Saul Leiter and Wim Wenders at the Deichtorhallen

The Deichtorhallen Hamburg had a retrospective of Saul Leiters work, including his photographs, paintings, collage and fashion photography.

 

 

  

 

I didn't find his paintings very interesting, but his paintings on photographs were really something special. His color palette was quite unexpected and sometimes you couldn't see any traces of the photograph so that if you weren't aware, it wouldn't be apparent that there is a photo underneath. His use of mirrors, windows and light distortion was constant through his art and fashion photography. Many of the techniques he used are commonplace today and thus don't sound very original, but he was one of their pioneers and he did it with such grace.

Wim Wenders had a photography show at the Deichtorhallen as well, at the Sammlung Falckenberg collection in Harburg. To my dissapointment, and for most of those who went that I spoke with, his photographic works were underwhelming. As my friend Lumen pointed out, you could stop his films at any given moment and find a much more interesting image than the ones presented in this show. I think part of the problem was the scale. The photographs were printed very large, which seemed to accentuate their banality. They were more impressive in the catalog than on the wall. In his statement, Wenders explains that he makes these images when he's getting lost while wandering and stumbling upon strange and quiet places. It surprises me that he has this strong feeling for the moments he captures, and he is such a talented filmmaker, but that feeling doesn't emanate from the photographs like they do in the films.

Louise Borgeois at the Kunsthalle

In honor of the great, late Louise Bourgeois 100th birthday, the Hamburger Kunsthalle has a show highlighting some of her major projects. One of her famous Maman (1999), giant metal spider sculpture, sits at the entrance to the museum. This project, she explains in the feature length documentary Lousise Bourgeois: The Spider, the Mistress, and the Tangerine (2008) (also at the exhibit), represents her mother and the sharp intellect she inherited from her. More personally, it represents a reconciliation with her mother.

 

The title piece of the show, Passage Dangeroux (1997), is a huge cage-like structure holding different “rooms” of found and sculptural objects representing memories of her childhood as well as the feminine psyche and psychological trauma. Unfortunately this impressive piece felt dwarfed by the large hall, I think it would have been more effective if it felt more closed in, in a smaller space.

 

My favorite piece in the show was, Untitled (1996),  an installation of sheer garments hanging from giant bones casting ever-so-slightly moving shadows on the floor. The delicacy of human life seemed suspended here. On my second visit to the show I noticed newly formed spider webs and a piece of blond hair hanging from the garments. These unintentional additions were so eloquent. 

 

 In addition to Bourgeois sculptures there are two wings of her 2-D work. One holds many rooms filled with framed fabric pages of the book Ode à l'Oubli (Ode to Forgetfulness) (2002), sewn with patterns and text. 

 

The other displays large scale etchings from the series À L'infini (2008). These look like watercolors depicting converging lines which represent thread. This thread is so significant because her mother was a seamstress and she associates her with the spider. The red colors invoke human organs and makes one think of the mother spinning the web of life.

Bourgeois long career involved her in many movements, such as surrealism, abstract expressionism and feminist art. She was one of the first female artists to be recognized and show with the other big names in museums. Her life and work paved the way for many woman artists as well as installation art, and her genuinely personal approach to art making has never wavered.

 

Made it to Germany!

I stopped over in New York for a couple days on the way and got a chance to see Cindy Sherman's retrospective at MOMA. It was great to finally see the entire Untitled Film Stills series together. Her giant wallpaper mural was great as well.

 

(Taken off ArtNet as photography was not allowed)

There were so many other amazing works on display and spending an entire day there wasn't enough. Here are a few highlights...

My favorite exhibition was Sanja Ivecović's "Sweet Violence". She is a feminist, activist, and video pioneer from Croatia who became known during the 70's. This is her first museum exhibition in the U.S. and it spans four decades of her work. She introduced me to the fact that the U.S. is one of only eight countries left in the world who have yet to adopt CEDAW, the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women. The other countries not participating are Iran, Nauru, Palau, Qatar, Somalia, Sudan and Tonga. Among many other issues relating to equality for women it affirms the reproductive rights of women, which is something the U.S. is definitely behind on (please note CEDAW is abortion neutral, but promotes access to family planning).

