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Frequency
The Studio Museum in Harlem
By Nicollette
Ramirez
This group show of some thirty-five emerging African-American
artists from across the United States represents a commendable
effort to call attention to a movement among black artists
that encompasses almost every media; such as painting, drawing,
sculpture, video and animation. Curated by the museums’s
chief curator, Thelma Golden, and assistant curator, Christine
Kim, the show offers something of a counterbalance, if you
will, to the prevailing impression in the art world that fine
art is produced mostly by dead white men and their descendants
but for a few exceptions. Here, the “exception”
is the rule.
Among the show’s standouts, Zoe Charlton’s video
work first appeared at the Studio Museum in Harlem (SMH) in
2004 in the Vici, Vidi, Video group show. This time her delicate
drawings in mixed media on vellum shine. Taken from her Undercover
series these drawings are playful and sexy, yet have a menacing
undertone to them as well. Tip Toe (2005) depicts a black
woman under a white sheet, holding up the sheet out in front
of her and at her side, while walking down a path of flowers.
The incongruity of the scene is amusing, shocking and thought-provoking.
The sheet is eerily reminiscent of the not so long ago assaults
on blacks by members of the infamous Ku Klux Klan. Fluff (2005),
with the penetrating eyes of an enticing woman looking back
at the viewer — a green ribbon hanging off her waist
and a piece of white "fluff" fixed to her behind
like a rabbit’s tail — engages the viewer, to
say the least.
Jeff Sohhouse’s Exhibit A: Cardinal Francis Arinze (2005),
a large oil painting with cowrie shells, matches and pumice
gel, compels our attention; the cross and cowrie beads that
make up the cardinal’s religious adornment and the matches
that compose his hair also add a curious dimension. The cardinal’s
throne plays with the notion of perspective, while the background
of refracted light further intensifies the complex layers
of this work.
William Villalongo’s The Abduction of Bacchus, (2005)
is another large, complex work made with acrylic and paper
on velvet. These materials and the crowded composition produce
a richness in color, texture and theme reflective of bacchanalia.
A Black Bacchus at the center of a radiating circus of chaos
guzzles wine, while all around him there is an orgy of mating,
defecating, ejaculating and imbibing with mythical figures,
among these: a centaur, cupid and a female Cyclops. Yet, in
the upper left hand corner of the painting we can glimpse
of a starry night sky, replete with a full moon over a peaceful
tree-lined landscape.
Roberto Visani’s sculpture employs a range of everyday
items, such as a plastic garbage can, a skateboard and vacuum
cleaner hoses. Invisible RPG (2005) depicts a transparent
automatic rifle hanging under the arch of a metal detector.
Corner Cutters (2005) also hints at contemporary social themes;
a plastic garbage can overflows with lacerated limbs made
from cardboard.
SMH’s Golden and Kim seem determined to bring fresh
faces to the art world, experimenting with new ideas, while
giving young artists a platform from which to open doors.
Through 3/12.
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James Siena
PaceWildenstein (534 West 25th Street)
By Chris Twomey
Simplicity generating complexity: Siena’s use of algorithmic
tenants in repeating intricate patterns, all meticulously
painted or drawn by hand, result in complex abstractions which
snake, waver and rhythmically pulse over the picture plane
in this impressive selection of new work.
Painting with enamel on aluminum panels, gouache on paper,
as well as graphite, these 39 individual works (made 2004-2005)
show a consistency that reflects the strategies Siena formulates
for each work; their relatively small scale belie the large
ideas contained within.
Coffered Divided Sagging Grid (with Glitch) is constructed
of rectangular shapes which are each bisected by lines that
create triangles which are, in turn, divided into smaller
triangles and so on. The three colors used to create the interior
triangles repeat the three sides of the triangular shape.
Throughout this strict conceptual system, however, Siena’s
loose, free-hand rendering creates dips and sags, making for
elegiac movement in line and form.
