Monday, April 03, 2017

The curious case of the WPA and the race (and age) card

A while back, I discussed the curious case of DMV artist Barbara Januszkiewicz posing a question on Facebook about the Washington Project for the Art's Gala auction - a question which then received several hundred comments from all sort of DMV area artists and a rather harsh one from the WPA's Executive Director; you can read that post here.

In his response, Peter Nesbett (the WPA's ED) included this comment:
Also it is worth noting to the rest of you that the O has a bit of an axe to grind with me because when pressed by her on numerous occasions to visit her studio and to take a group show she had curated (that included her own work), I told her that I didn't really understand what she was up to in her work because it seemed to ape the work of others a-critically, and for that reason I didn't understand its value. So that is possibly what spurred her post. Who knows. I think it is important to be honest with each other so we don't waste each other's time.
Like many other commenters on the Facebook comment thread, I took exception to Nesbett using that public forum to personally criticize the originator's artwork, and suggested that he should (a) apologize to Barbara Januszkiewicz and (b) use the opportunity presented by the hundreds of commenters to perhaps host a discussion forum on the issue and involve the artist members of the WPA in a constructive dialogue. I noted in the FB comments:
With all due respect, I am a somewhat disturbed that the director of an artists' driven organization takes an open forum to personally criticize the artwork of one of its members - who by the way, as the intense series of comments testify to, has asked a very valid and clearly "needed" question. That is, if one is to judge that by the passion of the comments and thoughts. But what bothers me is that were one to also mimic your viewpoint of "ape the work of others a-critically", then I'd challenge anyone with a simple understanding of art history to not "see" a dozen artists in any and every group show on the planet, any major art fair, and any WPA Gala, regurgitating the concepts and ideas of others who came before them, which in an era of postmodernism - where anything and everything is art - I thought was not an issue... In fact it is often refreshing, as when in this year's WPA Gala I see Chuck Close, Basquiat, Jerry Uelsmann, Goldsworthy, etc. being channeled into new work. It is clear to me that this question poses an opportunity for the WPA to host a panel/discussion on the subject, and it is also clear to me that you owe Barbara Januszkiewicz an apology for angling the discussion to a personal angle... Respectfully, Lenny Campello
Subsequently, at least two local art establishments (Artists and Makers' Studios and Otis Street Project), volunteered their spaces to host a discussion on the subject.


By the way, local artists complaining about the role of the WPA in the DMV is hardly new - as Michael O'Sullivan noted in this 1997 Washington Post story:
[An arts promoter and a jewelry maker] approached a reporter with a press release, revealing that the exaggerated bidding was the scheme of 42 local art supporters, each of whom had ponied up $20 in an attempt to draw attention to their claim that the WPA and its auction have strayed from the original mission."In the past," the statement read, "The Washington Project for the Arts (WPA) seemed focused on promoting new art and artists not represented by galleries. The auction was an excellent way to showcase these new artists while engaging the public's participation. Unfortunately, we now see almost the same artists and collectors year after year."
In addition to the lack of new blood, the consortium also complained about the auction's steep new $125 admission price, which kept many of its members from participating.
"This is about inclusivity and emerging art. It's not about Erick Jackson or artificially inflating the price of his work," said [one of the organizers], who along with her husband... came up with the protest as a form of "conceptual art."
Back to the present: Triggered by the sheer amount of comments on the issue, the Washington City Paper's art scribe and fan boy of the DMV art scene, Kriston Capps interviewed Nesbett on the auction issue and the artists' reactions to it. In the original post, Capps incredibly managed to somehow skip over or miss the row over Nesbett's comment that Januszkiewicz's motive for the post was possibly related to Nesbett ignoring her work/request for a studio visit.
Thus, when the WCP interview was noticed by the FB commenters, it was immediately noticed (and commented on) that Capps had missed 50% of the issue... someone must have brought this up to the attention of the former Grammar Policeman, because subsequently an expanded interview included this question as the first question:
City Paper: Some artists in the Facebook community are upset about a critical exchange you had with Barbara Januszkiewicz, an artist in the area. You said that she had an "ax to grind with me" and that "I didn't really understand what she was up to in her work" in comments. Do you think you crossed a line?
Peter Nesbett: No, I don't. There are a few reasons.  
I don't see why having an opinion about an artist's work is a problem. I know most arts professionals would keep opinions or comments like that to themselves. That is their right. But I prefer more candor. 
I shared a series of exchanges [Barbara] and I had. She was rather aggressive with me over the course of six months about doing a studio visit with her, and showing her work, and I was very frank with her that I didn't understand how her work was anything but the aping of others' work from decades ago, with irony or critical conceit, and so I wasn't interested. She didn't like that. Still I don't want to set up up any false expectations—I want people to know where I stand so we don't waste each other's time. 
The most outspoken people on the Dotted Line are people whom I have either declined studio visits with—I am not going to do them simply as a courtesy—or they are the spouse of a former employee who I let go. I think it is important that people recognize that the motive on there end stems from a place of personal disappointment. 
Finally, have you noticed that nearly everyone who has been critical of the auction or WPA is older and white, and yet they claim to be speaking on behalf of the D.C. artist community? I actually don't think they represent the D.C. artist community today. At least not the communities I have been most involved with or interested in. Those communities are much more diverse.
So instead of apologizing for his interpretation of what had caused the avalanche of comments on the WPA Auction issue, Nesbett doubled down on his perception of the reason for Barbara's posting and repeated his unwarranted negative critical response to her work.

