Will Steacy Exhibition, Silver Eye Center for Photography , Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA

No Job No Home No Peace No Rest: An Installation by Will Steacy - Silver Eye Center for Photography, Pittsburgh, PA - Through December 15, 2012

Will Steacy, Portrait of the artist with "The Beast," 2012. 

Courtesy of the artist, Michael Mazzeo Projects, New York, and Christophe Guye Galerie, Zurich.

Presented against the backdrop of the 2012 election season, Will Steacy's new installation is both a chronicle and a critique of a nation where a once-attainable "American Dream" has been replaced, for so many, by a desperate effort to survive.

At the heart of the exhibition is Will Steacy's 170-foot collage, which he dubs "The Beast." A systematic, often eviscerating dissection of American policies and politics, the collage is made up of thousands of clippings from newspapers collected over the years, his own photographs and writings, and found objects. Thirty-two photographs from earlier and ongoing projects accompany the exhibition at the Silver Eye Center for Photography in Pittsburg, a nonprofit organization dedicated exclusively to presenting contemporary photography.

Will Steacy, Condos, Chicago, 2008. Archival pigment print. 

Courtesy of the artist, Michael Mazzeo Projects, New York, and Christophe Guye Galerie, Zurich.

WILL STEACY is one of the most exciting and influential young photographers working today. Raised in Philadelphia, he comes from five generations of newspaper men and worked as a union laborer before becoming a photographer. The artist received his B.F.A. from New York University in 2003 and was named one of the Photo District News' 30 Emerging Photographers To Watch in 2011. He is also the recipient of prestigious awards such as The Tierney Fellowship and The Aperture Foundation-Illumination Fund Green Cart Photography Commission.

Will Steacy's work has been widely exhibited, collected, and featured on CNN, NPR, and BBC, and in The New Yorker, New York Times Magazine, Esquire, Harper's, Time, Newsweek, and The Guardian, amongst others. His books include The Monstropolous Beast (Christophe Guy Gallerie, 2010), Photographs Not Taken (Daylight, 2012), and the forthcoming Down These Mean Streets (B. Frank Books, 2012). The artist is represented by Michael Mazzeo Projects in New York and Christophe Guy Gallerie in Zurich.

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On October 27, Silver Eye is cleaning out its attic, storage, and closets and having a good old-fashioned garage sale in the courtyard. They've got old iMacs, printers, cameras (including a vintage large format Calumet), framed and unframed art, art books, posters, magazines, and much more. There will also be a BBQ, brews, and local DJs spinning vinyl. Admission is free to the public.

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Silver Eye Center for Photography 

1015 East Carson Street, Southside, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

Gallery's website: www.silvereye.org

Frieze London 2012: Sculpture Park selected by Clare Lilley

Frieze London 2012: Sculpture Park selected by Clare Lilley

The Sculpture Park at Frieze London 2012 has been selected by Clare Lilley, Director of Programme at Yorkshire Sculpture Park. Lilley has put together an ambitious selection of works, offering a rare opportunity to see a significant group of public-scale sculpture by internationally recognised artists. The 2012 Sculpture Park is the largest-ever presentation of outdoor sculpture at Frieze London.

Lilley’s selection features work by some of the most acclaimed international sculptors working today, both established and emerging. These include new pieces by Hemali Bhuta, Andreas Lolis, Damián Ortega and Maria Zahle. Other artists participating in the Sculpture Park include Anri Sala and Thomas Scheibitz.

Sited in the English Gardens of Regent’s Park, the Sculpture Park is located a short walk to the east of the entrance to the fair. The Sculpture Park will show a varied range of outdoor work from Hans Josephsohn, William Turnbull and David Nash, through the differing use of materials in the work of Yayoi Kusama, Jean-Luc Moulène, and Peter Liversidge, to the subtlely subversive sculptures of Michael Landy, Simon Periton and Alan Kane. A number of artists have responded directly to the Sculpture Park’s unique setting, including: Nestled (2012) by Adip Dutta, which will comprise multiple woven stainless-steel weaver bird’s nests hanging from the trees of Regent’s Park. Maria Zahle’s first outdoor work Tree Stripe (2012) also incorporates the natural environment – a stretch of ripstop nylon will connect the viewer’s space to the tree, forming a brightly coloured visual bridge or ladder.

Lilley said of her selection ‘I’m very pleased to be able to present such a rich and diverse range of sculptures by artists from across the generations. They indicate the multiplicity of contemporary sculpture, and the continuing desire to make work for the open air and in the public realm, offering the possibility of direct engagement with ideas, material and form. I have endeavoured to work with the landscaped gardens so that sculptures respond to their sites and viewpoints are taken into account. It is my hope that the sculptures will stop people in their tracks and will encourage others to visit, that they will challenge and delight, punctuating the English Gardens and giving cause for thought, discussion and exchange. The Frieze London Sculpture Park offers an extraordinary opportunity to create a stimulating experience within one of the world’s most important art events and I’m delighted to make a contribution.’

Entrance to the Sculpture Park is free to the public. The Sculpture Park at Frieze London is supported by Yoox.com.

Frieze London Website: http://friezelondon.com

The Young Collectors Auction 14 at Ayyam Art Center in Dubai – Hightlighs & official results

The Young Collectors Auction 14
Ayyam Art Center, Dubai, UAE
22 October 2012

Ayyam Art Center in Alserkal Avenue (Al Quoz) in Dubai organized The Young Collectors Auction 14 the 22 october 2012. $433,560 were amassed from sisty-six lots of Arab and Iranian art. The diverse selection of works set established figures such as Safwan Dahoul and Nadim Karam alongside burgeoning Arab and Iranian talented artists such as Mohamad Badr, Shurooq Amin, Medhi Nabavi and Arash Nazari, on the auction block, allowing new collectors and seasoned bidders to add unique works to their collections.

In an informal yet vibrant and packed salesroom, moderately priced painting, sculpture, photography, limited edition prints and installation works from renowned and emerging artists throughout the region were fiercely vied for. Enthusiastic bidding generated a dynamic ambiance for those bidding as well as those enjoying the spectacle.

