Eye Candy Friday: Boys will be boys

Warning: the video below is entirely adolescent and initially, then intermittently, naughty.

The beginning of the second doodle calls to mind Courbet's Origin of the World, recently on exhibit at the Met and one of several explicit or salacious paintings commissioned by that horn dog Turkish diplomat Kahlil-Bey. Another parallel between the doodles and Courbet's piece was the way in Kahlil-Bey coyly veiled the painting behind green fabric just as the doodles mask their cheeky origins within the final drawing.
I've not seen any details on this, but I once heard a quick blurb about a study at MIT that stated that humans are genetically predisposed to seek out and identify facial features, which in my experience, accounts for how many people find human faces and forms in abstract paintings. As this proclivity can be understood to have developed as a survival technique, I'm proposing that a similar predisposition to identify genitalia exists, from the same survival instinct.
Maybe it's just me and the work I make, but I've long found that most folks, who feel the need to, pull faces and genitals, most frequently, and sometimes animals out of the compositions of my paintings.
And honestly, I mostly never put those things in there to begin with.
Consciously, anyway.

Angelika Rinnhofer NEW/NOW at the New Britain Museum of American Art, opening June 3

Angelika Rinnhofer's work will be on exhibit in the NEW/NOW gallery at the New Britain Museum of American Art in New Britain CT. The exhibition opens tomorrow, May 30 and runs through August 3, 2008. There will be an opening reception on Sunday, June 1 from 2-4pm. with the artist making some remarks at 2:30. You can get a miniature, bird's eye preview of the exhibit at Angelika's blog.

Dantastic!

In what may prove to be one of the more suggestively written articles ever run in the NYTimes, Kathryn Shattuck covers the searing stage antics of the Corning Museum's Glasslab. As I understand it, the Glasslab pairs the Museum's glassmasters in a real time collaboration, transferring concepts into glass on stage. One of Beacon's resident glassmasters, Dan Spitzer is among the glassmakers on the project that runs through June 3 in the garden of the Cooper Hewitt National Design Museum.

I'll tastefully forego enumerating the moments of erotic innuendo I found in the story, and leave you, dear reader, to your own discovery. Consider it a contest. I'll just say if all references to glass were omitted from the article, it could easily become a review for some super bawdy Chippendale's-like dance routine, which might bode well for the four sweat beaded men on stage in case this glass thing doesn't pan out.

This weekend at Dia:Beacon, and more

In another installment of Dia's monthly Gallery Talks, George Trakas will be speaking about his work at Beacon Point on Saturday, May 31 at 1pm. The talk will take place on site. To make reservations, call 845-440-0100 ext 44.

Also this weekend, from Friday to Sunday, Dia:Beacon will be hosting screenings of three James Benning works.
Here's a NYTimes review of the most recent Merce Cunningham performance at Dia on May 18th.

A recent blurb about Dia on Artnet.com portrays Lynne Cooke as the Robert Mugabi of Dia's curatorial fiefdom.

On another note, the first line of the blurb says that "The Dia Art Foundation is happily ensconced up on the Hudson at Dia: Beacon..." But apparantly not everyone is so pleased about moving on up. In a letter to the editor in the March 8, 2008 issue of the NY Times, former Dia Foundation trustees, Lois de Menil, Margaret Douglas-Hamilton, Peter Wolff add some back story to the Times' article on the departure of Jeffry Weiss as Director of the foundation. I had to laugh at the letter's characterization of the Riggio Galleries as a "beautifully renovated though somewhat inaccessible building in Beacon, N.Y." This is very ironic given the remote projects that Dia Foundation has supported in the past 30 years which have come to define the term "inaccessible." And, really, getting to Beacon from NYC may take a bit longer and require looking at a Metro North timetable, but it's no more taxing to get there than to get to Chelsea from one of the Burroughs. But then I usually don't enlist a car service when I do my gallery tour.

The statement clearly indicates which audience rightfully should be served by the mission of the Dia Foundation, at least according to a few of the folks who helped shape the organization; the righteous benefactors sending forth missionaries into the cultural wasteland to bring back trinkets and oddities, tales of maverick actions to festoon their parlor for to share with the fellows of their privileged class.

