Arts Summary

January 28, 2020

Collecting New York’s Stories: Stuyvesant to Sid Vicious at Museum of the City of New York, January 22, 2020

“Museum of the City of New York, the city institution with a celebrated collection of some 750,000 objects and images, shared details about its new exhibition, Collecting New York’s Stories: Stuyvesant to Sid Vicious. The special presentation features highlights from the hundreds of additions to the Museum’s permanent collection amassed over the past three years, running the gamut from the colonial era to the recent past. The full exhibition includes both a gallery of historic and contemporary photographs as well as a companion gallery featuring drawings, garments, posters, decorative art objects and other artifacts of the city. The range of work illuminates compelling and varied New York stories, and speaks to the Museum’s commitment to building a collection reflective of the city in its multifaceted glory.” — Museum of the City of New York

“New York City’s diversity and dynamism is beautifully reflected in the variety of artists, collectors, and ordinary New Yorkers represented in our collection,” says Whitney Donhauser, President and Ronay Menschel Director of the Museum of the City of New York. “Collecting New York’s Stories includes exciting recent additions to our contemporary photography collection alongside historical artifacts and ephemera, allowing visitors to delve deeper into the many faces, places, and touch points of our beloved city.”

Installation view of Collecting New York’s Stories. Photo by Corrado Serra.

John Lee. Valentina, 1951. Museum of the City of New York. Gift of Kohle Yohannan, 2017.54.44

Ruggero Rugarli. Victory Photos, Lower East Side, 1960 (printed later). Gelatin silver print. Museum of the City of New York. Gift of Massimo Rugarli, 2019.3.2

Bruce Davidson. Kathy Fixing Her Hair in a Cigarette Machine Mirror, Coney Island, 1959. From Series: “Brooklyn Gang”. Gelatin silver print. Museum of the City of New York. Anonymous gift, 2018.40.385

Martha Cooper. Lower East Side [Boy Jumping from Fire Escape], 1978 (printed later). Gelatin silver print. Museum of the City of New York. Museum purchase, 2017.47.1

Walter Rosenblum. Hopscotch, 105th Street, New York, 1952 (printed later). Gelatin silver print. Museum of the City of New York. Gift of the Rosenblum Family, 2017.38.28

Richard Sandler. CC Train, New York, 1985 (printed later). Gelatin silver print. Museum of the City of New York. Gift of Richard Sandler, 2018.8.12

Mitchell Hartman. Elevated (5 Pointz), Long Island City, Queens, 2014. Archival pigment print. Museum of the City of New York. Gift of Mitchell Hartman, 2018.34.14

Janette Beckman. RUN DMC with Posse, Hollis, Queens, 1984 (printed later).  Archival pigment print. Museum of the City of New York. Gift of Janette Beckman, 2016.5.12

Jeffrey Henson. Scales Buy Black, 1986–1992. From series: “House’s Barbershop, Harlem”. Gelatin silver print. Museum of the City of New York. Museum purchase, 2019.45.2

Allan Tannenbaum. John Lennon and Yoko Ono in front of the Dakota, New York, 1980. Gelatin silver print. Museum of the City of New York. Museum purchase, 2019.5.2

Robert Herman. The Misfits, New York, 1981 (printed later). Archival pigment print. Museum of the City of New York. Gift of Jeanne Devine, 2017.52.4

Allan Tannenbaum. Sid Vicious Under Arrest for the Murder of Girlfriend Nancy Spungen, New York, 1978. Gelatin silver print. Museum of the City of New York. Gift of Allan Tannenbaum, 2019.6.4

Kenji Nakahashi. Empire on Mirror, 1998. Chromogenic development print. Museum of the City of New York. Anonymous gift in memory of Kenji Nakahashi, 2017.57.20

David Rothenberg. Cleveland-Hopkins Intl to LaGuardia, 2018. From series: “Landing Lights Park”. Archival pigment print. Museum of the City of New York. Gift of David Rothenberg, 2019.37.1

Installation view of Collecting New York’s Stories. Photo by Corrado Serra.

Milton Glaser. “I [Heart] New York More Than Ever,” 2001. Museum of the City of New York. Gift of Milton Glaser, 2019.27.3

Installation view of Collecting New York’s Stories. Photo by Corrado Serra.

