The double edge sword of curating....

....Indeed, the curator can seemingly has the power to create life but at the same time is subject to the passions of an artist who refuses to be ignored...

The number of submissions facing Dorsky curator Brian Wallace last month as he embarked on selecting the participants of this year's Hudson Valley Invitational exhibit.

The Dead Hare Radio Hour episode from this past week (Show #4) features interviews with Greg Slick and Karlos Carcamo, former directors of the former gallery Go North, in Beacon, and current curators of the Illustrious Mr. X exhibit on view at the Samuel Dorsky Museum of Art at SUNY New Paltz.  At the end of  Show #3, Matthew and I spoke with a gentleman claiming to be the very Mr. X that Greg and Karlos claim to have invented.  Someone's not telling it straight.

Matthew and I also spoke with Dorsky Curator Brian Wallace on the history, present and maybe the future of the museum.
(The next evening I attended a talk on the SUNY New Paltz campus about Marc Chagall's time spent in the Hudson Valley during WWII and the grass roots efforts afoot to have a Chagall in the Hudson Valley exhibit at the Dorsky in the near future.)

During our conversation with Brian he mentioned the travails of the curator having to reject sizeable number of artists, possibly incurring their eternal scorn.  Part of this made it into the interview.  The theme for this year's invitational is Beauty.  It's funny that last year's exhibit, guest curated by Thomas Collins had the notion of Praxis, the joining of critical theories with practical applications, as an organizing principle and very, very few people submitted for it.  This says something interesting, though I'm not exactly sure what, perhaps that most people don't know what Praxis is and how it might apply to their work...or they're aware that their work simply doesn't fit that particular paradigm.  But apparently, many many people think they know something about beauty, and that their artwork obviously has something to say about it...

For those who might be rejected in this or any other exhibition selection process, I encourage you not to lose heart.  In fact, I found a helpful guide that you might apply in your future endeavors to catch the eye of some looksome curator.
As a service to artists everywhere, Hennessy Youngman put together this step by step tutorial for impressing curators.



Somethings to keep in mind, particularly when submitting for next year's Dorsky invitational. I'll just say here that I will not be responsible for any sort of fatal attraction-type stalking of Brian Wallace or any other curators perpetrated by unstable, overly ambitious artists..

The Dead Hare Radio Hour, Marching on into April

We're coming up on show #3 of the Dead Hare Radio Hour and I haven't even mentioned show #2 yet.

So Last week's show (#2) focused on the recently closed exhibit at The Frances Lehman Loeb Art Center at Vassar College called 150 Years Later: New photography from Tina Barney, Tim Davis and Katherine Newbegin. The show features interviews with Loeb curator Mary-Kay Lombino, photographer Katherine Newbegin and Zach Russo (Dead Hare Intern) and Emily Kloppenberg who were both captured in one of Tina Barney's photos.

Dead Hare Radio Show #2

This week's show features interviews from Fovea Exhibitions in Beacon, NY.  I speak with Fovea co-founder/director Stephanie Heimann and Lori Grinker, whose work is currently on view in the exhibit, Nothing Like My Home: The Iraqi Refugee Crisis.  A panel talk accompanying the exhibit is scheduled for Saturday, April 9.  Matthew and I also interview a mysterious Mr. X who claims to be the Illustrious Mr. X whose life is the subject of the current exhibit at the Samuel Dorsky Museum of Art in New Paltz, curated by Greg Slick and Karlos Carcamo.
Check it out, the show airs live on Tuesdays, 5-6pm on WVKR, 91.3 in Poughkeepsie, NY, and it's available whenever you want it online and via iTunes.

Going South with Karlos Carcamo

Karlos Carcamo packed his bags and headed down to his homeland, sunny El Salvador three days ago.  He's participating in an exhibit at the Marte Museo Arte De El Salvador in San Salvador.  The exhibit Zonas de Trueque, curated by Jose Ruiz of the Bronx River Arts Center and which also features the work of Experanza Mayobre, Diego Medina and Irvin Morazan, is part of a series of interventions in specific locations throughout the museum by invited artists.  This PDF chronicles some past interventions in the series.

