Tag Archives: curator

Recovered (almost) from the BORDERS Exhibition

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The artists, co-curator, and myself at the exhibition opening

Back from Berlin, and feeling like I have finally caught up on my sleep after a long week installing, opening, and taking down BORDERS, the group exhibition I curated with Trevor Amery. It was such an interesting process curating this virtually. Between this blog and my current work, much of my life is online, so to speak, but organizing an art exhibition in Berlin from my computer in Budapest took it to the next level. Also, my co-curator, who lives in a different city in Hungary, and I would Skype and email to make up for the few in-person meetings. Yet somehow it all came together–and it’s hard to imagine how it could have gone smoother.

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BORDERS was a group show featuring the work of nine artists working throughout Europe, from Greenland to Turkey. Hanging all the works–with the inevitable changes and challenges once you saw them in the space–was such a fun process. Seeing the gallery space for the first time, meeting the artists, installing their works all had the joy of discovery, as well as the feeling of finally meeting old friends.  And seeing old and new friends from the US, Berlin, and many, many other places at the opening was such a rewarding experience. Truly it would not have been possible had it not been such a collaborative effort from all involved. The great guys at Staycation Museum were such a help throughout.

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I only wish I had had the chance to see more of Berlin itself! More photos here and here.

Ugo Rondinone’s spirit level

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Sprawling over 2 gallery spaces and featuring the works of 19 artists, artist Ugo Rondinone curated “the spirit level,” a beautiful show that ended April 21st. Lots and lots of pictures of the installation below. This show exemplified great curation to me. The works keyed off each other beautifully, and the environment itself became a work of art, as it were. There’s a nice review of it in the New York Times here.

Above and below is the entrance to the 24th Street Gladstone gallery, with Ann Craven’s large, dark paintings on the wall and Latifa Echakhch’s “Frames”, rectangular rugs with the centers cut out, on the floor. 

Andrew Lord’s ceramic vessels

Saul Fletcher’s tiny quiet Polaroids

Jay DeFeo’s charcoal drawings

 

Sarah Lucas’s penises

Bronze reclining nudes by Hans Josephsohn, canvas pyramids by Alan Shields, and a mural-sized suite of Amy Granat’s photograms of flowers.

In the 21st street gallery, the lower room held Peter Buggenhout’s enormous, dust-covered sculptures.

Sam Gilliam’s “Wall Cascade” and “Close to Trees,” two equally huge swaths of fabric hung from the walls.

Joe Bradley’s star canvases.

Hans Schärer. Love the teeth so much.

Upstairs room at the 21st St. gallery was filled with Vienna actionist Rudolf Schwarzkogler’s tortured photograghs alongside Al Hansen’s cigarette-butt Venus torsos on panels.
 

Thelma Golden: How art gives shape to cultural change

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This TED clip (one of an excellent series) shows Thelma Golden of the Studio Museum in Harlem discussing past exhibitions that have explored how art examines and redefines culture. The “post-black” artists she works with are using their art to create a dialogue about race and culture — and Goldin shares her views about her role in the process. It’s about 15  minutes long–so be prepared to settle in to watch it.

More great TED talks here.