Photo of The Young Collectors Auction at AYYAM ART CENTER, DUBAI, 22 October 2112. Photo Courtesy of the Ayyam Art Center, Alserkal Avenue (Al Quoz)

The highlights of the evening came with competitive bidding over works such as Mohannad Orabi, whose Its No Longer About Me sold for an impressive $33,600 from an estimate of $7,000-$9,000, Untitled by Reza Lavasani which sold for $15,600 over an estimate of $8,000-$12,000, and a strikingly modern portrait by Elias Izoli that brought in $22,800 over an estimate of $6,000-$8,000. The Bouquet en Brouillon by Zeni Assi surpassed its estimate of $10,000-$15,000 with a final price of $19,200, as did a marble sculpture by Lutfi Romhein from an estimate of $12,000 - $15,000, and Next Edition by Katayoun Karami fetched $5,040, surpassing its estimate of $1,500-$2,500. With continually increasing levels of attendance, record sales and an exciting salesroom, the next edition of The Young Collectors Auction is already greatly anticipated.

For more information you can ou can visit www.ayyamgallery.com

Concours de Pyrotechnie à Hanovre : le Portugal l'emporte devant la Croatie et la Chine

L'art du feu d'artifice à Hanovre : Le Portugal remporte le 22ème Concours international de pyrotechnie de Hanovre

Feu d'artifice à Hanovre 

Equipe du Portugal, Grupo Luso Pirotecnia

Photo (c) Mahramzadeh Klein

Le vainqueur du 22ème Concours international de pyrotechnie de Hanovre (Allemagne) est une équipe du Portugal. Après la présentation de la Croatie pendant la phase finale de cet important concours mondial de pyrotechnie samedi soir (22 septembre), il a été annoncé que la première place revenait à l'équipe portugaise « Grupo Luso Pirotecnia ». L'excellente présentation des pyrotechniciens portugais leur a permis de battre leurs quatre rivaux internationaux. L'équipe présenté un superbe spectacle au Grand jardin de Herrenhausen avec sa chorégraphie pyrotechnique à la fois philosophique et poétique intitulée « Astrum », créée spécialement pour ce concours. En répondant aux exigences du concours et en présentant un ensemble harmonieux d'effets pyrotechniques avec un niveau artistique élevé, l'équipe est parvenue convaincre le jury d'experts indépendants. La deuxième place revient la Croatie et la Chine se classe en troisième position.

Pendant cinq samedis entre mai et septembre 2012, des équipes de premier plan du Mexique, de Chine, du Royaume-Uni, du Portugal et de Croatie ont présenté des feux d'artifice époustouflants dans le cadre baroque des Jardins de Herrenhausen, attirant au total environ 49 000 visiteurs. 

Hans Christian Nolte, directeur général de Hannover Veranstaltungs GmbH (HVG), la société organisatrice de cet évènement, était tout aussi satisfait : « Cette année, des équipes de premier plan ont une fois encore participé et ravi les spectateurs. Nous sommes particulièrement heureux que ces pyrotechniciens considèrent la chance de participer comme une marque de reconnaissance part entière et qu'ils confirment d'année en année que le Concours international de pyrotechnie de Hanovre est l'un des plus respectés et populaires au monde. »

Les règles du Concours international de pyrotechnie sont clairement définies : les feux d'artifice doivent durer environ 25 minutes et comprendre une section imposée de quatre minutes. Cette année, avant de pouvoir laisser libre cours leur créativité, les pyrotechniciens ont dû présenter une chorégraphie pyrotechnique sur un extrait de la Sixième symphonie de Beethoven. Lors de la planification de leur spectacle, les équipes doivent s'inspirer des jardins baroques et inclure un nombre spécifique d'éléments terrestres. Mais à part cela, leur inventivité et leurs choix musicaux et visuels ne sont limités que par un nombre minimal de restrictions. Le jury attribue des points selon des critères tels que l'exécution technique, la perfection technique, la qualité et la variété des différents effets, ainsi que la synchronisation de la musique et des feux d'artifice.

Le 23ème Concours international de pyrotechnie débutera le 25 mai 2013 par une présentation de l'équipe portugaise qui a remporté l'édition de cette année. Les billets pour y assister devraient être en vente partir du mois de novembre.

Dates du concours en 2013 : 25 mai, 8 juin, 24 août, 7 septembre, 21 septembre

Site Web : www.hannover.de/fireworks

Stephen Shore, David LaChapelle, James Balog at NYC PhotoPlus Conference + Expo 2012

PhotoPlus Conference + Expo 2012, NYC
Javits Convention Center, New York City
October 24-27, 2012

PhotoPlus Expo - Image © Jason Walker

The 2012 PhotoPlus expo will feature more than 250 exhibitors demonstrating the largest variety of photographic and digital imaging products and services in North America. Attendance for the three-day show is expected to reach record levels, drawing an anticipated 22,000 people who will meet with representatives from the biggest brand names serving the photography industry, and touch-and-try access to the latest imaging technology on the market. Registration for admission to the PhotoPlus Expo exhibit hall is free through October 24. Photographers Stephen Shore, David LaChapelle, and James Balog will present their work.

"We are very proud to be celebrating 30 years of service to the photographic industry," explains Jeff McQuilkin, Director - PDN PhotoPlus International Conference & Expo.  "The photo industry is a very tight group of professionals who view this annual event as the one time during the year where they can experience what’s next and meet face-to-face with old friends, make new ones, and learn and share together.  I believe that attendees and exhibitors alike regard PhotoPlus Expo as an opportunity that should not be missed by anyone in the industry.” 

Each year, the PDN PhotoPlus International Conference + Expo presents a series of keynote speakers whose accomplishments take photographic inspiration to new levels and add a dimension to the educational component of PhotoPlus that has made it the most anticipated photo conference and expo.  This year, the Nielsen Photo Group has created a daily schedule of keynote presenters that can only be described with one word: Blockbuster!

Stephen Shore, David LaChapelle, and James Balog will each present their work at the "Lunchtime Keynote" during PhotoPlus Expo, scheduled each day from 12 noon -- 1:00 p.m.  In addition, a sneak preview of Jeff Orlowski's new documentary film, "Chasing Ice" featuring James Balog, will be presented at PhotoPlus during an extended Lunchtime Keynote and movie screening on Saturday, October 27 from 12:00 noon to 3:30 p.m. Tickets for each keynote are $10. However, admission to all keynote presentations is included with the purchase of a Gold Expo Pass or with the purchase of any PhotoPlus conference seminar.