[Gilt-covered hatbox], 1952. Museum of the City of New York. Anonymous gift, 2019.25.2AB

Installation view of Collecting New York’s Stories. Photo by Corrado Serra.

Collecting New York’s Stories is curated by Lindsay Turley, Vice President of Museum Collections; Sarah Henry, Deputy Director and Chief Curator; and Sean Corcoran, Curator of Prints and Photographs.

Title photograph by Corrado Serra.

January 25, 2020

Arte Povera: From the Olnick Spanu Collection at Magazzino Italian Art Foundation, ongoing since March 1, 2018

“The 1960s represented a pivotal moment both in our personal lives and in the art world. Having been exposed to the Arte Povera movement of this time, we were fascinated by the juxtaposition between what was occurring in America versus Italy.

Captivated by Arte Povera, we began to explore the main proponents of this movement in depth—the more we learned, the more dedicated we became. We were also inspired by the legacy of Margherita Stein, a visionary figure and art advocate in Turin and later in Milan. We decided to create Magazzino Italian Art Foundation devoted to this generation of Italian artists.

These 12 radical artists’ work came at a defining moment, as Italy was entering an era of burgeoning industrialization, student rebellion and the decline of the “economic miracle” of the 1950s. I Poveristi opposed the commercialization of the art object and aimed to eradicate the boundaries between media as well as between nature and art; their mantra was ‘Art is Life’.” — Nancy Olnick and Giorgio Spanu

Installation views of “Arte Povera: From the Olnick Spanu Collection”. Photos by Marco Anelli and Alexa Hoyer. Courtesy Magazzino Italian Art Foundation.

Photo by Marco Anelli

Photo by Alexa Hoyer

Photo by Alexa Hoyer

Photo by Alexa Hoyer

Photo by Marco Anelli

Photo by Alexa Hoyer

Photo by Marco Anelli

Photo by Alexa Hoyer

Photo by Marco Anelli

The term Arte Povera was coined by art critic Germano Celant in 1967 to mean ‘impoverished art’. The exhibition presents 76 artworks by 12 artists associated with the Arte Povera movement: Giovanni Anselmo, Alighiero Boetti, Pier Paolo Calzolari, Luciano Fabro, Jannis Kounellis, Mario Merz, Marisa Merz, Giulio Paolini, Pino Pascali, Giuseppe Penone, Michelangelo Pistoletto and Gilberto Zorio.

Title photo by Marco Anelli.

January 16, 2020

Worlds Beyond Earth at The Hayden Planetarium, American Museum of Natural History, opens January 21, 2020

“Featuring immersive visualizations of distant worlds, groundbreaking space missions, and breathtaking scenes depicting the evolution of our solar system, the American Museum of Natural History’s new Hayden Planetarium Space Show, Worlds Beyond Earth, will open January 21, 2020, using a new planetarium projection system that is the most advanced in the world, and is part of the Museum’s 150th anniversary celebration. Worlds Beyond Earth, narrated by Academy Award winner Lupita Nyong’o, takes viewers on an exhilarating journey that reveals the surprisingly dynamic nature of the worlds that orbit our Sun and the unique conditions that make life on our planet possible.

While humans have to yet to walk on another world beyond the Moon, Worlds Beyond Earth celebrates the extraordinary Age of Exploration carried out by our closest proxies, robotic explorers, over the past 50 years. Created by an award-winning team that includes Museum scientists, educators, and science visualization experts, Worlds Beyond Earth is an immersive theater experience based on authentic data from NASA, European Space Agency (ESA), and Japan Aerospace Exploration (JAXA) missions, telescopes, supercomputer simulations, and research conducted at institutions around the globe. Viewers will be taken on an adventure across the solar system, from our Moon and planetary neighbors Mars and Venus to beyond the asteroid belt, where worlds of ice and gas like Saturn and Jupiter host moons revealing active weather, erupting volcanoes, and buried oceans.” — American Museum of Natural History

Stills from the Space Show Worlds Beyond Earth at the American Museum of Natural History’s new Hayden Planetarium. Photographs by Corrado Serra.