But then, in my opinion, he extended the discussion into a whole other realm, when he makes the completely unexpected and insulting claim that "nearly everyone who has been critical of the auction or WPA is older and white, and yet they claim to be speaking on behalf of the D.C. artist community?"

What?

The race card (combined with the age card) makes an appearance on a discussion about the multiple inclusion of out of area artists for a local artist-driven organization!
There's so much wrong and offensive about this, that I don't know where to start... so instead I've copied what an artist in the comments' thread (who's neither white nor old) emailed me; the artist notes that:

1.Peter solicited and offered to meet with artists in the local community.
2.Barbara has stated that she contacted him with only one email inviting him to her studio. He declined and therefore never saw her work nor engaged in a personal conversation. There has been no proof of an aggressive solicitation as claimed.
3.An online question was posed regarding the auction and it was not directed at any party. It was intended as an invitation for artists to voice their concerns/opinions and to engage in community dialogue.
4.The intent of this forum was not intended to engage in personal attacks.
5.Age nor race was not an issue raised by the artists
6.Anyone who engages in the practice, procurement, sales, promotion, curatorial, purchase, review of art,  etc. should be recognized as a valued member of the art community regardless of age, gender, race or sexual orientation.
7.Personal attacks and harsh public criticism of an artist’s work and value is unwarranted.
8.‘Aping’ the work of an artist in a city that paints its streets with stripes should not be an acceptable value judgment.

Personally, now I think that Nesbett has stepped over a separate line from which there's no apology, and the maelstrom of commenters are now discussing a much harsher response to the WPA than the lost opportunity to engage the artists on a constructive dialogue.

Frankly, I am lost as to why Nesbett went on this race/age card angle? It wasn't needed, and from seeing the names of the artists involved in the hundreds of comments, it is also inaccurate.


As one commenter dryly noted: "I wonder if he feels the same about the demographics of collectors??"


What next?

Wanna go to an opening this week?

"In This Moment"

Christina Tenaglia and Anne C. Smith

March 30-June 4, 2017
Vernissage Saturday April 8 6:30-8:30
Live Music by Terraplane

3766 Howard Ave
Kensington MD 20895
Thursday-Sunday 12-5:30 and always by appointment

Sunday, April 02, 2017

Mirror to the World 2017

Mirror to the World 2017
A Documentary Photography Exhibition
April 7 - May 14, 2017
Juror: Frank Van Riper

Opening Reception
Friday, April 7th 6-8PM

Photoworks Gallery
1st Floor, Arcade Building
7300 MacArthur Blvd, Glen Echo Park, Glen Echo, MD
Saturdays 1-4pm and Sundays 1-8pm
@glenechophotoworks
www.glenechophotoworks.org
301-634-2274
Exhibiting Artists
Fred Zafran
Darrow Montgomery
Christine Pearl
Valerie Makepeace
Cherry Wyman
Ginger Werz-Petricka
Ron Petricka
Diana Hoppin
Steve Hoppin
Gana Browning
Penny Frates


"Stranger In My Home" by Fred Zafran
"Stranger In My Home" by Fred Zafran

Photoworks Gallery presents the 9th Annual "Mirror to the World" Documentary Photography Exhibition at Photoworks Gallery; juried by Frank Van Riper and featuring the work of 11 local photographers.

The exhibit opens April 7th and features 5 in-depth "photo essays" -- accompanied by written text -- on a wide variety of topics ranging from urban DC street photography, to life in rural America and the "dying city" of Civita di Bagnoregio.

Saturday, April 01, 2017

Wanna go to an artist talk tomorrow?


Cal for new media artists!


Deadline: April 7, 2017
 
Videos not in excess of 15 minutes are requested for inclusion in Frame & Frequency 3, Vol. 2, an international video art exchange, presented as a series of screenings and exhibitions held concurrently in Medellin, Colombia at the PLECTO Galeria and at VisArts in Rockville, MD just outside Washington, DC, opening May 5th, 2017. 
 
Video, film, and new media work will be accepted: Experimental, documentary, animation, narrative, non-narrative, multimedia, VR (Google Cardboard & iPhone compatible), digital imaging, net art, interactive media, sound art, etc. All foreign language artworks must have English subtitles. 
 
Please send email submissions including - Video links(vimeo), Artwork Synopsis, Bio, CV and Contact Information to:
frank@frankmccauley.com. Frank McCauley, Exhibition Coordinator, VisArts at Rockville. www.visartscenter.org; www.plectogaleria.com
 
For information on Frame & Frequency 3, Vol. 1, visit https://www.visartsatrockville.org/more/?p=2177817

Friday, March 31, 2017

Rousseau on Lin

Dr. Claudia Rousseau reviews Amy Lin at Addison-Ripley:
My own answer to those questions was that once past the level of “how amazing,” there is much to be seen and thought about here, particularly in terms of the artist’s self-expression in their creation.
Read it here in East City Reviews.

