Art gallery - Articles - Zimbio

Finally the Wurd on Nada Motel

Sun, 4 Aug 2008 22:49:00 GMT

posted by anntracy
I can't believe it took me a month to get this stuff up here. But as you can tell, I've been busy with other projects and then there's our petting zoo (3 cats and Crash the dog) and my sweet Hubby and trying to have a life with him from time to time. But there I go babbling again, maybe I should have named this the Babbling Blog!

First of all a BIG thank you to all the artists and other folks who stopped by to look at my work and the work of Cherie Hacker and the jewelry of Cynthia Burdick. And to all the listeners of Capital Public Radio who heard the interview that Chad Sorg and I did with the manager of the Cortez Hotel and Insight Host Jeffery Callison. And an extra big thank you to the people who bought work.

The only thing I'm bummed about is that the photos I took of Chad Sorg's wonderful big mixed media paintings didn't turn out. His work was really great. Most everyone had wonderful stuff up there and following pieces are work that I really liked for one reason or another. One of the best installations was called the Barn by Ned Peterson and Kai Prescher. "In the Barn, the horses watch the cows, the cows watch the pigs, the pigs watch the chickens, the chickens watch the ducks and the ducks watch cartoons 'cause they're funny that way." Patty Melton showed colorful renderings of historic Reno motels like the following. Apparently her parents owned the Town House Motel back in the 1960s and she swam with Lyndon Johnson back then when it was a hoity-toity place Paula Povilaitos showed rubbings she had done of water and sewer caps and the like. Jerry Tarner brought along his sculpture and did a great job decorating his room, using auto upholstery fabric!?! Jerry tells me it's very cool stuff and it's cheaper than your regular fabric store which I'll keep in mind for next year when I think that Cynthia and I will do some kind of installation. Spent some good time talking wtih fellow digital artist-photographer Dean Burton who was showing his new series - The Architechure of Electronica. Great stuff as you can see from the one photo. He teaches up in Reno and those kids are lucky to have a teacher like him. Then Cindy Gun had a great little sculptural installation called Mockery of a Mosque. This is a detail from it. It was great. So a big thanks to all the great artists I met in Reno and thanks again for letting me Nada with you!

The Affordable Art Fair – New York 2008

Mon, 27 May 2008 18:27:50 GMT

posted by artPark

As we reported earlier, Migration will be an exhibitor at this year’s Affordable Art Fair in New York City. The AAF will be held in the Metropolitan Pavilion/Altman Building in Chelsea from June 12-15. There will be a special VIP preview cocktail party during the evening of June 11. Over 70 international galleries will be exhibiting. Keep tabs on the happenings at the AAF website (and here too, of course).

For the Fair, we have selected to show the best work from these six artists: Brian Mallman, Alan Dehmer, Foust, Arturo Mallmann, Joachim Knill and Randall Stoltzfus. Why did we pick them? The price and media constraints of the Fair were a factor - you gotta follow the rules. But, first and foremost, their work reflects a passionate engagement with the contemporary world necessary to allow their work to stand out. With their art, they put you directly in this mess the world is in and pull you out of it. There is no higher purpose for art than to possess these twin powers.

To explain the second reason we chose them, we must turn to a recent article written by Blake Gopnik of the Washington Post. While discussing the recent unveiling of the MLK memorial model, Gopnik discusses the rise in importance of figurative art. For us, Blake’s words had the uncomfortable ring of truth. (Note: I am loathe to agree with Gopnik, so I figure (pardon the pun) what he said must be, at the very least, true-ish.) In the article, Gopnik said:

What would a monument to King look like that was as forward-looking, as change-inspired as the man himself? I've no clear idea. It would probably be figurative, like most of today's best art. Abstraction has lost the power it once had to make us think in terms of big ideas; it's mostly come to have the feel of lobby decoration.

If you interpret "figurative" broadly, as one must, then all of the works we will be exhibiting at AAF are figurative. None of them let you pass by without being changed, like lobby decoration. That is exactly why we are putting our gallery’s resources behind them.

And so that you can get a sampling of what Migration will be exhibiting at AAF - even if you can’t make it to NYC - we have created an AAF Photo Album in the sidebar with images of some of the art we’ll be exhibiting. Consider it a pre preview. And, if you see anything you have to have, let us know before we load it into the van.

Finally, if you might be in NYC in mid-June and want to attend the AAF, please contact us and we might be able to send you complimentary tickets… if we still have some.

