Moby Dick

Moby-Dick is the second show in a trilogy of Wattis Institute exhibitions that are based on canonical American novels. The first, The Wizard of Oz, was presented in fall 2008; the third will be The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, in fall 2010. All three stories have major themes related to exploration and (self-)discovery, and the corresponding exhibitions function as metaphorical journeys through which the audience experiences various notions of America’s reality, both contemporary and historic. This investigation of America and its realities through the lens of literature by means of artworks, artifacts, and historical documents is unique to the Wattis Institute. Moby-Dick encompasses a wide range of works, including sculpture, film, video, drawing, and photography.

Mario Garcia Torres

The work of the Los Angeles-based Mexican artist, Mario Garcia Torres, investigates specific incidents and personalities from within the history of conceptual art. Through the use of video, slide installations, and photography, the artist introduces fresh perspectives on Conceptualism’s forgotten narratives. What Happens in Halifax Stays in Halifax (in 36 Slides) (2004-2006) revisits a little-known event that occurred in 1969 in a course taught by the artist David Askevold at Halifax’s NSCAD University. Askevold’s students were asked to produce a work based on an instruction provided by the artist Robert Barry, and the class was asked to decide on a shared idea that had to be kept secret. The piece would only exist for as long as the idea remained within the confines of this student group. Seeking out some of these students 35 years later and arranging their reunion, Garcia Torres documented this event and various sites in Halifax associat!
ed with
the project to create a slideshow that is at once critical, playful, and nostalgic.

Daughter 1, 2006-2007

Sputnik Gallery is pleased to present “Children’s Project” by Irina Davis from June 11 to July 20, 2009.

In this series of portraits taken at two Russian state-run orphanages, Irina masterfully combines the sparse surroundings of the orphanage with the natural light to create images that are beautifully minimalist and at the same time striking. Despair, insecurity, bravery, intrigue, playfulness, loneliness and innocence are all present in these images. The portraits convey the realities of life as a son or daughter of the Russian state, giving these children an opportunity to reach out and speak to us directly through these touching and engaging images.

It must be noted that Irina has given more than her time and talents to this project. All proceeds will be donated to the orphanages where the portraits were taken, providing true hope and possibility to children who have little more than a window out of which they can gaze and dream of a more care-free life and a place to call home.

Although Children’s Project is Irina’s debut exhibition with Sputnik Gallery, her work has been exhibited widely throughout Europe and in New York. Irina has pursued a diverse range of subjects, projects and styles, ranging from these portraits to a documentary on gypsies to a series of highly-stylized Russian pin-ups, for which she is best known.

Irina spent her childhood in Khabarovsk in the Russian Far East and received her Master’s degree in Studio Arts from New York University. Irina currently lives and works in Moscow, Russia.

Artist: Jan Blythe

ROOT DIVISION PRESENTS: Second Saturday July 2009: Family Pictures
Curated by Michelle Townsend, new mother of Nolan William Balocki, born May 25, 2009

Opening Reception: Saturday, July 11th, 7–10 pm

SAN FRANCISCO, CA – When curator Michelle Townsend first proposed the exhibition Family Pictures, she was not yet expecting what would became a baby boy, born at the precise time she was to review submissions. Just as baby Nolan chose to be born outside the confines of a typical 9-month gestation, so to the 33 artists in Family Pictures have chosen to defy orthodox definitions of family. Bay Area artists (and curators) are shaking off the trappings of gender, age, and bloodline.

In order to best visualize the collective insight born of this exhibition, we need but to borrow one thing from the past – Technicolor. We, a most strange and adaptive species, are looking for, and finding, fresh ways to experience belonging. The age of the nuclear family was, in retrospect, sterile and pale.

Art has always been a form of protest and Family Pictures does not digress. There is an underlying fever in the work, a pie-in-the-face aimed at any formula for genealogical harmony. Perhaps one should not be surprised, bearing in mind the recent politicization and subsequent disallowance of something as integral to family life as marriage.

