LOOK INTO MY OWL

In five days, “One Place,” the first solo exhibition in the UK from Chiharu Shiota opens at Haunch of Venison in London. The towering work, “A Room of Memory” shown below installed at the 21st Century Museum of Contemporary Art in Kanzawa, Japan will be on view.

Chiharu Shiota, A Room of Memory, found windows, 2009.

The piece was created from 400 windows collected over the years from a variety of abandoned structures throughout Berlin. The structure is colossal in scale but the worn and paint chipped forms encourage sentiments of an insular meditation space.

Chiharu Shiota, Biel Klavier 139, mixed media installation, 2009.

Shiota will also be creating a site specific thread piece similar to the work above from the exhibit “In Silence” at the Centre Pasquart in Switzerland. Several small, boxed thread works incorporating household utensils will also be on hand. Her intent with this vein of exploration centers around the idea of drawing in three dimensions. It is a gripping concept carried out to unforgettable results.

Chiharu Shiota
One Place
19 February – 27 March 2010
Haunch of Venison
London

Today held a landmark ceremony for the city of Denver. Groundbreaking took place for the Clyfford Still Museum scheduled to open in 2011.

Clyfford Still Museum, Groundbreaking Celebration, Denver, Colorado, 2009.

Clyfford Still Museum, Groundbreaking Celebration, Denver, Colorado, 2009.

Mayor John Hickenlooper, Clyfford Still Museum, Groundbreaking Celebration, Denver, Colorado, 2009.

After the typical speeches and several rounds of applause, it was explained to the crowd that Still was not fond of tradition and the standard groundbreaking would not take place. Behind the podium a large piece of construction machinery fired up and pounded the ground with a sound you could feel. The appendage rose into the air and paused then turned hard left into the adjacent building. The corner of the building to be replaced with the museum was repeatedly smashed to the tune of low level fireworks.

Clyfford Still Museum, Groundbreaking Celebration, Denver, Colorado, 2009.

Clyfford Still Museum, Groundbreaking Celebration, Denver, Colorado, 2009.

Clyfford Still Museum, Groundbreaking Celebration, Denver, Colorado, 2009.

Clyfford Still Museum, North Rendering, Allied Works Architecture, 2009.

The museum will house over 2,400 of the artist’s work broken down as follows.

100 paintings dating from 1920 – 1943: Still’s student years, Depression-era works, Surrealist-inspired works, and first forays into abstraction.

350 paintings dating from 1944 – 1960: Still’s “breakthrough period” and the years of “high” Abstract Expressionism. Many canvases span over ten-by-fourteen feet.

375 paintings dating from 1961 – 1979: later works, most of which have never been exhibited.

1575 works on paper spanning all aspects of Still’s career in such media as pastel, crayon, charcoal, gouache, tempera, graphite, and pen and ink. Few of these have ever been exhibited.

In addition to the artworks, the museum will also house the artist’s archives of letters, sketchbooks, manuscripts, photo albums and personal effects, most of which has never been seen by the public.

Clyfford Still Museum, Model Elevation, Allied Works Architecture, 2009.

Clyfford Still Museum
Groundbreaking Celebration
14 December 2009
13th Avenue and Bannock Street
Denver, Colorado

“Ephemera”, a solo exhibition of photography by Ayoung Kim is up at I-MYU Projects in London.

Ayoung Kim, Headless body found in Thames, 21 April, 2007, Digital C-Type Print, 2007.

These intricate constructions were made with the intent to photograph. The arrangement and lighting of the two-dimensional pieces present the illusion of an uncanny dream space.

Ayoung Kim, British teacher found buried in bathtub of sand, 28 March, 2007, Digital C-Type Print, 2008.

The content is pulled from some of the more gruesome headlines that unfortunately occur with regularity. Kim chooses to photograph angles that parallel our detachment from these events but also draws us in with the vantage point of the onlooker. The artist is in control of this world, at once personalizing the tragedies and shaping our response.

Ayoung Kim, Mystery of the poisoned spy, 1 Nov, 2006, Digital C-Type Print, 2007.

Ayoung Kim
Ephemera
24 July – 15 August 2009
I-MYU Projects
London

“Habitat Machines”, a new series of photographs by David Trautrimas is on display at the photo-eye Gallery in Santa Fe.

David Trautrimas, Oil Can Residence, 2008.

The artist disassembles common household items and photographs the individual parts. The collected imagery is reconstructed digitally to form peculiar feats of architecture. The addition of dramatic skies and landscape elements root the structures and thoroughly complete the illusion.

David Trautrimas, The Measurement District, 2008.

The selection of appliances from the middle part of the last century enhances the industrial feel of the constructs. There is a sensation that the buildings are quite old due to the rusting wear inherited from the source material. These photographs exhibit the playful imagination of the artist while presenting to the viewer a future that never materialized.

David Trautrimas, Space Heater Place, 2008.

David Trautrimas
Habitat Machines
10 July – 12 September 2009
photo-eye Gallery
Santa Fe, New Mexico

It is safe to turn off the television for the next few months as there is a constant sideshow on stage in London’s historic Trafalgar Square. Antony Gormley has invited 2400 people to occupy the fourth “empty” plinth for one hour each over the course of 100 days. The entire spectacle is being broadcast via live streaming video at One & Other.

