The process of printmaking is a metaphor for the making of a human being: from many layers, one is achieved. “It’s a dialogue,” explained Paul DeRuvo, Associate Staff Printer, while speaking about three print-portraits arranged together in “E Pluribus Unum: From Many, One,” at the Center for Contemporary Printmaking (CCP), another solid and expertly curated exhibition of superb and diverse examples of contemporary print methods curated by Kimberly Henrikson, Executive Director of CCP. DeRuvo was talking specifically about artists Meg Turner, Elizabeth Peyton and Nicole Eisenman who are part of the seventeen artists in the exhibition which also features well-recognized artist-activists Swoon, Dana Schutz and Alison Saar. Addressing the theme of being human, the exhibition’s subject is the human body either in full form or as a portrait. From the exhibition statement: “We live in a time … [Read more...] about Unexpected Surprises: Contemporary Printmaking Branches Out
Issue Articles
Not Remaining Silent: Confronting Gender Violence at Lesley
It is a damning statistic how often women are harassed, attacked or raped in today’s world. The current exhibition at Lesley University, “1 in 3: Comparative Perspectives on Gender Violence,” delves into that statistic. It examines prejudices that condition cultures to overlook the subjugation of women. In 1969, in a NOVA Magazine interview, Yoko Ono said, “Women are the Niggers of the World.” Today, 40 years later, like gunpowder shot over the bow of misogyny, the shocking salvo still meets with an audible gasp. A human tragedy is that everybody knows a woman [or is that woman] that has experienced sexual violence or harassment. The exhibit rides the wave of the #MeToo movement, which has kept violence against women at the forefront of public attention through media. The exhibition was organized by Lisa Fiore, Meenakshi Chhabra and Sonia Perez-Villanueva. “We share a determination … [Read more...] about Not Remaining Silent: Confronting Gender Violence at Lesley
Paul Manship: Generational Legacy Continues at Addison
“From Starfield to MARS: Paul Manship and his Artistic Legacy” is an exhibit conceived in two parts: “Art Deco at the Addison” explores sculptor Paul Manship’s artistic legacy and historical connection to Phillips Academy, and “Starfield through Contemporary Lenses” presents the works of four acclaimed Massachusetts artists and educators, all having recently completed year-long artist residencies at Manship’s beloved home, Starfield, in the village of Lanesville, an enclave in Gloucester, Massachusetts. Starfield was recently purchased from Manship’s descendants by a nonprofit with the goal of preserving the Manship legacy by restoring the historic property to house the Manship Art Residencies + Studios (MARS). “Art Deco at the Addison” brings together some of Manship’s finest sculptures, numismatics and preliminary drawings from the permanent collection of the Addison Gallery. Many … [Read more...] about Paul Manship: Generational Legacy Continues at Addison
Remembering David A. Lang: Teacher, Artist, Friend
I first became acquainted with David Lang through his art, specifically with the large metal sculpture on the grounds of the Danforth Museum of Art where I once worked. Curvilinear in form and monumental in size, the piece stood delicately balanced on its pedestal, a twisted, disintegrating question mark that the artist entitled “The Question Is the Answer.” Solid, yet seemingly weightless, this formally abstract sculpture was most dramatically visible to students looking down from the second-floor classrooms in the museum’s school. Which was appropriate, given Lang had been a teaching artist for most of his decades-long career and never really stopped. When we finally met, it was when he came in to work with our teen docents, which led to many conversations about his whimsical kinetic sculpture (including ways to keep it working while on display) and so much more. The path Lang … [Read more...] about Remembering David A. Lang: Teacher, Artist, Friend
Textual Healing: Finding Meaning at Art League Rhode Island
Surprise! There’s human hair on display in “Parsing Sign and Image,” a diverse group exhibition of mixed-media art juried by Artscope Magazine’s founder and publisher, Kaveh Mojtabai, that engages with the complex theme of image-communication. The exhibition asks: Can a text itself stand as an image, or will our minds always connect to a literal meaning? Must a word always carry meaning, or can words and letters act as graphic elements of pattern and design? The show’s exhibition statement responds, then asks more questions: “Images can stand alone without relying on a literal translation. Today our visual fields are filled with imagery (from television to Instagram) and a literate mind unconsciously reads text without considering it. You don’t have to tell yourself to read a stop sign — you just do. From road signs and graffiti to pop-up ads and text messages, we are constantly and … [Read more...] about Textual Healing: Finding Meaning at Art League Rhode Island
Isamu Noguchi: Groundbreaking Sculpture in Portland
The Japanese-American artist Isamu Noguchi displayed an impressive range throughout his decades-long career, producing not only traditional sculpture, but also stage sets, memorials and furniture. His forays into industrial, landscape and interior design evince his belief that sculpture belongs in all realms of life, not merely to be placed on a pedestal and stared at. Hence, “Beyond the Pedestal,” the title of the Portland Museum of Art’s exhibition, a rare Maine retrospective of Noguchi’s work. Noguchi believed that sculpture should not remain static, to be viewed passively from a safe distance. He wanted people to walk around, under and through his sculptures, and in some cases even to climb, play or relax on them. Interaction between people, objects and space is central to understanding and engaging with Noguchi’s art. The exhibition is arranged according to three themes that … [Read more...] about Isamu Noguchi: Groundbreaking Sculpture in Portland