January 10, 2020

Shanghai Ballet and China Arts and Entertainment Group Ltd. present Derek Deane’s Grand Swan Lake at David H. Koch Theater, Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts, January 17-19, 2020

Shanghai Ballet comes to the David H. Koch Theater with its internationally prominent and critically acclaimed Grand Swan Lake. With 48 swans on stage, the production was directed and staged by Derek Deane, formerly the Artistic Director of English National Ballet and currently Artistic Director of Shanghai Ballet with his team. Featuring principal dancers Wu Husheng and Qi Bingxue as well as international guest stars, the grand version Swan Lake, with more than 80 dancers’ participation, will follow the timeless tragic love story of Princess Odette and Prince Siegfried and feature the timeless music of Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky, performed live by the New York City Ballet Orchestra, conducted by Charles Barker from American Ballet Theatre. With sets and costumes by Peter Farmer, and lighting design by Howard Harrison, Shanghai Ballet’s Grand Swan Lake is renowned for its choreographic crispness, sweeping and lush visuals, and the awe-inspiring skill.

Scene 2: Swans

Scene 2: Qi Bingxue, Wu Husheng and Swans

Scene 3: Qi Bingxue & Wu Husheng

Scene 4: Swans

8、promotional photo group swan Odette centered

Swans with Odette centered

Images courtesy Shanghai Ballet and China Arts and Entertainment Group Ltd.

January 7, 2020

Marking Time: Process in Minimal Abstraction and The Fullness of Color: 1960s Painting at Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum

Marking Time: Process in Minimal Abstraction

Marking Time: Process in Minimal Abstraction features a selection of nearly a dozen paintings and works on paper from the Guggenheim collection by Agnes Martin, Roman Opałka, Park Seo-Bo, and others. This presentation explores how artists operating in a variety of contexts foregrounded process as they forged new approaches to abstraction.

Installation Views: Marking Time: Process in Minimal Abstraction; December 18, 2019–July 20, 2020. Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum, New York. Photo: David Heald, © Solomon R. Guggenheim Foundation

Marking Time: Process in Minimal Abstraction was organized by David Max Horowitz, Assistant Curator, Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum.

The Fullness of Color: 1960s Painting

The Fullness of Color: 1960s Painting features a selection of paintings by Helen Frankenthaler, Morris Louis, Kenneth Noland, Alma Thomas, and others. This exhibition draws primarily from the Guggenheim’s collection and explores the varied and complex courses nonrepresentational art followed in the 1960s and into the 1970s, including those characterized as Color Field, geometric abstraction, or hard-edge painting.

Installation Views: The Fullness of Color; December 18, 2019–August 2020. Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum, New York. Photo: David Heald, © Solomon R. Guggenheim Foundation

The Fullness of Color: 1960s Painting was organized by Megan Fontanella, Curator, Modern Art and Provenance, with support from Indira Abiskaroon, Curatorial Assistant, Collections.

Title Image: The Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum, New York. Photo: David Heald © The Solomon R. Guggenheim Foundation, New York.

Images courtesy Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum.

January 5, 2020

Gemstone Masterpieces at Wilensky Gallery, January 9 – February 21, 2020

Wilensky, the Chelsea gallery exhibiting the art of exquisite minerals, celebrates craftsmanship that turns nature’s marvels into the extraordinary. Gemstone Masterpieces debuts featuring four world-renowned artisans, Paula Crevoshay, Manfred Wild, Nicolai Medvedev, and Naomi Sarna, each contemporary has mastered a gemstone medium, releasing an aesthetic vision from its mineral matrix.

“The lapidary arts are among the oldest in human history. It is of such great significance, that of the three major evolutionary moments we speak of this as the Stone Age. The earliest humans created objects from raw stone, mostly tools. Manipulating stone became an inextricable defining part of human evolution, and quickly went from focusing on the utilitarian to the aesthetic. It was not long after that many cultures created objects of beauty and adornment from stones. It is from this ancient human connection to stone that the modern lapidary arts emerged. The art of creating objects made of stone is integrated into the timeline of all art; it is inseparable from architecture, sculpture, and painting.” — Stuart Wilensky

Paula Crevoshay

Galactic Garden. Opal set in a handcrafted hinged cuff with a vine motif overlay design. Boulder Opal= 30.50ct. “A”, Sapphire (8)= 0.52ct. “H”, 18k yellow gold.

Russian Dream. Earings. Intarsia: 28.44ct, Amethyst (2)= 3.18ct, Apatite (28)= 2.23ct. 18k yellow gold.