Memorial Day

A couple weeks back, I caught an interview on NPR's Fresh Air with Marine Colonel Steve Beck and Journalist Jim Scheeler. Scheeler's book "Final Salute" traces a period of time where he followed Colonel Beck as he carried out his duties as a casualty assistance officer, informing the the families of Marines of the deaths of their loved ones. In the interview, Beck and Scheeler recount the story of Katherine Cathey's as she laid her husband Jim to rest. Fovea Exhibitions Beacon Gallery featured images by Todd Heisler, documenting the return of Jim Cathey's casket in last year's exhibit, It's Our War, which also included work by Chris Hondros and Suzanne Opton.
Listening to this interview made fresh the sensation I had when seeing that exhibit last Summer. Raw devastation laying bare the naked humanity; the love, faith, despair and resilience that are what life is. Most of us are exceedingly lucky to need but one day a year in which to reflect on such issues, if we manage to do so on our bonus weekend day. One person's day of remembrance is an other's day of drinking by the kiddie pool.
Additionally on topic, Studio 360 recently re-aired an episode, much of which related to the point where art meets war in artists' responces to war.
Even more additionally, via C-Monster ,who is currently kaftanning it somewhere in SoFla, comes word of this exhibit now on exhibit in LA: Eye of the Storm: War through the Lens of American Combat Photographers. Eye of the Storm is a non profit exhibit to raise funds for and increase awareness of The Wounded Warrior Project.

Eye Candy Friday: Sweep the leg

This week's eye candy comes via Karlos Carcamo Odessy, seen here looking mighty badass back in the day posed in what looks like a preamble to the lethal Crane Kick Ralph Maccio dished out in the Karate Kid.

Then there's this from last night's "So You Think You Can Dance?":

mini round up

Richard Bruce's work is included in a group exhibit called "East West Dialogues: mysticism, Satire and the Legendary Past" curated by Dr. Layla S. Diba at the LTMH Gallery located at 39 E 78 St in NY. The exhibit opened on Wednesday night and will continue through June 27.

I have work included in a exhibit on view through May 30 at the Bard CCS Library at Bard College.
Curated by Tom Eccles, the group exhibit, "Observed and Considered" also includes work by Mark DeLura, Peter Acheson, and Daniel Berlin. A few images of the work on display are at my personal blog.

Coming up next week, two evenings of screenings will be held on May 27 & 28 at the New Museum as an introduction of an upcoming exhibit at Bard CSS called The Greenroom.

...The Greenroom, a large-scale exhibition exploring the "documentary turn"
within recent contemporary art practice and its heritage in relation to the
history of film, documentary photography, and television. Set to open in Fall
2008 at the The Hessel Museum of Art and Center for Curatorial Studies at Bard
College, The Greenroom, curated by CCS Bard graduate program director Maria
Lind, will feature works by more than forty artists and extend beyond the
exhibition format to include a long-term research project and related
publications. The research project is a collaboration between The Center
for Curatorial Studies at Bard College, and the artist and theoretician Hito
Steyerl.These preview screenings, organized by curatorial assistant and CCS Bard
graduate student Fionn Meade, include selected works from artists participating
in The Greenroom exhibition.This event is co-sponsored by the Vera List Center
for Art and Politics at The New School and the Center for Curatorial Studies at
Bard College.

The screenings will be held at The New School, Wollman Hall, 65 West 11th Street (enter at 66 West 12th Street), 5th Floor, between 5th and 6th Avenues, NY.
Admission:$8, free for all students, as well as New School and CCS Bard faculty, staff and alumni with valid ID, and members of the New School.For more information, please call CCS Bard at 845.758.7598, write ccs@bard.edu, or visit www.bard.edu/ccs.
Information on the line ups for both evenings are posted here.

Via The Cultivated Home, we learn that Kathy Moss has work in a group show called Nature: Themes and Variations which will be opening tomorrow at Argazzi Art in Lakeville CT. 22 Millerton Rd (Rte 44) Lakeville, CT; 860 435 8222. The reception is happening from 4-7pm and the exhibit runs through July 1. Kathy is also included in the Flourish, a group exhibit on view now at Robischon Gallery in Denver, through June 21.

Joan Mellon, who had a lovely solo exhibit at ParaSite back in April 2006, will have work in a group show called No Chromophobia at OK Harris Gallery. No Chromophobia opens on Tuesday, June 3, from 5-7. The exhibit will run through July 11 and after a hiatus will continue from Sept. 2-6.