The idea of the grid is confounded and the piece comes alive
with possibilities; the bowed and canted structures defy gravity
and logic. The added note of "Glitch" in the title
acknowledges that further inconsistencies have been deftly
integrated. Siena’s system accommodates and even encourages
the fallibility of the human hand.
Multiply Recursive Combs (second version) again utilizes "recursion",
in which a system makes copies of itself. Here, a comb shape
is perceived as the outside framework, rendered in deep cobalt
blue. This pattern repeats itself, nesting predictably in
smaller shapes inside. Light ochre and reddish brown lines
trace and reinforce the blue line, creating contrast and giving
the piece an almost pop art effect.
We are fooled by the predicable pattern repetition and the
lyrical quality of the hand painting; upon closer inspection,
the shapes reveal themselves as unsymmetrical, and we see
that there are extra lines and shapes which are rotated. All
of this is executed so smoothly, it is difficult to decipher.
Slice, Non-Slice, and Acidic Non-Slice read like topographical
maps, road maps, or cross sections of multi-rooted plants.
The curving lines move toward visual completion with a forceful
imperative. These free-form works rely mostly on the "centeredness"
of the picture plane to give structure to the underlying system.
The edges are meticulously finished, with attention given
to enclosure of the picture space. Within that space, inconsistencies
of color, shape and space accentuate the forms.
In several other works, Sienna eschews this centeredness for
a stricter left-to-right and right-to-left reading of the
image, which is painted or drawn in a hard-edged manner. These
minimal pieces have a more subdued jazziness. One can sense
the overall structure where divisions of rectangles beget
more rectangles which become elongated and parsed, according
to a complex color coding scheme. Siena mixes his own colors,
and in his paintings he also utilizes colors from the sign
painter’s enamel. Muted and refined, these colors serve
to keep shapes apart and are also distinct to his work.
Confounding expectations, utilizing optical illusions and
slight of hand while employing intricate mapping techniques
inspired by mathematical models, Siena’s work operates
in a realm where life imitates art, and human fallibility
is regarded as a positive part of the process.
Through 1/28.
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Coming Of Age:
Egon Schiele and the Modernist Culture of Youth
Galerie St. Etienne
By Michael MacInnis
There are two galleries in New York where Egon
Schiele devotees can always sate their habit — and this
month, let’s say that life is bliss. Timed to coincide
with the Ronald S. Lauder and Serge Sabarsky Collections’
Egon Schiele retrospective at the Neue Galerie, the Galerie
St. Etienne’s Coming of Age: Egon Schiele and the Modernist
Culture of Youth (see Midtown Listings) goes one step further
in presenting Schiele's work in the context of his contemporaries:
Erich Heckel, Ferdinand Hodler, Ernst Ludwig Kirchner, Gustav
Klimt, Oskar Kokoschka, Paula Modersohn-Becker and Edward
Munch.
The show is organized around the central theme of these artists’
penchant for portraying underage models, as an apparent rebellion
against the social mores of their elders. Schiele’s
adolescent preoccupations, which encompass both female and
male nude portraiture, as well as excruciatingly honest self-portraits
of the artist as a teenager himself, are represented here
in some twenty-two works.
The premise of the exhibition, to emphasize context in a near
academic presentation, proves particularly effective in bringing
to life the energy that went into these works. Among the most
characteristic pieces from this period, included here, are
Schiele’s Nude Girl with Arms Raised (1910); Edward
Munch’s Pubity (By Night) (1902); and Paula Modersohn-Becker’s
Girl with Green Hat in Profile, Facing Right (1901).
Through 1/7.
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Bruno Peinado
Swiss Institute
By E.K. Clark
In a darkened space, a giant mirrored skull rotates slowly
refracting balls of light which bounce off the walls and ceiling.
It sits on a sea-trunk which occasionally emits a puff of
smoke. Indeed, you might think that this was disco palace;
but instead this is the debut exhibition of Bruno Peinado’s
Why Style.
