Written By: Catherine Wolinski

Last October, the New Museum in New York City presented Carsten Holler: Experience, the first New York survey of works by Carsten Holler, a German scientist-turned-artist who resides in Stockholm, Sweden. The exhibition, which will be open until Jan. 15, transforms multiple galleries into a world of research experimentation crossed with childhood fun. A firm believer in utilizing the architecture of the building where his art, its space, and its viewers will interact, the collection even includes a 102-foot slide that patrons can ride from the fourth to the second floors of the building.

Born in Brussels in 1961, Holler left his career as a scientist in 1993 to instead apply his knowledge and lab experience to

artistic concepts. Exploring themes such as safety, love, and doubt, Holler presents scenarios that force museum and museum goer into a conversation, connecting visitors to the environments he creates. By engaging the building as well as its inhabitants, Holler sends each person into multiple roles as they pass through each section of the exhibit, where they are faced with innovative structures, scenes, and tasks. Visitors are both the watchers and the watched as they make their way through the Experience Corridor, a stretch of space scattered with thought provoking activities that bring into question the conventional understandings of space, time and self.

By way of his participatory installations, Holler challenges human perception and logic by igniting, and perhaps overwhelming, the senses with interactive experiences.  Using the architecture of the building to map out these sensory events, Holler engages viewers with

the works of the past eighteen years of his career, chronicling numerous ventures that push the limits of human sensory perception. Such works include the untitled slide installation, which he describes as an “alternative transportation system,” Double Light Corner, a disorienting light installation that gives the impression the room is flipping back and forth, Mirror Carousel, a full-size swing merry-go-round that reflects and illuminates the space around it as it turns almost imperceptively, and finally, Psycho Tank, a “sensory deprivation pool” which literally puts the viewer into a pool—stripped naked—for a mind-altering out-of-body experience.

Carston Holler: Experience employs multiple disciplines to destabilize and reinvent viewers’ knowledge of the world around them, and how they fit into it. By using the scientific method in conjunction with his futurist design, Holler’s art forces viewers to see, feel, and understand art and space in a new way.

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During a recent public demonstration at the headquarters of Walt Disney Imagineers, the company announced their plans to line the decks of the Dream,  their latest cruise ship -launching early next year – with over 20 pieces of moving artwork, and two interactive floors of youth-oriented play areas.

The “enchanted art” will be displayed on large LCD screens that sit inside a glass case, surrounded by a frame that hides the speakers and motion-detecting camera. In one example of these state-of-the-art works of technological artistry, there is a photograph of Walt Disney lounging on the beach of Rio de Janeiro. When a passenger stands in front of it, it will show “The Three Caballeros” dashing comedically over the landscape. The art will also feature motion-detection capabilities that echo the Nintendo Wii, which will enable children to participate in mini-games as part of a shipboard scavenger hunt. Cruisers will scour the premises in search of the Disney villain responsible for the missing pieces of art, or stolen Dalmatian puppies. Glowing pads placed around the perimeter of two interactive floor mats will also encourage the kids to play games that feature characters from “Bolt,” “Tron,” and “Princess and the Frog.”

Children give the interactive floor a test run

And as far as eating goes, no cruiser will ever forget the “Finding Nemo” restaurant, called the Animator’s Palate, which is expected to flaunt over 700 seats inside a studio-themed eatery that comes to life during dinner.

Technorati Tags: cruise ship, demonstration, dream, interactive floor, moving artwork, walt disney imagineers

President Robert Mugabe

When Owen Maseko decided to explore President Mugabe-related violence, he thought it best to gather the photos of missing people, the pictures of the mine shafts where they are allegedly hidden, and the reports that document the 1980 massacre of thousands of civilians in the western Matabeleland district. But, the police in Zimbabwe weren’t very amused with the exhibit, and they quickly shut it down by cuffing Maseko on incitement charges.

Attorney Kucaca Phulu reported that his client spent the weekend in jail as a result of all of the excitement.  Maseko reportedly sought bail the following Monday, but the courts postponed a ruling until Tuesday. The very next day, Harare Police reportedly pushed a human rights group to abandon another exhibit, which also employed photographs to illustrate the rampant Mugabean political violence. Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai, who now works with Mugabe, condemned the police’s repeated attempt to seize the entire 65-photograph display. Tsvangirai believed that such exhibits were a portion of the campaign for national healing.

Owen Maseko hard at work

Today, with the death of Joshua Nkomo – Mugabe’s vice president – the allegiance is with Tsvangirai’s Movement for Democratic Change party. As more proponents for free-thought art jump onto Mugabe’s payroll, it grows ever more doubtful that a third violence exhibit will even have a chance to be torn back down.