Paid art fair internship in NYC

Thursday, March 30, 2017

Frida Kahlo - Picasso style

Anybody like Frida? This very cool painting that I did in art school and which sold originally almost 15 years ago, just showed up at an auction house! Follow the link! At a really good starting bid!

http://www.invaluable.com/catalog/searchLots.cfm…


Frida Kahlo: Picasso Style  Oil on Board, c. 1980  F. Lennox Campello
Frida Kahlo: Picasso Style
Oil on Board, c. 1980
F. Lennox Campello

#fridakahlo #frida #picasso #pablopicasso #fridapainting #lennycampello #artauction

Job opportunity (Conservators)

The City of Rockville is seeking proposals from professional artists, art service providers and art conservators experienced in conducting on-site condition assessments of public art collections that include paintings, sculptures, mobiles, murals, mosaics, bas-reliefs, tapestries, photographs, light/neon artwork and fountains for exterior and interior sites. 



At booth 1.31 in NYC

Jodi Walsh at AAFNYC

Georgia Nassikas at AAFNYC

Ned Martin at AAFNYC
#affordableartfair #aafnyc

Wednesday, March 29, 2017

If you're in NYC today and wanna do something in Chelsea...

While I'm in Nevada, the Affordable Art Fair NYC has its VIP opening tomorrow at the Met Pavillion in Chelsea!

Jeff Koons, Lenny Campello, Anderson Campello and Elise Campello
Three Campellos in front of Jeff Koons' Popeye
Wynn Hotel and Casino, Las Vegas, NV
Circa 2017, Lenny Campello, Anderson Campello and Elise Campello

Fair runs March 30-April 2 with a VIP Preview on March 29th - Come see fab new pieces by Jodi Walsh as well as terrific new work by Georgia Nassikas and Ned Martin! 

Need passes? Send me a note!

Tuesday, March 28, 2017

If you're in NYC tomorrow...

We'll be featuring the amazing work of former DMV artist (now Texas) Jodi Walsh, DMV genius Georgia Nassikas and NYC ubertalent Ned Martin!

Send me a note if you'd like a free pass to the fair!



Wanna do something Artsy this Saturday?


Sunday, March 26, 2017

Opportunity for Artists

The Hartnett Gallery at the University of Rochester in Rochester, New York is now accepting proposals from individual artists and groups interested in exhibiting their work during the 2017-2018 academic year. For details, please go to the provided link. No Entry Fee.


Details: http://blogs.rochester.edu/hartnett/?page_id=23 OR hartnett@ur.rochester.edu

New Voices Award

Presented by Lee & Low Books, an award-winning children’s book publisher, this award is given for a previously unpublished children’s picture book manuscript (of no more than 1,500 words) written by a writer of color.


Details here.

Saturday, March 25, 2017

Free Online webinar

A Free Online webinar that will teach you methods to find Galleries to exhibit in and how to approach them as well as how to write a better Artist Statement and Bio. There is also an option to extend your education in other areas. All those who register for the free webinar get a free booklet right away on how one artist got invited to the Whitney Biennial. No Entry Fee.


Details: http://app.webinarjam.net/register/30394/82aac77bfd

In NYC next week!

We'll be featuring the amazing work of former DMV artist (now Texas) Jodi Walsh, DMV genius Georgia Nassikas and NYC ubertalent Ned Martin!

Send me a note if you'd like a free pass to the fair!

Friday, March 24, 2017

Artomatic Opens Today!

The curious case of the WPA, one of its members, and the Gala Auction

The Washington Project for the Arts (WPA) has a long and storied history, and is without a doubt, one of the key components of the tapestry that makes up the DMV’s art scene.  The WPA is, and has always been, about its artist members.

In their own words:

Washington Project for the Arts (WPA) is an artist-driven contemporary art space in the heart of the nation’s capital. We produce public projects, present artist-curated performances and exhibitions, and host talks and workshops. Proceeds from this benefit sale are split evenly between the participating artists and WPA.

The annual WPA Auction Gala, of which I am proud to have been a part of multiple times in the past, is easily the organization’s key event – both as a critical fundraiser and as an art event.  Even in running this event the WPA is all about its artist members. I say this because many other organizations that run art auctions as fundraisers generally expect the artist to “donate” the artwork; the WPA gives the artist 50% of the proceeds. You can see all the selected/invited artists' works here.

In this most interesting Facebook discussion, DMV artist Barbara Januszkiewicz, noticing that many of this year’s invited Gala artists hailed from places other than the DMV, asked:


And the comments poured in!  Clearly Barbara Januszkiewicz touched a raw nerve in the visual arts community!

“Why is WPA so heavily promoting individual artists from outside of Washington? Seems like a fail”, wrote an early commenter.

Another commenter explained that…  “The WPA has always shown a range of artists -- when I worked there we showed a lot fewer Washingtonians, it was an artist-directed organization NOT primarily a services-for-local-artists organization, like many in that movement. And the focus of the auction has always been, what will sell, it's a fundraiser. Although the program focus has changed a lot in the past 20 years, the auction has often featured a high % of curators and artists from other places and whether they had representation was not a consideration. I raised an eyebrow when I saw this year's list but it's not a major shift.”