Keynote Schedule and Description

October 25 – 12:00 Noon  – 1:00 pm

Stephen Shore: Challenging Convention

In spring 2012, Phaidon Press published a 2,300 page, two-volume set reproducing in their entirety the astounding 83 print-on-demand artist's books Stephen Shore produced from 2003 to 2008. In his keynote, Stephen Shore will examine the aesthetic roots of this body of work and how it grew out of his decades-long drive to push his work into new directions.

October 26 – 12:00 Noon – 1:00 pm

David LaChapelle: Artist or Artless

One of the true pioneers of modern day photography, David LaChapelle shares his images, his thoughts, and the ups-and-downs of being a true photographic icon. Richard Avedon once said, of all the photographers inventing surreal images, it was Mr. LaChapelle who has the potential to be the genre's Magritte, referring to the Belgian surrealist painter. Helmut Newton also stated that, "A lot of nudity is just gratuitous. But someone who makes me laugh is David LaChapelle. I think he's very bright, very funny and good."

October 27 – 12:00 Noon – 3:30 pm

James Balog: Chasing Ice (Sponsored by Nikon)

James Balog has been a global leader in environmental photography for nearly three decades. In this compelling keynote appearance, James Balog will give us an inside look at the creative vision, technical breakthroughs and physical adventure that make up the Extreme Ice Survey (EIS), his latest body of work. James Balog is featured in Jeff Orlowski's 2012 documentary, Chasing Ice, which won top honors for cinematography at the Sundance Film Festival. Attendees will be the first to see the film as it makes its worldwide debut here at PhotoPlus Expo.

The PhotoPlus Expo conference offers more than 95 educational seminars and hands-on labs for attendees to hone their skills, learn new techniques, and participate in discussions with some of the most respected, successful and visually creative photographers and digital image makers in the world. Conference information is available online at www.photoplusexpo.com, searchable by date, title, track or speaker name.

The PDN PhotoPlus International Conference + Expo is organized by the Nielsen Photo Group (NPG)

African American Art Since 1950, David C. Driskell Center, University of Maryland - Perspectives from the David C. Driskell Center

African American Art Since 1950: Perspectives from the David C. Driskell Center

David C. Driskell Center, University of Maryland

September 20 - December 14, 2012

African American Art Since 1950: Perspectives from the David C. Driskell Center is an exhibition in which works by renowned artists such as Romare Bearden, Elizabeth Catlett, and Sam Gilliam are coupled with exciting new visionaries, including Chakaia Booker, Lorna Simpson, and Kara Walker, collectively reflects the growing prominence—and complexity—of the field of African American Art over the last 60 years. 

Over thirty-five years ago, when prominent artist, collector, and scholar David C. Driskell developed the 1976 exhibition Two Centuries of Black American Art: 1750-1950, organized by the Los Angeles County Museum of Art, he introduced the tremendous depth and breadth of African American art and creativity to an international audience. African American Art Since 1950: Perspectives from the David C. Driskell Center, curated by Dr. Robert E. Steele and Dorit Yaron, the David C. Driskell Center’s Executive Director and Deputy Director, respectively, and Independent Scholar Dr. Adrienne L. Childs, honors the legacy of this landmark exhibition and brings to the nation the next pivotal chapter of African American art.

The exhibition, which is comprised primarily of works from the Driskell Center Permanent Art Collection, showcases the generation of artists who opened up the possibilities for African American art, from pursuing pure abstraction to providing a forum for art as political activism. The exhibition also presents the newest voices in African American art which utilize a variety of media and possess a hybrid approach to cultural and social identity. 

Accompanying the exhibition is a catalogue with essays that highlight the relationships among artists in the exhibition and the institutions that have impacted the field. Dr. Julie L. McGee, Curator of African American Art, University Museums, and Associate Professor of Black American Studies, University of Delaware, in her essay, “The Driskell Circle as Centrifuge,” discusses how David Driskell’s activism in the academic and museum fields was instrumental in the early careers of many artists, such as Bennie Andrews, Felrath Hines, and Jacob Lawrence.

African American Art Since 1950 

Perspectives from the David C. Driskell Center

David C. Driskell Center, University of Maryland, College Park

Exhibition Catalogue, 2012

Dr. Adrienne L. Childs, Independent Scholar, in her essay, “Notes on the Politics of Identity in African American Art,” explores artists whose work is largely defined by postmodern identity politics, including race, memory, gender and history, as well as the importance of the body as a site of expression. Among these artists are Kevin Cole, Willie Cole, Margo Humphrey, Betye Saar, Kara Walker and Carrie Mae Weems.

Franklin Sirmans, Curator of Contemporary Art at the Los Angeles County Museum of Art, CA, in his essay, “Bridging the Gap: New Voices in the Driskell Collection,” focuses on artists who are utilizing various media and operating in a forum where national and racial boundaries are not the primary focus of inspiration; among these are Jefferson Pinder, and Hank Willis Thomas. The catalogue also includes: an “Acknowledgements” by Dr. Robert E. Steele and a “Foreword” by Prof. David. C. Driskell, along with a timeline of major events in African American art since 1950; a checklist; and color reproductions of all the works in the exhibition along with short artist biographies.

In his “Foreword,” Driskell writes of the significance of this exhibition to the field of African American Art, “African American Art Since 1950 brings forth a new insight into the meaning of this aspect of American art as it continues to highlight the social, cultural, and political visions of a growing creative community within Modernism.”

The exhibition is organized by the David C. Driskell Center for the Study of the Visual Arts and Culture of African Americans and the African Diaspora at the University of Maryland.

DAVID C. DRISKELL CENTER

for the Study of the Visual Arts and Culture of African Americans and the African Diaspora

University of Maryland, College Park, MD 20742

www.driskellcenter.umd.edu

Pentax Lenses HD Coating Technology for Pentax K-Mount cameras

Pentax recently introduced its newly developed HD Coating technology – a multi-layer lens coating process – for all new HD (High Definition)  Pentax lenses for Pentax K-Mount cameras.