Technorati Tags: exhibit, owen maseko, pictures, police, president mugabe, zimbabwe

A piece of calligraphy art on display

In lieu of the gloom revolving around Dubai‘s upwelling debt concerns, the city’s annual art fair still managed to earn record sales, drawing more than 18,00 visitors – a 28 percent increase from 2009. The four-day contemporary art show featured the works of world-famous artists from 31 different companies, which was also an improvement in the variety of geographical representation in attendance at last year’s festivities.

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The success of some galleries, like Saudi Arabia’s Athr Gallery and Berlin’s Galerie Christian Hosp, which reportedly sold 90% of their inventories, stand in stark contrast with the suffering financial statuses of the local crowd. But it makes more sense to consider who attends the fair, said Joan Lee, head of Seoul-based SUN gallery, who admitted that most of the interested attendees are from royal families and collectors. That isn’t to say that they are all foreign interests; after all, Tessa De Caters of Isabelle Van Den Eynde, a Dubai-based gallery, said that the local community of collectors is expanding alongside an increasing international interest in Middle Eastern art. With all this attention, it wasn’t a surprise when Fabio Rossi of London’s Rossi & Rossi, asserted that the four-year fair is undoubtedly finding it’s place on the global art market.

Technorati Tags: art, contemporary, debt, dubai, fair, show

Shepard Fairey and his famed Obama portrait

Today, Shepard Fairey, the once co-founder of BLK/MRKT Inc. (1997-2003) – which worked with high-brow clients like Pepsi, Hasbro, and Netscape – is so popular from his HOPE portrait of Barack Obama that he’s walking door to door at Deitch Projects in New York, searching for building owners that will premiss him to use their exterior wall-space for his exhibition this May.

This is a new relatively new concept to this contemporary artist, who admits to being arrested, getting locked up overnight, and a sentencing of two years probation for his past (illicitly performed) building pastings, which he accomplished long before a retrospective at Boston’s Institute of Contemporary Art.

The Museum of Contemporary Art in Boston

And, while many aren’t too keen on the artist’s vision, he tries his best to offer the building owners a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to contribute to the enhancement of the urban landscape, and to experience art as a part of the current OBEY phenomenon. Even though the over-sized stickers could remain for years to come, several cities have already granted the urban artist permission to paste in Boston, Cincinnati and Pittsburgh. Now, as May rolls around the corner, millions of Shepard Fairey fans are hoping to see the newest exhibition of modern-day artistic talent.

Perhaps Fairey should bring Obama for some assistance; after all, he did get a lot out of the famed portrait.

Technorati Tags: Barack Obama, Deitch Projects, exhibition, HOPE, May, new york, Shepard Fairey

Celebrating the month of March - GO ART!

Continuing a 12-year-old  tradition, The Genesee-Orleans Regional Arts Council is celebrating “Art Awareness Month” where local businesses, artists, schools, and cultural organizations will present a wide array of different performances, exhibitions and programs all throughout the month.

A performance of an African folk tale by the Forum Players kicks off this week at Genesee Community College, followed by a Batavia Players’ rendition of “Richard III,” and Genesee Chorale’s presentation of “An Irish Celebration.” Some of the activities will include a visit from best-selling author of “A Tale of three Counties,” Garth Stein, who will attend four discussions and booksignings in Orleans, Genesee  and Wyoming counties.

Garth Stein

Kelly Kiebala, the executive director of GO ART!, admits her astonishment with the quantity of high-quality art and cultural programs that she has encountered during this year’s “Art Awareness Month.” To celebrate the event, GO ART! has opened several brand-new gallery spaces, and plans on presenting their annual decentralization grant awards ceremony this Friday from 6 to 8 p.m. at the GO ART! Cultural Center (201 East Main Street). These grants are awarded through the state Council on the Arts’ decentralization program – locally managed by GO ART! – which will help finance close to two-dozen artists and art/ cultural organizations.

Technorati Tags: art awareness month, genesee-orleans regional arts council

"Animals, Then and Now"

Lions, and tiger, and bears…oh my!!!  The North Dakota Museum of Art is bringing them to life through an extraordinary touring exhibit, “Animals, Now and Then”.  The museum features artists’ works in the form of captivating video, stunning photography, numerous paintings, and sculpture.  This contemporary exhibit highlights the work of twenty artists from across North and South America, and was put together by Museum Director, Laurel Rueter

The art that has been assembled paints a picture of the complexities of the animal kingdom, and reminds us that we (humans) are but one of the nearly 10 million species of animals inhabiting this planet.  The exhibit reveals contrasting points-of-views and conflicting visions of life.  The North Dakota Museum of Art, through their careful selection of pieces, has assembled an interesting and unique showing.

