate of Jean-Michel Basquiat, Photo: Sarah DeSantis, Brooklyn Museum.

Looking closely at the intricate structures of words and lines on the pages, one can hardly resist recalling the obvious influences of seasoned contemporaries like Rauschenberg and Cy Twombly.

Basquiat – detail from page of Notebook #4 – Collection of Larry Warsh.

In addition to these rarely seen notebook pages, some of the more emblematic Basquiat works are traveling with the show. These larger compositions, canvasses and collages add a pleasing compliment to the exhibition.

Views from the show at the High Museum of Art in Atlanta.

Some of the most precious little items in the show are the rare mementos of the artist’s life, such as the Brooklyn Museum Junior Membership Card signed by a young Jean-Michel Basquiat.

And the unforgettable Polaroid photograph by cohort Andy Warhol.

Jean Michel – Basquiat Polaroid 1982 – by Andy Warhol on loan from private collection, seen at The High Museum of Art.

These additions provide a much wider scope for viewing the artist’s work, making this a unique opportunity for both longtime aficionados, and Basquiat newbies alike.

As notebook owner Larry Warsh expressed so perfectly in an April, 2015 Q&A article for Departures by Laura van Straaten:

“No one can have a complete picture of the inner workings of any artist, but the words on these pages give us a glimpse of the soul behind this complex, creative persona.”

While I highly recommend attending this exhibition if you can, I can’t help myself from wondering what else Warsh might have stashed in that closet of his…

Tour Schedule :

Brooklyn Museum, New York

April 3–August 23, 2015

High Museum of Art, Atlanta, Georgia

February 28–May 29, 2016

Pérez Art Museum Miami, Florida

August 8–October 23, 2016

 

Links, Sources & Recommended reading:

 

Departures: “Q&A: Larry Warsh On Basquiat’s Notebooks” by Laura van Straaten

Financial Times: “Larry Warsh on his approach to collecting” by Peter Aspden

Gray History from the website of Michael Holman

http://plushsaferecords.com/

http://www.basquiat.com/artist-timeline.htm

The SAMO© Graffiti photographed by Henry Flynt

https://www.brooklynmuseum.org/exhibitions/touring/basquiat_notebooks http://www.high.org/Art/Exhibitions/Basquiat-Notebooks http://pamm.org/exhibitions/basquiat-unknown-notebooks

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TEXT AND PHOTOS BY LANCE ARAM ROTHSTEIN (except where noted.)

 

 

Vik Muniz Retrospective at High Museum

By guest contributor Karen Rothstein.

Now on exhibit until August 21, 2016 at The High Museum of Art in Atlanta, is a retrospective including more than 100 photographs by the Brazilian born mixed media artist Vik Muniz.

He has such a warm and enthusiastic manner. At the media preview, he expressed his overwhelming joy at seeing museum-goers actually taking close-up notice of all the unorthodox materials he used to create his artworks. Even the youngest child can find something in his work that brings them pleasure and perhaps engages them into taking an interest in the world of Art.

The writer, Karen Rothstein with artist Muniz in front of his Self-Portrait: “I Am Too Sad to Tell You”, after Bas Jan Ader, from the “Rebus” series.

Muniz is known for trying to create a sense of wonder and intrigue within his photography. The way he creates each piece is unique, adding a plethora of unconventional items in the process of making each finished photograph. These things that you might be familiar with in their proper place, will all come as a surprise in his art. Things such as: tiny childhood toys, garbage, torn pieces of magazines, diamonds, food of all sorts, etc…. It is easy to see the artist has a playful sense of humor. The different textures and sizes of his working canvasses make each finished photograph very unique. For example, one project included large-scale drawings made by bulldozers on a construction site, while other images were made by assembling small pieces of garbage or tiny toys and then photographing them from above, to reveal the intended scene that he pictured in his head before it all started. Be sure to watch the video in the gallery, showing how he created “Mother and Child” from the “Pictures of Garbage” series.

