The day I went to see the two shows reviewed here, I heard the news that the British Empire was getting a nip/tuck when Barbados announced it would henceforth be a republic. The news item reminded me of a remark one of my college professors made a good many years ago. Empires fall, he said, “Look at the Habsburgs — what do you have but Vienna and the suburbs.” During the 20-minute drive to the Burlington City Arts Gallery, I tried to name as many empires as I could remember — the Roman, Babylonia, Sassanid, Hittite, and so on. I may have been more focused on the snow and road conditions, had I not been anticipating the exhibition “Objects of Empire,” one of the two exhibits on view through February 5. (To read more, pick up a copy of our latest issue! Find a pick-up location near you or Subscribe Here.) … [Read more...] about THE ARCHITECTURE OF DISRUPTION: BRADLEY BORTHWICK AND UNBOUND ARTISTS IN BURLINGTON
Reviews
HIROSHIGE’S LASTING LEGACY: MOKUHANGA SISTERS UPDATE JAPANESE PRINTMAKING AT SVAC
To its devoted proponents, Japanese water-based printmaking, known as “mokuhanga,” is more than a means of self-expression — it is a discipline, a practice, even a way of life. Each aspect of mokuhanga demands a spirit of humility and respect for the art form, with an attentiveness and regard for the storied legacy the technique carries. Among modern-day practitioners working in the medium, some have abandoned vocations and professional careers to devote themselves to mokuhanga as a dedicated life’s path. Traceable to eighth-century woodblock printing, water- based printmaking became celebrated and prevalent in Japan during the Edo period (1604-1868). The genre has seen a resurgence of popularity in recent decades with new applications and aesthetics, and some controversy regarding the naming of the technique. Among modern-day artists, the term mokuhanga — moku (wood), han … [Read more...] about HIROSHIGE’S LASTING LEGACY: MOKUHANGA SISTERS UPDATE JAPANESE PRINTMAKING AT SVAC
34TH SÃO PAULO BIENNIAL OPENS ITS DOORS: CELEBRATING A RETURN TO CULTURAL LIFE IN STYLE
One year after its original opening date, on September 4, 2021, the 34th São Paulo Biennial finally opened its doors to the public. The title, “Though it’s Dark, Still, I Sing,” inspired by a verse published in 1965 by Amazonian poet Thiago de Mello, brings a message of tenacity, hope and resilience to enlighten the hardship that has been terrorizing humankind by so many contemporary happenings and for some, for more than 500 years. A positive perspective seen through art is always encouraging. The arts continue to serve its purpose, working as an outlet for channeling emotions, a toolbox to help us make sense of the world that we coexist. The second oldest Biennial, followed by the Venice Bienalle, happens at the Ciccillo Matarazzo Pavilion, located inside Ibirapuera Park (“Old Tree” in Tupi native language). Recently elected on social media as the best park in South America, it … [Read more...] about 34TH SÃO PAULO BIENNIAL OPENS ITS DOORS: CELEBRATING A RETURN TO CULTURAL LIFE IN STYLE
STILL CONFRONTING INJUSTICE: ELIZABETH CATLETT’S TIMELESS WORKS AT CANTOR GALLERY
Printmaker and sculptor Elizabeth Catlett, who died in 2012, still feels quite alive through her life’s work. I visited the Cantor Gallery at the College of the Holy Cross having intentionally avoided reviewing the press material sent for its “The Art of Elizabeth Catlett from the Collection of Samella Lewis” so that I would react to the art without preconception. That changed in hurry as I realized that much of her work had been a subliminal part of my life, whether seeing it growing up in the city that gave the world Abbie Hoffmanand that had many social programs in its neighborhoods, or in my teenage years that followed as I became more aware of social and political protests. It felt warm and familiar and my thoughts turned to wondering how the college students who get to use the show as a backdrop for their fall studies were reacting to the work at a time that on-campus activism … [Read more...] about STILL CONFRONTING INJUSTICE: ELIZABETH CATLETT’S TIMELESS WORKS AT CANTOR GALLERY
DOUBLE MEANINGS AT WORK: ROY AND LAU’S ABSTRACT CONNECTIONS AT MONTSERRAT
It’s difficult to make out what you’re looking at. At first, it seems vaguely like an upside-down human head. But what would serve as a skull is a black vessel imprinted with flowers and leaves, and a raven ponytail grows out a would-be neck. Then there are the tan and lace-like patches creating a checkered patchwork across what would be a face, and the cream-colored nodules and protuberances growing nearly everywhere — some of which resemble reproductive organs. Meanwhile, a vastly different piece holds a similar curiosity: The silhouette of a chicken runs across dozens of rectangles on a Japanese paint color chart; the many hues arranged in neat rows include “luminous lemon,” “primary magenta” and “leaf green.” The former, “Ch’ing Nasty,” is a paper and hair collage by Jessica Lau; the latter a monotype by Rob Roy. (To read more, pick up a copy of our latest issue! Find a … [Read more...] about DOUBLE MEANINGS AT WORK: ROY AND LAU’S ABSTRACT CONNECTIONS AT MONTSERRAT
QUARANTINE, GRIEF, REGROWTH: PETLER FINDS COMFORT THROUGH PHOTOGRAPHY AT PINE MANOR
Tamar Orell Petler turned — as many of us often do — to nature for solace during Covid, especially when her beloved father, Izack Alkalay, passed at age 102 from the virus in November 2020 in Israel, just before a vaccine was available. She kept taking photographs and found that after over a year, her work could constitute her very first solo exhibit at Pine Manor College, Chestnut Hill, where Petler is the graphic designer and staff photographer. The photos create a triptych: “Quarantine, Grief, Regrowth” will be in two rooms (the first room with the first two chapters and then a second room around the corner for “Regrowth”). Eight by eight-inch and 8 by 10-inch framed color prints will hang on the walls but also a journey of small photos will be suspended on a line from the ceiling, a bit like a movie. Petler was born in Israel and grew up in Haifa. She studied photography in … [Read more...] about QUARANTINE, GRIEF, REGROWTH: PETLER FINDS COMFORT THROUGH PHOTOGRAPHY AT PINE MANOR