Peter Nesbett, the WPA’s Executive Director soon joined in the discussion and that essentially developed into another whole angle as he writes in this most public of forums:

Hey all, WPA here. So the old-timers in this conversation -- those who remember WPA from the 70s and 80s -- know that the org has always worked with artists both from and not from DC. Mapplethorpe wasn't from DC. Nancy Rubin wasn't either. Nor was CoLab, Meredith Monk, Robert Rauschenberg, Robert Ashley, the list goes on and on. WPA was founded as a place that welcomed great artists from where-ever, and the mixing of local and non-local was one of the things that made it valuable and interesting. (Note that over the past year, our programs have been driven almost entirely by artists from the DMV.) Mary, as to our mission: while we are grateful to have so many amazing artist members, we aren't a collaborative, like Foundry. Yes, we work hard to connect our artists with opportunities, often recommending them for commissions, teaching opportunities, etc, but our mission is not to serve the members by showing their work, which given the number of members (700) would be impossible. So we try to serve them in other ways. I would caution you all against thinking too narrowly about the role and impact a place like WPA can and should have on the community and not to judge it by whether or not it is showing your work. Embrace the bigger picture!

Also it is worth noting to the rest of you that the O has a bit of an axe to grind with me because when pressed by her on numerous occasions to visit her studio and to take a group show she had curated (that included her own work), I told her that I didn't really understand what she was up to in her work because it seemed to ape the work of others a-critically, and for that reason I didn't understand its value. So that is possibly what spurred her post. Who knows. I think it is important to be honest with each other so we don't waste each other's time.

I will close by saying that for the WPA auction this year my goals were to a) put artists in charge of the selections, b) introduce people to work they may not already know, and c) introduce artists from outside DC to artists from DC in an effort to strengthen and expand our community. I think the auction will do that.

Nesbett’s comment directed at Januszkiewicz’s potential motives are one thing, but I found it odd that the Executive Director of an artist-run organization would also take an open forum to criticize the artwork of one of its artist members… and so I joined in:

With all due respect, I am a somewhat disturbed that the director of an artists' driven organization takes an open forum to personally criticize the artwork of one of its members - who by the way, as the intense series of comments testify to, has asked a very valid and clearly "needed" question. That is, if one is to judge that by the passion of the comments and thoughts. But what bothers me is that were one to also mimic your viewpoint of "ape the work of others a-critically", then I'd challenge anyone with a simple understanding of art history to not "see" a dozen artists in any and every group show on the planet, any major art fair, and any WPA Gala, regurgitating the concepts and ideas of others who came before them, which in an era of postmodernism - where anything and everything is art - I thought was not an issue... In fact it is often refreshing, as when in this year's WPA Gala I see Chuck Close, Basquiat, Jerry Uelsmann, Goldsworthy, etc. being channeled into new work. It is clear to me that this question poses an opportunity for the WPA to host a panel/discussion on the subject, and it is also clear to me that you owe Barbara Januszkiewicz an apology for angling the discussion to a personal angle... Respectfully, Lenny Campello

And that’s where we stand now… I think.

However, I also really think that it is a good idea for the WPA to “listen” to what this thread of comments have revealed amongst its members, not to explain it away. I am 100% sure that Peter Nesbett’s intentions and daily drive is to make the WPA better in every possible way, and I suspect that he will be open to hosting an open discussion, somewhere in the DMV to address this question.

I’ve been a member of the WPA since I first moved to the DMV decades ago, and have participated in many shows and opportunities offered by the WPA, including several Gala auctions, the (e)merge art fairs, etc. I was also one of the “Sweet 16” selected by ubercollector Mera Rubell during her storied2009 studio visit tour.

But it was when I was asked to curate for the WPA a show that would eventually be titled “Seven” (it spread across seven different galleries of the then Warehouse complex across from the then “new” Washington Convention Center, that I really hit pay dirt, as it was there that I met the person who would eventually become my wife.

“Seven” was a show designed (by me) to try to expose as many WPA artist members as possible to collectors and gallery owners. The vast majority of the artists selected by me had never before been “picked” by the WPA for anything. I then personally walked area gallerists and collectors through the show… eventually I lost count, but at some point nearly 20 of the 66 artists in “Seven” were picked up by galleries, and at least through 2009 it was the highest grossing fundraiser for the WPA, as well as getting major reviews in all the local newspapers and television attention from both local and national (CNN) stations.

And if you would indulge me, below is the storyline of how that show developed, fastidiously reported by me in DC Art News over the period that it took place. In looking back at these posts (I think I have most of them) I was somewhat surprised by the sheer amount of coverage that the show received, especially in these austere days of visual arts coverage around the DMV.

The Story of "Seven"

As many of you have already read, I have been retained by the WPA/C to curate a show for them. I will be assisted by two young WPA/C interns: Sandra Fernandez and Adrian Schneck.

