Global migration patterns are covered daily in the news due to the political and social conflict that arises when people from “elsewhere” attempt to move due to war, effects of climate change, religious persecution, cultural intolerance, colonialism, gender inequality or poverty, then resettle in a new place to experience personal safety and freedom. Over the last several years, migration has become ever more fraught with tension between those who support humanitarian efforts and those who view these people on the move as invaders. Artists, museums and galleries provide an opportunity for audiences to experience through artists’ expression the myriad psychological and social manifestations that evidence the internal struggles of people on the move. Beyond these struggles, these contemporary artists reimagine the personal meaning of migration of generations before them and the lasting … [Read more...] about NO PLACE LIKE HOME: DISPLACED ARTISTS TRY TO CONNECT IN BURLINGTON SHOW
Issue Articles
GUYANA-BORN, NEW ENGLAND STRONG: FORRESTER & CROMWELL ELEVATE NEW HAVEN’S ELY CENTER
The “Skyward Bound” and “Revival: A Spiritual Journey” solo exhibitions at the Ely Center of Contemporary Art bring two Guyanese, New England-based artists sharing personal experiences and reflections on cultural identity. “Skyward Bound” marks Marlon Forrester’s reentry into the New Haven art scene with a profoundly engaging body of work that defies conventional boundaries of color, shape and form. Originating from Guyana and based in Boston, Forrester boasts an academic background that includes a B.A. from the School of the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, in 2008 and an M.F.A. from Yale School of Art in 2010. Following a transformative period at Yale, Forrester emerged as a pivotal figure within a cohort of artists who challenged institutional norms. His commitment to fostering diversity and critical complexity has propelled him, alongside fellow students, to navigate the historically … [Read more...] about GUYANA-BORN, NEW ENGLAND STRONG: FORRESTER & CROMWELL ELEVATE NEW HAVEN’S ELY CENTER
PARADISE BETRAYED?: LANI ASUNCIÓN’S ACTIVIST LOOK AT HAWAI’I RARELY SEEN
The show title, “Duty-Free Paradise,” offers a glimpse of content through wordplay, punning to self-describe this solo exhibition by Lani Asunción at the Mills Gallery at the Boston Center for the Arts (BCA), that continues through April 13. Achieving a great exhibition layout is a subtle thing. “Duty-Free Paradise” benefits from being presented in kunsthalle-style, which involves clean, uncluttered placement so that complex ideas can emerge to reveal layers of meaning. In this case, there is a feeling of space, or breathing room, which benefits site-lines of association facilitating absorption of content. The scale of imagery in relation to the space is right. Credit for successful exhibition planning belongs to curator J.R. Uretsky and Asunción as cohorts on this project, a bristling term sometimes used now in the arts for working collaboratively. Visually, “Duty-Free Paradise” … [Read more...] about PARADISE BETRAYED?: LANI ASUNCIÓN’S ACTIVIST LOOK AT HAWAI’I RARELY SEEN
REINVENTING WINTER: PROVINCETOWN GALLERIES TEAM UP AT MARY HEATON VORSE HOUSE
Should you go to the Mary Heaton Vorse House for the exhibition of art from 12 galleries that are members of the Provincetown Art Gallery Association (PAGA), you will have the rare experience of seeing art in an impeccably restored 18th century home. Run by the Provincetown Arts Society (PAS), the house has been exhibiting art, hosting films and offering residencies to artists of any kind since 2020. The Society’s director, Gene Tartaglia, said that the Provincetown Arts Society supports the existing arts in Provincetown, and gives space for the community to gather, celebrate and talk about art in many forms. “The fiscal sponsor is the St. Joseph’s Art Society Foundation in San Francisco that was founded by Ken Fulk, who was approached by the granddaughters of Mary Heaton Vorse who wanted to sell him the home because they felt he’d be a good guardian,” by keeping it intact, restoring … [Read more...] about REINVENTING WINTER: PROVINCETOWN GALLERIES TEAM UP AT MARY HEATON VORSE HOUSE
A SHOW OF CONSISTENCY AT THE ART COMPLEX: REFRESHING TAKES AT DAA EXHIBITION
A juried art exhibition is always a time of great excitement for local artists. Who was accepted? Who won the prize money? The 51st “Annual Winter Juried Show” of the Duxbury Art Association (DAA) is no exception, and the DAA is fortunate to be able to display the chosen art in the handsome Art Complex Museum. Jurors Patricia Walsh, Laura Barletta and Carl Lopes chose art that ranges from abstraction to realism across a wide range of media including an “alternative materials” category. Marcia Ballou’s “Nest,” First Place winner in this category, uses painted fabrics and cotton threads to create a vibrant floral garden filled with daisies, asters and zinnias. The detail of cut clipped and stitched materials is amazing. By grouping flowers by color and keeping the stems vertical, she unites dozens of tiny florets in a unified vision. I recognize Ballou’s style from other juried shows; … [Read more...] about A SHOW OF CONSISTENCY AT THE ART COMPLEX: REFRESHING TAKES AT DAA EXHIBITION
A CREATIVE SEARCH FOR ANSWERS: FREEDOM BAIRD NURTURES AI & ECOLOGICAL CONSCIOUSNESS
Freedom Baird is the vortex of her ideas. They are a constant flow of conceptual strings of consciousness. The manifestation of these ideas take form in the manner of the Magician in the Tarot deck; those which start as brilliant sparks in the mind’s eye manifest in varying installations and art pieces, crystallizing and forming as an act of communication. At the Umbrella Center for the Arts in Concord, Massachusetts, curator Stephanie Marlin-Curiel is collaborating with educator Dr. Linda Booth Sweeney to present “Tapped In,” a pairing of eight scientists in the field of global warming, with eight artists. “The inspiration for this project,” Marlin-Curiel writes, “stems from a systemic understanding of climate change mitigation commonly expressed through the Bathtub metaphor. Originated by MIT Professor John Sterman and popularized by Al Gore through the Climate Reality Project and … [Read more...] about A CREATIVE SEARCH FOR ANSWERS: FREEDOM BAIRD NURTURES AI & ECOLOGICAL CONSCIOUSNESS