Frieze Art Fair photography highlights
Katy Grannan, Salon 94
Ryan McGinley, team gallery inc.
Geert Goiris (A former Cheap & Plastique contributor!)
Richard Wentworth, Lisson Gallery
Thomas Ruff
Alec Soth
James Casabere
Other photography:
Gert & Uwe Tobias
Saw Team Gallery‘s dual exhibitions of Gert & Uwe Tobias‘ work the other week and quite enjoyed. The shows are up until March 30th.
First 6 images from Wooster St. location, bottom 4 shots from Grand St. (all images from Team Gallery website).
Volta Art Fair Part I
My favorites from the Volta Art Fair:::
Greg Haberny, Lyons Wier Gallery, New York
Patrick Lo Giudice, Galerie Römerapotheke, Zurich, Switzerland
Patrick was hanging out in the booth at Volta. I chatted with him a bit about his work, he was super nice and showed me this video of how his work is made:
IC-98, Galleria Heino, Helsinki, Finland
William Bradley, EB&Flow, London, England
Marc Fromm, Jarmuschek + Partner, Berlin, Germany
Jock Mooney, Vane, Newcastle upon Tyne, England
Stefan Lenke, galerie baer, Dresden, Germany
Searching
Here Is Always Somewhere Else: The Disappearance of Bas Jan Ader
Searching: Bas Jan Ader, Arianna Carossa & Mie Olise
September 6 — October 6, 2012, Opening: Thursday, September 6, 6—8PM
at Mixed Greens, Chelsea. More information here.
Installation views, Mie Olise paintings, photos by Etienne Frossard
From the Mixed Greens website:
Mixed Greens is thrilled to present Searching, a group exhibition focusing on the work of Bas Jan Ader, Arianna Carossa, and Mie Olise. All three artists explore formal and conceptual ghosts, romanticism, and myth. Through open-ended narratives and juxtapositions, their work comes to represent an artist’s timeless search for connection and communication.
It is often said that a sailor’s boat becomes an extension of himself. In Searching, the artists use the horizon, the ocean, and the vessel as stand-ins for their own quests for meaning. Their work is an extension of their personal histories and research. All three are searching for something that is more easily felt than named, and the process of searching is far more important than any one object of the search.
Artist’s websites:
Bas Jan Ader
Arianna Carossa
Mie Olise
Some photographs from a studio visit I did with Mie a couple of years ago when her studio was in Bushwick/Williamsburg.
yayoi kusama
Went to see the Yayoi Kusama retrospective at the Whitney Museum today.
She is my favorite polka dot lady ever.
More information on the show here. Kusama’s Self-Obliteration below.
Chris Chludenski studio visit
Q & A with Schoolhouse resident, photographer, and mobile maker, Chris Chludenski.
QUESTIONS:::
C & P: You make found object mobiles and also shoot Polaroid photographs. How long have you been creating your mobiles and taking photos? Do you prefer working in one medium over another?
Chris: I’ve been doing both for about thirteen years now. I don’t prefer one medium over another but i certainly produce more Polaroids than I do mobiles. I prefer photography as an artform, as I can take it with me as I go, whereas with the mobiles I need materials and a studio space.
C & P: What are you most frequently drawn to as subject matter in your photography work? How about with your found object mobiles? Is there a correlation between the work?
Chris: I try to say something with the mobiles and express my views. Polaroids for me are much more documentary and don’t necessarily have a message behind them.
C & P: Tell me a bit about your camera collection… How many do you have? Have you used all of them? Which is your favorite?
Chris: I’ve got about 350 cameras. Mostly Kodaks, made between 1890 and 1980, and Polaroids, plus few Imperials, Agfas, and Spartus. Some working, some not. I’ve used about a quarter of them, I bet. Most would be in working order if film were available, but some are just beautiful models I can’t part with. I like that the older cameras were much more stylish, inventive, and decorative than what is produced today. My favorite is between the Big Shot Polaroid, that Andy Warhol made famous in his portraits, or the Kodak Colorburst camera, which Polaroid sued Kodak over and had production of both cameras and film stopped because of patent infringement.
C & P: Now that Polaroid has gone out of business and the film is no longer available what do you shoot with?
Chris: Fuji makes a film compatible with many Polaroid Land Cameras. Also the Impossible Project manufactures instant Polaroid film for sx-70 cameras. The film itself is flawed and expensive, but the idea to keep Polaroid alive is admirable.