Because this show will be exhibited at the three separate buildings that comprise the Warehouse Theatre and Galleries complex, a total of seven separate spaces are available, and all will be used, and thus the exhibition title: Seven.

Using the power of the web, I intend to keep this curatorial process open and available to everyone via commentary here on what I am doing, how and why. In doing so, I hope to bring to light all the many issues, baggage, ideas, agendas, nepotism, and a complete lack of objectivity that a curator brings to such a massive job as this will be. As well as a lot of hard work and a good work ethic to deliver a show that will make all involved proud to be part of it. All artwork and artists to be displayed will be picked by me.

I will also try to handcuff some of my fellow commercial gallerists and, once the exhibition is open, take them around and have them discover (hopefully) some new talent from our area. It is my hope that the final selection of artists will be a good blend of some well-known area WPA/C artists as well as an exhibition opportunity for WPA/C talent that we don't see as often.

To start, I have decided to focus each of the seven spaces on a specific theme, genre or subject... sort of. I will also bring to this selection process (and to one space) the commercial acumen of a for-profit gallerist. As such (for example), I will select the artwork that will go in the main gallery space (co-located with the Warehouse Cafe) to be that work that I feel represents the best compilation of all the remaining spaces and also stands the best chance (in my sole opinion) of being sold.

Other spaces will have different approaches; for example, on my first run through all of the WPA/C slides, I was pleasantly surprised at the high quality of a lot of abstract paintings, and will thus hope to deliver a gallery full of those artists that (in my opinion) are the best from the membership.

Another space will be focused on a particular agenda item of mine: the nude figure. And thus I hope to deliver a gallery full of figurative nudes. At this time, I am also toying with the idea (space and logistics permitting) of having a figure drawing class, nude model and all, present at the opening. This is in the hope that they (the artists and the model) will provide an in situ perspective on the trials, tribulations and joy of creating artwork from the live model.

Details on the exhibition and entry process is available online here. All members of the WPA/C are eligible for consideration, but all final decisions and selections are mine.

I've already gone through all the WPA/C slides once (about 20,000 of them I'd guess), and will review all new entries and slides that come in between now and some future date a couple of weeks before the exhibition opens on June 30, 2005. I also intend to re-review all slides in the registry next week.

Possess-Us by Alessandra Torres


And I've already made some surprising discoveries and even some selections! In fact the first artist selected, and one whose work I did not know, is a MICA graduate and VCU MFA candidate Alessandra Torres. The image above is hers, and that's the artist as part of a sculptural installation titled Possess/(pose-us).

More later... keep checking; I truly intend for this exhibition to be provocative and fresh, but in the end it still remains one person's opinion and the trite saying that art is in the eye's of the beholder never applied more aptly than in this case: My eyes and thus my Seven.


Seven Update One
I'll be walking through the Warehouse spaces sometime today, along with some artists whose work I'd like to include in the coming "Seven" exhibition.

Visit here to enter "Seven."

Seven Update Three
I've re-visited about a third of the 24,000-plus slides in the WPA/C Artfile. There are a lot of old slides in there (including mine), and also a lot of WPA/C members don't have slides on file. Tsk, tsk...

I've also received quite a few entries electronically via email, and in some cases from members updating their files.

The selection process continues, and so far I've selected about thirty or so artists, most of which have or will receive an email from the WPA/C. I think that I will probably end up picking up about twenty or so more. After all the seven spaces at the Warehouse are quite ample, and I also have this salon-style vision for at least one of the spaces.

I've also invited (and they've accepted) Sam Gilliam and Manon Cleary, without a doubt two of DC's best known and most respected artists.

A few other artists that I wanted in this show have been unable to participate due to the fact that two of them have moved away and one is working furiously for a coming show and already has a waiting list for his next paintings!

There are also quite a few artists whose work I did not know... and this is part of the two way dialogue that happens between a curator and 24,000 slides.

There are dozens and dozens of very good artists who will not an invitation, but that have made a positive impression on me, and thus in a way are also gaining from this experience, as there's a good chance that their work may appear in something else associated with me in the future.

And that is why it is important to get out there and have slides in registries, and work online and so on: it needs to be seen!

Even being rejected has a possible positive footprint.

Case in point: Rebecca D'Angelo. Nearly ten years ago, Rebecca approached me with an exhibition proposal for a specific series of her photographs. The idea was interesting, but (for a then struggling commercial gallery) not very feasible, and so I told her no.

Years later, as I walked the seven various spaces that comprise the Warehouse holdings on 7th Street, one of them jumped in my mind as being perfect for Rebecca D'Angelo's project. I contacted her, she visited the spaces, and agreed!

Wait till you see it (her project that is). Opening night for "Seven" is June 30th from 6-8:30PM. Set that night aside.




Seven Update

Today, together with a few artists, one of the interns, and Kim Ward from the WPA/C and a photographer from the Washington Times, I walked the seven spaces at the Warehouse Gallery again.

We assigned some spaces already, and selected a few more artists. The
WPA/C website will soon have the final list, which now includes Chan Chao, Adam Fowler, David Jung, Marie Ringwald, Rick Wall and many others.

I've also turned
Mark Jenkins loose on the building, and I am sure that he will have an interesting tape people army present at the opening and for the duration of the show.