This artist loves to play with language and his work abounds
with cultural references. On the surface, Why Style refers
to Graffiti and Charlie Ahern’s 1980s film, Wild Style,
but on another level Peinado explores the notion of style
as an art practice. Is it a necessary component of art making
or does it exist purely for the sake of commerce, of “branding”?
He chooses the tack of variety; thus the ten pieces in this
show differ in approach and handling. A large painting that
leans against a wall displays the hand written text: “WHY
STYLE;” it’s about signage and billboards. Opposite
this work, what looks like an iconic black minimalist sculpture
is disrupted by a jagged imperfection. A flagpole pierces
the wall, the American flag has been stripped of all color
and rendered in black and white. Outside the window hangs
a similar though larger flag, on a flagpole.
It’s a shock to see the American flag in black and white,
stripped of the red, white and blue colors. Black is the color
of mourning and there is a feeling of melancholy about this
show. Three laser-cut black Indian heads remind us of 19th
century shadow portraits, and as the light behind them dims,
we become aware of the passage of time and the inferred diminished
size of the American continent’s indigenous population.
The feeling of nostalgia also suffuses the aluminum laser-cut
mandala, with its impossibly long name, Air Jordan Magic Tree
Mercedes Fame Dreamcatcher. Three pine trees, an Indian on
a horse and a bison crown the top, and the word “Fame”
spelled backwards races across the piece, in Gothic script.
The myth of the American dream has run its course, Peinado
seems to be saying. Gone is the notion of innocence, the “noble
savage” and the pristine wilderness.
Through 1/7.
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Sarah Bernhardt: The Art of
High Drama
The Jewish Museum>>
By Nicollette Ramirez
Pioneering French actress Sarah Bernhardt, born Rosine Bernard
(1844-1923), is brought to life in this comprehensive exhibition
featuring over two hundred objects in all media; painting,
sculpture, photography, costumes, posters, jewelry, furniture,
ceramic, film, caricature and some personal belongings of
the actress.
Regarded as one of the greatest actresses of her time, Bernard
was also a skilled sculptor and painter, who exhibited at
the Paris Salon at various times between 1876 and 1881. Moreover,
in 1878 she published a prose sketch, Dans les nuages; les
impressions d'une chaise.
Early albumen prints by Felix Nadar of the actress before
she was famous show the young Bernard’s emotive potential.
Nude under black velvet and white robes, the curly dark hair
and dark eyes speak volumes about her sensuality.
Paintings of the actress by Georges Clairin and Dudley Hardy
capture her fierce spirit and versatility. Hardy’s 1889
oil on panel shows a slim figure in an off-white outfit against
a snowy white background. The red mouth, penetrating black
eyes and frizzy hair signal her presence. Art Deco posters
by Alfred Mucha, for her role in La Dame Aux Camelias, and
a lithograph of Bernhardt in Phedre by Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec
are among the show’s standouts.
There are also documentary memorabilia, including a selection
of costumes from performances such as the embroidered silk
shawl from Phedre and Bernhardt’s corset from Hernani
and a bracelet from Cleopatra. Personal effects include a
skull inscribed from Victor Hugo to Bernhardt, a gorgeous
topaz ring and a black cape with a fur collar.
This ambitious exhibition also features early experiments
in the beginning days of film, complimented here by a rare
audio recording Bernhardt made during a visit to the United
States around 1900. And Manuel Luque’s caricature of
Sarah Bernhardt Sweeping Money, published in Le grelot, January
1884 is hilarious. Some one hundred years after the fact,
Bernhardt’s enigmatic energy still holds the power to
inspire and influence women today.
Through 4/2.
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Critical Mass In Progress
Report From Miami
By
Michael MacInnis
The cultural equivalent of the “Big Bang” that
took place here a few years ago, with the masterful launch
of Art Basel Miami Beach in 2001/2002, has produced a new
galaxy of art stars. This is not to say that new artists have
burst forth from thin air, rather a new constellation of art
institutions and attendant personalities has begun to take
shape as the cosmic dust is finally settling.