Featured Artists:
Laura Ball
Elizabeth Bernstein
Jan Blythe
Colby Claycomb
Adele Crawford
Melissa Day
Chris Fraser
Michael Hession
Rachael Jablo*
Audrey Jones
Heike Liss
Jessamyn Lovell
Cathy Lu
Dan Lydersen
Carolyn Mason & Susannah Slocum
Masako Miki
Shelley Monahan
Camilla Newhagen
Mary Parisi
S. Patricia Patterson
Jana Rumberger
Julie Shustack
Jim Sienkiewicz
Andrea Slattery*
Marta Spurgeon
Kirk Stoller
Lien Troung
Marie Van Elder
Naomi Vanderkindren
Serena Wellen
Carmen Winant
David Yun
* Root Division Resident Artist

Opening Reception: Saturday, July 11th, 7–10 pm
Sliding Scale Suggested Donation: $2-$20

Exhibition Dates: June 8th–28th, 2009
Gallery Hours: Wednesdays- Saturdays, 2–6 pm (or by appointment)

Sedona Forest - photo © Andrew Darlow

Berkeley Heights, NJ–New Jersey Media Center LLC will host two separate full-day workshops entitled Black and White Fine Art Inkjet Printing on Saturday, July 18, 2009 and Saturday, July 25, 2009 from 10:00am-5:00pm (both sessions are identical). The workshops, held at Nancy Ori Studios in Berkeley Heights, NJ and conducted by photographer and consultant Andrew Darlow, are designed for professional and amateur photographers, as well as other artists.

The workshops, each limited to just six participants, will cover the following:

• Suggested inkjet printers for quality black and white printing (emphasis will be on Canon, Epson and HP printers and their standard pigmented multi-gray inksets, though information will be provided about dedicated black and white inkjet printing systems);

• Suggested color management hardware and software for black and white printing, and how to produce, install and use custom printer profiles;

• Tips for selecting inkjet papers for black and white printing;

• Demonstration of a step-by-step black and white printing workflow (Mac OSX will be used, but Windows-specific information will also be covered for those who use Windows XP or Windows Vista);

• Specific Photoshop and Lightroom tips for converting from color to black and white, and what to do and not to do before and after you convert your files,

• Links to and demonstrations of free actions to help optimize black and white print quality.

Many samples of black and white prints will be displayed and discussed, and each attendee who supplies a file will have two black and white prints of one image printed on either an Epson or HP pigment-ink-based printer. Paper options will include acid-free, high quality semi-gloss, fiber-gloss/semi-gloss, watercolor/matte papers and canvas. Each participant will also receive a binder with course materials and a list of resources and materials, including recommended papers and canvases.

Andrew Darlow notes, “I’m excited to return to New Jersey Media Center to teach these workshops after conducting about 15 full-day printing workshops there over the last year. Seeing all the fantastic prints by participants displayed on the table after a full day has been very rewarding”

More information, including pricing and special offers for those who register by June 18 can be found at http://www.imagingbuffet.com/workshops.

Registration information:
Nancy Ori Studio: (908) 790-8820 or
e-mail Nancy Ori at nancyori@comcast.net

About Andrew Darlow:

Andrew Darlow: Andrew Darlow is photographer, writer and digital imaging consultant. He is the former Editorial Director of Digital Imaging Techniques Magazine, and the current editor of ImagingBuffet.com, an online imaging magazine and podcast. He has appeared on WOR Radio (NYC) and Inside Digital Photography TV, and his work has been featured in numerous magazines and websites, including Photo District News, PDN Gear Guide, Popular Photography, Rangefinder, Studio Photography and iMagazine (Japan).

Over the past 15 years, he has taught thousands how to improve their photography, workflow and digital print output at conferences, industry events, and educational institutions, including the PDN PhotoPlus Expo, PhotoImaging & Design Expo, the Arles Photo Festival (Arles, France), the School of Visual Arts, Columbia University, and the International Center of Photography (ICP) in New York.

About the Book: 301 Inkjet Tips and Techniques

“301 Inkjet Tips and Techniques: An Essential Printing Resource for Photographers” by Andrew Darlow is a comprehensive, how-to guide to high-quality digital output that shows photographers of all levels how to make high-quality prints through detailed instructions and hundreds of full-color examples from more than 20 professional photographers and other artists. The book was recently chosen as the winner in the ‘Photography: Instructional/How-To’ category of The National Best Books 2008 Awards, sponsored by USA Book News.