Intarsia Snowflake. This 18K yellow jewel can be worn as a pendant or as a brooch. Intarsia= 29.80ct”N”. Amethyst (6)=3.24ct”N”. Apatite (60)=2.22ct”N”.

Nicolai Medvedev

The Treasure Chest Box. Created by Nicolai Medvedev (in collaboration with Susan Helmich) AGTA Spectrum Awards, Objects of Art, 1st Place, 2018. Impressions in stone, an intarsia box with a vaulted lid. Materials include: 18K and 22K gold, malachite, turquoise, malachite/azurite, sugilite, lapis lazuli, opal, cultured pearl, emeralds. and diamonds.

NicolaiM_GardenofDelight_OpenFnt. low res

Garden of Delight Mystery Box. Created by Nicolai Medvedev (in collaboration with Paula Crevoshay). Hummingbird and Branch: amethyst (156), spinel (20), sapphire (265), and tsavorite (41). Ladybugs: coral and black diamonds. Removable brooch: Yogo sapphires (243), yellow sapphires (207), diamonds (65), and 18K yellow and white gold.

Garden of Delight Mystery Box. Created by Nicolai Medvedev (in collaboration with Paula Crevoshay). Composed of: lapis lazuli (Afghanistan), opal (Australia), sugilite (South Africa), malachite (Congo), turquoise (Arizona), azurite-malachite (Arizona), rhodochrosite stalactites (Argentina), maw-sit-sit (Burma), malachite (Arizona), and 18K Gold.

Naomi Sarna

Gates of the Mountains. Stone: Alamndine Garnet. Weight: 118 carats. Dimensions: H 1.7 in. x W 1.3 in. x D 0.5 in. (H 43.18 mm x W 33.02 mm x D 12.7 mm).

Low Res. NaomiSarna-RiverWind-BlueTopaz-735carats-IGSCreative

River Wind. Stone: Blue Topaz. Wight: 735 carats. Metal: Sterling Silver. Dimensions: H 3.55 in. x W 2.05 in. x D 1.19 in. (H 90 mm x W 52 mm x D 30 mm).

Manfred Wild

Blossom Egg. 189 pink and red tourmalines (121.17cts.), 66 rubellites (50.57cts.), 249 aquamarines (169.37cts.), 136 yellow beryls (101.92 cts.), 90 mandarin garnets (36.87cts.), 45 morganites (28.10 cts.), 35 iolites (14.34 cts.), 52 tanzanites (17.47 cts.), 118 peridots (179.60 cts.), 22 citrines (8.74 cts.), 250 emeralds (17.65 cts.), 90 rubies (13.54 cts.), 82 sapphires (11.20 cts.), and 1,297 diamond brilliants (26.58 cts.).

Clarinet. Rock Crystal (Madagascar), 551 diamonds (8.04 cts.), 18K and 24K gold framing (158 grams). This handmade rock crystal and gold clarinet, is the only playable quartz clarinet in existence. Measuring 680 mm. in length, and weighing 1,185 grams.

Images courtesy Wilensky Gallery.

December 30, 2019

Herbert Bayer: Bauhaus Master at Cooper Hewitt, Smithsonian Design Museum, through April 5, 2020

“Herbert Bayer: Bauhaus Master marks the centenary of the founding of the Bauhaus in Weimer, Germany, in 1919 and features rare works by the groundbreaking 20th-century graphic designer Herbert Bayer. On view in the second-floor permanent collection galleries, the exhibition follows Bayer’s role as both student and teacher at the Bauhaus, as well as his illustrious career in the United States following his 1938 emigration.

Born in Austria and active in Germany and the U.S., Bayer (1900–1985) helped define a new language of graphic design suited to modern life during his years at the Bauhaus. Charting his stylistic shifts and theoretical contributions, Herbert Bayer: Bauhaus Master highlights Bayer’s interest in typography and photography, design theory, information design, fashion and beauty, and poster design as well as his corporate work.