C & P: Do you ever shoot digitally or do you prefer to still use film?
Chris: It depends on what I’m shooting. I have a Nikon digital camera that I use sometimes. I’ve also got a Canon 35mm.
C & P: Do you feel that digital lacks a certain quality that you look for in an image?
Chris: It doesn’t lack anything, its just a different aesthetic. A different view of the same thing.
C & P: You studied at Emerson College in Boston, did you study photography there?
Chris: I earned my BA in Photojournalism.
C & P: Do you prefer living in New York to Boston?
Chris: No.
C & P: How has living at the Schoolhouse influenced your work? If at all?
Chris: I’ve been able to see things differently and get new perspectives.
C & P: What artists have been an influence on you?
Chris: Alexander Calder has always been a huge inspiration to me. Robert Capa. Ralph Eugene Meatyard.
C & P: What could you imagine doing if you did not create art?
Chris: Nothing.
________________________________________________________________
The Schoolhouse will be open for Bushwick Open Studios from June 1 – June 3rd, stop by and see the fabulous space (and art inside) for yourself. More information here.
The Schoolhouse will be open:
Friday, the 1st – 5PM — 11PM
Saturday, the 2nd – 12PM — 11PM
Sunday, the 3rd – 12 PM – 8 PM
Augustin Doublet will be screening his new short film Adam all weekend.
Photos © Christine Navin. Do not reproduce without permission.
the schoolhouse art space
Went to check out the Schoolhouse in Bushwick the other weekend. I peeked into a few studios and photographed 3 of the artists working within those spaces, alongside their work. I also photographed some of the common spaces and the interior of the amazing building.
The Schoolhouse was built in 1883 and used as a school until 1945, at which point it was sold to be used as a manufacturing business. It was used as a manufacturing space for many years (more historical information here), then abandoned, and then converted into artist’s live/work spaces in the 1990s. Originally the artists space was called ORT (the German word for site or place and also an acronym for “organizing resources together.”), now the space is just known as the Schoolhouse. Since the 90s there has been a revolving cast of creative individuals taking up residence in the space. The Schoolhouse is not an art collective or commune, however, the members of the house tend to act like a family; sharing art supplies, participating in house events, sometimes collaborating on art projects, and consuming many communal meals together.
The Schoolhouse will be open for Bushwick Open Studios from June 1 – June 3rd, stop by and see the fabulous space (and art inside) for yourself. More information here.
The Schoolhouse hours over BOS weekend:
Friday, the 1st – 5PM — 11PM
Saturday, the 2nd – 12PM — 11PM
Sunday, the 3rd – 12 PM – 8 PM
Augustin Doublet will be screening his new short film Adam all weekend.
Here are some photographs of the Schoolhouse space. And a Q & A about the space with 3 of the resident artists, Justin Orvis Steimer, Augustin Doublet, and Chris Chludenski.
I will also be posting interviews over the next couple of days with these artists that concentrate more on their individual artwork and studio spaces.
________________________________________________________________
QUESTIONS:::
C & P: How many years have you each lived at the Schoolhouse?
Justin: I moved in May of 2008, so 4 years now.
Chris: 3 years.
Augustin: 3 years.
2nd floor
2nd floor
C & P: Have you found that the area of Bushwick where the Schoolhouse is located has changed a lot since you moved into the space?
Justin: Broadway hasn’t changed a whole lot. A bodega or store will go out of business occasionally but it is replaced by something similar to what was already there. A lot of the bodegas are remodeling, putting up new signs, brighter lights, nicer counters but they still sell the same stuff. As you get closer to the Morgan and Jefferson L train stops there are a lot more start up restaurants and stores, places that weren’t there one or two years ago. There are definitely more police around than there used to be, including mounted police surveillance cameras and these star wars looking mobile cop towers that raise up like 20 feet.
Chris: Not really.
Augustin: I was surprised the other day to see a young white couple carrying their babies around on Broadway. 3 years ago I truly think that the Schoolhouse was one of the few places where white people lived in this part of Bushwick.
2nd floor
2nd floor
C & P: Have you ever lived in similar places in other cities?
Justin: No.
Chris: Nope.
Augustin: I spent one summer in Barcelona in a very creative environment but no I truly think that the Schoolhouse is unique. Actually the space and the people of the Schoolhouse played a major part in the choice I made to stay in New York.