Vik Muniz – Mother and Child  (Suellen)  from “Pictures of Garbage” series.

Muniz often makes several works in a series, using similar materials to explore a common theme, materials that often trigger the viewer’s memory, recalling another time and place.

Vik Muniz – “Double Mona Lisa” (Peanut Butter and Jelly) from “After Warhol” series.

Vik Muniz – “Saturn devouring one of his sons” after Goya, from “Pictures of Junk Series.”

Vik Muniz – “Vik, 2 Years Old,”  from Pictures of Album series (representing one of the few pictures from his childhood)

Before moving to New York as a young man, Muniz was brought up in a working class family in Brazil while the country was under a strong military regime. People couldn’t speak their mind and times were hard. To this day he stands up for the underdog and addresses issues of social justice, and several of the works on display express the depth of his feelings.

 

Vik Muniz – “George Stinney, Jr.” from “Pictures of Album” series  (Stinney was convicted at a flawed trial in 1944 at the age of 14 in South Carolina.)

 

Vik Muniz – Six children from the “Sugar Children” series (Children from sugar plantation workers who played in the sand on the Island of St. Kitts).

Muniz really loves to use all different textures and is intrigued with color pigmentation as seen in his wonderful rendering of Gauguin’s “Day of the Gods”. Look close, the colors and textures comes to life.

Vik Muniz – “Mahana No Atua” (Day of the Gods), after Gauguin, from “Pictures of Pigment” series.

Muniz is primarily working in series these days, but he started out in the 80’s doing sculpture. A fine example is on display, be sure to few his Mnemonic Vehicle (Ferrari Berlinetta) a composite of polyurethane, plexiglass and aluminum, portraying a nearly life-size Ferrari automobile as a massive matchbox car.

The Artist is a true master of creativity and composition, his work has been on display the world over. He currently works in  New York City and Rio de Janeiro.

This exhibit is a wonderful one and will make for great discussion with family and friends in days to follow.

Vik Muniz – A Bar at the Folies-Bergère after Édouard Manet, from the Pictures of Magazines 2 series.

The Vik Muniz exhibition runs through August 21, 2016 at The High Museum of Art in Atlanta. Visit www.high.org for more info.

SCOPE Art Miami 2014 Radiant with the Urban and Urbane.

Thalassa by SWOON presented by The Dean Collection greets visitors inside the SCOPE main entrance.

The 14th SCOPE International Contemporary Art Show on Miami Beach expected nearly 40,000 visitors over the six day period, (ending 8pm Sunday Dec.7.)  Those visitors were treated to a kaleidoscope of works from more than 100 exhibitors, showing art from recent masters and groundbreaking upstarts alike.

Detail of a piece by D*Face presented by The Dean Collection.

~ MIAMI BEACH ~ The increasing popularity of “street art” and its indelible impact on the contemporary art market was inherent in the prevalence of street-inspired work shown at SCOPE this year. While “street art” can’t really be considered as one particular style, the artwork by those who have chosen to “get up” on the streets has clearly made a permanent and pervasive mark on many artists working today. Some artists being exhibited did indeed start out working on the streets and later made the transition to gallery work. Others have adopted and adapted those various methods and used them in new and intriguing ways.

The Dean Collection presented works not for sale, curated by collector, hip-hop recording artist and producer Swizz Beatz. Artists included D*Face and SWOON (both shown above), who got their starts on the streets of London and New York respectively. And other, more traditional artists such as photographer and filmmaker Lyle Owerko were also shown. Masterful works from his Boom Box series proved popular with the Hip-Hop Set. Even Diddy & Busta Rhymes made appearances at the display.