Speaking of Chromophobia, Kirsten Kucer mentioned that after having read the book in our book club, she's been seeing references to it all over, whether explicit or by default. David Batchelor was recently featured in a couple of talks held at the Tate Modern, one on his work, and the other, a panel discussion on the subject of white. Both are available on iTunes, or through the Tate's website. I was very interested in hearing both discussions, but if my memory serves, either one or both were rather dry. Batchelor mentioned he is set to release a new book which will be a collection of writings by various artists on the subject of color.

The weekend that was: images from May 17&18, 2008

Many thanks to everyone who came out to the Kamp Maykr brunch on Saturday morning. The weather was pretty perfect, and this made for such a pleasant morning. Given that so many people had their own events later in the day, it was great that so many folks came by to share in such a wonderful morning.
Around noon, from our porch, we heard some of the goings on across the street for the Beekman Banners project. From my vantage point, I could see the tops of several heads attending the dedication. I've only seen just a few of the banners at the top of the street, but I feel it already transforms that stretch down to the train station from a neglected service road to a street that is part of a city and a community.
Below are a few images of pieces installed around our place for Kamp Maykr. Putting this together for the weekend was a great experience for me in interacting with my immediate surroundings more intentionally. There are so many interesting nooks and crannies that I can imagine that we'll be utilizing more as a project space in the future.

Above: Theresa Gooby's "Viewing Window, Partially Abstracted" filament wrap of the porch entry.
Below: a detail of my "Primer/Sealer" piece.

Above: one of Matt Hereford's many cairns placed aroung the property. This one is conversing with the magnolia tree. Below: a detail of Beacon's latest residential development spearheaded by property magnate, Kathy Feighery. As you can see, you really should have gotten in on this deal on the ground floor as space is limited.

Above: Steve Rossi's untitled Adirondack re-con outpost. Below: Peter Acheson's untitled sculpture.
About mid-afternoon, I made it from the brunch, down our front lawn to Spire and the Habitat for Artists project.
Above: Matthew Kinney's habitat. Below: a peek into my habitat.

Above: I don't know what this guy is doing. Oh wait, that's Flying Swine's Donald Kimmel. Donald was providing short impromptu performances throughout the afternoon in the Flying Swine Stage & Communitat.

Above: 'Uh Yeah, where should I put this box of ladies?' That's Isis Charise (left), Kathy Feighery (center), and Angelika Rinnhofer (right) in Kathy's drawing studio/PODS. PODs of Hudson Valley is a sponsor of the HFA project.

Below: Don't vorry Matt Kinney. I mean, I'm only KRUshing your HEAD!

Above: Steven Walls studio. Below: a portion of the group show in Spire's common space gallery.
It's almost eery walking into Spire Studios. So foreign and so familiar. It was my home for three years, and I now only live across the street, but I simply don't make it in there often. It's an uncanny experience.
Above and below: images in Jesse Lebwohl-Steiner's studio.
Jesse Lebwohl-Steiner is now occupying the space that had previously been the studio of Alexis Elton and Peter Iannarelli. I certainly see threads of commonality in concept and use of material in the three artists' work . The residency of those three artists in this same space represent fascinating chapters in the growing biography of tiny studio.

The day after:

I was beat after all my running around on the west end of town that I did not make it to the east end on Sunday Morning. Dan at Open Space was fiendishly blogging in the days leading up to and the day of the Electric Windows Event.

Above: installation of the Windows was ongoing on Sunday morning. Below: a bleary eyed Rick Price was finalizing his piece.

Kamp Maykr Update

Listen up Kampers, we have a new addition to the expedition. Theresa Gooby will be participating in the Yard Work Exhibit this weekend. Theresa moved to Beacon last August with her small family from San Francisco (via a year in Brooklyn.)

So again, here's the scoop.

Location: 1172 North Ave, Beacon (S.E corner of 9D & Ralph St.) There should be ample parking on Ralph and other side streets. Here's a picture of the joint so you know what you're looking for:

Michael Pilon's sculpture Ta amidst Michael Natiello's rippling grass piece.

The Potluck brunch will be kicking off at 10 am. Come by mingle, relax and fortify yourself for the day's events.

