THE DREAM MACHINES OF THEO JANSEN by Marguerite Serkin Theo Jansen’s Strandbeests are as much about the artist as they are about the creatures he has fashioned; as Jansen has said, “The Strandbeests themselves have let me make them.” The long-awaited Strandbeests are finally coming to Boston, arriving at the Peabody Essex Museum on September 19 after a series of related pre-exhibition “Happenings,” giving viewers at chance to see these fabled creatures in both a museum setting and in settings more akin to their natural outdoor habitat. For those not familiar with Jansen’s kinetic creations, “Strandbeest” translates from Dutch as “Beach Animal.” The Strandbeests were originally conceived as self-propelling structures that might be used to fortify the dunes in coastal areas of Jansen’s native Netherlands by counteracting the rising sea levels associated with global warming. … [Read more...] about Strandbeests Are Coming
Issue Articles
Cornered
MICHAEL ROBERTS, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF THE FINE ARTS WORK CENTER, PROVINCETOWN The Fine Arts Work Center campus was buzzing with emerging writers and artists learning from former Fellows on a glorious summer afternoon in Province- town when Artscope’s Laura Shabott cornered Michael Roberts, a very gracious, committed and charismatic man who is perfectly suited to his leadership role at this vitally important arts institution. TELL ME A BIT ABOUT THIS YEAR’S AUCTION (THAT TOOK PLACE ON AUGUST 15). Michael Roberts: It was our 39th and most successful so far; the largest in proceeds to the organization, and a wonderful occasion. Our featured artist was the great painter and print- maker Michael Mazur, a crucial figure for the Work Center from the late 1980s until his death in 2009. In addition to auctioning two of his prints, we were also able to present a solo show of a wide … [Read more...] about Cornered
Welcome
Welcome to our September/October 2015 issue, compiled during the dog days of summer, which are always a challenging time to put together a fall issue due to some Boston galleries taking time off in late August before their regular clientele returns from their summer getaways, many college campus galleries being on break till their school year commences, and artists being away on well-earned vacations and even more well-earned residencies. But, thanks to our dedicated writers and museum, commercial and campus gallery owners, curators and publicists and exhibiting artists accommodating our timely deadline date, we’re confident we’ve put together a collection of stories that’ll make you want to hop in your car to see more than just the New England foliage. Lissa Cramer, the exhibitions coordinator at the Tufts University Gallery, arranged for Franklin W. Liu to meet with Shahzia … [Read more...] about Welcome
September/October 2015 Issue
Article Excerpts: Welcome | Cornered | Strandbeests Are Coming | Visions of The Uncanny | Little Dreams in Glass and Metal | Parallax | Flat Depth | Give The People What They Want | New Hampshire Art Association | Center for Contemporary Printmaking | Examining South Africa at Beard and Weil | Black Chronicles II | Shared Sensibilities | Gloucester Days | Winslow Homer's Civil War | ALRI’S Tangible Thinking | An Inventory of Reverie | Clothing Optional | Stowe & St. Johnsbury, Vermont | | Brattleboro Fall Preview | New Haven City Wide Open Studios | Capsule Previews … [Read more...] about September/October 2015 Issue
Artlifting
ARTLIFTING PROVIDES BOSTON-AREA HOMELESS AND DISABLED ARTISTS A MUCH-NEEDED OUTLET FOR SELLING THEIR WORK by Brian Goslow Who knew we’d be art dealers?” That’s what ArtLifting co-founders (and brother and sister) Liz and Spencer Powers found themselves asking each other in January. They had just arrived at a Boston-area office building for their first attempt at selling art made by local homeless and disabled artists to a commercial property. “We were walking in loaded up with these pieces of artwork and both looked at each other and laughed,” Liz said. By the time their meeting was over, they had sold 18 pieces. It was a positive sign that Liz’s goal of creating a sales outlet for participants in the area’s art therapy programs was a good idea. With a stated mission “to empower sick, disabled and homeless artists through the celebration and sale of their work,” … [Read more...] about Artlifting
Getting Schooled
BIDDEFORD WELCOMES THE HEARTWOOD COLLEGE OF ART by Jamie Thompson The Pepperell Mill Campus in Biddeford, Maine was already home to several artists’ studios and galleries — now, it has an art school as well. Last summer, the complex welcomed Heart- wood College of Art as the 20-year-old college embarks on a new chapter. “The impetus behind the move to the mill in Biddeford was multifaceted,” explained college president Berri Kramer. “The most pressing concern was to relocate from a rural location to a more vibrant urban community, a better fit for an art school.” There was also an interest in downsizing. Heartwood’s MFA program is low residency, giving students the flexibility to complete their degrees while working. All of the MFA students work from their own studios. “Heartwood College was established in 1993 in an old grange building that was once the center of … [Read more...] about Getting Schooled