Metaphysics by Anne Deleporte 2014

L’Inlassable Galerie from Paris titled their exhibition Fake Idols, which contained some really unique work by Anne Deleporte who uses black gesso to obliterate works on paper. This results in a strong graphic presence that draws the viewer in to examine what she’s chosen to leave visible. Fans of metaphysical master Giorgio de Chirico will instantly recognize the remnants of his painting in Deleporte’s piece titled Metaphysical (above). Also in this booth were James Rielly, Edgar Sarin, Morten Viskum and Reinhard Voss.

Skull with rabbit 2014 Jan Fabre

MAM Mario Mauroner Contemporary Art gallery based in, Austria, attracted visitors with work by acclaimed Belgian artist Jan Fabre (above). His pieces using Thai Jewel Beetle wing casings and other animal parts were a certain draw. Fabre has recently been invited to make a massive installation at the Russian State Hermitage Museum in Saint Petersburg in 2016. You can read more in our report here.

MAM also presented Disaster by Spanish artist Carlos Aires using a series of laser-cut banknotes from around the world to form interesting juxtapositions which were sometimes brutal, and sometimes sarcastic, but always meaningful.

California based Thinkspace Gallery featured mini-solo shows from Glenn Barr and Andy Kehoe.  Their Twitter account posted that they “sent 60 works to new homes” during the fair.  They also displayed a large wall grid of 60 – 12″x 12″ (30 x 30 cm) works by different artists.

Among those was a dynamic collage by Florida artist Derek Gores.

Depth Perfection – collage on canvas by Derek Gores

Thinkspace also presented two environmentally poignant pieces by San Francisco artist Jeremy Fish.

Tough Talking Turtles Telling Tales – acrylic on hand-cut wood panel by Jeremy Fish

Fowl Friends of the Fox – acrylic on hand-cut wood panel by Jeremy Fish

Stolenspace Gallery‘s space was chock-full of art by well-established street artists.  The London gallery appropriately carried work by The London Police.

Bork & The Minions Save the Day ~ by The London Police

A shadow box by Belgian artist ROA was channeling the spirit of Joseph Cornell with his characteristically zoological inspired work.

Mural Study Box I – by ROA

Next to the shadow box was a small portrait of Camille Claudel by renown street artist C215.

Camille Claudel ~ mixed media on canvas by C215.

In addition to the medium-sized, mixed media collage on wooden panel by D*Face…

Wall Hugger I – by D*Face

There was a nifty little promotion from Stolenspace where visitors could pick a key from a pile, and check to see if it unlocked the chains surrounding a smaller D*Face work called Who’s Bad, with a sticker value of  $8000.

Who’s Bad ~ mixed media on canvas by D*Face

Miami residents Gregory Jackson and Natalie Santiago (below) took their chances on the lock, but it wasn’t their lucky day.

There was a lucky winner though and she was featured in the official D*Face Instagram Feed:

Hashimoto Contemporary, out of San Francisco, had a very dynamic display. One wall that drew much attention held a trio of satirical paintings by Scott Scheidly portraying anti-gay, authoritarian leaders in fancy outfits of pink and lavender.

Putin ~ acrylic on masonite by Scott Scheidly

By Thursday morning, each of the gaudy pink frames had a nice little red sticker beside their $3,500 price card.

Castro, Kim Jong Un & Castro ~ acrylic on masonite by Scott Scheidly

Hashimoto also presented works by Shawn Huckins, Crystal Wagner, Handiedan, Joel Daniel Phillips, and Casey Weldon.

Homebooster ~2014  spray paint on cardboard by EVOL

One of the most original and exciting artists on display this year was EVOL. Represented by the Jonathan LeVine Gallery, this Berlin street artist has gained wide acclaim recently for his innovative, urban, architectural illustrations, creating miniature buildings out of utility boxes and other surfaces in public spaces. His studio work often employs this same method on used cardboard boxes and the effect is mesmerizing.