Compared with conventional multi-layer coatings, the new multi-layer HD Coating,* exclusively developed by  Pentax, offers much improved light transmittance and a much lower refractive index. Because this advanced coating minimizes reflections, the lens delivers sharp, clear images free of flare and ghosting, even under demanding lighting conditions such as backlight. This coating assures optical performance almost equal to Aero Bright Coating, another  Pentax-exclusive lens coating process made possible by advanced nanotechnology and applied to higher-class lenses.

Also introduced last week by Pentax is the new K-Mount HD  Pentax DA 560mm F5.6 ED AW interchangeable super-telephoto lens and the new HD  Pentax D FA 645 Macro 90mm F2.8 ED AW SR interchangeable lens for the medium format 645D – the first lenses to feature this exclusive  Pentax HD Coating. All future interchangeable lenses for Pentax digital cameras that feature this new coating will bear the “HD PENTAX” name.

Pentax' HD Coating technology Features include:

- 50 percent reduction of reflections in visible spectrum

The coating reduces reflections by more than 50 percent over the entire visible spectrum, compared to conventional multi-layer coating. 

- High rigidity coating layer

Since the HD Coating has a stronger bond among its coating materials and a higher packing density, this coating layer ensures exceptional high rigidity for extra durability.

- Accurate reflection of design concept to actual coating layer

In conventional multi-layer processes, the coating layer is produced by the vacuum evaporation method, in which coating materials are dissolved and deposited in a vacuum. This method, however, sometimes causes coating unevenness great enough to affect image quality. 

The HD Coating* effectively solves this problem by employing a Pentax-exclusive manufacturing process, while optimizing the density of its coating layer and controlling the thickness with the accuracy of one nanometer (one millionth of a millimeter). As the result, the original design parameters for the lens coating are accurately applied to the coating layer to optimize anti-reflection performance of a lens.

* HD stands for High Definition, and signifies the lens’s capacity to reproduce images that excel in transparency, definition, resolution and rendition.

Comparison between conventional multi-layer coatings and HD Coating:

The coating reduces reflections by more than 50% over the entire visible spectrum, compared to conventional multi-layer coating. The new coating allows an ideal control of color balance thanks to stable Reflection at Wavelength.

www.pentaximaging.com

Carré Amelot, La Rochelle, Expos Photo 2013 à la Grande Galerie et à la Galerie d'Essai

Le Carré Amelot, espace culturel de la Ville de La Rochelle, débute sa nouvelle saison 2013 le 29 septembre. Dans la programmation de la saison 2013, sont prévues quatre expositions de photographies à la Grande galerie du Carré Amelot :

JURGEN NEFZGER, Etudes de cas - Athènes 2010, 6 octobre - 19 décembre 2012

Exposition organisée en écho aux Escales Documentaires, festival international du documentaire de création. Vernissage le 18 octobre à 18h30. Jürgen Nefzger est né en 1968. Il a reçu le prix Niépce en 2008. Le photographe est représenté par la Galerie Françoise Paviot, Paris

DENIS ROUVRE, Sumo, 15 janvier - 21 février 2013 

Exposition organisée en écho au cycle Cinéma japonais, avec le soutien du Service des sports de la Ville de La Rochelle. Vernissage le 24 janvier 2013 à 18h30. Denis Rouvre est né en 1967. Ses portraits lui ont offert une reconnaissance internationale notamment aux World Press Photo 2010 et 2012 ou au SONY World Photography Award en 2011. Le photographe est représenté par la galerie Hélène Bailly (Paris), la galerie Project 2.0 (La Haye) et la galerie Axel Pairon (Anvers).

ASSAF SHOSHAN, Play Ground - Territoires de l'attente, 12 mars - 19 avril 2013

Exposition organisée en partenariat par : Centre Intermondes, Carré Amelot, Espace Art Contemporain, Université de La Rochelle. Avec le soutien de la Ville de La Rochelle, du ministère de la Culture et de la Communication - DRAC Poitou-Charentes. Vernissage le 21 mars 2013 à 18h30 à l'Espace Art Contemporain et au Carré Amelot. Assaf Shoshan est né en 1973 à Jérusalem et a grandi dans la région de Motsa, Israël. Les photographies de la série Territoires de l'attente ont fait l'objet d'une publication avec un texte de Laurent Vidal, enseignant à l'Université de La Rochelle.

PASCAL MIRANDE, Gulliver(s), 3 mai - 13 juillet 2013

Exposition organisée en collaboration avec la galerie Vrais Rêves, Lyon, qui représente l'artiste depuis 2009. Vernissage le 2 mai 2013 à 18h30. Pascal Mirande est né en 1968. Diplômé des Beaux-Arts de Poitiers et de Rennes, il est artiste plasticien et photographe.

SOIREE D'OUVERTURE DE LA NOUVELLE SAISON ARTISTIQUE

L'ouverture de la nouvelle saison du Carré Amelot le 29 septembre 2012 sera l'occasion d'une soirée Arts Numériques avec Mapping vidéo, création visuelle et sonore du collectif lillois 1minute69 (www.1minute69.com), fondé par Aurélie Dumaret et Emilie Villemagne. Il s'agit d'une première pour cette oeuvre créée pour le bâtiment du Carré Amelot sur la façade duquel elle sera projetée. 

A l'ancien marché de l'Arsenal sera projeté sur un écran de 20 m2 une vidéo de MATT PYKE, The Transfiguration. Artiste multimédia, à la fois photographe, vidéaste, designer, peintre, curateur, réalisateur, l'artiste britannique Matt Pyke est reconnu internationalement pour sa créativité. En 2004, il a créé à Londres son studio Universal Everything qui réalise des productions notamment pour des grandes marques comme Adidas. En 2011, Super Computer Romantics (Charlotte Léouzon, commissaire d'exposition) avait remporté un franc succès à la Gâité Lyrique à Paris.


Programation de Galerie d'Essai du Carré Amelot

Exposition Positifs ! de l'Atelier du lycée Dautet d'Emmanuelle Guillot, 4 - 27 octobre 2012

Charlène Auvinet, diplômée de l'Ecole Supérieure d'Art de Lorient, expo photo Les Prothèses du chiffonnier, 31 octobre - 20 décembre 2012

Dans les sillages de l'image, exposition de recherches plastiques, peinture et photographie de l'artiste Patrice Pion, 10 janvier - 8 février 2013.

