Myspace Shuffle

Here's a question for ya...

From: artCRITIC
Date: Aug 17, 2007 4:57 PM


TIME FOR YOUR OPINIONS

Do you prefer artist exhibits in a circular or rectangular forums? This refers to both the frame and the gallery space.

We see in a ocular, circular way, yet exhibits are typically presented in a rectangular form. Why?

Why do we see differently then we present art?

please send some excerpts by messaging me your opinion.

artCRiTIC

Chinese Report Card

Not everyone in town has been showing Chinese art, and of the Asian shows in town maybe 6 out of 10 are showing Chinese artists, but it's all because of the Chaney Collection ruckus anyway, so they're on the docket today.

Report Card Time!!! Scores are by # sold - # unsold.

Inman: 8 - 10
Inman's show of 'unpop' Japanese artists has been going out the doors at a good clip, but gallerist Patrick Reynolds attributes most of the sales to their base of collectors and not the hooplah, since most sales were from out of town. Darren Waterson killed it from the small gallery, but it's unfair to include all those red dots from the San Francisco painter.

McClain: 7 - 21
McClain and New had pretty much the same artists, but a summer show isn't their forte here on Richmond. The show is already down, and they're already setting up to sell Renee Lotenero.

New: 22 - 22
Owner Thom Andriola has seen his sales go to new and old collectors, and he's got the highest sales and the highest % of sales in the bunch. Rumor is there was a buying frenzy the night of the opening, but when I stopped by today Thom was still at work hustlin'.

CTRL 0 - 21
Late bloomer, this show opened after the Red Hot show, and their New York and Atlanta based artists were hardly Japanese or South Korean besides their names. Owner Bryan Miller distances his show from the rest of the lot, but his press release starts like this: "CTRL gallery is pleased to present To the Left, a group exhibition opening in conjunction with the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston's RED HOT - Asian Art Today from the Chaney Family Collection." Hmm...

Barbara Davis: "No Comment"
I don't think this means they did bad, just that they know me over there. They've sold some pieces for sure, though I might hazard less than half. They got clout.

Deborah Colton: n/a
Gallery Director Evan Garza describes most of their business this month as high priced and museum sales; their coverage has ben over the top and that's worth something on its own. Coverage in Beijing and Tokyo, in town at Artshouston, Houston Press, Chron, and an upcoming glasstire review.

Montrose Pics

New pics from Notsuoh Photography...

RIP Max Roach

NTY Obit

Max Roach, a founder of modern jazz who rewrote the rules of drumming in the 1940s and spent the rest of his career breaking musical barriers and defying listeners’ expectations, died early yesterday in Manhattan. He was 83.

Dodging the Downpour

Between downpours I stepped out last night, the flooding dissipated inside the loop by 5 or 6. Space 125 had a good showing, their small gallery is tough to curate without overstuffing the turkey, but they seem to have settled down with this new one.

Mick Johnson, The Clash 2007

"Suddenly One Summer" makes up for a horrible title with a good mix of subdued work. Mick Johnson channels the Clash by cutting out (die-cut?) handwritten lyrics on the edge of a board- set at bench height. EVERYONE should know that no matter what your intentions or connotations are, if you build something flat and horizontal between you knee and your hip people will sit on it. There's nothing you can do, get over it and leave your please do not touch signs at home. Anyway, the three sided bench was a little too illegible to read the lyrics Mick had printed out on the list of works, and it was set in front of a large wall, yellow at the top, magenta below.

Mark Cervenka provides two representational paintings in an olive, sienna and black scheme that is couch friendly. When I was reading the three artist statements I watched two rich ladies walk in front of me and grab his statement alone. How rude! Maybe they have couches that match, but that doesn't mean those gloomy alienated scenes by Cervenka won't ruin your oilman husband's day as the stock market goes down the drain. Mark's paintings are Hopper-ish with more intimacy, maybe interesting despite their traditional construction.

Beth Secor has been doing these intimate portraits for a good decade or more, but it took a busted ankle and a little rest time for her to apply her sketchy arcs of layered color to a medium besides paint. Several portraits here are interesting studies of friends and children, but the one with the mattress pad fabric backing takes the cake- a thread portrait that is not exactly needlepoint nor knitting, but that takes clear strides in execution from Secor's paintings, growing more tactile and achieving an element of time through her recollection of which horrible 50s-60s horror movie she was watching while sewing each portion of the piece. We'll she where she goes with this idea soon enough!

I stopped by the CAMH to check out Nexus Texas before the opening tonight, it was nice to see El Franco Lee II's prominant placement front and center (he's gonna be big). Besides an excess of Sterling Allen in the corner, and a little more Amy Blakemore than I would have liked, the show looks more interesting that I would have expected. Screw those guys from Dallas, but this show might look good!