Low Reflection Area ~ 2014 spray paint on cardboard by EVOL

Altogether, this year’s SCOPE fair was very enthralling. There’s really too much to see in one day. With so many new artists, and as many different styles, it’s difficult to pinpoint any current trends without neglecting the outsiders.  And while the urban and street art influence is certainly an undeniable force, it seems more and more that “getting your artwork up and out on the streets” has become less of a circumvention of the traditional art market, and more of a pathway to gallery representation.

Stay tuned for further highlights from SCOPE, as well as reports from the ArtBasel and CONTEXT fairs.

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TEXT AND PHOTOS BY LANCE ARAM ROTHSTEIN

Jan Fabre set for groundbreaking show at Hermitage in St.Petersburg 2016

Belgian artist Jan Fabre has been invited to The Hermitage museum in Saint Petersburg, Russia, for a monumental, one-man exhibition in September 2016.

MIAMI BEACH – At the SCOPE International Contemporary Art Show in Miami Beach this week, Jan Fabre had several works being exhibited by MAM Mario Mauroner Contemporary Art gallery based in Vienna, Austria. Positioned near the main entrance, Fabre’s colorful and macabre pieces caught the eye of most visitors to the show.

Skull with magpie 2001 Jan Fabre

His works using animal parts, such as Skull with magpie, include jewel-beetle wing cases and stuffed, dead animals. While they may provide some challenging visual images for inquisitive collectors, their iridescent attraction is undeniable.

MAM’s Judith Radlegger was among the gallery’s representatives at SCOPE, answering a virtually non-stop flow of questions from interested art lovers. But one of the most interesting tidbits she revealed was the recent announcement that Jan Fabre will have a massive exhibition at the Russian State Hermitage Museum in Saint Petersburg in 2016.

Fabre will be the first living artist to have such an exhibition at the historic venue, which is happening at the invitation of Hermitage Director, Mikhail Piotrovsky. It will be curated by Dimitri Ozerkov, who recently was in charge of the renovation and grand opening of their new contemporary art wing. Fabre’s installation will take up to 30 rooms in multiple buildings and is sure to make headlines and draw the attention of the international art world, as did a previous installation at the Belgian Royal Palace in 2002. The palace’s Mirror Room and chandelier were covered with the wings of more than one million beetles.

Heaven of Delight (seen from below) 2002 Jan Fabre

At SCOPE Miami 2014, Fabre’s colorful pieces were also drawing attention, and many visitors stepped up close to the work to get a better look at the intricate beetle wings used to make the pieces. Encased behind glass, King Leopold II in the Air (from the series Hieronymus Bosch in Congo) utilized thousands of the tiny wings mounted on wood in the form of a crown.

Detail from King Leopold II in the Air (from the series Hieronymus Bosch in Congo) 2012 Jan Fabre

Skull with rabbit 2014 Jan Fabre

SCOPE runs through Sunday December 7th, but if you couldn’t make it to Miami this year, and you won’t be heading to Russia in 2016, you can catch one of his many other international exhibitions. Check out his currently running shows via his website here: http://janfabre.be/angelos/en/running/

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ALL TEXT AND PHOTOS BY LANCE ARAM ROTHSTEIN

Miami ArtWeek’14 – Wednesday 12/3

We haven’t even hit the shows yet but have already stumbled upon some great discoveries.

While taking a stroll down Lincoln Road Mall in search of some dinner, we were quickly confronted with the “ArtCenter South Florida” and their retrospective exhibition “Thirty Years on the Road,” curated by Edouard Duval-Carrié.

Some standouts from this show were Vicenta Casan “It’s Difficult to be Spiderman’s Mom” a 66.5″x51″ 2008 C-Print Photograph.

And a 2012 piece by Kerry Phillips called “I’m The Worst When it Comes To…” this is a magnificent work of many multicolored, found sheets, folded neatly and stacked on a found table. You can see a different installation of this work on her site here: http://www.kerryphillipsart.com/stories

Also at ArtCenter South Florida are numerous artists’ gallery/exhibition spaces, and a walk through the well-lit labyrinth brought us to this large, humorous and savvy piece by Alejandro Vigilante.