The Yard Work exhibit consisting of artwork sited around the grounds will be on view Sat and Sunday, May 17 & 18 til 5pm. Participating artists are: Peter Acheson, Kathy Feighery, Michael Pilon, Matt Hereford, Theresa Gooby, Steve Rossi, Michael Natiello and myself.

Michael Natiello creating his mowed work earlier this week. photo by Angelika Rinnhofer .

We extend our thanks to our landlords, Elizabeth and Lee for undulging our creative compulsions.

We'll see you this weekend, just make sure your socks are pulled up and your name is printed clealy inside your underwear (we are across the street from Spire, after all. It's always good to be prepared.)

Eye Candy Friday: Mastering your domain

Here are a couple of morsels for the weekend:

Via MAN, comes Jumping in Art Museums. This is sweet. I imagine that tomorrow's benefit gala at Dia:Beacon might be one of the few opportunities where some form of photography in the museum would be allowed as it is otherwise normally interdit. Given the festive nature of the occasion and presence of libations, I'd love to see some anniversary jumping captured and submitted. Identities of jovial offenders could certainly be kept secret.
I'm not condoning any unauthorized behavior, but if you really love a piece of work, by God, take possession of your art viewing experience and jump, baby, JUMP. Just don't attempt to jump OVER anything. I've heard tell that it has been done, it's just simply not advisable. Then again perhaps "Jumping the shark" might one day be replaced by "Jumping the Heizer" to denote a desparate attempt at garnering attention and relevance. Also, not advisable and certainly not condone or encouraged by this blogger.
Now that I'm thinking of it, could such a thing possibly not be the within the realm of some institutions' sometimes inappropriate (I'll look for examples) pursuit to sex up their appeal and compete with other forms of "entertainment?" Imagine the addition of programs that could prove perilous to both collection and visitor upping the thrill factor of engaging with art. I can see gladitorial matches between works in a museum's collection to gauge the supremacy of one artist over another. Friday Night MuseoFights. The Discovery Channel or TLC had some show once that created scenarios that pitted animals against one another, like a lion vs. a shark to see which was more badass. I couldn't find reference to that show, but I found a similar dramatic and shockingly realistic demonstration. You can choose which creature you want to represent Heizer and Smithson.
Fortunately, Dia is not given to such desparate acts, and even if they were, they'd have a long way to go up the chain of pandering strategies. The first one being to increase the size of their street signs to 11"x14".
Next up, via C-Monster, a new Firefox add on by Steve Lambert that replaces online ads with artwork images. There will be an official unveiling at the New Museum next week.

The latest on Habitat for Artists

Fog descended heavily around midnight last night. I walked down to Spire to see the effect the thickened atmosphere had on the artists habitats.

Just twelve hours earlier Habitat Alley was a center of commotion as the last of the structures were erected for tomorrow's official launch of the project. Below you see Donald Kimmel, Simon Draper and Alexis Elton as the skin is placed on the habitat that Sharon Butler plans to use as an unplugged writing refuge for the Summer.


Here Donald and Simon are working on the Flying Swine Performance Stage/Communitat. On Saturday, visitors will be welcome to adorn the structure with cladding of their own creation. Donald will be on stage, performing, somewhere between 3 and 5pm on Saturday.

Alexis is back in town from New Mexico for a short stint. She's been working on her own structure out west, made of steel, burlap, mud and unlit matches. She'll be showing an installation of the documentation of her habitat and her life outside of Santa Fe during Spire Studios' Open Studios on Saturday. Alexis' arrival yesterday reminded me of a flurry of building taking place on this site two years ago.

The HFA backyard, as it were.

YoHoHo Open StudiOHs in Yonkers, May 17 &18, 2008.

If your not going to be in Beacon this weekend, there are, of course many other art related things happening up and down the Valley. I've already mentioned Plugged In in Hudson, and Chris Jones' talk and opening at HVCCA in Peekskill. You might even have a reason to head down to Yonkers. YoHo Artist Studios is holding its 5th Annual Open Studios on May 17 & 18. Housed in the Alexander Smith Carpet Mills Building at 578 Nepparhan Ave in Yonkers, YoHo is home to nearly 40 artists, and they have a splashy website where you can get info on the open studios event and the individual artists.

Plugged In opening May 17 6-10 pm Hudson, NY.