In Miami’s Design District, Rosa and Carlos della Cruz
are building a new twenty-story facility to house their art
collection, which is scheduled for completion by the end of
2007. Today this power couple shares the landmark Moore Building
with Craig Robbins, the real estate developer credited with
transforming the once crime ridden no-go-zone into a hot neighborhood
of shops and galleries filled with antiques and tchotchkas.
Goldman Properties Inc., which has quietly purchased tracks
of real estate in the nearby Wynwood Arts District, tried
on the collector’s mantle briefly with its Goldman Warehouse
collection, before persuading the Museum of Contemporary Art
(MOCA) to move into the space — which is one of its
properties. The Margulies Warehouse, also located in Wynwood,
has proven itself popular on the VIP circuit as well; and
not to be outdone, the Rubell family has taken to calling
its art collection a museum.
The real news to emerge from this year’s Miami art bash,
however, is this: Just as in New York there came a time when
the center of gravity for contemporary art shifted from Soho
to Chelsea, Miami has reached its own point of no return.
Beneath the fun-in-the-sun beach party, the sands have shifted;
step outside the Miami Beach Convention Center, the center
of the universe for Art Basel Miami Beach, and you quickly
discover that the center of gravity for art in Miami has shifted
from the beach to the city’s mainland art neighborhoods.
The ephemeral art venues that had sprung up in the vicinity
of Art Basel Miami Beach during the time of the Big Bang —
such as the hotel art fair Scope and other alternative events
near the beach — have been largely upstaged this year
by the critical mass coming-of-age of Miami, the city, as
an urban hub of art activity.
The impressive expansion of the New York based New Art Dealers
Alliance’s (NADA) fair took place not in Miami Beach
but at the Ice Palace Film Studios in North Miami; likewise,
the AAF’s Helen Allen chose to launch Pulse Art Miami
not in Miami Beach but in Miami proper, in the heart of the
Wynwood Arts District; and the successful debut of the high-end
interior design fair, design05, took place in the Moore Building
in Miami’s Design District.
Moreover, one of the oldest and most resected galleries in
Williamsburg, Joe Arnheim’s Pierogi leased a large space
in the Design District to showcase gallery artists during
the art week, as did New York’s Ethen Cohen Fine Art,
which took two floors adjacent to the Moore Building to present
the work of new contemporary Chinese artists.
Indeed, even this month’s Art Miami fair — which
takes place at the same Miami Beach Convention Center as Art
Basel Miami Beach — is closely coordinating its program
with Miami’s indigenous art communities in the city.
What began in Miami Beach as an art party for jet-setting
snow birds, has taken root in the city of Miami, in the urban
neighborhoods where art is made 24/7.
A total of seven art fairs took place in Miami during the
week of November 29 to December 5. In order of significance,
with brief commentary, here is the list: #1 Art Basel Miami
Beach (Everything went as planned. Will Sam Keller ever do
anything wrong?) #2 The NADA Fair (Once the new kid on the
block, it’s now the one to watch) #3 design05 (The debut
of this prestigious interior design fair burst onto the scene
with a super opening); #4 Pulse Art Miami (Another newcomer,
this no-frills big tent fair secured a prime position in the
Wynwood Arts District with an impressive roster of galleries);
#5 Aqua Art (The surprise hit in the alternative genre of
art fairs, this innovative upstart was helped by the sunny,
open courtyard layout of its exhibitors, which included blue
chip dealers too, and a friendly staff); #6 Pool Video Miami
Beach (Curated by Karina Pérez Aragon, this tiny, niche
video fair which was held in a dark, film noir like hotel,
offered up some gems for those determined to search them out);
#7 Scope Miami (Perhaps it was the disappointing press this
fair received for its “slow start” opening —
re: The Art Newspaper — or murmurs about the warm beer
and unfriendly staff, but it looks like this one’s ready
for a make-over. In today’s Miami, a slow start is a
non-starter).