But by far my most favorite discovery from today was another artist in residence at the ArtCenter, Babette Herschberger. Her minimalist paintings on canvas and cardboard absolutely blew my mind!

This quick snapshot doesn’t do justice to her subtile work. Seldom does something so simple make such a massive statement. I was really looking forward to seeing the EVOL works on cardboard at the SCOPE fair, but Herschberger’s “constructions” on cardboard are in a whole other (higher) class.
Here’s an example from her website:
babetteherschberger.com

“Tidbit #54″ (collage, found cardboard, packing tape. 9.125″x7.875”)

I was so impressed with her original work and the warm welcome in her studio/gallery space. I hope to speak with her again soon and do a more in-depth post on her brilliant work. So watch this space.

Later on Wednesday evening, (after excellent dinner at Bella Cuba on Washington Ave. at Lincoln Rd.) we happened upon the David Castillo Gallery Pop-up on Lincoln Road, which will be open through January 31, 2015.
The un-missable, 1971 neon piece, shining through the window by Rafael Ferrer “Artforhum (Red, White & Blue)”, was really the only thing that could be appreciated during their closed, evening hours.

But the reviews indicate it’s worth a trip back there to see the rest of the show. And the exhibition space definitely looked intriguing.

Okay, hitting the hay for tonight. Hoping to hit SCOPE & ArtBasil tomorrow!

Labeauratoire headed to Miami ArtWeek 2014

Labeauratoire is headed to Miami Beach for Art Week 2014.

Be sure to follow @lancephoto on Twitter for some live updates.

We’ll be covering several of the major art fairs including (but not limited to) Art Basil Miami Beach, Context Art Miami, and the SCOPE Miami Beach fair.

There are a few artists we’re excited to see on this trip. I’ve been following Jane Maxwell online for several years and am looking forward to  finally seeing her work in person at CONTEXT Art Miami.

Jane Maxwell – New Sculptures @ Context Art Miami: December 2-7 | Caldwell Snyder Booth E41.

“The exhibitions and programs at CONTEXT will be even bigger and more impressive than in previous years,” said CONTEXT Director Julian Navarro. “In addition to showcasing a solid group of international galleries, CONTEXT is unique in that it will feature a series of solo artist projects, curated spaces, unique programming, conversations and events – all aimed to immerse and entertain our attendees.”

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We caught a great Street Art show at a little gallery in Belgium back in 2012 where the work of EVOL really caught the eye. Here’s a new piece by this innovative artist. We’re hoping to view it at SCOPE.

EVOL, Summer TV Classic, 2014 Spray paint on cardboard Courtesy of Jonathan LeVine Gallery

“Celebrating its 14th year of introducing galleries to the contemporary market, SCOPE returns to its location on the sands of Miami Beach with 126 International Exhibitors from 27 countries and 48 cities. “

Also at SCOPE we’ll be looking for the Heineken house…

“The Heineken House is a multi-sensory experience, featuring a Live Art Pyramid as the core. Standing over 35ft tall, the pyramid features 12 massive live art walls to be hand-painted live during SCOPE Miami Beach. The interior features a covered bar serving ice cold Heineken, while the exterior provides seating for patrons to witness the transformation of this multifunctional installation.”

Here we hope to see the collage artist Derek Gores working live on sight in the Pyramid.  I recently encountered Gores at his gallery in Melbourne, Florida, and he’s also having an exhibition with Thinkspace Gallery at the Aqua Art Miami show.

“Aqua Art Miami opens Wednesday in perhaps my biggest show yet, and new directions shown for the first time. If you can’t make it in person, request a collection preview by writing contact (at) thinkspacegallery (dot) com … Here we go Miami ~ #aquaartmiami #thinkspacegallery “

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And of course we’ll be spending time at the massive ArtBasil Fair.