Now closing the loop on a drawing class that I want to have present at the opening. I have focused one of the seven galleries on the nude figure, and on opening night (June 30), I want to have a small drawing class present and drawing from a live nude model or two.




Seven (Done)
From the several thousand eligible artists (WPA/C members), I've chosen 66 67 for Seven. That number was closer to maybe 75 at one point, but several artists, for one reason or another, although invited could not participate.

Sometime next week I will take several of my fellow DC gallerists for a private view and tour of the show, hoping that they will discover some new talent (new to them) in the exhibition.

I also have several museum and a handful of independent curators (two from as far as Los Angeles and two from New York and one from the Midwest) in the process of being lined up to visit the show in the next few weeks. More on that when it happens.

And I will also take some well-known DC art collectors on a group tour sometime in the next couple of weeks; this is (after all) a fundraiser for the WPA/C.

The opening reception is Thursday, June 30th from 6 - 8:30PM.





The Seven Chosen

Artists selected for SEVEN are listed below; about a third of them are completely new to me. The rest I either knew their work, or who they were in some way or form. I think it is a powerful lesson on the importance of keeping your work "out there," no matter where "there" is, so that the work is "seen."

There are some well-known, experienced and recognized names on this list, people like Manon Cleary, Chan Chao and Sam Gilliam, as well as hot, young new artists like Lisa Bertnick, John Lehr and Kelly Towles.

Also young emerging artists like Alessandra Torres, Ben Tolman and Susan Jamison (who's in the current issue of New American Painting and also hangs in the Strictly Painting V exhibition at McLean). And also artists whose work I've rarely seen anywhere around our area, such as Gary Medovich, Rebecca D’Angelo, Sonia Jones, Lou Gagnon and Fae Gertsch.

This exhibition, having been curated by a gallerist, defines a show from the perspective of a curatorial eye aimed at perspective of intelligent, strong and visually powerful art and art ideas; this is my view from the ground-level; not the 10,000 foot level of a museum office.

As such, it is very painting-centric show at at time when painting (in spite of the constant attack from academia and the written word) seems to have regained center stage in the international art arena.

It is not a competition between the genres, and because of the agenda, prejudices and humanity of my selection process, in the end, Seven somewhat places painting at the center of attention, although I suspect that a strong showing by WPA/C photographers and what I expect to be a very memorable performance by Kathryn Cornelius, and an arresting installation by Alessandra Torres, will definately gather a big share of the public and media attention as well.

Here's the list:

Virginia Arrisueño
James W. Bailey
Joseph Barbaccia
Lisa Bertnick
Margaret Boozer
Mark Cameron Boyd
Adam Bradley
Scott Brooks
Lisa Brotman
Jonathan Bucci
Diane Bugash
Graham Caldwell
Chan Chao
Manon Cleary
Kathryn Cornelius
Rebecca Cross
Richard Dana
Rebecca D’Angelo
Margaret Dowell
Mary Early
Chris Edmunds
Victor Ekpuk
Michael Fitts
Adam Fowler
Lou Gagnon
Fae Gertsch
Sam Gilliam
Matthew Girard
Pat Goslee
Kristin Helgadottir
Linda Hesh
Maremi Hooff
Michal Hunter
Scott Hutchison
Melissa Ichiuji
Susan Jamison
Michael Janis
Mark Jenkins
Sonia Jones
David Jung
J.T. Kirkland
Sonya Lawyer
Tracy Lee
John Lehr
Joey Manlapaz
Matthew Mann
Amy Marx
Jeanette May
Maxwell McKenzie
Gary Medovich
Adrianne Mills
Allison Miner
Peter Photikoe
Sara Pomerance
Marie Ringwald
Molly Springfield
Tim Tate
Erwin Timmers
Ben Tolman
Alessandra Torres
Kelly Towles
Rick Wall
Frank Warren
Sarah Wegner
Andrew Wodzianski
Denise Wolff
Samantha Wolov



Early starts for SevenTres Marias by Mark Jenkins
Mark Jenkins installation for Seven, titled "Tres Marias," has already been installed in the trees outside the Warehouse Theatre and Galleries; inside Kelly Towles is already laboring on a wall, and Alessandra Torres will soon start on transforming a room.

Seven's opening is this Thursday starting at 6PM.







Seven: Installation Day One

As with any large, multi-gallery exhibition, there were some hiccups on the first day of Seven's installation, which forced the move of a very visible spot to another area (thank God for a very flexible artist); plus the mysterious move of some artwork from one area to another; and the selected artist whom we all forgot to add to the master list; and the usual last minute broken glass...
Sarah Wegner Installing at Seven
Sarah Wegner installing her cement furniture and kissing tea set


And Mark Jenkins' tape sculptures have somehow moved from the tree in front of the buildings to the building itself!
Mark Jenkins Tape Sculptures for Seven
Mark Jenkins' Tape Sculptures on the facade of the building

Mark Jenkins Tape Sculptures for Seven
I like the guy looking down from the corner of the building


And below is Kelly Towles painting a wall in the second floor gallery...







