November 2011 Contemporary Art

The fall semester for 2011 is rapidly drawing to a close.  The Blog aspect of the course has not been fulfilling....student participation has been  negative. 
Whatever the reason for this lack of participation, the Blog aspect for   Contemporary Art 121 will be revaluated.
Many articles, exhibits, and participation in the arena of Contemporary Art have been explored during these fall months.
The New Yorker Magazine and the New York  Times, Sunday edition, has offered information that enhances one's understanding and appreciation of this art movement. Both sources offer their services on line.
Central Massachusetts and the Northhampton  areas of Massachusetts, offer a comprehensive glimpse of Contemporary Art from local and national artists, that are actively promoting an educational value to Contemporary Art.
On-line learning  can take you anywhere,anytime....take advantage of those services.
Continue to understand,see and appreciate.
Thank you.

Where have I been?

My last posting was in mid April 2011.  The end of the Spring semester rush was in full operation.

 Mid-May saw me in Albany,NY and its surrounding areas...tourists attractions, Museum visits, and the blooming of a new Spring. Visited Vassar College and its new Museum addition; Bridge Walk Over in Poukeepsie, NY ; visited the Vanderbuilt Mansion, Hyde Park, NY. Spent a day in Cooperstown, NY..Finnemore Museum, Farmers Museum; visited the Beekman  Store ; spent a morning in Sarataoga,NY and its Museums; and another morning visiting  Art Institute of Albany, and the Albany state Museum....with all this moving about, I did attend the Conference  I was scheduled to attend -Historical Society of Early American Decorators.( I have been affiliated with this organization since 1964.)

On-line teaching for  Summer session One, which ends today.  Summer session Two begins  on July 11,2011.  Where has the summer gone !

Enjoying mowing my lawns here in Massachusetts and Maine.  Dividing my time between these two States is challenging, but fun.

One of the more exciting  activities this summer, was a day visit to the new wing of the MFA and the viewing of Dale Chihully's  glass presentation.  Both were the seeing !  All very friendly oriented....touch, feel, do not take !

Enjoy the good months.  Continue to Underststand, to See and to Appreciate  the ARTS.

Thank you

Birds of a Feather

This week in the New Yorker  magazine, Peter Schjeldahl writes about the Peacock Room, a dining room decorated by James McNeill Whistler for his patron Frederick Leyland in 1876-77. When the men came to a disagreement over the job’s worth, Schjeldahl writes, Whistler—a “bad-boy darling of high society”—painted a satirical mural representing the men as warring peacocks. “The Leyland bird is pompous and hectoring, with a breast of gold and platinum coins, windmilling wings, and an immense explosion of tail feathers; the Whistler bird poignantly droops, raising one wing in feeble defense,” he writes. The room has recently been reinstalled in the Freer Gallery, in Washington, D.C.; here Schjeldahl discusses the effectiveness of its design.


 http://www.newyorker.com/online/multimedia/2011/04/18/110418_audioslideshow_peacock-room#ixzz1JshpXTgZ

Three articles of interest for Contemporary Art

1.  Vanity Fair , May 2011, issue....Piasso's Erotic Code.

2.  New  York Sunday Times Newspaper....Art....A Tatoo Master, March 27,2011.

3.  New York Times Style Magazine, Men's Fashion Spring 2011....Roger Herman, The Last Boho Standing.


Your local library should have these materials for you to review.

Every changing art...never the same....new objects to see, understand, and appreciate.

Enjoy!

Things in recent issues of the New Yorker Magazine

http://www.newyorker.com/online/multimedia/2011/03/14/110314_audioslideshow_malevich


March 14, 2011

In this week’s issue of the magazine, Peter Schjeldahl writes about the new Gagosian exhibition “Malevich and the American Legacy,” which explores the influence of the Russian abstract painter Kazimir Malevich on “nearly fifty works by twenty-five Americans, ranging from a 1949 Barnett Newman to a 2011 Mark Grotjahn.”


There are two other articles of interest, however, the complete article will not be available if you do not have a subscription to the digital edition. You may want to read these at your library, if interested:

Unhidden Identities: A Glenn Ligon retrospective.by Peter Schjeldahl
March 21, 2011

http://www.newyorker.com/arts/critics/artworld/2011/03/21/110321craw_artworld_schjeldahl

There is a review of the new biography of Modigliani by Meryle Secrest:

http://www.newyorker.com/arts/critics/books/2011/03/07/110307crbo_books_schjeldahl

Two interesting articles in the N Y Sunday Times

Here are two interesting articles that are reflective of what we are reading and studying....contemporary art.  One deals with  spray painting...titled, Massive attack, by Gaby Woods.  The second article deals with music, art history and contemporary art.

These are the respective links:

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/02/27/magazine/27Photograffeur-t.html?_r=1&ref=magazine

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/02/27/arts/music/27watt.html?ref=benratliff

What is your opinion?

Lynda Benglis.....chapter 10 Textbook; WAM cont galleries

The New York Sunday Times..february 13,2011.....has a good article on the artist.  Online Lynda Benglis,nytimes.com/design.  A good addition to understanding her works.

You must take the time to view the newly renovated Contemporary Art Galleries, at the WAM..A wonderful visual reading   of what is! 

Enjoy both.

The New York Sunday Times, 1/18/11

"Pushing Petals Up and Down Park Avenue".  Go to their web-site to read the article and to view their installations.   The article concludes with the following statement..."it's a touch of color in the winter".

We all need color!  Thank you.

Art Since the Mid-20th Century, Worcester Art Museum

Celebrate and experience iconic works by Louise Bourgeois, Chuck Close,Ellsworth Kelly,Sol LeWitt Alice Neel, Jackson Pollock, Andy Warhol, Kiki Smith and other leading contemporary artists, at the Worcester Art Museum, beginning February 18,2011. 

Also, view the new wall at WAM, by Charline van Heyl.   Both of these exhibits relate to what we are looking at this semester.

Thank you.  Enjoy !