Book information:
ISBN-10: 1598632043
ISBN-13: 978-1598632040
Published by: Course Technology PTR 528 pages, 7.4×9 inches (Paperback)

Website: www.inkjettips.com

Media Contacts:
Nancy Ori
Director, NJ Media Center LLC
(908) 790-8820

nancyori@comcast.net

Sarah FitzSimons, Tent, 2005/06, video still, 1.5 min loop, featured alongside installation in Internal Compasses, May - July 2009

SPACES Gallery, Cleveland OH

Call For call for entry: SPACES Gallery
Deadline: July 3, 2009

This call-for-entries is open to all established or emerging artists, curators and cultural producers who are 21 years old or older (anywhere in the world). Proposals must show promise and strong conceptual grounding.

Please visit http://www.spacesgallery.org/apply/main/index.html before calling or emailing with questions. There you will find an extensive FAQ, application procedures and guidelines.

Contact email: exhibit@SPACESgallery.org
$10 application fee for processing submissions

SPACES advances the artist’s vision. By providing freedom, resources and an audience, SPACES enables artists to engage the public in a vital dialogue about contemporary art.

SPACES interacts directly with artists, promoting excellence and experimentation to produce challenging gallery exhibitions, public programs, residencies and publications.

SPACES Gallery
2220 Superior Viaduct
Cleveland, OH 44113

www.SPACESgallery.org
info@SPACESgallery.org
216-621-2314

“Broads, Boobs and Buckles: The Pinball Art of Dave Christensen”

Kristi Engle Gallery is proud to presents its last show of the season, “Broads, Boobs and Buckles: The Pinball Art of Dave Christensen” on view from July 11th - August 8th, 2009.

While the mechanics of pinball were developed by engineers, the illustrations were handled by graphic artists. This work included both the back glass and the playing field of each machine. Curated by local collector, Mark Andresen, this exhibition features the work of acclaimed pinball machine artist, Dave Christensen. On display will be 11 pinball machines displaying Christensen’s graphics as well as some of the original artwork used in fabrication and drawings for proposed and/or rejected versions and prototypes.

Starting with Fireball in 1971 and ending his career at Bally with its sequel Fireball 2 in 1980, Dave Christensen is certainly one of the most notable designers of pinball machine graphics. He began his career solely as a technical artist. But after presenting the company with pinball design work created on the side, he was soon asked to produce new machine graphics (as well as service manuals), eventually working exclusively on art and design.

The first artist to include his signature on the play field, calling himself “Mad Dog,” Christensen’s art is provocative in its use of unconventional and risqué motifs. His engaging and distinctive style exemplifies the machines as of their era. Christensen’s work is brash, sexy and playful and highlights his penchant for comic book themes and titillating portrayals of women. Also characteristic of his work are encoded and ribald references that were regularly included in detailed backgrounds.

All pinball machines will be operational for the public at the opening reception only. In deference to their current owners as well as their vintage condition, only serious buyers will be allowed to test the machines during the run of the exhibition.

Kristi Engle Gallery
5002 York Blvd
Los Angeles, CA 90042
323-472-6237
http://www.kristienglegallery.com

California College of the Arts

California College of the Arts Hosts the Exhibition

A Lady Found a Culture in Its Cloth:
Barack Obama’s Mother and Indonesian Batiks

June 18-21, 2009

San Francisco, Calif., June 8, 2009–California College of the Arts is pleased to host A Lady Found a Culture in Its Cloth: Barack Obama’s Mother and Indonesian Batiks, June 18-21, on CCA’s San Francisco campus (1111 Eighth Street, at 16th and Wisconsin). The show will feature 20 large fabrics and two scarves from the batik collection of Ann Dunham, President Barack Obama’s late mother. The collection has been in storage for many years and this is a valuable opportunity for the public to see it. The presentation is part of a national tour that is also passing through New York, Chicago, Los Angeles, Houston, and Washington DC this summer. It is presented jointly by the Embassy of Indonesia in Washington DC, the Consulate General of Indonesia in San Francisco, the San Francisco Mayor’s Office of Protocol, and California College of the Arts.

Indonesia is home to the ancient tradition of batik, in which fabric is decorated using a wax-resist dyeing process. Batiks are often intricately patterned and vividly colored, and they come in a wide variety of styles, from classic to contemporary.

