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
Artscope Issues
RAISING THEIR VOICES: RECLAIMING SPACES AND CELEBRATING IDENTITIES AT CAA
The Cambridge Art Association (CAA) is saluting the new year by presenting the art of today and providing an opportunity for viewers to join a critical culture dialog about timeless issues that concern us all. Its first exhibition of 2022, “Vernacular Glamour,” is part of the Platform Curatorial Opportunity series launched in 2019 by the CAA for curators to explore new curatorial and exhibition concepts. It will be on view in its Kathryn Schultz Gallery from January 6 through February 5. Curated by contemporary art curator Juan Omar Rodriguez, “Vernacular Glamour” presents works in painting, photography, new media, drawings and textile. Rodriguez, a Latinx born in Phoenix, Arizona, currently based in Philadelphia, is committed to making the art world more expansive by supporting artists of color, Latinx, and queer artists. He selected eight contemporary artists who have been shaping … [Read more...] about RAISING THEIR VOICES: RECLAIMING SPACES AND CELEBRATING IDENTITIES AT CAA
A GREATER INTENSITY OF VOICES: LAISUN KEANE JURIES ATTLEBORO’S PRIZE-WINNING SHOW
Attleboro Arts Museum’s Executive Director, Mim Fawcett, made an insightful decision inviting gallerist LaiSun Keane to jury the prize awards for the museum’s current Members’ Show. LaiSun Keane Gallery opened with a real freshness in Boston’s SoWa Arts District in September 2020 and since then has presented a roster of innovative exhibitions. Her gallery has participated in art fairs “SPRING/BREAK” and “Art on Paper” during New York City Art Fair Week and most recently participated in “Untitled” during Miami’s Art Fair Week. Keane focuses on developing opportunity for under-recognized artists and she is informed about the latest art trends. Kudos to Fawcett for making such an excellent jurist choice. The Members’ Show is an eagerly anticipated yearly event at Attleboro Arts Museum. Members may submit up to three artworks. The promise made by the museum is that all artworks delivered … [Read more...] about A GREATER INTENSITY OF VOICES: LAISUN KEANE JURIES ATTLEBORO’S PRIZE-WINNING SHOW
A RARE OPPORTUNITY: LONDON’S NATIONAL PORTRAIT MUSEUM’S TREASURES AT WAM
Valentine’s Day is approaching and “Love Stories,” a fabulous exhibition of portraits from the National Portrait Gallery, London, is a perfect way to explore love and sex vicariously. Over 100 paintings of famous people, famous artists, famous love affairs and famous sex scandals fill the Worcester Art Museum gallery. Almost every art style and medium is represented beginning with the 1571 oil portraits of the Archbishop of York and his wife, through 2018 photos of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle. The exhibit is almost overwhelming in its visual riches and storytelling. “Scandal and Tragedy” and “Love Against the Odds” are two topical groupings — out of seven — of portraits that have the most contemporary appeal. An example is the famous sex scandal of Oscar Wilde’s outlawed love for Lord Alfred Douglas for which he was sentenced to “hard labor” (Gillman & Co., 1893, … [Read more...] about A RARE OPPORTUNITY: LONDON’S NATIONAL PORTRAIT MUSEUM’S TREASURES AT WAM
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
CAPSULE PREVIEWS FOR ARTSCOPE 95
As reports grew on the large number of freighter crates sitting off the coast of California and with them, the warning that consumers best start their Christmas and holiday shopping early this year, postings of a social media meme also grew: “The work of local artists is not sitting on cargo ships.” It’s a message the art world, both regionally and nationally have been trying to share for years. The end of the calendar year is traditionally filled with holiday arts and crafts shows aimed at attracting gift shoppers; similarly, many galleries host exhibitions intended to assist those looking to give a unique special gift. The Copley Society of Art “Holiday Small Works 2021” show features its 300 plus member organization in a wide variety of mediums whose scenes offer a unique, special painting of a New England location whose meaning will warm the homes of its receiver for … [Read more...] about CAPSULE PREVIEWS FOR ARTSCOPE 95