Summer greetings! Since Artscope Magazine’s inception, it’s been a goal of ours to have our magazine serve a vital role not only for those at the top of the field, but those trying to make their first impression at their home gallery and play a helpful role when they achieve putting together their first solo exhibition. As we’ve been publishing for over 18 years now, we’ve seen many artists compile a large archive of their work, sometimes needing a second storage space to keep it all. Many of them are at the point of wondering what happens to all their heartfelt work when they pass on or the time arrives that they’re not actively creating. In the instance of former MassArt professor Rob Moore, there was no time to plan as he died from AIDS-related complications in 1992. Highly influential to his students, one of them, John Guthrie, recently presented a retrospective exhibition … [Read more...] about WELCOME July/August 2024: FROM BRIAN GOSLOW
Issue Articles
THE ENDURING POWER OF ART: ART BASEL 2024: CELEBRATING CONNECTIVITY, DIVERSITY & GLOBALIZATION
Warning signs are missing at Art Basel, and they should say that if you suffer from FOMO, FOBO, MOMO or ROMO, Art Basel might be a threat. There is something going on for everyone in every corner of Basel, and it is related to art-engaging. The week’s mood is a social experience blending excitement for renowned artists with curiosity about emerging talents and immersive experiences. The Switzerland-based event maintained a cautiously optimistic atmosphere, balancing market concerns with a more relaxed pace, allowing diverse art experiences beyond the main exhibition halls. The art fair experience is changing and adapting to welcome a new generation of buyers or just fairgoers. This year’s event, held on June 13-16, cultivated an environment that significantly elevated interest in contemporary artistic expression by drawing approximately 4,000 artists, 285 distinguished … [Read more...] about THE ENDURING POWER OF ART: ART BASEL 2024: CELEBRATING CONNECTIVITY, DIVERSITY & GLOBALIZATION
PRESERVING A LEGACY: UNSINKABLE BERTA WALKER, A LIGHT IN THE ART WORLD
For the celebration of the Berta Walker Gallery’s 35th anniversary, Walker herself — wearing a long good luck dress of green, “which is the heart chakra, love,” bedecked in the center with a big purple leaf and peacock blue feathers, “which is to give me voice,” along with a gold necklace supposed to create healing, a silver mandala necklace, and “energy balancing earrings” on her still beautiful, chiseled face topped with red hair — graces me with tales of her journey and her philosophy of life and art. JOURNEY Berta Walker has lived with art since childhood in New York’s Forest Hills, where her mother, a dancer, pianist and painter, and her father, a jeweler and distinguished art maven and dealer, ran an art gallery in Manhattan. Not only did they put Marsden Hartley on the map, but heading to Provincetown in summers, they, and Berta (and her sisters) hung out with everyone in … [Read more...] about PRESERVING A LEGACY: UNSINKABLE BERTA WALKER, A LIGHT IN THE ART WORLD
A VIBRANT MODERN ART HAVEN: BIENNALE ENERGIZES VENICE’S RENAISSANCE GRANDEUR
In a city steeped in history, where the legacy of Renaissance masters still thrives, the contemporary art world finds a vibrant stage. Venice, the birthplace of Marco Polo, echoes with tales of exploration and cultural immersion. Today, diverse languages intertwine amidst its canals, bridges and medieval streets, reflecting a timeless spirit of discovery. The theme of the 60th Venice Biennale, “Foreigners Everywhere,” which continues through November 24, delves into the intricate dynamics of identity, belonging and cultural exchange in our increasingly interconnected world. This theme reverberates through the streets of Venice, creating an atmosphere that invites reflection on human migration and cultural diversity. Individual artists and collectives transform churches, palazzos and stores, introducing contemporary art into these centuries-old spaces, rich with the memories of their … [Read more...] about A VIBRANT MODERN ART HAVEN: BIENNALE ENERGIZES VENICE’S RENAISSANCE GRANDEUR
MY HOMECOURT’S SYNERGY OF PLAY: ART AND BASKETBALL TEAM UP IN PROVIDENCE
Amateur pick-up games of basketball are a part of the DNA of summer. And with the recent rise in popularity of the WNBA as well as New England’s excitement about the Boston Celtics 2024 NBA Championship win, the timing is apropos to discuss Providence College Art Galleries’ initiative over the past five years to enrich basketball courts in Providence with world-class art. Jamilee Lacy, recently appointed as the director of the Frye Art Museum, Seattle, Washington, began developing this program while serving as director and chief curator at Providence College Art Galleries. The idea for art-infused basketball courts actualized in 2018. Quite soon into the process the project became My HomeCourt (MHC). Lacy alternated the duties of selecting artists for this initiative between herself and Providence College Art Galleries curator, Kate McNamara. The program was designed to function … [Read more...] about MY HOMECOURT’S SYNERGY OF PLAY: ART AND BASKETBALL TEAM UP IN PROVIDENCE
KEEPING COTTAGE STREET AFFORDABLE: ARTIST WORKSPACES THREATENED IN WESTERN MASS
Of late, Easthampton, in Western Massachusetts, has become more arts and artist-centric, perhaps due to the handful of mill buildings housing artist workspaces and creative small businesses. Some also say it’s due to overflow from artsy Northampton, about 15 minutes north. It’s also because it’s still considered “affordable.” For four-plus decades, the mill at One Cottage Street (c. 1859) has housed over eighty affordable artist workspaces as Cottage Street Studios, filled with creatives of all sorts including bookbinders (did you know neighboring Holyoke is “Paper City?”), painters, photographers, print-makers, graphic designers, woodworking shops/school, sculptors, furniture designers/ makers, fine lighting, stained glass, custom wedding gowns, mixed media, martial arts and other disciplines, over five floors. It was the first mill to be converted for creatives in Western … [Read more...] about KEEPING COTTAGE STREET AFFORDABLE: ARTIST WORKSPACES THREATENED IN WESTERN MASS