This is a worthwhile exhibit for any of us, but students in particular are encouraged to take a tour.  Schools within a 50 mile radius are eligible for reimbursement for the cost, so no excuses.  The North Dakota Museum of Art has painstakingly put together this amazing exhibit for our enjoyment and appreciation.  Take a walk on the wild side!

Technorati Tags: animals, art, art exhibit, North Dakota Museum of Art

Wireglass Museum of Art in Dothan, Alabama

Six teams from six different high schools were invited to Project Installation, a reality-type concept where teams were pitted against one another in a race to create art.  They spent the night of Feb. 26th locked away in the Wiregrass Museum of Art, with only twenty-four hours available to create their piece.

Imani Purcell, a student from Dothan High said that they were forced to improvise during the competition, which made the process extremely difficult. She explained how the team’s brainstorm lasted for nearly 30 minutes as they planned out their list of materials, and quickly found a way to get them.

Themes like ‘power and water’ and ‘community’ inspired participants to exert their best energy as they tried to accomplish something special. Some students became so invested in the project that they literally put themselves in the work; one particular case involved a Abbeville High School student, who was wrapped up in tape, so that a full-body cast was left standing when she was cut out and released.

Imani Purcell Discussed the Event

Upon completion, each team presented their finished work in a formal critique, in much the same manner as a true artist-in-training. And though everyone who participated took a great deal from this experience, there will be only one winner come March 2nd; on that day, a victor will be chosen, the art will be put on display, and visitors will receive an open invitation to come view the marvelous high-school masterpieces until the 27th of March.

Technorati Tags: art, high school, project installation, race, twenty-four hours, wiregrass museum of art

Niki de Saint Phalle Sculpture

Washington D.C. is in for an eye-opening, splash of color, as the National Museum of Woman in the Arts prepares to unveil a vibrant display of sculpture along New York Avenue.  The, larger-than-life fiberglass figures are the works of the late French sculptor, Niki de Saint Phalle, and promise to liven up this stretch of road. 

The project features four scenes, with sculptures up to 15 feet high, in vibrant hues that are sure to cause a stir.  The museum hopes to create renewed interest and desire to expand this area of town.  The intent is to decorate five major strips into sculpture islands.  The entire project will take 5 years to complete and will run from 13^th street to 9^th street, giving some unique character to this, otherwise dull area.

This contemporary art project will feature only woman artists, and will change and transform regularly.  The National Museum of Woman in the Arts is raising their glass, in a big way, by showcasing these pieces.

Washington’s culture isn’t exactly hip and new and this will add a fresh touch to the monuments in place.  These first sculptures will feature robust woman in bathing suits and even a depiction of basketball legend, Michael Jordan. 

The city is totally behind the project and welcomes the exhibit with open arms.  Wanting to update the overall impression of D.C. is driving this enthusiasm, and the hope is that the public responds with excitement. 

For more of  Niki de Saint Phalle works check out the Stravinsky Fountain located in Paris, or just walk down the, newly adorned streets of Washington D.C.

Technorati Tags: art exhibit, sculpture exhibit, Washington dc

Some Call Him 'Shaq"

The 7-foot-1, 325 pound, Shaquille is an all-star veteran who not only plays professional basketball for the Cleveland Cavaliers, but is also a reserve police officer in Miami, a movie star (Kazaam), a rapper, and now, a rookie art curator. The exhibit, “Size DOES Matter,” is open for display at the Flag Art Museum in Manhattan, and features 52 works by 39 artists.

As O’Neal looked for a wide variety of work, he said that he leaned more toward those with a unique approach. He mentioned Mark Wagner’s portrait of the basketball star, which he made entirely out of cut-up dollar bills; Ron Mueck also grabbed his attention with his immense sculpture that even made O’Neal himself look small.

Shaq said that he wanted to participate in designing the floor plan in lieu of an obligation to his team; luckily, through wonderful technology, Mr. O’Neal can explore the different options virtually while on the

One of the works on display

road for the regular season. He plans on making the art look good, while also playing with the viewer’s perception of the works. Since all 52 pieces are part of the show, O’Neal promised to not only consider the isolated piece, but also to understand how it relates to any neighboring items.

In the end, Shaq isn’t too keen on the entire theme of this exhibit, since he expressed an appreciation for all sizes of art. He explained how size may indeed provide a definite physical advantage, as it does in basketball, but that skill is also necessary to succeed.

Technorati Tags: art, exhibit, Shaquille, Size does Matter