The performance captured on video titled "Practice Makes a Master", was very powerful. It showed a woman on a stage in black dress and shoes with a white bag over her head falling over in violent reactions to an invisible assailant while a spotlight switches on and off. This was set to Marylin Monroe singing a sensual tune from the movie "Bus Stop", slowed down to where it eventually sounds like a man's voice at the end of the film. It had a Lynchian feel with a very direct message about the rehearsal of violence and psychological savagery.

(The version I saw was different. The one at MOMA had more of the song, the falling was not in slow motion, and it did not show the lighting/camera etc.)

This piece was not in the show, but I think it's brilliant.  Eve’s Game, 2009

I was also happy to see some of Hannah Wilke's pieces including these...

The incredible sand filled nylons of Senga Nengudi.

Senga Nengudi, R.S.V.P. I, 1977

There was plenty of fabulous photography as well...

 Two pieces from Ai Wei Wei's Study in Perspective, 1995-2003.

Nan Goldin

1. Nan and Brian in Bed, New York City
1983

2. Philippe H. and Suzanne Kissing at Euthanasia, New York City

1981

3. Rise and Monty Kissing, New York City
1980

 

And an entire Eugene Atget Exhibit. I loved this one of a prostitute. I would definitely sport those leather boots with knee socks and giant mink.

I checked out the last day of the H.R. Geiger retrospective today and found out there is a Louise Bourgeois exhibit at the Hamburg Art Hall. More to come...

Upcoming Shows

I'm leaving for a semester in Hamburg, Germany on Feb. 29th, but I'll be doing this show in Austin before I go...

I will also have work in the CAC's NOLA NOW II: The Human Figure, running May 5th through June 3rd.

Details:

Contemporary Arts Center

First Floor Gallery

900 Camp Street

New Orleans, LA 70130

(504) 528-3805

http://nolanow.cacno.org/

May 5-June 3, 2012

Opening Reception

May 5, 2012

6 p.m.

Avant Garden, a curated arts market + PechaKucha Night

CONSTANCE PRESENTS THE 6TH AVANT GARDEN INCLUDING THE PREMIER OF PECHAKUCHA NIGHT

Hosted by the Joan Mitchell Center
2275 Bayou Road, New Orleans LA 70119

Saturday, December 17th, 11am-6pm,
with Pecha Kucha following from 7p-9p.

Avant Garden is a semi-annual curated arts market hosted by Constance, a local art / design publishing group and arts organization. Featuring artists, designers, and makers from the New Orleans community, Avant Garden's goal is to provide an alternative to the usual local Arts Markets by a process of individually inviting vendors that represent emerging talent in the city, enriching our cultural economy as a whole.

PechaKucha Night is a place for young artists and thinkers to meet and show their work in public. Each of the 10 presenters are allowed 20 images, each shown for 20 seconds - giving 6 minutes 40 seconds of fame before the next presenter is up.



I will be selling my clothing designs as well as photographs.

Upcoming Group Shows

"Push Pin Show"
Homespace Gallery
1128 St. Roch Ave. New Orleans, LA 70117
October 8th - November 5th, 2011

"Papergirl SF"
Incline Gallery
766 Valencia St. San Fancisco, CA 94110
October 15 - 22, 2011

"Salon de Refuses"
Trouser House
4105 St. Claude Ave. New Orleans, LA 70117
October 22 – November 30, 2011

Stitch In Time: Antenna Gallery Aug. 13th

Come to the opening of Stitch in Time at Antenna Gallery on August 13th from 6-9pm. If you can't make it to the opening, it will be on view until September 4th. My work will be shown along side other artists bringing together the elements of needle, thread and time. This show curated by Susan Gisleson and Laura Gipson as a sequel to the 2008 show, Stitch.

Antenna Gallery: 3161 Burgundy Street, New Orleans, LA 70117
Gallery Hours – Saturdays and Sundays from noon-5pm and by appointment.

Read more about the show here.

The Beautiful/Decay book 6: Future Perfect is now available for sale here. I have a feeling they will run out soon because I got 1,387 of 1,500 copies. I can assure you it is a chock full of interesting art and no ads.