© Courtesy of Art Basel

“FACTS AND FIGURES ABOUT ART BASEL IN MIAMI BEACH
Art Basel takes place at the Miami Beach Convention Center (MBCC).
Over 500,000 square feet of exhibition space host the Galleries, Nova, Positions, Edition, Kabinett and Magazines sectors, as well as Conversations and Salon. Public artworks are shown nearby at Collins Park, while Film is presented across two venues, inside the MBCC and in the outdoor setting of Sound Scape Park. – In 2013 the show attracted an attendance of 75,0000 over the five show days.”

Art Basel is sure to be a magnificent event and just as surely waaaayyy too much to see in the one day we’ll be there. So here’s just a short glance of some of the galleries we hope to catch there:

Acquavella Galleries, Gallerie 1900-2000, Xavier Hufkens Gallery, Gagosian Gallery, & White Cube.

If you’re headed down to Miami as well, be sure to look for the ArtBasil APP for your devise. It’s a killer!

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Be sure to follow @lancephoto on Twitter for some live updates, if I’m not too busy on the beach 😉

Abelardo Morell’s Universe Next Door at High Museum Atlanta

ABELARDO MORELL’S UNIVERSE NEXT DOOR AT HIGH MUSEUM OF ART – ATLANTA

Review by Labeauratoire US Correspondent Karen Nurenberg Rothstein

The photography exhibition, “The Universe Next Door” is now on view at The High Museum of Art in Atlanta, Georgia through May 18, 2014. It includes more than 100 works that span Abelardo Morell’s career from 1986 through the present-time.

Abelardo Morell – Camera Obscura: Manhattan View Looking South in Large Room
1996, Gelatin silver print.

Abelardo Morell was born in Havana, Cuba in 1948. He fled with his family in 1962, but before he left Cuba he saw many atrocities. His life was turned upside down by the things he lived through. These events have given him a great sense of depth and feeling which he has used in his work as a photographer.  Morell is especially known for his work with the camera obscura, but he got his early inspiration from great masters of street photography such as Robert Frank and Henri Cartier-Bresson. Bresson was an early adopter of the 35mm format camera, which Abelardo used primarily for some time, but with the birth of his children, he left the light weight 35mm camera and went to a heavier, large format model. He began to experience things in a different way after his children were born, and he used the large format camera to express that new found depth of meaning with contrasting light and dark expression in his work.

Unlike many other photographers, Morell doesn’t limit himself to one photographic style. There are several different visual avenues he explores, giving this exhibition a dynamic variety.

CHILDREN

Abelardo Morell shows us that you are never to old to experience things with the enthusiasm of a child. His children opened his eyes, allowing him to visualize things with a simplicity and wonderment, to go beyond what is plainly visible and to genuinely see and photograph the world in a different way. His work is indeed a magical mix between realism, surrealism and simplicity. Consider his photograph of a pencil. It is simply a pencil, but the morning shadows transform it into a magical tower.

Abelardo Morell – Pencil, 2000, Gelatin silver print.

One of the key images included in this exhibit shows the shadow of the artist’s house on the ground. A door, windows, and a fence have been drawn into the image, and his children pose, showing what might be going on inside or within. Reality merges with imaginary.

Abelardo Morell – Laura and Brady in the Shadow of Our House, 1994, Gelatin silver print

SURREALISM

In “Still Life with Wine Glass”, which is a photogram, Morell has positioned the objects as a still-life. But with his artful magic and the use of water and glass, the result is surreal. The perspective is distorted, forcing the viewer to focus on the objects he has brought to the foreground.

Abelardo Morell – Photogram on 20″ x 24″ Film, 2006, Gelatin silver print.

Morell also has a great talent for showing excitement. He is able to capture the unique behaviors and properties of motion, and several photographs in this exhibit are good examples of this talent. The “Motion Study-Hammer” gives the illusion that a hammer is coming down to hit the nail on the head, but in reality it is three impressions of a hammer in lead.