Alan Dehmer - "Seek"

Foust - "Shoulder Surfing"

Brian Mallman - "Meetings 16"

Arturo Mallmann - "Vision of the Future"

Joachim Knill - "Tomato Crossing"

Randall Stoltzfus - "Coriolis"

Mail Art to Hungary

Sun, 21 Jul 2008 20:58:00 GMT

posted by anntracy
Did you know that Hungary was in the midst of a Renaissance? Neither did I until my friend Cherie forwarded me a call for mail art from Hungary. Seems it's been 550 years since their good King Matthias sat on the throne. I originally created this for an animals show in Orange County and then thought that I had to send some other work instead.

This piece is entitled Guarding Ancient Secrets and is based on a photograph I took while in London, a fractal and my old friend the broken angel.

Develop a Relationship

Mon, 13 May 2008 15:56:58 GMT

posted by artPark

No, no. This is not some singles dating advice. I’m talking about developing a relationship with an art gallery.

This is Part 1 (don’t worry, there are only 2 parts) of a relatively broad subject. Today, I want to encourage people to take advantage of all that an art gallery has to offer. Believe me, it’s more than just the art on the walls. Creating a lasting a rewarding relationship is as simple as starting a conversation with the gallery’s owner/director. Tomorrow, I will share some of what a relationship with a gallery can provide you.

The "how to" seems as simple as going out on a date. Wait… For some people that’s the hard part. Maybe that’s why people are intimidated by art galleries. You feel like you are putting yourself out on a very thin line - exposing some of your insecurities. Like, your lack of understanding of 20^th century expressionism might be exposed. Yikes! Well… in reality, it’s not that hard or that scary. Using Migration (Laura’s and my gallery) as an example, here are a few things to remember:

1) Migration is an art gallery whose mission is to gather works of art that are beautiful, conceptually rich and important in our times and beyond;

2) Migration is a retail business, and its business is to gather and present works of art that Laura and I believe people will bond with and buy;

3) We are passionate about the artists we represent and the specific works of art we show at Migration. Every commercial gallery and gallerist is the same; and

4) Believe it or not, we are really good at what we do.

If you don’t already have a favorite gallery, the best way to start is to get out there and check out the local gallery scene. If one stands out in your mind by exhibiting art that strikes your sensibilities positively, I encourage you to take the next step and develop a relationship with that gallery. By doing so, you can get the most out of that gallery and what it is doing.

The easiest thing to do is start up a conversation. As an example, here’s what we see at Migration on a daily basis: People come into the gallery; Piper (our gallery dog) barks ferociously; we say "hi" and "welcome" (while trying to corral and quiet Piper); we then generally offer to help with any questions they may have about the art, artists and/or gallery. Sometimes this kicks off a great conversation about the art and people’s reactions to it. Other times, nothing comes of it.

Now, of course, I’m assuming that if someone comes into the gallery, they have an interest in art or, more specifically, an interest in the art at Migration. It would appear we all have something in common to talk about, right?

To really get the ball rolling and expand on your experience, let us know what you think of the art. That’s the point of the artwork, isn’t it? To make you think… to make you feel… even if just for a moment. It is, in fact, the reason Laura and I love being involved in the arts: No matter what the art is, it generates a feeling or an emotion in the viewer – like awe, love, disgust, sadness, hate, laughter, or, possibly, a flood of personal memories. Tell us about it.

Although you should go ahead and assume that Laura and I have strong feelings about everything we show at Migration, that doesn’t mean we expect everyone to like it. Let us know what you think. And, don’t worry, if you don’t like something - we won’t kick you out and end the relationship (or worse, release Piper on you). We can handle the criticism. It’s all part of growing together and learning more about one another.

What these kinds of conversations do is introduce you to us and give us a better idea of what you like in art. Share with us your likes and dislikes. And more importantly, tell us why you do or don’t like something. Our goal is to find art for you that you want to have as your own. We might have something not displayed that is more up your alley. Pulling something from storage could make your visit more satisfying. Good for you and good for us. By learning your likes and dislikes, we can increase the odds of finding something that you might want to take home with you and have in your life. You can put us to work for you, and we will be better equipped to not waste your time.

Oh… and before you leave the gallery, make sure you give us your address for the mailing list. Maybe email is better for you - Migration sends regular email announcements. This may seem like a step to making a commitment, but all it really does is keep you informed of future shows, news and events at the gallery.