If you happen to not be in Beacon on the evening of May 17 but up Hudson way instead, be sure to check out the exhibit Plugged In. The two week long exhibit will encompass a length of Warren St. seeded with New Media installations. Around 15 artists hailing from the region, some comprising collaborative teams, who incorporate new technologies into their artistic practice will be creating site specific and interactive pieces. Here's a brief write up from this month's Chronogram.
I've traded a few emails with the exhibit curator, Melissa Stafford, but I've only just now become aware of the extent of the exhibit as a site specific exhibit inhabiting the various environs, inside and out, of a stretch of Warren St.
The opening reception will be held at the PARC Foundation at 330 and 336 Warren St. and will include a number of performances in both spaces.
I won't be able to make it to the opening, and it's doubtful that I'll be able to catch the exhibit before it ends on May 31, but I'll try.
If anyone makes it to the opening or does see the exhibit, I'd be very interested in hearing about it.

Tacita Dean Talk and Screening at Bard College, May 14

I understand that Tacita Dean will be giving a talk and screening two of her films at the Weiss Cinema located on the campus of Bard College. The two films to be screened are "A Bag of Air"(1995) & "Mario Merz"(2002) The program is scheduled for Wed, May 14 from 5:30-7:30. The Weiss Cinema is located in the Bertelsmann Campus Center.

This program is presented in conjunction with the CCS Bard exhibition Another
Time, curated by Milena Hoegsberg as part of her master's thesis project. Tacita
Dean's work "Kodak" was featured in the exhibition that was on view from April
11-27, 2008.
This event is made possible by a generous grant from the Beudert Foundation.

I received the information via email from Milena although I haven't been able to find any listing or information about the talk online. If you're looking for information about the talk, I suggest calling the Bard CCS office at 845.758.7598.

Michael Zansky opening at Ann St Gallery, May 10, 2008

Michael Zansky is having a solo exhibit that is opening at Ann Street Gallery in Newburgh on Saturday, May 10. 100 AD is the name of the exhibit and it will be on view through June 7. Tomorrow's reception will be held from 6-9pm. Ann Street Gallery is at 104 Ann St in Newburgh

@ HVCCA: Jonathan Meese performance & talk, May 10. Chris Jones exhibition opening May 18

German based artist Jonathan Meese will be giving a performance followed by a talk on Saturday from 12-2pm in Peekskill at HVCCA. $5 Adults; $4 Seniors/Educators; $2 Students/Children; FREE HVCCA Members.
Speaking of HVCCA, Chris Jones, the museum's current artist in residence will be opening an exhibit of the work created during these past three months he's been in Peekskill. I stopped in two weeks ago to see him and drop off more magazines to feed the furnace of his studio frenzy. Chris Jones' stockpile of material.

Since my first visit in the beginning of March, Chris' studio has become far more densely packed with materials and it is now dominated by the sizeable works in progress. Chris uses collaged elements from magazines to build a sort of 3D collage. His work has a dualistic nature - visually, and conceptually. Visually, seeing his work feels a little like viewing something through a set of stereoscopic glasses; your field of vision is slightly skewed. Conceptually, that duality plays out in the notion of actuality vs. representation and what is concrete, solid, vs. the ephemeral, non-structural made structural. The glossy pages Chris uses are not simply the surface of the piece they are integral to the structure and form holding his work together, yet the amorphously shifting imagery within the pages that are essentially the building blocks of his structures serve more to dissolve or erradicate the work's representational presence rather than reinforce it.
He manipulates the imagery in the magazines to embody an uncanny presence and form of textures depicted in his source images. Sculpture detail.
It's trippy stuff. How an appropriately crumpled piece of paper bearing a photographed image can take evoke the immediate and visceral experience of seeing a thing even while you are aware that you are viewing a scaled down, 2D, documentation of that thing.
I'm not going to give away what he's been doing, but he's been doing it feverishly. The work that he's creating now has everything to do with his stay in Peekskill, which is his first time in the States.
architecture of paperChris Jones' exhibit opens Sunday May 18 with a reception and Gallery talk from 4-6pm. The exhibit runs through August 17, 2008.

May 10: Second Saturday openings in Beacon NY

@ Pearldaddy: "The Best Medicine" - Paintings and Sculpture by Edie Nadelhaft. Also for the evening, Ron Raymond & Andy Gabrys will be providing music on upright bass and guitar. The reception will be held from 6-9pm and the exhibit will run through July 6.