Antony Gormley, One & Other, still from video, 2009.

The Fourth Plinth was constructed in the 1840’s to support an equestrian statue. Owing to financial shortcomings, the statue was never erected and the plinth has stood vacant. In 1998 commissioned works from contemporary artists began to appear atop the structure and Gormley’s project is the latest installment.

Antony Gormley, One & Other, still from video, 2009.

The democratization of space in one of the most recognizable spots on the planet is a moving gesture. The intent of the artist is for the public to encounter ideas that their neighbors feel are important. These living statues may choose to forward a cause, express personal issues or just spend an hour doing nothing. The experiment promises a current portrait of the United Kingdom. I’m hoping that the exhibit grows into a traveling show.

Antony Gormley, One & Other, still from video, 2009.

“One & Other” is a fitting title for this brilliant piece. There is a strong draw to find out how the “plinthers” will use their hour in the spotlight. At the same time, Gormley incites us to ponder the things that we cherish. What would you do?

Applications for time slots are still being taken. Head to the website for details. Below you will find a video where Antony Gormley describes his project in detail.

Antony Gormley
One & Other
6 July – 14 October 2009
Trafalgar Square
London

The first retrospective on U.S. soil for the legendary Dan Graham is currently on view at the Whitney Museum in NYC. The museum has a rich program of exhibitions for the summer including Sadie Benning, Claes & Coosje and Photoconceptualism. I’ll be in the city for a few days in August and the Whitney is a guaranteed stop.

Dan Graham, Figurative, 1965.

Dan Graham has exhibited extensively since the 1960’s pioneering some now fundamental concepts that are in play through every conscious mode of expression. He was among the few that understood that it was conceivable to mash minimalism with rock music, high art and tract housing. The practice of contrasting opposing cultural preferences was unusual and even regarded with apprehension. Brave experimenters like Graham nudged us all a bit into the future.

Dan Graham, Detail from Homes for America, 1966-67.

Graham has enjoyed success in many media including print, film, performance and architecture. The artist has imbued each aesthetic with a flow of heady notions cooked down to simple principles.

Dan Graham, Performer/Audience/Mirror, 1977.

In keeping with the spirit of their subject for this retrospect, the Whitney is hosting a wide array of events. The show opened with an acoustic concert by the Feelies with more music planned through July. There are also film screenings, discussions, and a conversation with Dan Graham and Glenn Branca on tap. Check the schedule as you may want to plan several trips.

Dan Graham, Skateboard Pavilion, 1989.

This is the second leg of the tour for “Beyond”, the exhibit was held at the Museum of Contemporary Art, Los Angeles earlier this year and continues on to the Walker Art Center in the Fall.

Dan Graham
Beyond
25 June – 11 October 2009
Whitney Museum of American Art
NYC

J. MAYER H. is an architecture firm based in Berlin. The company was founded in 1996 by Jürgen Mayer H. and now employs the collective talents of more than sixty creative minds. “Patterns of Speculation” is their first solo museum exhibition and is currently on view at the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art.

The designs are on the wild end of the spectrum. Often times architecture this visionary drifts from intended purpose into an aesthetic abyss. J. MAYER H. succeeds in the basic principals of construction while excelling in the experimentation of design theory. These are extraordinary structures built with real people in mind.

The basic principal followed by the studio is derived from data protection such as the linings found in privacy envelopes. The intricate designs for the envelops are often made from logos or overlapping alphanumeric text. When examined closely, the web of information creates endless variety in the collision of forms. J. MAYER H. hunts the best of these chaotic moments and incorporates them into their structural designs.

With over thirty-five designs finished, many of which have already been built, J. MAYER H. has emerged as a prolific force with aggressive designs. Head over to the website and take pleasure in the future of today.

J. MAYER H.
Patterns of Speculation
6 February – 7 July 2009
San Francisco Museum of Modern Art

An excellent series of gallery entryway photographs by Andy Freeberg are being shown at the Rosier Gallery in San Francisco. The gallery operates by appointment only, contact them at (415) 753-1214 to schedule a viewing.

Here is what Freeberg has to say about “Sentry”:
“It was an odd moment when I walked into that first gallery in Chelsea and saw a large white desk with a head poking up from the top edge of the computer screen. I took out my camera, carefully framing and exposing the scene, and the head never moved or took notice of my gaze. As I walked around that booming Chelsea neighborhood of art galleries, I began to notice a trend: at some of the biggest galleries there are giant entry desks, where the top of the head of the desk sitter is often the only other human presence. This leads me to wonder, in this digital world of email and instant messaging that supposedly makes us more connected, are we also setting up barriers to the simple eye to eye contact that affirms our humanity?”

I see the tall desk as a necessity and yes, we have one at our gallery, NOWhere Limited. The importance of a first impression is critical. If you enter a gallery and are met with magazines and sketchbooks in use by the gallery sitter then you are likely to be distracted. This wall hides the clutter and leaves the visitor free to concentrate on the artwork unaware of the double tall latte.

The rule at our space is to make eye contact and offer a greeting. Anything less is inexcusable. Of course, some days are better than others.

Andy Freeberg
Sentry
5 March – 2 June 2009
Rosier Gallery
San Francisco