So start a conversation with the owner or director of a gallery that you believe has similar sensibilities as you. A relationship will start and you will soon have the opportunity of being rewarded by our business and our expertise. Heck, what’s the worst thing that can happen… a stimulating conversation between nice people. Doesn’t sound too bad to me.

Okay, so after all that, maybe it is a little like dating… Take a look at the gallery. Is the first impression good? Do you like what you see? Pretty/Handsome? Come back and check out another exhibit. Same quality as before? Have a glass of wine at the next opening. Loosen up a little. Work up the nerve to introduce yourself to the owner (or maybe the exhibiting artist). Ask a few questions. Start a little conversation. Give them your phone number (mailing address, actually). See if you hear back from them. The relationship might blossom. You learn something special about the gallery, its artists and its owners. In return, they find out a little something about you. There may be a painting or sculpture you fall in love with immediately (love at first site). Or, it may take a little while for the love to blossom (you’re just a little shy). Ultimately, you find something you can’t live without. You buy it. Take it home. Live with it forever – happily ever after. And it all started with a little conversation.

Put another way… We had a gentleman who repeatedly came to the gallery to "visit" a specific painting. He even admitted to walking past the gallery after hours just to get a look at it through the windows (he apologized for the nose prints on the glass). Through continued conversations with us, he finally decided to buy it and take the piece home with him. When he made the decision, he said to us, "After dating it for weeks, I finally get to take it home and sleep with it." A happy story.

Next, I'll list a few of the rewards a relationship with a gallery can provide. Stay tuned.

Hey, did someone step in something?

Thu, 2 May 2008 16:10:24 GMT

posted by artPark

What’s that smell coming from the University of Virginia Art Museum? Well, at least we know it’s not dog poop.

Yesterday, Brendan Fitzgerald of C-ville broke the story of the UVa Art Museum excluding a piece of art from its newest exhibit featuring the work of Irwin Berman (read Brendan’s article here – way to get the scoop, Brendan). This morning, Brian McNeill of the Daily Progress followed up with more information (read Brian’s article here – and don’t miss Laura’s most excellent quote at the end).

Apparently, a curatorial decision was made to exclude a scatological piece of art by Irwin Berman from his show at UVa titled Sedentary Pleasures scheduled to open this Saturday. The particular piece at issue is a combination of a 3 minute video (animated) and an accompanying sculpture. The video tells a story of UVa’s former mascot, Seal the dog, rising from its grave and devouring UVa’s current Cavalier mascot who had just poked at a puppy with his saber. Seal then defecates the Cavalier in all its stinky orange and blue glory on a three-legged stool (writer's note: I have not personally seen the video and am paraphrasing from Brian's McNeill's article). The sculpture is – you guessed it – a stool with fake orange and blue poop on it. Collaborating with Berman on this project were Michael Wartella, Sam Retzer, and UVa art professor William Bennett. Berman, Wartella and Retzer are all UVa alumni.

As reported, Carol Wood, a University spokesperson, stated that the Museum rejected the piece on the grounds it "didn’t fit in with the parameters of the exhibit." I’m a little curious why this info comes from the Public Affairs Department and not from the Museum. Wouldn’t Interim Museum Director, Elizabeth Turner, be best suited to speak on the matter? Until someone does a better job of explaining what is going on, the Museum risks having the ugly word "censorship" splashed across its front door.

Censorship is a trigger not to be pulled lightly (or ever, for that matter). And, Berman’s artwork is simply not worthy of censorship in any form. UVa needs to tread carefully on this issue. Rightly or wrongly labeled, I believe the Museum needs to come out from behind the curtain and tell us what is going on to avoid being labeled "censors." Circling the wagons is not the best way to handle this situation.

The Museum straddles a thin line between being both a public and private institution. Furthermore, it is an institution of higher education. Being exclusionary is nowhere UVa wants to go, and it should know better. Due to the recent list of questionable (and cloaked) actions of the Museum, it should be very careful where it steps next. The mess currently found on the bottom of its shoe might only get worse.

All is not lost for Berman, however: His stool on a stool artwork will be on display at Les Yeux du Monde. The piece was originally conceived as a fundraiser for the University’s Art Department. The artists intended to donate proceeds generated from the video to the University. Migration’s gallery dog, Piper, has another idea… She says, due to the despicable depiction of a dog being threatened by a saber wielding human, any proceeds from this piece of art should be donated to the SPCA and not UVa. Right on, Piper!