Donna Huanca in Berlin

Jerusalem 2012

2012: a year of spiritual transcendence and catastrophe

Poland Joins the EU
The Sun Reverses its Magnetic Poles
Charles Manson Eligible for Parole
World Oil Supply Peaks
Aliens Return to Earth

December 21, The End of The Long Count Mayan Calendar

In response to this apocalyptic anxiety, Helga Wretman performs an extended sequence of transformative rituals, originating from artist Elena Bajo's studio and leading out into Program's courtyard, through several installations of mystical technologies created by Donna Huanca, Daniel Keller and Nik Kosmas.

Saturday August 18th 9pm
Program, Berlin

aids-3d

ruaminx

Lisa Marie Break

Lisa Marie Godfrey will open her first solo show September 14th at Domy Books.

Hoy Y Viernes

Despite a horrendous press release and impending doom from above, Space 125 is opening its doors tonight. As long as Buffalo Bayou isn't lapping at the gallery's doorstep, stop on by for free wine and grapes and Beth Secor too!

PR Hell:

Summer is upon us, bestowing upon many in academia the opportunity to pursue artistic interests.

Join Houston Arts Alliance in welcoming University of Houston-Downtown/O’Kane Gallery-affiliated artists Mark Cervenka, Beth Secor and Mick Johnson for the exhibition Suddenly One Summer.

We will be afforded an opportunity to delve into their minds and creative processes during the opening night reception on August 16, 2007 from 6pm to 8pm.

Tomorrow's opening at the CAMH should be a great way to tell how skewed the museum's view of Texas art is; lets let greenhorn curator Toby Kamps explain: “I’m just sitting in my car and I’m looking at stunt-jumping monster trucks coexisting with art cars. It’s a place of extremes,” How extreme will the show be? “It’s an amazing mixture of really cosmopolitan and really down-home; it’s very fertile soil for good art. You can get a pickup truck and a decent studio and do your thing. There’s a great tolerance of characters and eccentrics and individuals. An artist is an entrepreneur, and if nothing else, Texas gets that.” Let's hope there isn't a cowboy in sight. 7-11pm Friday.

The Artery in the Chron

Cynthia Cupach & Mark Lee performing BlackButoh @ The Artery, Houston TX

Abubakr Sory Kouyate, Master African percussionist & Nicholas R. Hunter @ the Artery, Houston TX

Free Radicals @ The Artery, Houston TX

Bill Wolff sculptures @ The Artery, Houston TX

Wakan Hoye Yapi Singers: Traditional Lakota Ceremonial Music @ The Artery, Houston TX

Museum district (sic Third Ward) stalwart, alternative space The Artery is getting a little press! Here's their site.

Hypocritically Interesting

The Chronicle ran this article about graffiti artists in Queens having a place to bomb illegally; would they take the same stance in their own back yard?

Case Magazine sez:

have some graff flicks?
	...send 'em our way! we want to feature them in the next issue of case freights, bombs, stencils, posters...all that good sh!t. info@casezine.com try to make sure they are high enough res for print (300 dpi)

One way to get your foot in the door

Lawndale Art Center is actively seeking proposals from artists for exhibitions and performances. Lawndale is centrally located at 4912 Main Street in the Museum District. Its continuing mission is to present work by both emerging and established Houston artists. Lawndale seeks to sponsor forums and dialogue which address the relationship between art and society.

Here's how it works: Pick a room. Click on it. Think about it.
Submit a proposal by September 15.
Absolutely Free.

O'Quinn Gallery (1st Floor)

Cavnar Gallery (1st Floor)

Mezzanine (2nd Floor)

Project Space (3rd Floor)

The Programming Committee encourages proposals that are:

* Original, Innovative and Contemporary
* Non-Commercial
* Difficult to show elsewhere
* Feasible based on project description and demonstrated ability
* More than one artist's work and that are thematically coherent
* Submitted by one artist or collaborative team and are site specific
* Work that has not been previously shown in Houston

Up to 15 digital images of work may be submitted on CD. Images must be in jpeg format, no larger than 1024x768 at 72 dpi. Please provide a list of images in a text file, PDF or Word document.
or
Video on DVD or CD. Video must be able to play on a computer using Media Player or QuickTime.

Resume, C.V. in electronic form in a text file, PDF or Word document.

Proposal: one page text, PDF or Word document including:
* Name and contact info
* Title, Concept and description of exhibition
* Special needs/equipment needs
* Specify space or gallery

***Make sure your shit opens! Check it after you burn the CD dudes!!!***

Stand Around and get Paid!

Blaffer Gallery, the Art Museum of the University of Houston, needs a full time Museum Security Coordinator.

Will provide security for works of art on display in exhibition spaces, ensure safety, and serve as receptionist.

Responsibilities:

1. Monitor the safety of works of art on display in exhibition spaces.
2. Monitor electronic and manual security systems.
3. Provide leadership and train museum attendants.
4. Open and close exhibition daily.
5. Inspect artwork on exhibit for any damage.
6. Prepare weekly schedule for museum attendants.
7. Provide visitor information and answer the telephone.
8. Handle sales for catalogs and related merchandise.
9. Maintain computerized daily attendance and records.
10. Perform other duties as assigned.

Requires a high school diploma or GED and a minimum of six (6) months of direct museum security experience. College graduate, one year of experience and computer skills preferred.