Karlos is also currently in the midst of a residency at the Lower East Side Print Studio shop.  One of the projects he's working on during the residency is a series of postcards featuring many of the fine correctional facilities here in our area.

Abenteuer im Ausland

Deborah Davidowits is among four artists featured in Upstate, a group show of accomplished artists living in the area opening tonight (April 18) and running through May 23 at Nicole Fiacco Gallery in Hudson. The other artists participating in the show are Susan Wides, Robert The and Joyce Robins. The opening reception is happening tonight from 6-8pm. Nicole Fiacco Gallery is located at 336 Warren St.

Karlos Carcamo is currently taking part in two exhibitions in New York. The first which opened on April 7 and will remain on view through April 25 is The Pleasure Seekers, curated by Dan Halm. The Pleasure Seekers can be seen at the chashama Times Square Gallery at 112 W 44th St. The second exhibit, \'flo\: art, text, new media at The Center of Book Arts is curated by Rocio Aranda-Alvarado. The exhibit which includes work by artists "all of whom engage in the concept of 'flow' - how text and image move and interfuse", opened on April 15 and will remain on view through June 27. An artist talk will be held on May 27 at 6:30 pm with Dahlia Elsayed, Jessica Lagunas, Cifford Owens and Robin Price. The Book Arts Center is located at 28 W 27 St, 3rd floor.

The Anne Street Gallery is hosting an artist lecture today at 2pm given by Bill Justin, a self taught folk artist and found object sculptor, as part of the gallery's current Art Brut exhibit on view through today. The Anne Street Gallery is located at 104 Anne Street in Newburgh.

Steven Evans, Dia Assistant Director for Beacon has curated an exhibit opening tomorrow at the Dorsky Gallery Curatorial Programs in Long Island City. Other Voices, Other Rooms brings together work by Max Cole, Marcia Hafif, Winston Roeth, David Simpson and Fred Sandback. An opening reception will be held on April 19 from 2 - 5pm. The exhibit will remain on view through June 28. Exhibition information is enclosed in this brochure. Dorsky Gallery Curatorial Programs is located at 11-03 45 Ave, Long Island City.

Today at 2pm, the Garrison Art Center is hosting an opening reception for its annual exhibit Site (School Invitational Themed Exhibit). The exhibit features work created by students throughout the area who range in age from kindergarten to high school in the area and includes work from Beacon High School and the Beacon Community Center's After School Program. The exhibit will remain on view through April 26.

In Yonkers this weekend, the YOHO Artist Studios complex is holding its annual open house. The open studios will be happening today and tomorrow from 12-5pm.

Finally, a project proposal by Jill Reynolds and Dan Spitzer is one of four that have reached the final stage of consideration for commissioning as a permenant public art piece in the lobby of a business tower in Pittsburgh PA. The chosen project will be announced on April 24. Schematics of the four contending proposals accompanies this article about the competition.

Karlos Carcamo - appearing somewhere near you

Karlos Carcamo is a perpetually bizzy guy. It's hard to keep up.
Currently, Karlos' work is the subject of a solo exhibit at the Heimbold Visual Art Center's Barbara Walters Gallery at Sara Lawrence College through Nov 13 (the show opened on Oct 16). Karlos has posted some images of the exhibit on his blog.

Karlos also has work in a group show called at Dean Project in LIC through Nov 2nd, a group show called Outside Over There at Gallery Aferro in Newark through Nov 22, and his work is being represented by Dean Project this weekend at Scope London.

Karlos Carcamo at Dean Project: LIC, Lincoln Center, Dubai

Halloween 2007: one half Elvis, one half Johnny Cash, one half Hugo Chavez =
Karlos Carcamo, 110% Artfiend.
photo by Angelika Rinnhofer.

I've been waiting for a reason to use this photo.
Karlos is participating in two events this week with Dean Project. From March 20-May 10, his work will be part of a preview of "Exporting Pop; A Western Fantasy" a group exhibition curated exclusively for the Kuwait Art Foundation Limited, Dubai, United Arab Emirates. The exhibition will be on exhibit in Dubai from Sept 25 to Nov 8. A reception for the exhbition preview will be held on Sat, March 29 from 6-9 at the gallery, 45-43 21 St Long Island City (adjacent to PS 1)

Karlos' work will also be featured at the Dean Project booth (booth #21) at the Scope Art Fair at Lincoln Center beginning today and run Sunday.