Becoming one of the most influential graphic designers of his time, Bayer applied the school’s theories to commercial practice and promoted its legacy to the public. In addition to contributing to the rational New Typography movement of the 1920s, he created a hyperreal illustration style for use in infographics and advertising. He had an enormous impact on institutions in the U.S., including the Aspen Institute for Humanistic Studies, where he activated the Bauhaus ideal of total design to architecture, landscape and graphics.” — Cooper Hewitt

Book cover, Staatliches Bauhaus (State Bauhaus) in Weimar 1919 1923, 1923; Designed by Herbert Bayer; Letterpress and lithograph; Collection of Merrill C. Berman; © 2019 Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York / VG Bild-Kunst, Bonn; Photo: Matt Flynn © Smithsonian Institution

Card, Herbert Bayer, Verband Deutscher Reklamefachleute (Association of German Advertisers), 1928; Designed by Herbert Bayer; Letterpress; Collection of Merrill C. Berman; © 2019 Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York / VG Bild-Kunst, Bonn; © 2019 Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York / VG Bild-Kunst, Bonn; Photo: Matt Flynn © Smithsonian Institution

Postcard, Bauhaus Austellung (Bauhaus Exhibition), Weimar, 1923; Designed by Herbert Bayer; Lithograph; Collection of Merrill C. Berman; © 2019 Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York / VG Bild-Kunst, Bonn; © 2019 Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York / VG Bild-Kunst, Bonn; Photo: Matt Flynn © Smithsonian Institution

Design for postcard, Das Staatliches Bauhaus in Weimar Macht Eine 1st Austellung (State Bauhaus in Weimar Makes a First Exhibition), 1923; Designed by Herbert Bayer; Gouache, ink, pencil; Collection of Merrill C. Berman; © 2019 Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York / VG Bild-Kunst, Bonn; Photo: Matt Flynn © Smithsonian Institution

Poster, Section Allemande (German Section), Exposition de la Société des Artistes Décorateurs, Grand Palais, 1930; Designed by Herbert Bayer; Lithograph; Collection of Merrill C. Berman; © 2019 Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York / VG Bild-Kunst, Bonn; Photo: Matt Flynn © Smithsonian Institution

Magazine cover, PM, Vol. 6, No. 2, December 1939; Designed by Herbert Bayer; Letterpress print; Collection of Cooper Hewitt, Smithsonian Design Museum; © 2019 Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York / VG Bild-Kunst, Bonn; Photo: Matt Flynn © Smithsonian Institution

Print, The Skillful Hand, 1944; Designed by Herbert Bayer; Client: Bianchini-FÈrier, Inc.; Offset lithograph; Collection of Cooper Hewitt, Smithsonian Design Museum; © 2019 Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York / VG Bild-Kunst, Bonn; Photo: Matt Flynn © Smithsonian Institution

Print, Noreen Super Color Rinse, ca. 1953; Designed by Herbert Bayer; Offset lithograph; Collection of Cooper Hewitt, Smithsonian Design Museum; © 2019 Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York / VG Bild-Kunst, Bonn; Photo: Matt Flynn © Smithsonian Institution

Booklet pages, Das Wunder des Lebens (The Miracle of Life), 1935; Designed by Herbert Bayer; Gravure; Collection of Cooper Hewitt, Smithsonian Design Museum; © 2019 Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York / VG Bild-Kunst, Bonn; Photo: Matt Flynn © Smithsonian Institution

Poster, Divisumma, 1953; Designed by Herbert Bayer; Client: Ing. C. Olivetti & C S.p.A.; Offset lithograph; Collection of Cooper Hewitt, Smithsonian Design Museum; © 2019 Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York / VG Bild-Kunst, Bonn; Photo: Matt Flynn © Smithsonian Institution

“As the founding of the Bauhaus is being fêted across the globe this year, this powerful and focused exhibition will draw from Cooper Hewitt’s unique holdings—bolstered by a trove of more than 500 pieces acquired in 2015,” said Caroline Baumann, director of the museum. “The exhibition offers new insights and scholarship on this Bauhaus leader who helped shape the discourse of modern graphic design.”

The exhibition is organized by Ellen Lupton, senior curator of contemporary design, Cooper Hewitt.

Title Image: Installation photo of Herbert Bayer: Bauhaus Master. Photo: Matt Flynn © Smithsonian Institution

Images courtesy Cooper Hewitt, Smithsonian Design Museum.

December 23, 2019

Cutting Edges: Nordic Concrete Art from the Erling Neby Collection at Scandinavia House, through February 15, 2020

“Cutting Edges: Nordic Concrete Art from the Erling Neby Collection features concrete art from the Nordic countries in a collection never before seen in the U.S. Curated by Karin Hellandsjø, Director Emeritus of the Henie Onstad Art Centre, this exhibition presents over 30 key works from major artists in painting, drawing, and sculpture.

