July 8th, 2008
Today the Front Room opened with work from Croatian-born artist Vlatka Horvat and London-based German artist Eva Weinmayer.
Horvat works in a range of media, from video and photography to works on paper, performance and text. Often at the center of her practice is an interest in sites of break-down, fragmentation, or collapse, and the possibilities for repair and renewal. In The Front Room, Horvat explores the effect of frames and systematic limitations placed on the body.
Invested in the behavior of written and spoken language is artist Eva Weinmayer, whose series of works based on newspaper headlines examine how complex realities are shrunk into sound bites. Drawn to the daily stream of information, she focuses on the narrow gap between fact and fiction, as well as notions of rumor.
July 2nd, 2008
Monday I said I was interested in what professionals, art lovers, and artists have to say when asked the question “what is contemporary art,” but I think it is also interesting to know what the general public has to say about the subject. What does someone who is unfamiliar with contemporary art think? My boyfriend’s father gave me a birthday card with a frame on it, pure white in the middle of the frame and the title “A Polar Bear in the Snow” underneath…not like I never heard that one before, BUT he got me thinking. Lots of people seem to be scared of contemporary art…why is that? Is it because it is new? Is it because people don’t like change? Don’t they realize that “old art” was new and innovative at some point in history? Contemporary art makes you think…it is an experience. I will never forget what I heard our director say awhile back-contemporary art museums bring the art of now to the public…the public decides what goes in the books, what ends up in history.
June 30th, 2008
With our current exhibition, John Armleder and Olivier Mosset, now is the perfect time to bring up this vast topic: “what is contemporary art?” Armleder and Mosset may exemplify the term contemporary art by bringing us ideas of nothingness (making us consider everything) in Mosset’s circle paintings and ideas of rebellion accepted as convention in Armleder’s work. Here is a quote from a West End Word article titled “Where is the art?” - “This art review is about nothing - nothing except maybe the big question: ‘What is art anyway?’ John Armleder and Olivier Mosset slyly ask that question, and offer provocative clues to the answer, in a brilliantly conceived exhibition at the Contemporary Art Museum.” Read more of this article here.
Type in “contemporary art” in dictionary.com and here is what comes up:
Main Entry: contemporary art
Part of Speech: n
Definition: the art of the late 20th and early 21st century
The Columbia Electronic Encyclopedia starts off a long entry with this: “the art of the late 20th cent. and early 21st cent., both an outgrowth and a rejection of modern art. As the force and vigor of abstract expressionism diminished, new artistic movements and styles arose during the 1960s and 70s to challenge and displace modernism in painting, sculpture, and other media.”
I am curious to know what professionals, art lovers, and artists have to say when asked this question. Do the majority of people just give straight forward, “text book” answers…or do more people have a really in depth spiel ready to go on the topic?
June 26th, 2008
A while back I mentioned that at times the Contemporary offers some really unique events to the public. It is time for another one! Tomorrow night is the first of a three-part series titled the Playground of the Ridiculous. For three Friday evenings this summer people can come to the museum (free admission) for art, music, film poetry, and theater. This Friday night there will be a film screening of Metropolis, poetry readings, dance performances by Atrek Dance Collective, and music by STRIVE, a piano-driven rock-pop band mixing sounds of The Fray and Switchfoot. (I also heard rumors of Opera Singers in the bathroom). This series is perfect for a variety of people; those who want to experience art, as well as those who want to experience a unique night out in a different type of setting with new kinds of entertainment.
June 20th, 2008
Phrases from a meeting about our upcoming exhibition: “it is boring when you go to a show and you are like, ‘oh I see what they are doing, looks good’ and then move on” “people will be confused” “the best shows begin when you leave…if you start thinking about your grocery list, the show isn’t good” “there is something there” “mash up” “commenting on something really important, but I’m not sure what it is” “pulling odd items from everyday life, but not telling you why” “engaging” “there is a certain level of pop culture appropriation, but…” “ignoring the acceptable rules” “bold to put that in an art museum at all…it’s a different move” “consistently doesn’t play along” “like a bite of something you can’t quite figure out what it is that you are tasting” “gothic, horror” “stairwells and basements” “animal-like” “quick edits” “add noise” “provoke anxiety” “sexploitation horror films”
June 18th, 2008
Mary, the Contemporary’s Director of Finance and Administration shares with us her favorite music. Visit our MySpace page to hear the music, see a list of upcoming events, and network with us and our friends.
“Amazingly enough, I really don’t listen to a lot of music and coming up with a list of favorites would actually take some in-depth thinking. I don’t even own an I-Pod and I listen to news talk radio. I haven’t played my stereo in ages and I don’t go to concerts or clubs with music. I am so boring. However I do like anything Bluegrass or Swing and I’m hooked on American Idol and So You Think You Can Dance! (Such a dork).
My favorite music is when my 5 year old granddaughter plays her two notes from “Pop goes the Weasel” or the “Mississippi Stop Stop” practice routine that she’s learned at her beginning Suzuki violin class. She also has the sweetest little heavenly voice - but you have to catch her off guard because she won’t perform on command.”
June 12th, 2008
The Contemporary offers a public program designed to introduce concepts in Contemporary art (including artists, movements, styles, and more). This summer we are offering two Contemporary Art 101 classes, one this evening and a second Thursday, July 10. Each centers on themes drawn from the current exhibition, John Armleder and Olivier Mosset. Tonight, Chief Curator Anthony Huberman will lead a discussion on abstract painting from the 1960s to the present.
June 4th, 2008
Tomorrow evening the Contemporary will host Yawn Happy Hour, an opportunity to “unwind after work with an evening of art, music, and drinks at the Contemporary.” Events like these are always great because they allow community members to do something different. They can get drinks, listen to avant-garde music (performed by Yawn), browse through the museum and be social in a different, fun, art setting. Here is an article about Yawn Happy Hour in the River Front Times. You can also take a look at Yawn’s website.