Karlos Carcamo at PS 122 Gallery

I neglected to post information on Karlos Carcamo's opening last night at PS 122 Gallery in NYC. Hey, it happens. Karlos is showing with Jake Selvidio and the exhibit will be on view through March 23. Karlos sent me images from the opening last night and mentioned that several Beacon folks made the trip to attend, for which he is grateful.

PS 122 Gallery is located at 150 First Ave in NYC. tel 212.228.4249

I spy Peter Iannarelli, Greg Slick, Eleanor White and Karlyn Benson.

Karlos Carcamo at Bronx River Art Center

Karlos Carcamo has work included in the exhibit "Beauty is in the Street" curated by Gerry Beegan and opening tonight at the Bronx River Art Center in the Bronx. The artists included in the exhibit are: Karlos Carcamo Experimental Jetset Karolyn HattonLiselot van der Heijden Henry VIII's Wives Pedro Lasch Cristóbal Lehyt Aleksandra Mir Carrie Moyer Stefan Saffer.

BRAC is located at 1087 E. Tremont Ave in the Bronx, 10460. There's a reception tonight from 6-9pm and the exhibit runs through Feb. 16.

Talking to Karlos last Saturday at Erica Hauser's opening at Go North, I discovered that Karlos has been maintaining a blog. I further discovered that Eleanor "lil' Miss Ellie" White also has a blog featuring her work. I'll be inlcuding links to these and other artist sites in the sidebar's cavalcade of artists shortly.

Images: Karlos Carcamo at Jamaica Center for Arts & Learning

Karlos sent in some image of his work included in the "It's a Jamaica Thing..." show at the Jamaica Center for Arts and Learning.
I'll see if Karlos will send me the titles and such for the work.

Flow: Navigating the Super Paradigm Opens at Collaborative Concepts

Flow: Navigating the Super Paradigm

curated by Karlos Cárcamo

October 15^th - Nov 13^th, 2005

Reception: Saturday, October 15^th, 5 – 8pm

*Music by DJ Sleeper

Collaborative Concepts

@ Bulldog Studios

52 Fishkill Ave (Entrance to CC on Verplank Ave.)

Beacon, NY 12508

845.528.1797

Gallery Hours: Thu – Sun, 12 – 5 or by Appt.

Directions: Train – Metro North Hudson River Line to Poughkeepsie, get off at Beacon Stop. 15 minute walk along Main Street to Fishkill Ave, one block north to Verplank Ave. Driving – Route 9D to Beacon, I-84 west to exit 12 (Beacon), I-84 east to exit 11 (Beacon).

Participating Artists Include: Allison Gildersleeve, Elia Gurna, James Sheehan, Charlotte Schulz, Karen Ostrom, Hiroshi Kimura, Eva Lee, Eleanor White, Matt Harle, Deborah Davidovits, Mary Temple, Tricia McLaughlin, Gregory Slick, Mathieu Borysevicz, Susan Magnus, James Walsh, Kazumi Tanaka, Carlos Ancalmo, Quintin Rivera-Toro, Jen Bradford, Christopher Albert, Stephanie Diamond.

“Flow: Navigating the Super Paradigm” is a multi media exhibition consisting of work by 22 contemporary artists using a broad spectrum of work including painting, sculpture, drawing, photography and video. Referencing the term “Super Paradigm” to describe the growing New York art world by Village Voice art critic Jerry Saltz. The exhibition will explore the vast “flow” of ideas and diverse methods contemporary artists use to navigate through this “Super Paradigm”. In the process creating work that is at times self-reflective, and personal while remaining aware o f the issues affecting the world, the nature of their artistic practice, and contemporary art today.

This exhibition is the first in Collaborative Concepts new gallery space located at Bulldog Studios in Beacon, New York. The artists in the exhibition hail from Puerto Rico, Brooklyn, Queens, Manhattan, Connecticut, Beacon, and other areas of the Hudson Valley.

"Flow: Navigating the Super Paradigm” will be on view at Collaborative Concepts from Oct 15th^h through November 13^th, 2005.

Poughkeepsie Journal Article