The University of Houston offers a variety of benefits that include: on-campus day care facilities, access to the Campus Wellness Center, free medical coverage, scholarships and much more!

No Worker's Comp for boredom.

For more information please visit http://www.uh.edu/admin/hr/ and search for posting 062185.

Floricanto Flier

Try not to fuck up too bad

Houston has a bad image? Forget the freeways and bayous and mosquitoes and HPD; It is the real crazy shit that makes people fucking frightened.

What's going on Here?

That's a body art event at Fitz last month, a lot of people want to watch girls in pasties and thongs get painted on. I prefer this kind of stuff, but these girls have been throwing events since the spring at different places in town, its all trashy and fun and stuff.

In the Land of Chiles

THE LAND, an art site, announces a call for proposals that can be realized working at a specific outdoor site in New Mexico. The resulting works will be featured in a show titled SITE UNSEEN, from September 28 to October 19, 2008.

40-acre site devoted exclusively to site-specific, environmentally low-impact, land-based art.

Selected artists will be asked to contribute, with no detailed knowledge of the site, a plan from which their on-site collaborator will devise a site-specific realization. Ideas may be very specific, and collaborations may range from blind to intensely cooperative.

Deadline: September 14, 2007

www.landartsite.org/siteunseen.html

theland@comcast.net

Resorting to Theatre

Since IBP is dead, we need another theatre company to try real hard! Nova!

tempOdyssey
August 17-20 & 23-25

Directed by Clinton Hopper and featuring:
Eddie Chevez
Bernardo Cubria
Amy Hopper
Sean Judge
Paul Salazar and
Jenni Rebecca Stephenson

8:00pm at the Barnevelder Movement/Arts Complex,
2201 Preston St. Houston, 77003
www.barnevelder.org

$15 General Admission
$10 Student

***Preview*** $5 Thursday, Aug 16

Genny is a new transplant to the big city from the forests of Appalachia. It is her first day as a temp, and try as she might, bad things keep happening to her. There's a black hole, a bomb, the Johnson file, and the dead guy in the filing cabinet. She can't even leave her desk, ever.

What's a postmodern girl to do?

Take the "Build Your Own EZ Bake Black Hole Oven!" Challenge!

Build your version of an EZ Bake Black Hole Oven and bring it on Monday, August 20.
After the performance, two NASA scientists and an "expert geek" will hold a talkback on black holes in science and popular culture and judge the contest entries.

www.novaartsproject.com

Slow New Day

Kinda Scary Fun

Jean Tinguely fountains will be outside the Menil on Saturday for Museum District Day


Would you let your kid run in a sprinkler like that?

I know me too.

Bikini party in the park?

"Flavin-flavor" snow cones at Richmond Hall (I did not make that up)

Heads Up- Free Crates

Free, Free, Free

Empty art crates, frames, and casework with plexi-bonnets

Friday, August 17th
12:00 noon to 4:00 PM
and
Saturday, August 18th
10:00 AM to 4:00 PM

at

5000 Gulf Freeway
Warehouse #11

We have empty crates of all sizes and shapes that can be used for storage or shipping, casework that can be used for display and frames that can be used for exhibition.

There will be limited assistance for loading heavy crates and casework. Please bring help for loading heavy objects.

Directions:
Take IH-45 South and the Cullen exit. On the access road, go though light at Cullen and stay in left hand lane. Go over overpass, about three blocks up to underpass. Just past underpass, three driveways to the right, take middle driveway. Drive to back of building to guard shack. Guard will direct you to Warehouse #11.

Whatd'yaknow...

Houston Artist Seeks Public, or People to Piss Off

artfortruth.info

RIP Elizabeth Murray

Elizabeth Murray The Sun and the Moon, 2005

After her major retrospective in 2005 at the MoMA, Elizabeth Murray was recognized as one of the greatest painters to emerge in the 70s. Her shaped canvasses were whimsical monsters, ragged and organic takes on Frank Stella's minimal work. Her sense of color was a tactile anachronism, fighting the tide of shiny Pop surfaces, color field painting and minimalist sculpture.

“Everything has been done a million times.
Sometimes you use it and it’s yours; another time you do it and it’s still theirs.”

Obituary from the NYT here.

Shots Fired

A shot was fired at radio station KPFT at their offices in Montrose... What is that all about? A nice tidbit from the Chron article:

"KPFT has been operating since March of 1970. Considered by many a liberal or even left-wing station at the time, the station's transmitter, located then in rural Houston, was dynamited twice in 1970 and 1971. The bombings were believed to be racially motivated..."

Best Cop Badge Ever

Wild Strawberries in August

Wild Strawberries, 1957

This Friday at the corner of Montrose and Bissonett in the basement of the MFAH, a screening of Ingmar Bergman's greatest film, Wild Strawberries, at 7 pm. If you have ever seen a Bergman (1918-2007) film make sure not to miss this one.

The Seventh Seal, 1957

On the other hand, if you have never seen a Bergman film, give yourself an introduction to the Swedish maven of the silver screen with The Seventh Seal on Saturday.