Beyond the art fairs, VIP breakfasts and countless after-opening
parties, there are the indigenous gallery exhibitions and
artist open studios that comprise the fabric of this city’s
fledgling art neighborhoods. If we were to draw a rough analogy
between New York and Miami, in terms of the gallery scene;
think Chelsea and the nearby Meat Packing District circa 1999,
and you have the basic ingredients of Miami’s Wynwood
and the nearby Design District today. Moreover, you also have
in Miami the long established Coral Gables gallery district,
with its focus on high-end Latin American art, and the museums
in North Miami.
Ongoing gallery exhibitions this month include, for example,
an intriguing series of photographs that document performance
artist Moritza Molina’s work at Leonard Tachmes Gallery
in Wynwood, and a mini-retrospective of paintings by Matt
Lamb at ArtSpace / Virginia Miller Galleries in Coral Gables
(see Miami Listings for details).
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Artists’ Estates: Reputations
in Trust
Edited by Magda Selvesen and Diane Cousineau
Published by Rutgers University Press
By Nicollette
Ramirez
Exploring the management of artists’ estates, most
often by the artists wives, sometimes by the children of the
artist, a dealer or head of a foundation, Artists’ Estates:
Reputations in Trust focuses on the role of the widow in maintaining
an artist’s legacy. Through a series of well devised
interviews, the reader has the impression of eavesdropping
on an intimate parlor conversation; the tone of the interviews
is one of trust and openness, as if old friends were discussing
their past or comparing domestic secrets. These women discuss
the role they have assumed, after the death of their artist
husband, of guardian and propagator of the works left behind.
In considering this book, one question glares out: Why is
the artist always a man and the widow only left with works
in trust? Where are the female artists? Ethel Schwabacher
is one exception. But these widows are in fact multi-faceted
women who have acted as artist, model, archivist, promoter,
saleswoman, caregiver, mother and liaison between the artist’s
studio, galleries and museums. Many of the wives of artists
were powerhouses in themselves who sublimated their own career
in order to support the man they adored and whose work they
loved. Often, in supporting their husbands they have fulfilled
their own ambitions, as in the dissemination of Lee Krasner’s
paintings with Jackson Pollock’s and the poetry of Anne
Porter, widow of Fairfield Porter. After the death of the
husband, many of these wives came into their own, finding
their own voice, and through the handling of the estate of
their husbands, creating a body of work of their own. For
example, Yvonne Hagen wrote a monograph of N.H. (Tony) Stubbings’s
history after his death.
Indeed, the handling of an artist’s estate is critical
to the reputation and the value of the artists work. Through
interviews, Selvesen and Cousineau describe clearly the benefits
of managing an estate well. In the case of Lee Krasner and
Annalee Newman, their husbands reputations as artistic giants
is well established in the art world and the work still sells
for relatively high prices. So too the work of Roy Lichtenstein,
handled by Jack Cowart, executive director of the Roy Lichtenstein
Foundation. On the flip side these interviews also highlight
the pitfalls of bad management; failure to maintain archival
records, failure in preserving the work, following bad legal/accounting
advice and so on.
In this regard, the story of the David Smith estate is a poignant
tale. After years of dissatisfaction with how the executors
of the estate were handling affairs, the eldest daughter,
Rebecca, whom the works had been left in trust to, along with
her younger sister Candida, finally came of age and took on
the responsibility of the estate with the help of Rebecca’s
husband, Peter Stevens. Stevens is himself an artist who has
seen his work with the David Smith estate enrich his own work.
Especially fascinating, the interviews weave a rich tapestry
of the lives of these artists and the events and people that
have shaped them and their legacies. Harriet Vicente, widow
of Esteban Vicente, reminds the reader that these widows "have
been prepared by these wonderful people [the artists] to comprehend
what they stand for" and should therefore be looked to
for insights on the artists’ lives more so than critics,
who sometimes erroneously interpret the work.
Photos of the artists and their circle of intimates add an
important element to the interviews; though on this note more
visual references would have been better. Nevertheless, the
book is a treasure trove of art history as experienced through
the living words of those charged with keeping the flame alive.
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