Exposition de photographies d'Hélène Sorin, Carnets Viet-Nam, 14 - 22 février 2013

De l'Eaurigine à l'Imagine, une exposition de Nolwenn Guérin, dipômée de l'Ecole Supérieure d'Art de Lorient, 7 mars - 4 mai 2013

NOLWENN GUERIN, De l'Eaurigine à l'Imagine
Courtesy la photographe

Le Non-Lieu, exposition de photos de Théotime Fougerat, 7 mai - 14 juin 2013

Exposition des Ateliers du Carré Amelot, 22 juin - 19 juillet, 2013

CARRE AMELOT, LA ROCHELLE
Espace Culturel de la Ville de La Rochelle
10 bis, rue Amelot - 17000 La Rochelle
www.carre-amelot.net

Vincent van Gogh, Self-Portrait, 1889 on Loan from the National Gallery of Art, Washington DC at the Norton Simon Museum, Pasadena, California

Vincent van Gogh: Self-Portrait, 1889 

Loan from the National Gallery of Art, Washington DC 

At the Norton Simon Museum, Pasadena, California

December 7, 2012 - March 4, 2013

The installation of Vincent van Gogh’s Self-Portrait at the Norton Simon Museum is the first time the painting has been on view on the US West Coast, and while Southern California is home to several outstanding works by Van Gogh, none of his self-portraits are in collections here. The loan is part of a special exchange program between the Norton Simon foundations and the National Gallery of Art, Washington DC. 

VINCENT VAN GOGH, SELF-PORTRAIT, 1889

Vincent van Gogh (Dutch, 1853-1890) 

Self-Portrait, 1889 

Oil on canvas 

57.2 x 43.8 cm (22 1/2 x 17 1/4 in.)  

Collection of Mr. and Mrs. John Hay Whitney, 

National Gallery of Art, Washington 

Vincent van Gogh (Dutch, 1853-1890) is among the world’s most beloved and admired artists, yet he was virtually unknown during his lifetime, and struggled with depression and mental illness. After voluntarily committing himself in May of 1889 to the mental asylum Saint-Paul-de-Mausole at Saint-Rémy in France, the tormented Vincent Van Gogh began the isolated and recuperative process of calming the delusions, paranoid panics and poor health that had plagued him for much of his adult life. Only six months before, he had quarreled with his dear friend Paul Gauguin in Arles and then severed part of his own ear in a fit of desperation and despair. The National Gallery of Art’s jolting, Self-Portrait is one of the last renditions of Vincent Van Gogh’s interpretation of his own visage. Only three of his 36 self-portraits depict him as an artist, holding his palette and brushes. With his wounded ear turned away from the viewer, he confronts his own gaunt image, full of introspection and intensity. Unable at this point to confront other patients, or reality itself, he assumes the dual role of model and artist. By September 1889, after creating Starry Night (now at the Museum of Modern Art, New York) and painting the wheat fields that could be seen from his rooms at the asylum, he wrote to his brother Theo in Paris about two self-portraits he was painting:

So I am working on two portraits of myself at this moment—for want of another model—because it is more than time I did a little figure work. One I began the day I got up; I was thin and pale as a ghost. It is dark violet–blue and the head whitish with yellow hair, so it has a color effect. 

The rapid, almost violent background strokes, painted thickly, shimmer in dissonance and contrast with the artist’s deeply penetrating stare. Emerald highlights in his face, the blue of his smock, and the golden yellows of his hair and beard are all echoed on his palette—pigments that had only recently been ordered and sent as a care package from his brother. The rapidity and repetition of his linear movement belie the amount of forethought and precision that Van Gogh has applied to this composition; it is with utmost restraint that he circumscribes the nose with that bold green outline and calculates the effects of the brilliant yellows and blues. He was known as the redheaded madman by locals, and yet he carefully composed hundreds of moving letters that demonstrated his love of nature, of man, of literature and language. In 10 short years, from 1880 to 1890, he painted almost unceasingly; more than 850 oil paintings are attributed to him today. One can only imagine his legacy, had he lived beyond his short 37 years.

Art exchange program

In 2007, the Norton Simon foundations entered a new phase in their history by forming an art exchange program with both the National Gallery of Art in Washington, D.C., and The Frick Collection in New York City. Works of art from the Norton Simon foundations are lent to both of these estimable institutions for special viewings and, in return, masterpieces from their collections make their way to the Norton Simon Museum. The exchange is an opportunity to promote the Norton Simon collections to a much wider audience while simultaneously providing Southern California audiences the chance to view some of the world’s most significant and visually compelling paintings.

NORTON SIMON MUSEUM
411 W. Colorado Blvd, Pasaneda, California 91105
www.nortonsimon.org

Pixel & Street Art, Galerie Artelie, Paris

Pixel & Street Art
Galerie Artelie, Paris
Jusqu'au 30 septembre 2012

Véritable miroir de la société, l'art urbain, le street art, s’affiche sans complexe à la  Galerie Artelie à Paris. Les œuvres présentées jusqu'à la fin du mois de septembre mettent en lumière un art qui n’est plus réservé qu’à la rue. En parallèle, des tableaux de pixel art et de figuration narrative ponctuent cette exposition qui rassemble des œuvres d’artistes émergents et d’artistes internationaux.

Nicolas Moreau, Lichtenstein pixélisé

Huile sur toile, 108 x 114 cm

Courtesy Galerie Artelie, Paris

Nicolas Moreau (né en 1977), diplômé de l'Ecole nationale supérieure des Beaux-Arts de Paris depuis 2002, a également pixelisé, entre autres, les Demoiselles  d'Avignon, Caravage, Ingres, Tres de Mayo.

Entre street art et pixel art, cette exposition présente différents artistes ayant chacun leurs visions, leurs forces et leur style. Cette diversité est une caractéristique majeure affichée par la Galerie Artelie.  A découvrir : des œuvres de Chanoir, Robert Combas, JonOne, Peter Klasen, Nicolas Moreau, et Speedy Graphito. De plus, la galerie représente les sculptures de l’américain Jorge Blanco, ainsi que Buddy Di Rosa et Annouck Dupont.