2nd floor
2nd floor
2nd floor
C & P: Do you collaborate with past and present residents of the Schoolhouse? Do you consider the residents of the Schoolhouse to be members of a collective ?
Justin: So many people have been in and out of here, it all depends. Sometimes someone moves in that just clicks and in that case collaboration happens naturally. Some people move in and keep more to themselves and don’t really get involved with the rest of the house too much. Right now we have an amazingly talented group that has been living here for a couple years. We have created a family more than a collective. We cook and eat together often, we spend a lot of time talking and bouncing ideas around. When someone moves out they know that they always have a home here.
Chris: Not really a collective, per se. More like collaborating artists. It is good to have other people to run ideas by that aren’t necessarily working in the same medium as you, and also there’s a lot of material sharing going on, which is more convenient than having to go to the art store.
Augustin: We just finished the production of a short movie together. It was a fantastic and intense experience. All who live here are true artists and craftsman. So you can imagine how pleasant it is to work with skilled people that you love and care about.
It’s the second movie that I have produced with the roommates and I truly hope to continue this type of collaboration. One of the former roommates, Derek Deems, even came back from LA just to help with the shoot.
In my view the Schoolhouse is more of a community than a collective, meaning that the bond between people is more based on friendship than on art.
3rd floor
3rd floor
3rd floor
3rd floor
C & P: What is your greatest memory of time spent at the Schoolhouse since you have lived there?
Justin: Honestly what I enjoy the most is laying in the bathtub in my room in the late afternoon light, watching the reflections of the water on the ceiling and being totally at peace with the universe.
Chris: Holidays like Thanksgiving are really fun and unique when everyone’s around. Some of the events we’ve thrown like the “tooth replacement” fundraiser will always stand out in my mind.
Augustin: The Block Party that we throw with our neighbors every summer is certainly one of the best time.
3rd floor
3rd floor
3rd floor
3rd floor
C & P: What sort of events do you have in the space? Art-related? Music-related?
Justin: On my floor (the second floor) we have art shows every couple of months. Usually we show the work of people living in the house and our friends. Recently we hosted an Animamus Art Salon which brought in artists who we had never met. I like for the space to be used like that, bringing people together.
Chris: Both. Plus fundraisers for art, music, or good causes…
Augustin: All types of events. The people of the 3rd floor are for the most part musicians so you can expect to have a concert of indie-rock, electro, noise every month or so… Mark Dwinnel, who kind of manages the space of the 3rd floor, also used to organize lectures and poetry readings. I use the space to produce electro parties with Resolute and burlesque shows with MadSharpe production. Otherwise I would say that every other month the 1st and 2nd floor people exhibit their work or make the space available for performances.
3rd floor
3rd floor
C & P: I read that you throw a block party in the summer. How did that start? Do most of the people in the building participate in some capacity?
Justin: Our neighbors have been throwing the block party for years. Only in the past couple have we begun to get involved. It has grown to become one of the best days of the year. The whole block comes together to celebrate the summer. We grill out front and blast music from the roof. Everyone brings something to eat or drink and the whole block shares everything. Our neighbors set up pools in the street and rent a giant (like 30 feet tall) inflatable water slide. At night we move the party inside and keep going until morning.
Chris: You just gotta get a permit for a date, then get neighborhood signatures. Then the city closes the street down for the day and all have a great time. Everyone is the building either comes out, or cooks, or just joins in the general festivities. Its probably the kids who live on the block that have the most fun, getting to run around like maniacs all day.
3rd floor
3rd floor
C & P: You are also involved in Bushwick Open Studios at the beginning of June. Do you have any special events planned in the space for the occasion?
Justin: Each of us will have our work up all over the space. We are going to build some tents to hang out in and I am going to make pancakes. I will play the organ in the living room a bit as well. Elliot will be screen printing down stairs and Willy will be roller skating around the dance studio while playing the guitar and singing.
Chris: There will be music events for sure. And we’re all putting up some sort of art, so there will be plenty to see.
Augustin: Yes, of course! We will screen the latest movie that I directed and produced. It’s a very dear project to me and I’m very proud of it. It’s a short fiction named ADAM. The story revolves around the day of a street smart kid in Bushwick.
the roof
the roof
Photos © Christine Navin. Do not reproduce without permission.
frieze art fair new york
Went to the Frieze Art Fair NY last Monday and have just finally had the time to go through the images that I shot and think more about what I saw.