“I am honored that San Francisco will get a chance to host this unique and special collection of Indonesian Batiks,” said Mayor Gavin Newsom. “The beauty of this collection, as well as its historical significance, will entice San Franciscans of all stripes to visit the exhibition.”

The Ambassador of the Republic of Indonesia to the United States, H. E. Sudjadnan Parnohadiningrat, remarked, “On behalf of the people of Indonesia, I would like to thank the people of San Francisco for the warm welcome extended to the rich culture and heritage of Indonesia, as represented by the Indonesian batik collection of Dr. Ann Dunham. I hope that through such cultural exchange and cooperation, we can strengthen the cordial relations and increase understanding between the people of our two countries”

The San Francisco presentation of the exhibition will also feature selected works by students in the Textiles and Fashion Design programs at California College of the Arts. These works will complement Dunham’s collection and indicate some of the contemporary directions this centuries-old art has taken.

Ann Dunham was a textile artist when she was a young woman. She moved to Indonesia in the 1960s with her son, Barack Obama, and over the following decades began amassing a vast collection of the country’s vibrant textile arts. Her collecting did not focus on rare or expensive pieces, but rather on contemporary examples that people were actually wearing every day on city and village streets.

The lives of the batik makers also interested Dunham. While earning degrees in anthropology from the University of Hawaii in the 1970s and 1980s, she focused on how to help craftspeople such as the Indonesian batik makers. She earned her doctorate in Yogyakarta in the late 1980s and early 1990s and worked with the Ford Foundation, USAID, and the World Bank, guiding projects that would benefit poor women through micro and small enterprises. She eventually set up microcredit projects all over Indonesia as well as in Pakistan and Kenya. Dunham passed away in 1995.

About California College of the Arts
Founded in 1907, California College of the Arts is noted for the interdisciplinarity and breadth of its programs. It offers studies in 20 undergraduate and seven graduate majors in the areas of fine arts, architecture, design, and writing. The college offers bachelor of architecture, bachelor of arts, bachelor of fine arts, master of architecture, master of arts, master of fine arts, and master of business administration degrees. With campuses in San Francisco and Oakland, CCA currently enrolls 1,740 full-time students. Noted alumni include the painters Nathan Oliveira and Raymond Saunders; the ceramicists Robert Arneson, Viola Frey, and Peter Voulkos; the filmmaker Wayne Wang; the conceptual artists David Ireland and Dennis Oppenheim; and the designers Lucille Tenazas and Michael Vanderbyl. For more information about CCA, visit www.cca.edu.

PRESS CONTACT: Brenda Tucker 415.703.9548 btucker@cca.edu

PUBLIC CONTACT: www.cca.edu

CALENDAR EDITORS PLEASE NOTE:

June 18-21, 2009
An exhibition of Indonesian batik textiles from the collection of Ann Dunham entitled
“A Lady Found a Culture in Its Cloth: Barack Obama’s Mother and Indonesian Batiks”
will take place at
California College of the Arts, San Francisco campus
1111 Eighth Street (at 16th and Wisconsin)
Hours: Daily, 10-5 p.m.
Free and open to the public

Erman, “Casas Voladoras”, Wood and Ceramic

LOGO Projects in conjunction with Ocean Ophthalmology Group is proud to present “From There to Here”, a survey of works by multi-media artist Erman. The exhibition will be on display from June 12th - October 17th, 2009.

Erman’s theme-driven series, whether comprised of small and intimate embroideries or larger site-specific installations, are all rooted in migration and informed by personal experience. Born in Havana, Cuba in 1956 the artist has lived in exile since 1969. His tactile works wrestle with universal concepts of placement/displacement, history and identity as informed by exile. Do not expect a unquestioning embrace of The American Dream; Erman’s deceptively quiet forms often effect an upending of meaning - what was thought solid crumbles and dissipates and what was thought protective ravels and exposes.