Calm (NOT) Before the Storm

I am so tired! Early wake-ups all this week; plus late nights at Warehouse for the hanging of Seven.

A couple of small disasters today: One of Rebecca Cross' delicate ceramic pieces fell off the wall and broke; time to scramble and see if Rebecca can replace it with another work.

Then a major piece by a very good artist could not be hung due to weight and size, and now we are left scrambling trying to figure out what to do; things will resolve themselves by tomorrow.

And then there's the artist who wanted his work "hung just so," and so we reserved a very special place for this person, and so far the artist has not delivered any work or returned several messages. Where are you?

And (as anyone who has ever curated a show from slides knows), there's the "surprise."

The "surprise" is that piece of artwork that looks great in a slide, but that once you see it, it... well, uh... disappoints.

Oh well.... one surprise from 67 artists is not bad.

On the pleasant side, Alessandra Torres continues to astound me on the good side; seldom have a seen a young artist be so full of energy and zeal and talent. I predict good things for her.

And Kathryn Cornelius damned near made me a convert to video art; wait until you see her video piece (Titled "Resolve" and being projected on opening night at the top floor - all by herself - and later on a flatscreen in the second floor gallery).

And I predict that Scott Brooks and Samantha Wolov are going to raise some eyebrows (and maybe other body parts on Wolov's case).

The opening is tomorrow, Thursday June 30 at 6PM.

See ya there!





Seven Opens Tonight
What: Seven, an exhibition of 67 WPA/C artists curated by me.

When: Opens tonight with a catered reception for the artists starting at 6PM. Work on exhibition until Sept. 9, 2005.

Where: The seven spaces that make up the Warehouse Theatre and Galleries complex. Located at 1021 7th Street, NW, across from the new Washington Convention Center.

See ya there!




Breedloves... and Seven opening photos

Hisham Singing
Those of you who attended the huge opening of Seven last Thursday at the Warehouse, know that one of the highlights of the opening was the magnificent voice of Hisham Breedlove, who delighted the crowd with not only his painted body, but also with his magnificent voice.

Hisham walked around the seven galleries that make up the show, singing a variety of opera solos; and he was spectacular!

Adrienne Mills recorded the Breedlove's transformation in this series of photographs from the opening of Seven. See them here.

More photos from the opening below (all courtesy Adrienne Mills):

Breedloves with Sandra Fernandez
Breedloves talking with Seven co-curator Sandra Fernandez


Philip Barlow and Vivian Lassman
Philip Barlow and Vivian Lassman



Breedloves with Rebecca Cross

Breedloves with Rebecca Cross in front of her work


Hisham with Andrew Wodzianski

Hisham with Andrew Wodzianski and friend





Lennox Campello by Adrienne Mills
Me at Seven opening, courtesy of Adrienne Mills.



Wednesday, July 6, 2005
CNN to cover Seven

CNN logo
CNN News will videotape coverage of Seven sometime next week.

Since it is (apparently) of national interest... perhaps the local papers can consider it of local interest as well?

Thursday, July 7, 2005
Collector walk-through
I walked one of our best collectors through Seven today and he picked up three pieces from the exhibition.

These collector walk-throughs will continue throughout the exhibition; after all, Seven is supposed to be a fundraiser for the
WPA/C.

Friday, July 15, 2005
CNN on Seven
CNN videotaped a segment with Kim Ward, the Acting Executive Director of the WPA/C. The interview covered the history and mission of the WPA/C, a bit about Warehouse, a few shots of the show, and a plug for the Artist's Directory. I do not have the schedule for the air times; hopefully next week. It will be on for the last five minutes at the top of the hour on CNN Headline News in certain markets. I do know that they will show the spot 8 times a day for one week before the show closes.
Thursday, July 21, 2005
WaPo on Seven
Jessica Dawson has a mini review of Seven in today's Washington Post's Galleries column. Read it here.

Sunday, July 24, 2005
CNN on SevenI am told that the CNN spots on Seven will be running this week; I'm on the road again this morning, so if anyone sees them, please let me know.
Wednesday, August 3, 2005
Watson on SevenAmy Watson of The Artery, reviews Seven at Thinking About Art.

Read the review
here.

Sunday, July 31, 2005
Talking Done

Just back from the curator's talk at Seven. A nicely sized crowd showed up, which was a little surprising to me, since usually it has been my experience that these curator talks only attract the artists involved. Thanks to all the DC Art News readers who came by and said howdy.
Bailey has a nice photo storyline of the talk here.He also managed to fall in love in the subway on the way to Seven and on the way back! The two photos below are courtesy of Bailey:Campello outside Seven - photo by J.W. Bailey

Me outside Warehouse discussing Seven
Campello discussing Tim Tate's glass sculptures - photo by JW Bailey

Me discussing Tim Tate's work

And the below photo courtesy of Mark Cameron Boyd:
Campello and Alessandra Torres by M. Cameron Boyd

Alessandra Torres discusses her installation

After the talk
Alessandra and her family took me out to dinner to Lauriol, where I had some excellent Cuban food.

And
Bailey also managed to whip out a monster letter to the Washington Post editors taking Jessica Dawson on for her dismissal of Seven.