Abelardo Morell – Motion Study of Hammer Impressions on Lead
2004, Gelatin silver print.

CAMERA OBSCURA

The Camera Obscura (Latin for “dark room”)  was one of the earliest methods of projecting an image. This was achieved by opening a small hole to allow light from the outside to penetrate into a darkened room. This technique would cast a faint, upside-down image of the outside scene onto the inside wall. This process helped early master artists such as Vermeer and dates back to the 10th century or perhaps even farther.

Abelardo Morell – Camera Obscura: The Empire State Building in Bedroom
1994, Inkjet print.

In 1991, Morell started bringing the outside world inside with his use of the camera obscura. At home with his family was where he felt the most inspired, so he started blackening rooms of his house and, with his large format camera on a tripod, he set out to make the most enchanting and exciting photographs he had done in his life.

Using Kodak Tri-X film in a view-camera, these first camera obscura images required an exposure time of several hours. When the first image was developed it was an epiphany for him. The interaction between the projected, outside image, with the ordinary elements of the room inside, produced a truly unique mixture.

Abelardo Morell – Camera Obscura: View of Central Park Looking North
Fall, 2008, Inkjet print.

Later, Morell started capturing these projections in color, and also devised a way to invert the image so that it would be seen right-side up. His retrospective at the High Museum displays the exciting evolution of these camera obscura photographs.

“A lot of my work tries to disorient you once you get invited in to something that seems normal.  I like to suggest that what may be empty is not. When you feel alone there is actually a lot more of the world coming into your space than you think.” 

– Abelardo Morell  –  http://shadowofthehouse.com/film.html

Abelardo Morell – Camera Obscura:
View of Atlanta Looking South Down Peachtree Street in Hotel Room
2013, Inkjet print.

TENT CAMERA

The next venture for Morell was to make a portable camera obscura, and his “Tent Camera” was what came to materialize from this endeavor. With the help of a friend he placed a periscope on top of a darkened tent enabling him to project the outside images onto the ground inside, where there was already a natural canvas. With the advances in digital photography, the increased light sensitivity allowed Morell to make exposures more quickly.

Abelardo Morell discusses the making of his image. Tent Camera Image on Ground:
View of the Golden Gate Bridge from Battery Yates, 2012, Inkjet print

“The added use of dig­i­tal tech­nol­ogy on my cam­era lets me record visual moments in a much shorter time frame– for instance I can now get clouds and peo­ple to show up in some of the photographs.”

– Abelardo Morell  – http://www.abelardomorell.net/srcHTML/tent-camera-statement.html

Lib­er­ated now with his tent camera, he was free to experiment out in the world.

Abelardo Morell – Tent-Camera Image on Ground: View of Old Faithful Geyser,
Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming, 2011, Inkjet print.

BOOKS, PAPER AND MONEY

In some of the other works on display, Morell uses a 35mm camera to capture his love for the simplicity of everyday things, such as Books, Paper and Money.  With this camera he achieves majestic close-ups, engaging the observer to realize the beauty in things we so often take for granted as mere objects.

In “Down the Rabbit Hole”, the rabbit, from “Alice in Wonderland,” struggles to peer down a hole made in a large book. This makes the viewer want to look inside and perhaps dream of what might be down there, and of possibilities to come.

Abelardo Morell – Down the Rabbit Hole
(From Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland), 1998, Inkjet print.

In the image “Paper-Self” he has merely stacked up paper to create a profile of himself. The visual architecture of this photograph, with its detailed, contrasting highlights and shadows, is so well structured, it reveals his mastery and shows us the intricacy and pulchritude of his mind.

Abelardo Morell – Paper Self, 2012, inkjet print.