Robert Combas, Sans titre

Acrylique sur toile, 160 x 130 cm

Courtesy Galerie Artelie, Paris

Dédiée à l’art contemporain, la Galerie Artelie est une nouvelle galerie d'art située dans le 8e arrondissement de Paris qui  met en avant toutes les formes artistiques, de la peinture à la sculpture en passant par la photographie.  

HORAIRES : Du Lundi au Samedi, de 10h30 à 19h00

GALERIE ARTELIE - Eliane Kowsman
25 rue de Penthièvre - 75008 Paris
Site web de la galerie : www.artelie.fr

Teresita Fernandez, Night Writing at Lehmann Maupin Gallery, NYC

Teresita Fernández: Night Writing 
Lehmann Maupin Gallery, NYC 
September 12 - October 20, 2012

Artworks by Teresita Fernández are presented at Lehmann Maupin Gallery in New York. For this solo exhibition the artist creates works that evoke the dramatic and universal experience of looking at the night sky. The exhibition consists of a single, large-scale installation built on site in the soaring double-height space of the Chrystie Street LM's gallery. Made up of thousands of translucent, colored layers of polycarbonate, the hovering form becomes like sculptural painting, filtering the natural light in the space to create a color field reminiscent of the aurora borealis. 

Teresita Fernández also presents a related series of unique prints. Created while in residency at the Singapore Tyler Print Institute, each unique hand-made pulp work in this series is perforated with braille-like patterns that recall constellations. The title of the series, Night Writing, is a reference to Ecriture Nocturne, a secret code written in the early 19th century to enable Napoleon's soldiers to communicate at night, silently and without light.

Names of people, places and things, from star crossed lovers, to famous gems, to coordinates marked by latitude lines, are incorporated into the works as words translated into braille and made into an abstracted composition of points that are superimposed on sumptuous large-scale, printed images of the night sky. Artworks such as Tristan and Isolde, Koh-i-Noor, and Tropic of Cancer are made up of cryptic words lost in an undecipherable code of dots. The works become a statement on the ephemeral quality of language and the attempt to grasp the content hidden within the invisible text.  Teresita Fernandez's works explore this subtle space between blindness, vision, and the tactile. 

An accompanying ARTIST'S BOOK, published by The Singapore Tyler Print Institute, is an integral part of this body of work, and includes an essay written by Teresita Fernández. “Humans have always looked up for information. Like a vast billboard, the night sky has always been read and scanned for revelation, direction and guidance. The stars have always served as coordinates that ground us to a physical location and time; they offer a sensual orientation,” writes Fernández, whose enlightening essay, both historical and personal, documents her research and sheds light on this subject.

TERESITA FERNANDEZ was born in 1968 in Miami, Florida, and has lived in Brooklyn, New York, for the past 15 years. She is an artist best known for her conceptual, experiential works, prominent public sculptures, and unconventional use of materials. Teresita Fernández's work is characterized by an interest in perception and the psychology of looking. Her large-scale works are often inspired by landscape and natural phenomena as well as diverse historical and cultural references. She is a 2005 MacArthur Foundation Fellow and has received many prestigious awards, including a Guggenheim Fellowship, a Louis Comfort Tiffany Biennial Award, an American Academy in Rome Affiliated Fellowship, and a National Endowment for the Arts Artist's Grant. In 2011, President Obama appointed Teresita Fernández to the US Commission of Fine Arts.

Large-scale commissions include a recent site-specific work titled Blind Blue Landscape at the renowned Bennesee Art site in Naoshima, Japan. Teresita Fernandez is the youngest artist commissioned by the Seattle Art Museum for the recently opened Olympic Sculpture Park, where her permanently installed work Seattle Cloud Cover allows visitors to walk under a covered skyway while viewing the city's skyline through optically shifting multicolored glass. 

Teresita Fernández's works are included in many prominent collections and have been exhibited around the world at important public institutions, such as the Museum of Modern Art, New York; San Francisco Museum of Modern Art; The Modern Art Museum of Ft. Worth; Castello di Rivoli, Turin, Italy; The Corcoran Gallery of Art, Washington D.C.; Centro de Arte Contemporaneo, Malaga, Spain, and Institute of Contemporary Art, Philadelphia, among others. Fernández is currently on the board of Artpace, a non-profit, international artist's residency program. She received her MFA from Virginia Commonwealth University and her BFA from Florida International University. 

Interview with Teresita Fernández 

and footage of exhibition installation 

@ LM Artist Video

Images Courtesy Teresita Fernández 

and Lehmann Maupin Gallery, New York

Sanus New iPad Mount with Magnetic Case introduced at CEDIA 2012

Sanus introduces a versatile new mounting solution that gives several options for displaying iPads. The  VTM1-S1 is a multi-purpose product that allows an iPad to be mounted in different ways  and is compatible with the new iPad (3rd Gen) and iPad 2. Customers use the VTM1-S1 as a free-standing unit on flat surfaces, a wall mount or as an under-cabinet mount. Once attached to a wall or under a cabinet, the mounting bracket cannot be detached except by use of tools. When used free-standing, no tools or mounting is required; the stand can be picked up and moved as desired. 

Included with the VTM1-S1 is the innovative MagFit case. The transparent case is made from durable polycarbonate. It securely holds the iPad and, because of a built-in neodymium magnetic connector, the case can be attached to and detached from the VTM1-S1’s mounting bracket/stand without tools. The case can also be attached to any magnetic surface, such as a fridge or cabinet. The connector can rotate 360-degrees so the iPad may be used in portrait or landscape orientation. As a result of the easy attachment and detachment of the MagFit case, it’s even great for transporting and using an iPad when on the go. Another feature of the MagFit case is its textured surface, which ensures the user a firm grip. The case is even compatible with Apple Smart Cover (sold separately, not via Sanus) to ensure iPad protection.

Sanus desplayed several other new products at 2012 CEDIA (Custom Electronic Design & Installation Association) Expo (September 6-8 in Indianapolis, USA)

SANUS website: www.sanus.com

Leonard Maltin Recommends Collection of Movies introduces by Kaleidescape

Kaleidescape has partnered with american film critic Leonard Maltin to curate a compilation of historically significant films, and modern movies. Available exclusively from Kaleidescape, the Leonard Maltin Recommends collection assists in the creation of home cinema experience by identifying great films to add to your collection of movies.  Leonard Maltin Recommends collection was introduced by Kaleidescape at CEDIA 2012 (September 6-8 in Indianapolis, USA).