A lot of folk like to hate on the art fair but I honestly enjoy them. Yes, they are usually situated in a pretty sterile environment for art viewing (but aren’t most galleries in a similar situation too?), they are generally overcrowded (but not on an off day like Monday!!!), & too hot, with a lack of refreshments. But, despite these negative aspects, it is pretty great to see such a variety of artwork, from an international roster of artistes, and only have to devote a few hours of my life to the effort—no need to fly to Switzerland, Germany, China, or Estonia (although if I had the time and money I would do that as well)!
It was fantastic to see my favorite galleries from London right here in NYC (and much easier to navigate here, in the tent, than in Londontown!) Every year I discover many galleries from Berlin and elsewhere that I have never heard of before, who end up on my list of galleries to monitor on the web. These discoveries help me when gathering information and looking for new artists for future issues of Cheap & Plastique. Seeing all of these non-NYC galleries also helps me to keep an open mind and gain a broader perspective on what is happening in the art world internationally, not just here in New York City. And I do tend to prefer what the international galleries have on offer.
So, yes, I was pretty psyched about the addition of Frieze to the art fair frenzy in NYC.
And I was especially glad that they decided to throw the art party on a weekend other than Armory Week, which is always too crazy, with too much to do and too many fairs to try to get oneself to! Frieze, please come back next year!
Here are some of the works that stood out to me:
Going on Monday versus the weekend was a really good idea, minus that waiting for the ferry was kinda crappy with lots of rain and wind.
Thomas Ruff
Anish Kapoor
Adrian Ghenie, Galerie Plan B, Berlin
I LOVE LOVE LOVE this painting!
Huda Lutfi, The Third Line, Dubai
Ivan Seal, Carl Freedman Gallery, London (4 images above)
My second favorite works at the fair, a write up on Ivan here.
Tracey Moffatt
Mike Kelley (RIP)
Raymond Pettibon
Paul McCarthy
Grand Openings, Taka Ishii Gallery, Tokyo
Contemporary Art from Pakistan
Méré Humd(r)um—Contemporary Art from Pakistan
Aicon Gallery
January 26—February 25, 2012
Opening Thursday evening, from 6–9
rsvp here: newyork@aicongallery.com
Facebook invite here.
This should be an interesting show. Some highlights:
Abdullah M. I. Syed, THE FLYING RUG IV, 2011, Folded U.S. one dollar bills and staple pins, 31.5 x 51 in.
Abdullah M. I. Syed, THE FLYING RUG OF DRONES (Ed. of 3), 2009, Box-cutter knife blades and stainless steel, 48 x 96 in. (above 2 images)
Seher Naveed, BETWEEN THE EVENT AND ITS INTERPRETATION, 2011, Paper cuts, 15 x 18 in.
Seher Naveed, THE NOTHING OF ‘THE EVERYDAY’, 2011, Paper cuts, 15 x 18 in.
Shoaib Mehmood, UNTITLED 1, Gouache on wasli, 3.5 x 8 in.
Iqra Tanveer, REALITY SCAPE FOR WEB, 2011, Inkjet on cotton rag, 24 x 36 in.
Ehsan ul Haq, FAN AND WATER, 2008, Pedestal fan, metal container and water, 52 x 42 x 42 in.
From Aicon Gallery‘s website:
Aicon Gallery New York is proud to present Méré Humd(r)um, a group exhibition of Contemporary art from a new wave of young Pakistani artists. The Urdu word Humdum, one syllable removed from its mundane English cousin, means someone who is so close that their breath and yours are one. The word Méré, with even less separating it from the minimal, almost pejorative, “mere” of the English language, is infused with belonging – it means mine. Together, Méré Humdum becomes a term of endearment for a mentor, a friend or a lover. But in a linguistic coincidence it is just a syllable away from the English “mere humdrum.” Today, more than sixty years after Pakistan’s independence, the ordinary, the everyday, the humdrum, remains an object of longing for most Pakistanis – the type of longing one might reserve for a lover. A day when there is no bombing, no violence on the streets – a day when the school bus is delayed only by traffic is a day of thanksgiving and celebration. The twelve artists in this exhibition have created work in direct response to the chaos and violence surrounding them, yet much of this work is imbued with an intrinsic and eternal optimism that stands in defiant contrast to the instability and uncertainty from which it has emerged.
leave a comment