@Fovea Exhibitions Beacon Gallery: Free screening of Vanishing Giants at 5pm. There will a Q&A session with filmmaker Jennifer Hile and National Geographic Adventure photo editor Sabine Meyer. There is limited space for the screening and reservations are highly recommented, call 845.765.2199. The screening is in conjunction with the Palani Mohan Exhibit of the same name currently on view in the gallery. The exhibit has been extended through June 1.

In Thailand, wild elephants have it good: They're legally protected. Tame
elephants, on the other hand, live with a more uncertain fate. Considered
livestock, they have no protection from being maimed or killed by cruel
handlers. Activist Sangduen "Lek" Chailert is changing that with the creation of
the Elephant Nature Park, a sanctuary north of Chiang Mai where rescued
elephants can heal and thrive.

@Hermitage: "Awake at Night," work by Christian Toscano
"Stars Eat Your Body"Detail. mixed media on paper. 2008

@Zahra's Studio: "Taboo" - photography and painting by Kaylynn Tucker. Opening Reception from 6-10pm. Don't forget the pin up girls that will be circulating through the gallery, passing out goodies, so plan accordingly-whatever that means for you.

@ Go North: "AfterMath" - abstract paintings by Erik Hanson. The reception if from 6-9pm, and the exhibit will run through June 1.

Flash of Blue Streaming, 2008, oil on canvas
@Open Space: "Electric Walls" an exhibit of work by the artists that are participating in the Electric Windows project on May 17. The exhibit runs through June 7 and the reception is from 6-9pm.

May 17-18, 2008: Beacon's unSitely afFair

So the Sitelines Art Fair has been cancelled, but you really had your heart set on making it up to Beacon for the day or for the weekend. What's a body to do? Come what may, come mid-May, we're here for you, and you're welcome. There's plenty of other stuff on tap for the weekend. Here's the shakes on, hopefully most, of what's happening.


View Larger Map>
Here's a map showing what's going on where. Green pins indicate what's happening on Saturday, Red pins represent Sunday.
Saturday May 17th:

Dia:Beacon
10:30am - 2pm Dia:Beacon will be closing at 2pm for its annual benefit.
Two new installations are opening
Kamp Maykr
10:00am-5pm. Welcome to Kamp Maykr, we're hosting a pot luck brunch in the morning and an exhibit of yardwork at 1172 North Ave. Start your day off right, bring a dish, hang out for a while, and build your strength for the adventure ahead. Work on view by the likes of Michael Natiello, Steve Rossi, Kathy Feighery, me. The brunch will run til noon or so, but the artwork will be on view both Sat and Sun 12-5pm. Stay tuned right here for further details
Beekman Banner Project
noon - There will be a ceremony featuring Mayor Steve Gold and Dutchess County Art Council President Benjamin Krevolin to inaugurate a series of banners featuring work of local artists lining Beekman St.
Electric Windows
12:30-through the day. Electric Windows is bringing together 24 artists near and far to create
Artists will be painting through the day while accompanied the entire day by music provided by a range a selection of bands and DJ's. Check the above link for line up and schedule info.
Beacon Studios
1-5pm The many artists of Beacon Studios will be hosting an open house.
In addition, in the building's library gallery, there will be a preview of The Media Church, an installation by a guy named Russell, which will officially be opening on May 31.
Habitat for Artists


1-5pm Habitat for Artists will be celebrating the launch of the studio cum sculpture (or sculpture cum studio) project which has been taking shape in the parking lot of Spire Studios for the last several weeks. Participating artist will be on hand in their temporary digs, working and hanging out.
Donald Kimmel of Flying Swine will doing performance piece at some point in the afternoon.
Spire Studios
6pm - on. Spire Studios will be hosting open studios.

If have some yawing need to hang with an artist, this is the day. I can't say that I'm much good for company, but given the multitude of them roaming about on this day, you're bound to meet one with some charm.
Hermitage
7:30 Allan Kaplan reads from his new book "Like On Of Us."

Next Step
10:30pm - on. The Piggy Bank, Open Space, Burlock, and Break Beats will be bringing us this NonSecondSaturday Edition of Next Step complete with DJ's, dancing, and live painting at the Piggy Bank, 448 Main St. (I still owe Tom Moore $5 from the Next Step of a couple months back. I ain't forgotten ya Tommy.)

