Tworkov speaks (writes), more Dave Hickey

I'm really having this thing for Dave Hickey lately. I am reposting an article he wrote for Art in America about the Venice Biennale, titled Idiot.

I've discovered the monumental collages by Conrad Marca-Relli His collages examine the architecture of the event and use psychological affected shapes and textures, he contoured his shapes.

My favorite quote from the Jack Tworkov book:

A container must be closed to what it contains. But it can be open to other substances. A basket designed to contain pebbles may leak sand. A net is closed to fish and open to water, as it must be to be closed and open is a necessary and simultaneous function of all vessels. A completely closed vessel is the end. A completely open vessel is without substance.

image: Conrad Marca-Relli , Untitled [irregular circle] original etching and embossing printed in color, 1975, signed in pencil and numbered from the edition of 75, published by Ediciones Poligrafa, Barcelona, on watermarked Guarro paper

NYFA Current Needs $, Wendell Berry, Hildur

Dear all,

I'm writing to let you know that NYFA Current -- a magazine I've freelanced for in the past -- is in financial trouble. Because of the economic crunch, the publication badly needs donations if it's going to continue in 2010.

As you undoubtedly know, NYFA Current (New York Foundation for the Arts' online arts magazine) provides a crucial perspective on art and the creative process. Editor Suzan Sherman's official plea letter is here, and I don't have much to add...except to reiterate that Current's voice is a unique one, and not one we can afford to lose -- especially now, when so many are redefining what it means to make art, and looking for new ways to disseminate and write about those changes.

Please consider making a small donation (by mail or online), and / or posting the link ( http://www.nyfa.org/nyfa_current_detail.asp?id &fid=1&curidy0 ) to your networks and websites. Your support is sincerely appreciated.

All best,
Emily
--
Emily Warner

This Thursday: You are invited to a closing reception
of Hildur Ásgeirsdóttir Jónsson exhibition @ More North Gallery
Thursday October 01, 2009
5-7pm
Hope to see you there!
More North Gallery, 39 North Moore Street, Tribeca

Hildur's piece pictured above

And finally Wendell Berry from this week's New Yorker.

Oh and if you're bored check Art in America's Scene!

Gossamer Obsession

See a spectacular and extremely rare textile, woven from golden-colored silk thread produced by more than one million spiders in Madagascar at the American Museum of Natural History. Read more about it in the Times.

A sustainable arts building becomes reality in Kansas. They accept proposals from artists to exhibit.

I was sorry to see that the Sam Gillian print he made for the College Art Association sold out. There are still some other, well-priced pieces available.

picture above by Fred R. Conrad/The New York Times

Dontbesilly

On Saturday night I called up a couple members of my posse to go to openings in Bushwick, one at the Laundromat Gallery, and another at 1717 Troutman. Although responding to my requests to meet with enthusiasm my pals declined for reasons pertaining to incomplete work in the studio.

Then I thought better of the situation, I'm the one that's suppose to be in the studio. For the next 6 months, if you want to find me that's where I'll be!

New print above sums it up! Dontbesilly!

When not in the studio, I'll be involved with AHOPE, a non-profit organization whose mission is to serve the children of Ethiopia, with a primary emphasis on caring for orphans infected with HIV.

I'm signing off for 6 months. You know where to find me. Expect sporadic updates.

Are there too many artists?

Watching Dave Hickey's talk "The Good Ennui," does make me contemplate yet again the plethora of all things art...oh ennui, oh Dave.

Esopus Magazine has opened a gallery! Their current show of Dwight Ripley's travel posters, one is pictured above, is not to be missed. I will add the show to the next art stumble.

Shout out for Shirin Neshat and her recent winning of The Silver Lion for "Women without Men." Can artists inspire ways to live or at least make some good posters for places to travel?

Ready Time

On Kawara's One Million Years (Past and Future), since 1970

Today, tomorrow, later today, and tonight are all about time. It's time to get to the studio, now that I have more time to be there, or is it time to clean, move, look at art, go to openings, make dinner, read stories, bathe a kid, time to make money, save money, and then it's time to go to sleep. There's never enough time. Time is everything.

I asked several artists about their "studio time," and got some great answers. Everybody is trying to make art as much as possible. Almost everyone is trying to balance their time better. Most everyone thinks about making serious money, serious art and being a serious person all in good time.

In these discussions of time, I joked with a colleague that there seems to be a difference between being a serious artist and a serious person. A serious person makes a living (money) in an honest way, a serious artist doesn't make money. A really serious artist makes money through their art. This is problematic.

Then there is "ready time," which I am defining here as the art you're able to make right now. That might not be your paintings because they take too long to make, so it's your drawings. It might not be your sculpture because they cost too much to fabricate, so it's a situation you create instead. It might not be an entire show at a gallery, but rather a wall painting you make in an afternoon. What's your "ready time?" Gotta go.

More on Matthew and...the NYT!

Pictured above are images of Matthew Miller's striking female "doppelgänger." Seeing these paired drawings was remarkable and worth the trip to Kris Graves Projects. Liz Jaff and Jason Hanasik are also on view and looking good!

Jason Hanasik below:



also from today's Times, a little reference to Pocket U.