PICTURING THE SOUTH

In 1996 the High Museum established “Picturing the South” an initiative commissioning established and emerging artists to make a body of work that would show off the south. Abelardo Morell is the latest artist to receive this commission. He chose for his subject matter, the trees of the southern landscape, and captured them in his somewhat whimsical, yet natural way.

Abelardo Morell discusses his image: Cutout in Print with Pine Trees Behind
2013, Inkjet print

During Morell’s talk at the exhibition’s press conference, he describes his technique of hanging a large image of a wooded scene in front of the actual trees in the forest. He then cut out parts to expose the real landscape.

Like so much of this exhibition, this image offers us an interesting look into the way Morell continues to surprise us with each step he makes in his photographic journey.

 “The Universe Next Door” runs through May 18, 2014 at The High Museum of Art in Atlanta, Georgia.

LINKS:

High Museum Atlanta’s Website: www.high.org

Abelardo Morell’s Official Website: www.abelardomorell.net

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ALL TEXT AND “LABEAURATOIRE” PHOTOGRAPHS BY KAREN NURENBERG ROTHSTEIN

FOR LABEAURATOIRE ©2014

Super Natural: Clyde Butcher’s Florida Photographs at the Leepa-Rattner Museum in Tarpon Springs Florida

Butcher is one of the greatest American landscape photographers and certainly one of the hardest-working men in the business. Don’t miss your chance to see some of his magnificent and massive prints in this exhibition:

“Preserving Eden” Clyde Butcher’s Florida Photographs

Leepa-Rattner Museum of Art ~ Tarpon Springs, Florida, USA  North and South Galleries Dec. 8, 2013 – Feb. 16, 2014

Clyde Butcher – Loxahatchee River #1, 1991
Gelatin silver print, 48 x 72 in., On loan from the South Florida Museum, Bradenton

Clyde Butcher works with a large format view cameras and often traipses out into the Florida Swamps with all his equipment. This is not a simple task and, though he does have helpful assistants, it can be a brutal and arduous journey. But at 71, Butcher is a master of his craft and his herculean efforts produce spectacular results. While many people view landscapes as still and unchanging, Butcher is somehow supernaturally in-tune with his natural surroundings and he waits for the perfect moment to snap his picture like a street photographer would in the urban jungle.

Clyde Butcher’s unique eye, combined with his patience and attention to detail, allows him to instill the feelings of action and excitement in a seemingly unmoving scene.

This special exhibition at the Leepa-Rattner Museum of Art in Tarpon Springs includes 35 black and white photographs and allows visitors the opportunity to experience the unique connection Butcher has with natural Florida, and they don’t even have to put on wading boots!

Butcher takes us on an historic journey, not only into the deepest, darkest corners of the Everglades, but also to the sun-bleached shores of Florida’s beaches, and even to the vanishing green spaces that can be found beside highways and parking lots. He is a man on a mission and that mission is being “deeply committed to recording precious landscapes throughout the world.”

After their virtual hike through the stunning wilderness, visitors can sit and relax watching a video documentary on Butcher and his work.

In addition to being one of the greatest living photographers, Clyde Butcher is also one of the most active, and when it comes to his online presence, he has provided many ways for fans to become involved and stay connected.

He provides guided Photo Safari’s and Ec0-Excursions via his website:

Clyde Butcher’s Big Cyprus Gallery

His personal site: clydebutcher.com also has a wealth of biographic and technical information for those gearheads out there.

Butcher’s Facebook Page has more status updates than your thirteen year-old neice’s.

And he even has his own YouTube Channel!

So, take advantage of your chance to see this great exhibition. If not, be sure to check out one of his future events by subscribing to his NEWSLETTER.

IF YOU GO:

“Preserving Eden” Clyde Butcher’s Florida Photographs

Dec. 8, 2013 – Feb. 16, 2014

Leepa-Rattner Museum of Art / 600 Klosterman Road · Tarpon Springs FL 

open Tuesday – Sunday (check for hours)

LRMA@spcollege.edu / (727) 712-5762

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