A practice that was developed before and after World War II, and devised to avoid ambiguity in the word ‘abstract,’ concrete art is characterized by combinations of simple geometric elements to create autonomous visual realities. First used in 1929 by Theo van Doesburg and Piet Mondrian, internationally recognized artists such as Victor Vasarely, Max Bill, Burgoyne Diller, Jesús Rafael Soto, and Josef Albers became exponents of the practice, which attracted the attention of Nordic artists visiting the Geometric and Concrete art scene centered around the Galerie Denise René in Paris.

Much like their contemporaries in the U.S. and Paris, these Nordic artists became interested in creating artworks that were both social and universal, using pure form and color based on mathematical principles. International exhibitions of concrete art also travelled to the Nordic capitals in the early years, leading to a dynamic, influential interaction that continues today.” — Scandinavia House

Exhibition views of “Cutting Edges”. Photos by Eileen Travell/ASF. Courtesy Scandinavia House.

Artists in this exhibition include Olle Bærtling, Lars Erik Falk and Lars Englund (Sweden); Richard Mortensen and Robert Jacobsen (Denmark); Kristján Guõmundsson (Iceland); Gunnar S. Gundersen, Arne Malmedal, Kristin Nordhøy, Aase Texmon Rygh and Bjørn Ransve (Norway); and Lars-Gunnar Nordström, Sam Vanni, Paul Osipow and Matti Kujasalo (Finland).

December 19, 2019

Enigma Pinocchio. From Giacometti to LaChapelle – A Great Italian Story at Villa Bardini, Florence, through March 22, 2020

“Pinocchio, the character whose Adventures are among the world’s most well-known and translated books, is the protagonist of the exhibition entitled Enigma Pinocchio. From Giacometti to LaChapelle – A Great Italian Story. The exhibition brings together, for the first time in Florence, over 50 contemporary art masterpieces from all over the world. Curated by Lucia Fiaschi and set in the beautiful Villa Bardini, the exhibition evokes the adventures of Collodi’s famous character, combining naivety and mischievousness, independence and submission, and ultimately life and death.

The exhibition includes seven sections exploring the multifaceted nature of this enigmatic creature: Pinocchio is (not) a King; Pinocchio is (not) a marionette; Pinocchio is (not) human; Pinocchio is (not) dead; Pinocchio is (not) Pinocchio; Pinocchio is (not) a mask; Pinocchio is (not) a child. Viewers will also find multimedia installations dialoguing with the works on display.

Pinocchio – an extraordinary invention, a metaphor for every possible metaphor – this Tuscan yet universal character, open to all possible interpretations was born at the end of the nineteenth century, but is an authentic twentieth-century being. Interpreted, deciphered, and scanned, exposed to the unspeakable tragedies of the past century, this tragic mask, this marionette was able to achieve the impossible and, incredibly, he lives.” — Villa Bardini

Sam Havadtoy. Pinocchio. Mixed media, lace, acrylic and gold leaf on resin, 160x68x88 cm. Private Collection

David LaChapelle. David Bowie: face masks, 1995. Chromogenic print, 66,04×50,08 cm. David LaChapelle, 1995

Alexander Calder. Red Disc, White Dots on Black, 1960. Painted sheet metal, metal rods and steel wire, 88,9x101x99 cm. Solomon R. Guggenheim Foundation, Venice, Hannelore B. e Rudolph B. Schulhof Collection, bequest Hannelore B. Schulhof, 2012. Photo: David Heald © Calder Foundation, New York, by SIAE 2019

Mimmo Paladino. Dono (Framed Pinocchio), 1998 Bronze, iron e lime, 53x42x21 cm. Mimmo Paladino Collection © Mimmo Paladino by SIAE 2019

Gionata Francesconi. Obstinacy, 2015. Wood and papier mache, 210x60x60 cm. Gionata Francesconi Collection © Gionata Francesconi by SIAE 2019

Venturino Venturi. Pinocchio, 1953. Cast bronze, 1980, 90x50x35 cm. San Giovanni Valdarno (AR), Banca del Valdarno Collection

Jim Dine. White Gloves, 4 Wheels, 2007. Oil based enamel and charcoal on wood, 207x148x61 cm. Jim Dine Collection, Courtesy Richard Gray Gallery © Jim Dine by SIAE 2019

