Manish's Artlog
Notes, bulletins, comments and perspectives by Nish
Non-Profit Spotlight: The Kitchen
by Nish / 24 days ago
For 30 years, The Kitchen has provided visual, literary, and performing artists with exhibition and performance opportunities. An exhibition by Rodney McMillian, the Los Angeles-based painter, sculptor, performer and videomaker, closes on 12/20. This interesting installation uses Cormac McCarthy’s postapocalyptic tale The Road as a point of departure. On Thursday-Friday, the Kitchen hosts its last two dance performances of the year featuring three new works by choreographers Hilary Clark, Mina Nishimura & Kayvon Pourazar. Tickets and more info here.
Non-Profit Spotlight: Foundation for Contemporary Arts (12/11 6pm)
by Nish / 29 days ago
This benefit exhibition @Cohan and Leslie Gallery in Chelsea will feature over 200 photographs and photo-based work, including Polaroids, digital prints and video stills. All work will be available for sale, in all price ranges. Proceeds will directly benefit the Foundation’s grant programs. The event is organized by Gregory Crewdson, Nan Goldin, Jasper Johns, Annie Leibovitz, Julian Lethbridge, Laurie Simmons & Kara Walker.
The Foundation for Contemporary Arts (FCA) was established in 1963 through the efforts of artists Jasper Johns and John Cage in the belief that painters and sculptors were sufficiently concerned about the state of performance arts—dance, theater and music—to donate their work in support of performing artists. Learn more about FCA.
Thanks Catherine Carruthers for posting!
Basel Business Done at Night...
by Nish / about 1 month ago
An oft heard line in the art circles of the Miami art fairs this past week was that the “real business is conducted at night. Is Miami-Basel about selling works or meeting the right people at one of the many exclusive velvet rope events? The fairs are open to the world, but the business is often VIP only. The Miami fair week is designed to perpetuate an artworld hierarchy. Who is showing at Art Basel or a prestigious satellite fair? Who is hobnobbing with the major collectors and celebrities at night? The bid daddy of the fairs, Art Basel Miami Beach, is where the most expensive works from the most exclusive galleries were sold. I heard on numerous occasions, gallerists at satellite fairs using the phrase “if this work was sold at the convention center, it would be selling for 4-5x.” Does the artwork change quality once it moves from a tent in Wynwood to a massive convention center on Miami Beach?
The art fair week in Miami is a lot like transporting the velvet rope Meatpacking/Chelsea scene and multiplying it by 5 (a positive difference being the Miami bars often have stunning pools, bonfires and beaches). Though we heard many “We hate Miami” exclamation, the majority of folks were happy seeing the art, meeting new people, dancing and of course drinking free drinks. While Artlog did not conduct business with Calvin Klein, Mary-Kate Olson, Benicio Del Toro, Naomi Campbell, Pam Anderson, Fred Durst and David lachapelle, we did see them. We even had a late night run-in with a vodka chugging Paris & Nikki Hilton. In some art circles (squares), we made it to the top, for us we are just happy to have escaped alive back to NYC.
If you care, the Raleigh of Andre Balazs, The Delano, The Mondrian & Casa Tua were the so called event hot spots while Club Liv at the newly opened Fontainebleau could perhaps be described as today’s Vegas meets 1980s New York (in other words “hell on earth”).
Artlog's Connect Newsletter is back this week with a focus on great shows across the US
- Nish
about 1 month ago
Scantily-clad Girls in Glass Booth Sell Betelnut
by Nish / 26 Sep 2008
No, we are not in Taiwan nor are we back in 1980s Time Square. This installation by Annamarie Ho (MFA at RSID) is on the west side of Cleveland Place, south of Kenmare Street from Sept 26-October 5.
Betelnut, a mild stimulant, is consumed throughout Asia; only in Taiwan, however, is it sold by binlang xi shi, scantily-clad girls in glass booths found on street corners and highways, catering to a clientele consisting primarily of working-class men. Binlang Xi Shi (Betelnut Girls) recreates one of these booths with a hired actress playing the role of the betelnut girl. During the performance dates, she will sell betelnut to passers-by.
The schedule:http://betelnutgirls.com/ Saturday, 27 September, 5-10pm Sunday, 28 September, 2-7pm Friday, 3 October 3, 5-10pm Saturday, 4 October, 5-10pm Sunday, 5 October, 2-7pm
A sea of art books!