And that's just Saturday.
On Sunday:
Dia:Beacon
Dia's got several things going on this day in conjunction with the two sold out performances being presented by the Merce Cunningham Dance Company. There's a family day kicking off at noon that includes a movement based tour of artwork. A selection of items relating to the work of John Cage will be on view. There might be a few other things going on, but I can't quite decipher them, and they may be applicable to members only, like a reception for a Tacita Dean projection based on footage of Merce Cunningham performing.

Electric Windows
The pieces that were created through the day Saturday will be installed in the windows of the Electric Blanket Factory at 1 E. Main St. I don't know what time.

Country Folk @ Zahra's Studio
noon - on. If you simply can't get enough live painting, stop by Zahra's at 496 Main St. and catch the Country Folk crew creating a wall piece that will be part of their June exhibit at the gallery.

Kamp Maykr
12-5pm. Someone will still be hanging out, so stop by and check out what's been done in our yard.

That's what I know at the moment. Check back for updates.

Eye Candy Friday

For your viewing pleasure, here are is a selection from the TED conference. It's a 6 min. presentation by David Gallo on the amazing visual life of underwater creatures. I subscribe to the Ted Talks videos on itunes, and I really get jazzed by the level of expertise, creativity and open source knowledge that flows forth in many of the talks.




The standing ovation that begins to happen at the end of presentation cracks me up. Who are they clapping for? You go, Octopus. Speaking of octopus, I was also going to embed this video on the development of robot feet based on various creatures. The innovation and technological exploration depicted in the video are fascinating, but what really tripped me out was the bipedal octopus at about 5:30 into the vid.
I may indeed be a geek - albeit not an a technologically gifted geek, but I tend to receive more potent, visceral inspiration from topics of science, more consistantly so, than I do from looking at art. Is my art eye jaded from so much looking? I'm just in dumb wonder of that particular application of the creative impulse that embodied by scientists. There is such an affinity between the practices of the two disciplines, yet such a socially engendered division between the two, that it's like a real life embodiment of a philosophical Separated at Birth.
Finally, just goes to show what exploration can get you. Thanks to visiting Youtube to embed the octopus video, I discovered my new reference source for linguistic betterment.

Senior-eye-tis @ Muddy Cup

I caught a bit of the riveting City Council Meeting on Channel 22 last night. From Sara Pasti's report at the meeting, I learned that there will be a reception tomorrow at Beacon's Muddy Cup for an exhibit of artwork created by some of Beacon's Senior Citizens. I can't find any info posted anywhere, but It seems that Jennifer Kurtz, who leads the Senior art education program at the Beacon Community Center, and artist Kirsten Kucer are involved with putting the show together.
I'm planning on running over and checking it out.

Rhinoceros at Beacon Studios May 2-3 & 9-10

Oy. How late am I on posting this info?

Susan Osberg, Marika Blossfeldt, Dean Sharp and Susan Magnus are collaborating to produce a "salon-style, inter-art performance" called Rhinoceros. As the press release states, "Rhinoceros is a big thing in a small room." The piece will be performed in said small room before an audience of ten.

Choreographer, Susan Osberg was interested in developing a
piece for a small room and breaking away from a theater setting, into a
visual/sound space. This dance will eventually tour to Sweden to be performed in
a clone space called 25 sq. meters. Marika Blossfeldt, an Estonian performer,
known for her presence and haunting ‘Butoh-based’ lyricism, is one of her
favorite dancers, and they have worked together in numerous performances in New
York City. Marika will perform ‘Rhinoceros’, an hour-long solo for an audience
of ten, in a movement narrative that unwinds like a mobius strip. She will take
the audience on an intimate journey through a world of her own, accompanied by
composer, Dean Sharp, who will be playing live, mixing his contemporary Gamelan
with computerized sound loops, and poetry by Susan Osberg. Visual artist, Susan
Magnus has provided the visual concept and reflective materials for
‘Rhinoceros’.

Performances are scheduled for Friday and Saturday Nights, May 2-3 and May 9-10, 2008 at 8pm at Beacon Studios, 211 Fishkill Ave in Beacon.
$12 at the door, reserve in advance, seating is limited to 10.
For reservations call: 845 831-1832 or e-mail susanosberg{at}mac.com with subject “Rhinoceros”.