It's OK; it's her right as a critic.

And yet, a
bad review is better than no review at all. Jessica's expected dismissal of the show has nonetheless resulted in one major sale to an important DC collector.

In addition to
Jessica's and John Blee's review, there are three separate other reviews being written right now, and hopefully they will be published soon; let's see what some other observers think.
Monday, August 8, 2005
Subject Matter

The visual arts carry a monkey on their back that none of the other genres of the fine arts have to deal with: the proprietarization of subject matter.

So, no contemporary artist would dare to, let's say, paint ballerinas (sorry but Degas closed that subject), or harlequins, etc.

And some subject matter, by the nature of the subject itself, would be labeled as saccharine by the nicest of critics. Say kittens, horses, puppies, mermaids.

Do we have a screwed up sense of what makes the visual arts tick or what?
This powerful painting, titled "Allegory of a Gay Bashing" by Scott Brooks has been receiving a lot of attention in the "nude gallery" in Seven. It is an homage by Brooks to the brutal murder of Matthew Sheppard.

And this painting swings representational painting's most formidable weapon (and the one that keeps painting as king of the hill in spite of all the critics and curators trying to kill it): The ability to convey an entire and diverse range of emotions with just one glance.
"Allegory of a Gay Bashing" delivers horror, beauty, politics, history and homage all in one swoop.

And this tremendous work will probably never be sold to anyone by Brooks, because it would take immense courage to display this work of art anywhere in this nation; not just DC, but anywhere. Someone can prove me wrong and buy it from Brooks and display it in their home, or office or even a museum somewhere - but I doubt that there's a collector or museum in the USA with the cojones to hang this work.
Brooks puppyAnd to get to the beginning point of this ramble, in spite of the horror delivered by "Allegory of a Gay Bashing", many people get stuck on one area: the cute puppy and kitty at the bottom of the castrated nude.

I've been in the room when I hear people discussing it. It seems like the cute puppy and kitty sitting on the ground, and staring at the viewer, evoke a higher sense of revulsion than the castrated man himself.

I've noted people's sense of repulsion caused by juxtaposing the two disparate sets of images. I think that they are repulsed by the cute animals being forced to share a scenario with a tortured man. Why are they there? people ask each other, a note of discomfort in their voices. Even the eloquent
Amy Watson was disoriented by the presence of the animals and (in her terrific review of the show) felt that they undermined the painting.Brooks' kittyCute kitty and cute puppy... taking the attention away from disturbing image. How dare Brooks paint cuteness, especially in this context?

I don't know why
Scott did it, but I think that it is the key that makes this painting truly repulsive and immensely successful all at once. Take them out, and you have a strong, powerful painting. Put them in, and you create a million questions, enormous angst and a desire to physically remove the creatures from the canvas itself.

And maybe without even realizing it, Scott has also reclaimed an artist's right to paint or draw anything that he or she so desires, and take the unjustified saccharinity of a subject and turn saccharine into anthrax with a few deft strokes of a painter's brush and a disorienting sense of juxtapositioning of subject matter.

Update: Sam Wolov has some thoughts on this subject.


Bailey on Wolov and Brooks 
Bailey interviews two of Seven's more controversial artists:Samantha Wolov here

and Scott G. Brooks here.


Capps on Seven
Kriston Capps polices Seven.

Read his
review here.

Seven in Art Film
Seven will be filmed this week as part of a documentary on contemporary art being produced by Deno Seder Productions.

Their art films and videos have won top honors at the Paris Art Film Biennial at the Georges Pompidou Center, the Berlin Film Festival, the Taipei International Film Festival, the Chicago and Houston International Film Festivals, the New York Underground Film Festival and others. One of their films, "Andy Warhol," was screened at the Corcoran during their Warhol exhibition.

Friday, August 12, 2005

Seven on Film
Yesterday an international crew filmed the Seven exhibition at the Warehouse.

They seemed to prefer (and focused upon) Alessandra Torres' installation and photographs, Kathryn Cornelius' video, Tim Tate's glass sculptures, Margaret Boozer's floor "crack" installation and Joe Barbaccia's sculptures.

In the next few days they will be also filming Mark Jenkins' street sculptures around DC, which they also liked a lot.

It was interesting to me to get a sort of outsider "validation" about the quality of the show and the artists, from an experienced crew and director who have done a lot of traveling, filming, interviewing and art hopping around the world, and still have loads of praise for the artwork being created by our area artists.

Cool uh?


Friday, August 12, 2005
Torres Interview
Bailey has a terrific interview with Seven artist Alessandra Torres.

Read it here.  
Seven side effects
One of the goals that I had hoped to accomplish for Seven (besides making it a success as a fundraiser and expose WPA/C members' work), was to also drag some of my fellow gallerists through the exhibition in the hope that they could find some artists of interest to them.

Thus far, I am told of at least five artists from Seven who have been signed up or offered contracts or exhibitions by area galleries.

Cool uh?

Friday, August 19, 2005

Hsu on Wolov
The Washington City Paper's Huan Hsu has a cool article on Seven artist Samantha Wolov in the current issue of the CP.

Read it here.