Paul McCarthy. Drop Head/Bounce Head, 2009. Brown silicone, 30,5×25,4×25,4 cm. Hauser & Wirth (Zurigo)

Sam Havadtoy. Sitting Pinocchio, 2017. Mixed media, lace, acrylic and gold leaf on resin, 46x39x32 cm. Private collection

December 17, 2019

Rear Windows by Li Qing at Prada Rong Zhai, Shanghai, through January 19, 2020

“Prada presents ‘Rear Windows’, a new exhibition project by artist Li Qing, with the support of Fondazione Prada. Curated by Jérôme Sans, the show will be on view in the premises of Prada Rong Zhai, a 1918 historical residence in Shanghai restored by Prada and reopened in October 2017.

‘Rear Windows’ is an immersive and collaborative project conceived on site by the artist Li Qing and the curator as a specific storyboard, an in-depth exploration of the history and the space of Prada Rong Zhai, creating a connection between the past times and the current urban environment of Shanghai.

‘Rear Windows’—inspired by the eponymous 1954 movie directed by Alfred Hitchcock— is devised as a succession of climatic scenes to experience the act of seeing and of being seen or observed. Through some of his emblematic works like Neighbor’s Window and Tetris Window series, Li Qing suggests references to the city of Shanghai (or even Hangzhou, where the artist lives), where old and new buildings, different social groups, urban myths, legends and expectations coexist.” — Fondazione Prada

Exhibition views of “Rear Windows” by Li Qing. Prada Rong Zhai, November 7, 2019 -January 19, 2020. Photos: Zhu Hai. Courtesy Prada

Li Qing’s portrait

Jérôme Sans’ describes the exhibition, “as a narrative story conceived through a wide range of Li Qing’s past and recent works, unfolding as in a movie set of a film whose action is about to happen. Li Qing initiates here a new form of poetry in Prada Rong Zhai, one which belongs to an imaginary society and that lives in its past dreams, but also within his own work of today, continually questioning: how to be closer to the reality of things?”

December 15, 2019

Milano Art Week 2020, April 14 – 19

Milano Art Week 2020 presents a program of initiatives, exhibitions and performances organized by the City of Milan (April 14-19), that flanks miart, the trade fair of modern and contemporary art that takes place in Fiera Milano (April 17-19). Milano Art Week sees the participation of major public institutions and private foundations, all inaugurating new exhibitions and original artistic commissions. The 2020 programme confirms Milan’s thriving exhibition scene, which makes it an international destination for art and reflects the diverse range of institutions and venues that form the city’s cultural mosaic.

Furla Foundation

5c. Photo Bas Princen Courtesy Fondazione Prada Fondazione Prada_Torre_Bas Princen14

Prada Foundation. Photo: Bas Princen. Courtesy Prada Foundation

18. Triennale Milano_-� Gianluca Di Ioia - Triennale_Milano

Triennale Milano. Photo: Gianluca Di Ioia

6. ∏Franco Mascolo_Tony Cragg alla Fondazione Stelline, Milano 2007_Ferryman e I'm Alive

Stelline Foundation. Sculpture by Tony Cragg. Photo: Franco Mascolo

Marconi Foundation

Padiglione D’Arte Contemporanea (PAC).

Pirelli HangarBicocca. Photo: Lorenzo Palmeri. Courtesy Pirelli HangarBicocca

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Ibrahim Mahama, A Friend, 2019. Installation view of Caselli Daziari Porta Venezia, Milan. Courtesy Nicola Trussardi Foundation. Photo: Marco De Scalzi

Milano Art Week 2020 will present solo exhibitions and new commissions by international artists such as Olafur Eliasson for Nicola Trussardi Foundation, Tania Bruguera at the PAC|Padiglione d’Arte Contemporanea contemporary art gallery, Martin Kippenberger and Liu Ye at Prada Foundation, Rirkrit Tiravanija at the Museum of Science and Technology, Nairy Baghramian for Furla Foundation at the GAM|Gallery of Modern Art, Charles Atlas at ICA Foundation, Enzo Mari at the Triennale, Trisha Baga at the Pirelli HangarBicocca, Marinella Senatore at Stelline Foundation and Alessandro Pessoli at the Diocesan Museum. There will be major retrospectives and in-depth exhibitions of Chen Zhen at the Pirelli HangarBicocca, Carla Accardi at the Museo del Novecento and Gianni Colombo at Fondazione Marconi. At the Triennale Guillermo Kuitca will curate a selection of works from the collection of Fondation Cartier pour l’Art Contemporain. There will also be performance art by Christodoulos Panayiotou at the Triennale and MAI/Marina Abramović at the Giangiacomo Feltrinelli Foundation.

