I recently visited photographer Amy Montali at her Providence, Rhode Island studio where we sat with each other discussing her art. She had purposefully arranged on a table between us a scale-model, or miniature version, of her upcoming solo exhibition, “Amy Montali: Thief,” that will be on view from November 9 through December 8 at the Bannister Gallery at Rhode Island College. Using the scale-model as a tool, Montali was in the midst of making placement decisions among the included photographs, controlling sight lines in advance. Montali described her photography approach as aligned mostly with ways in which dance and theater are made, explaining that her work shares with these art forms a sensibility for isolating gestures, developing new phrases, as the method for building content. She mentioned an affinity for “Samuel Beckett, for the mix and cross play of epic, mundane and … [Read more...] about STOLEN MOMENTS AT RIC: AMY MONTALI’S MOVING IMAGES AT BANNISTER GALLERY
Artscope Issues
STILL TEACHING: FAITH RINGGOLD’S LIFE STORIES IN WORCESTER
While featuring only 16 artworks, don’t let the size of the “Faith Ringgold: Freedom to Say What I Please” exhibition stop you from making a trip to the Worcester Art Museum during its six-month run. Each piece has its own intricate story and, judging by the audience reaction to its first month on exhibit, each person attending brings their own personal experience with Ringgold’s art to the space. The show was organized by Samantha Cataldo, the museum’s Associate Curator of Art, who built the show around Ringgold’s 1991 “Picasso’s Studio” narrative quilt from the museum’s collection. “WAM acquired the ‘Picasso’s Studio’ quilt soon after it was made,” Cataldo said. “It is a reflection on the museum at the time. Ten years later, other museums were catching up. They (WAM) had the good foresight to acquire it in the ‘90s.” The quilt hadn’t been exhibited at WAM for at least 10 … [Read more...] about STILL TEACHING: FAITH RINGGOLD’S LIFE STORIES IN WORCESTER
THE JOY OF THE SPIRIT: CORITA KENT’S LEGACY SHARED AT HOLY CROSS
“Always Be Around: Corita Kent, Community, and Pedagogy,” on view at the Cantor Gallery in the Prior Performing Arts Center at the College of the Holy Cross, is a rare exhibition in which viewers are encouraged to become part of the presentation. While the artwork of Corita Kent is the main attraction, it’s the example she sets in encouraging everyone to make art, the creations of numerous artists who took that challenge as inspirationand the various participatory installations at the gallery that will hopefully leave a lasting impression. Corita Kent (1918-1986), also known as Sister Corita Kent during her time at Immaculate Heart College, is best known as “a pop artist, educator and social justice advocate” who created serigraph prints “combining imagery from advertising and newspapers with text ranging from bible verses to slogans, song lyrics and literature” according to the press … [Read more...] about THE JOY OF THE SPIRIT: CORITA KENT’S LEGACY SHARED AT HOLY CROSS
THE ESSEX EXPERIENCE: ARTHOUND GALLERY ENCHANCES VERMONT’S CREATIVE ECONOMY
When John and Jennifer Churchman opened the ArtHound Gallery in Essex, Vermont in the Fall of 2019, it was one of the largest in New England. Since then, they have added more gallery space and with 13,000 square feet of light-filled interior, it is ‘the’ largest. That kind of space makes it possible for them to include more than 350 Vermont artists — including painters, sculptors, glass blowers, potters, woodworkers and many artisans. The roster includes well established names as well as emerging artists. The ArtHound Gallery is in a central location in what was formerly a shopping enclave and has been reborn as The Essex Experience — all but one establishment is local and devoted to just that, an experience, whether that be art gallery hopping, fine dining, sipping wine, chilling in a salt spa or enjoying musical concerts on the green. Both the gallery and the marketplace … [Read more...] about THE ESSEX EXPERIENCE: ARTHOUND GALLERY ENCHANCES VERMONT’S CREATIVE ECONOMY
THE SUPERHERO WE NEED: BRANDON CABLE’S RAT KNIGHT COMIC ART IN ROCHESTER
Well, this is a twist! How many comic book artists have you encountered in your life? When I heard of this exhibition, I thought it’d be fascinating to explore — because it’s so different from what we usually cover. Brandon Cable is a New Englander who hails from Connecticut and has drawn and executed art all his life. Even when he was quite small, the standard gift he received was paper, markers and lots of encouragement. He eventually found his way north to Manchester, New Hampshire, where he earned his BFA from the Institute of Art and Design at New England College — in yes, Comic Arts! Who knew? Professionally, he is employed as a graphic artist. When he was in school, his college’s art collective, the Society of the Unified Artists, or SOUA for short, came up with an idea for creating rat superheroes as their mascot. “SOUA” sounds like sewer with a Boston accent, and Cable ran … [Read more...] about THE SUPERHERO WE NEED: BRANDON CABLE’S RAT KNIGHT COMIC ART IN ROCHESTER
RECONSIDERING PASTELS: INTERNATIONAL SHOWCASE AT MAINE’S BRICK STORE MUSEUM
Perhaps, you wonder, what could be a unifying theme for an expansive show of pastels by 60 artists who hail from 14 states, Canada and China? I certainly did. The answer is simple. There is none, beyond superior art and a desire to educate the public about the lesser-known medium of pastels. But that’s enough. This show was organized by the Pastel Society of Maine’s Exhibition Committee. Its host venue, the Brick Store Museum, is in the seaside town of Kennebunk’s historic district. Dedicated to preserving and exhibiting the region’s rich cultural and artistic heritage for over 80 years, the museum is in a charming brick- front building on a tree-lined street. Distributed throughout four rooms, the exhibition delights the eye and feeds the soul. In addition to the works mounted on the walls, a video plays on a monitor — intent on educating those who aren’t familiar with pastels. If … [Read more...] about RECONSIDERING PASTELS: INTERNATIONAL SHOWCASE AT MAINE’S BRICK STORE MUSEUM