Leonard Maltin, noted film critic and historian, is the editor of the long-running and influential reference Leonard Maltin's Movie Guide and the companion volume, Leonard Maltin's Classic Movie Guide. He currently hosts the weekly ReelzChannel television show Maltin on Movies, and teaches at the University of Southern California's School of Cinematic Arts.

Kaleidescape is producing exclusive video commentary in which Leonard Maltin will share his thoughts, personal anecdotes, and behind-the-scenes tidbits about each movie in the collection. Additional commentary will be added weekly, and the videos can be viewed on the Kaleidescape website.

"Living in a Big Way was one of Gene Kelly's rare commercial flops, but I selected it because it contains two of the most entertaining musical numbers he ever put on film," said Leonard Maltin. "These pearly gems are rescued by Kaleidescape's video bookmarks because you can simply select 'Fido and Me' or 'Playground Medley' to skip directly to the beginning of these innovative dances."

Leonard Maltin Recommends is available on DVD (26 titles) and Blu-ray Disc (17 titles) at suggested retail prices of $545 and $445 respectively. Additional titles will be added to the collection quarterly.

Headquartered in Sunnyvale, California, Kaleidescape sells its movie servers through custom audio and video installers throughout the world. For more information, visit www.kaleidescape.com

Jota Castro Motherfuckers never die - Exhibition at Museum Het Domein, Sittard, The Netherlands

Jota Castro Motherfuckers never die 
Museum Het Domein, Sittard, The Netherlands
Curator: Roel Arkesteijn 
7 September - 2 December 2012

Jota Castro (Lima, Peru, 1965), a French-Peruvian artist living in Brussels, Belgium, is one of today’s most prominent activist artists. At the end of the 1990s he retired from his work as a diplomat at the European Union and the United Nations to devote himself fully to his activities as an artist and curator. Jota Castro has curated exhibitions including The Fear Society / Pabellón de la Urgencia for the 2009 Venice Biennale and more recently, Dublin Contemporary 2011. In his artistic work, he exposes the machinations of contemporary (consumer) society, sometimes with biting, politically incorrect humor, and he champions the protection of intellectual freedom and democracy. Jota Castro’s exhibition at Museum Het Domein, in the Nertherlands, deals with problems caused by the global economic crisis and developments in European politics. 

Jota Castro, London Calling, 2012, flag, safety pin, 200 x 290 cm. 

Courtesy Galerie Barbara Thumm, Berlin.

In a 2005 interview with Jerôme Sans, Jota Castro posited that ‘Society is changing and the powers that be are getting scared. People are looking for new references, they’re in search of information, they’re discussing it, sharing it. Our society is like clay waiting to be redefined, to be modeled unambiguously. For an artist, our age is the best of times!’ The artist’s recent work embodies a hope for radical change to our (consumer) society. In a visual register that could be characterized as political minimalism, Jota Castro reflects on such diverse subjects as crippling mortgages in the United States, recent genocides, the migration out of Africa, our dependence on oil, Chinese-American trade relationships, the destruction of the Amazonian rainforest due to Western consumption, and other forms of economic and ecological exploitation of Latin America. 

Jota Castro, Seguro. 

Courtesy Galerie Barbara Thumm, Berlin.

The exhibition Motherfuckers never die is the largest solo exhibition of Jota Castro’s work in the Netherlands. A large selection of the artist’s recent drawings, sculptures, and installations, supplemented by a few older key works, will be on display. Many of these works have not been previously shown or have been created especially for the exhibition. The exhibition takes its name from a new sculpture, created for the occasion, that condemns drastic cuts to the Dutch cultural budget. Such attacks on the freedom of expression have always been an issue, the artist states, and he hopes bring this to the viewer’s attention. In this context, Jota Castro’s work can be seen as an arena for free speech, subversive positions, and the desire for hopeful radical alternatives. 

On Sunday, October 7th, at 2pm, Jota Castro will speak about his work and will hold a conversation with Museum Het Domein’s curator of contemporary art, Roel Arkesteijn.

Museum Het Domein Website: www.hetdomein.nl

Hong Kong Watch & Clock Fair and Design Competition 2012

Watches Design - 31st Hong Kong Watch & Clock Fair, 5-9 September, 2012, at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre (HKCEC). The fair is organised by Hong Kong Trade Development Council (HKTDC), Hong Kong Watch Manufacturers Association Ltd and Federation of Hong Kong Watch Trades & Industries Ltd. There is a strong emphasis on international brands and watch parades will show the latest models in fashion presentations.

This post was updated for the opening ceremony

A watch parade at the press conference (August 29) features a selection of watches that will be on display at the 31st Hong Kong Watch & Clock Fair’s Brand Name Gallery.

HKTDC Deputy Executive Director Benjamin Chau (centre) and HKTDC Hong Kong Watch & Clock Fair Organising Committee Co-Chairmen Gabriel Au (right) and Mandy Lai (left) introduce this year’s HKTDC Hong Kong Watch & Clock Fair, 5-9 September, at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre.

The Brand Name Gallery (BNG) once again presents licensed and original branded watches, as well as fine fashion labels and designer collections. The Gallery will gather about 120 brands.

Hush Puppies 10th Anniversary Watch

The USA brand, Hush Puppies Timepieces launches its 10th anniversary watch at the 2012 fair. Conforming to the original Hush Puppies casual style, the model features typical Hush Puppies leather material and bears the “10th Anniversary” stamp. The dial shows only the numeral ‘10’ to celebrate the anniversary event.

Memorigin, Hong Kong

Hong Kong's first tourbillon watch brand, Memorigin, is cooperating with the famous designer Kan Tai Keung to introduce Kan’s 70th Birthday Series at the last day BNG Public Day. Memorigin will also invite a professional watchmaker to demonstrate how this feat of watchmaking, ie the tourbillon, counters the effects of gravity to improve accuracy.

Peter Tanisman SA, Switzerland

Peter Tanisman SA, a brand from Switzerland, introduces its CARROUSEL collection, a perfect watch for the modern women. This Carrousel watch was nominated for the “Watch of the Year 2011” Trophy organized by the Swiss magazine “Montres Passion”.