The preview of the upcoming 2020 Milano art fair was announced at a New York City press conference by Massimiliano Gioni, Artistic Director, Trussardi Foundation, Milan and New Museum, New York; Filippo del Corno, Deputy Mayor for Culture, City of Milan and spokesperson for Milano ArtWeek; Alessandro Rabottini, Artistic Director of miart and spokesperson of miart 2020.

Images courtesy City of Milan.

December 12, 2019

State of Extremes at Design Museum Holon, Israel, through October 24, 2020

“Design Museum Holon presents State of Extremes, an original, large-scale exhibition of contemporary design that probes the social, technological and environmental crises that increasingly define our current condition of extremes—while also showing ways in which design can act as a mediating, moderating and healing force. Curated by Aric Chen with Maya Dvash, Chief Curator of Design Museum Holon, and Azinta Plantenga State of Extremes includes over 70 works by international and Israeli designers and studios. It marks the museum’s 10th anniversary, coming a decade after the museum’s inaugural 2010 exhibition, The State of Things.” — Design Museum Holon

“In 2010, The State of Things inaugurated the Design Museum Holon by presenting a landscape of objects,” says curator Aric Chen, who was also a member of that earlier exhibition’s curatorial team. “Now, ten years later, State of Extremes instead describes a condition—one in which the world has changed and, with it, design and design practice.”

“In the last decade, design and innovation have driven us to envision newness in the world, in the pursuit of solutions to everyday problems,” says Maya Dvash, Chief Curator of Design Museum Holon. “However, our advancements have created unforeseeable consequences to humankind. ‘State of Extremes’ offers a vivid picture of where we are and where we are going”.

Spiraling _ Keiichi Matsuda, Merger, 2018, Video, 402 minutes (1)

Category: Spiraling. Keiichi Matsuda, Merger, 2018, Video, 4:02 minutes

Polarization _ Nathan Smith and Sam T. Smith, ME & EU; 2016 (3)

Category: Polarization. Nathan Smith and Sam T. Smith, ME & EU, 2016

Extremer _ Lucy McRae, Compression Cradle, 2019. Photo credit _ Scottie Cameron (1)

Category: Extremer. Lucy McRae, Compression Cradle, 2019. Photo credit: Scottie Cameron

Extremer _ Adam Nathaniel Furman for Camp Design Gallery, In collaboration with Abet Laminati, Benevolente – The Royal Family, 2019. Image credit Federico Floriani

Category: Extremer. Adam Nathaniel Furman for Camp Design Gallery, In collaboration with Abet Laminati, Benevolente–The Royal Family, 2019. Image credit: Federico Floriani

Category: Extremer. Bas Princen, Valley (Jing’an), 2007. Inkjet, digital print

New Normal _ Jun Kamei, Amphibio, 2018. Photo Jukan Tateisi (2)

Category: New Normal. Jun Kamei, Amphibio, 2018. Photo credit: Jukan Tateisi

Category: New Normal. Stephan Bogner, Philipp Schmitt, Jonas Voigt, Raising Robotic Natives, 2016. Mixed materials

Extreme Lab _ Meydan Levy, Neo Fruit, 2018. Bogdan Sokol _ Image credit_Shay Maman (2)

Category: Extreme Lab. Meydan Levy, Neo Fruit, 2018. Bogdan Sokol. Photo credit: Shay Maman

Extreme Lab _ Meydan Levy, Neo Fruit, 2018. Bogdan Sokol _ Image credit_Shay Maman (1)

Category: Extreme Lab. Meydan Levy, Neo Fruit, 2018. Bogdan Sokol. Photo credit: Shay Maman

Extreme Lab _ Kuang-Yi Ku, Tiger Penis Project, 2018. Image credit _ Yu-Tzu Huang (1)

Category: Extreme Lab. Kuang-Yi Ku, Tiger Penis Project, 2018. Image credit: Yu-Tzu Huang