Abraham Walkowitz (1878-1965), Zabriskie Gallery, NYC - Isadora Duncan and the Dance

Abraham Walkowitz (1878-1965) 

Isadora Duncan and the Dance

Zabriskie Gallery, New York

July 25 - September 10, 2005

Zabriskie Gallery presents a selection of Abraham Walkowitz (1878-1965) watercolors of the famed American dancer Isadora Duncan (1878-1927). Walkowitz met Isadora Duncan in the sculptor Auguste Rodin’s studio during a trip to France in 1906. After their introduction, Abraham Walkowitz watched her nature-inspired dance at a private salon, which significantly influenced the artist and led him to create numerous renderings of her. As few documentary photographs exist of Duncan, Walkowitz’s drawings are considered the most comprehensive record that capture her essential dance movements and style. These works were executed from memory and are principally in watercolor, others are in ink or pastel. The installation creates a cinema-like animation of the dancer’s free-form choreography.

About Isadora Duncan, Abraham Walkowitz recalled “She was a Muse. She had no laws. She didn’t dance according to rules. She created. She was like music. When she moved it was like the sound of violins, she was the Walt Whitman of women.” Utilizing minimal line, the artist evokes the energy of the dancer and records her expressive body gestures. Walkowitz captured the natural contour lines of her dance in quick studies which were used to produce much more dynamic and less studied poses.

Dancing bare-feet free with fluid action, Duncan is credited with initiating modern dance. Known for her costumes, bare feet and loose hair, Duncan allowed dancing to celebrate the simplicity and aesthetic of the ancient world of Athens. Duncan’s unusual tunics and scarves, which she fashioned herself and wore as typical dress, were based on the classical Greek sculpture and artwork that she had seen in the Louvre and the British Museum.

The kinetic action of Duncan’s dance is mirrored in Walkowitz’s geometric abstractions and cityscapes for which is widely known. A group of these works are also on view. Here the dancing lines and symphonic titles mirror Duncan’s flowing movements.

Abraham Walkowitz, who studied at the Cooper Union, the Educational Alliance in New York City and the National Academy of Design, was affiliated with the Stieglitz circle and the 291 gallery. Zabriskie Gallery represents the Abraham Walkowitz estate.

ZABRISKIE GALLERY

41 East 57th Street, New York, NY 10022

www.zabriskiegallery.com

Detroit Now II 2005 - Regional artists exhibition at MONA

 

Detroit Now
Meditations on Movement

Detroit' Museum of New Art

Through August 13, 2005

This is the second exhibition exploring regional artists and their artwork at the Museum of New Art in Detroit (MONA) . Detroit Now, the first such exhibition was conceived in February of 2002. The idea was to create a museum that would work in a concerted effort with the galleries of the region: in order to create, in theory, an exhibition without walls. The idea was also to create a sort of biennial out of it all, since the list of such young talent is always refreshing itself. That show was an enormous success in 2003.

Now, the Museum of New Art is continuing the success of that first endeavor with its second installment of Detroit Now. The common denominator this time around is various notions of movement, real and imagined, implied and imposed, active and inactive, and, as an exhibit to create a meditation on all motion.

The MONA exhibition of 12 regional artists features works in all media: painting, works on paper, sculpture, installation, film/video, performance, photography, textiles, web-based and interactive art.

Artists: Lisa Dillin, Chris Erchick, Anthony Frazzini, Marie Gardeski, Aaron Hillman, Matt Monroe, Cynthia Randolph, Matt Schlian, Jeffrey Schweitzer, Andrew Simsak, Amanda Thatcher, and Andrew Thompson.

DETROIT NOW: meditations on movement
July 15 - August 13, 2005

MONA - MUSEUM OF NEW ART
7 N. Saginaw St.
Pontiac, MI 48342

The First Art Fair Tokyo 2005 Explained

Art Fair Tokyo 2005

Japan’s largest gallery show, Art Fair Tokyo, opens in August 2005 at the Tokyo International Forum. With more than 80 national and international primary galleries, the fair will be a showcase of 1500 selected art works, ranging from antiques, traditional Japanese paintings, modern art, to contemporary art.

Concept of Art Fair Tokyo

Art fair is a trade fair which consists mainly of renowned galleries dealing with primary artworks. Every year, the likes of Art Basel or the Armory Show, effectively activate as hubs in the contemporary cultural and economic market, receiving a lot of attention from all over the world. Art Fair Tokyo is initiated as a cultural and economic representative from Japan.

Art Fair is not an exhibition as seen in the art museums

One of the interesting and important aspects regarding Art Fair Tokyo is that people can buy the exhibits. Purchasing artworks is much to do with loving art, bringing it into one's life as well as enjoying the whole process such as talking with gallerists and researching. Tokyo Art Fair provides useful information for art collecting and organizes a series of small seminars in which people can learn how to start collecting artworks. A friendly seminar series entitled "Let's go buy Art" will give people some clues.

Invitation to a lifestyle with art

In the 21st century, art is an essential part of our lifestyle. Art Fair Tokyo which exhibits only carefully selected and high quality art works, encompassing contemporary art, modern art and antiques, aims to be a perfect event for everyone who is interested in culture. On this occasion, we would like to collaborate with you to promote a new way of life with art.

The Art Fair Tokyo Committee