Recently listed by art critic Elisa Turner as one of Art Basel’s “rising stars” Erman’s numerous exhibitions in diverse art galleries and institutions have been praised by art critics and he has been cited as one of the most important and promising artists to emerge from a new generation of artists. In addition to having his work represented in major collections including that of the Miami Art Museum, Erman has taught children from underserved neighborhoods how to weave, tutored students from I.F.AC. on Fashion Illustration, has taught seminars around the country on Surface Design Techniques, and has worked as an Art Therapist. Erman is represented by Diaspora Vibe Gallery in Miami, www.diasporavibe.net.

Concurrent with this show, a traveling exhibition of Erman’s work titled “Cotando, Cociendo y Recordando” will also on view from mid-September through December with the Miami Public Library System at the West Dade Regional Library on Coral Way. Curated by Rosie Gordon-Wallace this catalogued exhibition was previously on view at the Lincoln Center in Fort Collins, Colarado and later at the David Rockefeller Center for Latin American Studies at Harvard University.

ON CONTINUING DISPLAY
Barbara J. Lloyd: “I WEAR”
A collection of Barbara J. Lloyd’s whimsically altered and reconstructed eyeglasses sculptures will continue to be on display through the end of the year. Truly the last word in wearable art Lloyd’s pieces leave no stone unturned with themes running the gamut from Beatles Madness to “The Love of Cats” to proclamations of “50 is the new 30!” Lloyd is represented by Artists’ Haven Gallery in Fort Lauderdale, www.artistshavengallery.com.

ABOUT LOGO PROJECTS
LOGO Projects is a non-profit program dedicated to matching South Florida artists and curators with professional business spaces. The program was founded by Kharis Kennedy, a New York-based artist, and Dr. Kevin Stewart. Dr. Stewart, a fellowship-trained glaucoma specialist from New York, recently relocated to Miami to open Ocean Ophthalmology Group with Dr. Jesse Pelletier, a cornea and refractive surgery specialist from Bascom Palmer Eye Institute.

LOCATION
LOGO Projects at Ocean Ophthalmology Group
1400 NE Miami Gardens Drive, Suite 203
North Miami Beach, FL 33179
www.oceanophthalmology.com
ph: 305.940.1500

HOURS
Monday through Friday, 10am-5pm and by appointment

CONTACTS
For more information about LOGO Projects contact LOGO Projects Executive Director Kharis Kennedy
phone: 646.763.2263
e-mail: logoprojects@gmail.com

For information regarding Ocean Ophthalmology Group contact Dr. Stewart
phone: 305.940.1500
email: doctorstewart@yahoo.com
www.oceanophthalmology.com

CCA Presents David Sedaris October 29, 2009

An Evening with David Sedaris
A Special Event to Benefit CCA Scholarships
Thursday, October 29, 8 pm

David Sedaris, best-selling author and NPR commentator, will appear at a special benefit reading for CCA on October 29 at the Veterans’ Memorial Auditorium at Marin Center. The evening will include a reading from new and unpublished materials, a book signing, and, for leadership donors to the event, a special cocktail reception with the author.

Sedaris’s sardonic wit and incisive social critiques have made him one of America’s preeminent humor writers. He is the author of Barrel Fever and Holidays on Ice as well as the best-selling collections of personal essays When You Are Engulfed in Flames, Naked, Me Talk Pretty One Day, and Dress Your Family in Corduroy and Denim. His original radio pieces can be heard on National Public Radio’s This American Life.

“We are thrilled to have David come to the Bay Area to help us raise funds for student scholarships,” said CCA President Stephen Beal. “I have known him for many years, and he is not only one of the funniest and smartest writers working today, but also a former art school student. With this event we hope to raise $100,000 in much-needed financial aid to support talented young artists, architects, designers, and writers who are earning their degrees at CCA.”

David Sedaris is graciously waiving his speaking fee to ensure that the maximum amount generated from ticket sales, leadership gifts, and sponsorships will go directly to students in need.

General-admission tickets to the reading and book signing are $35 and are available through the Marin Center box office (415.499.6800) or at Ticketmaster.com. The book signing is sponsored by Book Passage.

Trustee Kay Kimpton Walker will chair a special prereading cocktail party for donors of $250 or more. Attendance is limited; for tickets please contact CCA’s Advancement Office at 510.594.3604 or jmckay@cca.edu.

Event sponsorships are available for donations of $5,000 and $10,000. Please call 510.594.3604 or email jmckay@cca.edu.