James says it better than I can, as usual. Today marks the launch of our new publishing venture, Idiom.
Its mission statement:
Idiom is an online publication of urban artistic practice. By allowing emerging artists, writers and arts professionals to report on, review, and otherwise cover overlooked or under-thought aspects of the larger creative community, Idiom offers a local, engaged counterpoint to the prevailing discourse of contemporary art.
Click on the image above, or go here for more information. Come join us and buy some art to support a great organization!
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One of the reasons I post so rarely these days is that I have been working on improvements to ArtCat — both the calendar and hosting applications. While you are out tonight at openings in Chelsea or elsewhere, you can check out our site on your phone using our new mobile site.
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Franklin Evans, Extraction from C/S/SS: A Year of Magical Thinking, 2009
Digital print on Arches cold pressed paper with hand additions in watercolor and ink
22 × 30 inches
Edition of 30 unique, signed works
Franklin Evans has some new work from one of my favorite artist-run publishing studios, Element Editions. Each one has hand painting by the artist, so that it is unique.
Franklin also has a solo show opening next week at Sue Scott on the Lower East Side that looks great.
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Jane Benson, Dead Swan Wallpaper, 2009
cut Laura Ashley Wallpaper
Sadly, the show is closed now, but check out the artist’s website for more images. Best use of messed-up plinths I’ve seen in a gallery!
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Austin Thomas Sketchbook
We saw the sketchbook above at a great show titled “Draw” at Norte Maar in Bushwick, featuring drawings by established and emerging artists + architects, designers, choreographers and composers. The drawings are generally pre-study stage, more like R&D.
Austin’s 2-year project Pocket Utopia ends its run in Bushwick on the 28th, as does a show of her work at Kris Graves Projects in DUMBO. Check out the ArtCat Zine interview with her by our awesome summer intern Stephanie.
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On Saturday, May 30th a select group of artists will present Playing Through, an extensive mini golf course (and then some) at Industry City in Sunset Park, Brooklyn (55 33rd Street). From noon to midnight, the 16,000 sqft, 15ft ceilinged industrial space will be transformed into a carnival extravaganza. We are eliminating greens fees and assembling a full food court featuring many local vendors. There will be a cotton candy machine and a popcorn waterfall. The course will have roaming beverage cart service. Nightfall will see the musical stage come to life, with several bands performing. In these tough economic times we’re taking care of you with an entire day of free entertainment for everyone on the Brooklyn waterfront.
James and I hope to stop by this on Saturday. It’s an interesting group of artists, ranging from recent Hunter MFA graduates to more “established” artists like Rachel Harrison. James and I have written about quite a few of them. I was told by one of the organizers that they wanted to use an event like this to introduce the artists working there to the broader community. I particularly like the fact that they have fliers in English and Spanish!
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Carrie Moyer, Mythic Being (detail), 2008, acrylic on canvas, 50 × 30 inches
Work stuff is not leaving much time for blog posts, so I’m posting images of some of my favorite things seen lately. That definitely includes Carrie Moyer’s excellent show of paintings at Canada, up through June 7. Do not miss it.
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Angela Dufresne, Some Like it Hot, 2009, oil on canvas, 40 × 60 inches (via Monya Rowe Gallery)
Angela Dufresne, Nosforatu Street Scene with Italian Hookers (from Herzog’s ‘Nosforatu’), 2008, oil on canvas, 84 × 132 inches (via CRG Gallery)
My own photos didn’t turn out so well, so here are two images of Angela’s work from the gallery websites. I’ve been following her work for a while, and the latest paintings are my favorite work by her so far. The Monya Rowe show closes June 13, and the CRG show closes July 2.
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