Temporis Watch, Hong Kong

Temporis, a famous Hong Kong brand, is introducing its new Le Bonheur collection, a simple yet stylish design with a romantic French feel. It will also host a solo watch parade with Ms Myolie Wu, spokesperson and famous artist, presenting the runway show.

Chinese Timekeeper, Hong Kong

On the other hand, the Chinese Timekeeper beautifully exemplifies the Chinese culture in the Chinese Timekeeper three hands automatic with jade. With strong appeal to both the hearts and minds of collectors of Chinese objets d'art, the watch's design with 10 pieces of jade offers a rare visual treat to all viewers.

Zerone, Hong Kong

Zerone, another Hong Kong brand name, has invited 6 designers or artists from Hong Kong and Japan to have the “5+1 crossover” collection, which included Mr. Jan Lamb (DJ/ Artists), SK8THING (Graphic Designer), Hiroaki Masuda (Shoe Designer), Michiharu Shimoda (Graphic Designer/ Musician), Motoki Mizoguchi (Graphic Designer) and TORU EYE (Shop Director of “Title”), to show their innovative design.

Keypad watch by Click Watches, Hong Kong

As one of the Hong Kong brand name, Click Watches have ingeniously re-appropriated these 'retro-tonics' into an entirely new way to show digital watch functions. Keypad watch is a new product of Click from a concept of calculator, number pad and digital locker. It’s totally different from the conventional watch as seen in the display.

NUMLOCK watches’ Color-Psycho collection is according to color psychological definitions, means wearing of certain selected colors will bring encouraging & constructive implications and soothing the soul. The collection was selected as “Design-souvenir” for Tokyo Designers Week during 2009 & 2011.

With these and many more creative watches, BNG Public Day, to be held on the last day of the fair, is expected to attract many members of the public. Events in three major themes - sporty watches, elegant or luxury watches and ready-to-wear watches - will be held within the Wine Cellar in the Grand Hall.

To reach the world’s large luxury market, the fair's World Brand Piazza showcases rare timepieces from some of the world's most renowned watchmakers, including A. Lange & Söhne, Audemars Piguet, Blancpain, Breguet, Chopard, Franck Muller, IWC, Jaeger-LeCoultre, Panerai, Piaget, Roger Dubuis and Ulysse Nardin. The Piazza is sponsored by Prince Jewellery & Watch. Another zone, Pageant of Eternity, will feature high quality complete watch. Buyers catering to a quality-conscious market will find the Pageant of Eternity the answer to their sourcing needs.

In response to the growing market demand for suppliers of goods in small quantities, the “Small-Order Zone” will be set up at the Hall 1B concourse specifically to showcase products suitable for ordering in small quantities of 50-1,000 pieces.

The 2012 Asian Watch Conference during the fair, an important industry event, has invited Mr Shang Jianguang, CEO & Executive Director, China Haidian Holdings Ltd, to be the keynote speaker. Mr Shang is an icon of the Chinese mainland watch & clock industry. Also invited to speak are the representative of GfK Group, one of the largest market research companies in the world, who will present a Seminar on “China and European Watch Markets”. A seminar on “BRICS Market for Watches” and the Hong Kong International Watch Forum are also important information events during the fair period.

Hong Kong Watch & Clock Design Competition Winners

The 29th Watch and Clock Design Competition is always a highlight of the fair. Designs inspired by sailing and water have won top honours at the latest Hong Kong Watch and Clock Design Competition. The winners were announced last week (29 August 2012) by the Hong Kong Trade Development Council (HKTDC), organiser of the HKTDC Hong Kong Watch & Clock Fair.

The design competition’s 29th edition attracted more than 220 entries, with Initial Dream and Love Vision the themes of the Open Group and Student Group respectively. The Open Group champion was Team 1 Design Limited’s Navigator I (photo). The piece features separate dials for hour and minute display, as well as a crown that can be turned to change time zones.

Team 1 Design Limited has been awarded Champion of the Open Group in The 29th Hong Kong and Clock Design Competition for the design of Navigator I

The Student Group’s top prize went to Hong Kong Design Institute’s Ngan Pik Ki, for her Ripple creation. The dial and strap of the watch feature grooves representing ripples, while blue crystal bearings symbolising water drops beneath the hour, minute and second hands roll in the grooves on the watch face.

Winners of the Student Group (left to right): Yoyo Chung Hoi-yau (second runner-up), Ngan Pik-ki (champion) and Tang Chun-kit (first runner-up)

Hong Kong Watch and Clock Fair's Opening Ceremony, 5 September 2012

HKTDC Hong Kong Watch and Clock Fair - Officiating guests at the opening ceremony were (front row, left to right): Mandy Lai, Co-Chairman of the Fair Organising Committee; David Lai, President, Hong Kong Watch Manufacturers Association Ltd; Hilton Cheong-Leen, Honorary Life President, Hong Kong Watch Manufacturers Association Ltd; Fred Lam, Executive Director, HKTDC; Raymond Tam, Secretary for Constitutional and Mainland Affairs; Eddie Leung, Chairman, HKTDC Watches & Clocks Advisory Committee; Samson Sun, Permanent Honorary President, The Federation of Hong Kong Watch Trades & Industries Ltd; Gabrielle Au, Co-Chairman, Fair Organising Committee; and Geoffrey Edward Kao, Vice-Chairman, The Federation of Hong Kong Watch Trades & Industries Ltd.

Winners of the Hong Kong Watch and Clock Design Competition introduce their designs to Constitutional and Mainland Affairs Secretary Raymond Tam (fifth from left), and HKTDC Hong Kong Watch & Clock Fair Organising Committee Co-Chairmen Gabriel Au (fourth from left) and Mandy Lai (fourth from right)

Constitutional and Mainland Affairs Secretary Raymond Tam checks out timepieces at the fair’s Brand Name Gallery

Blancpain is showcasing its Tourbillon watch at the fair. Going for more than HK$16 million, the watch is on display at World Brand Piazza.

The fair’s watches mini-parades showcase the latest looks from exhibitors at the opening ceremony

The world’s largest watch and clock show continues through 9 September at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre

Website: www.hktdc.com/hkwatchfair
Hong Kong Watch & Clock Design Contest: YouTube http://goo.gl/Z6ykH