If you look closely, you can see me in the crowd a couple of times.
The first of a number of videos from Varispeed’s performance of Robert Ashley’s Perfect Lives presented as part of Performa ’11 at Essex St Market in New York City’s Lower East Side.
Featuring: Gelsey Bell, Dave Grollman, Brian McCorkle, Paul Pinto, Erin Rogers, Dave Ruder, Aliza Simons, and Jeffrey Young
Just under five years ago, I started working on an ad network for arts and culture sites called Culture Pundits, with ArtCat as the “anchor” site. Soon afterward, Tom Schreiber joined me as a partner in the venture.
In that time, we paid quite a bit of money to our member sites. However, the last year (especially the last six months) have been pretty tough for us, so we have decided to shut down Culture Pundits to concentrate on other projects — in my case ArtCat’s calendar, hosting products, and the online magazine IDIOM. It’s simply too hard to do a good job if one’s focus is spread too thin, and I’ve decided the time involved in running an ad network of over 20 sites, even with the help of Tom, would be better spent on these other projects.
I have set up an archive site to thank the sponsors we’ve had over the years, as well as a list of the sites in the network as of this month.
Thank you for your support of Culture Pundits and our member sites, and I look forward to bringing you new things on the web in 2012.
P.S. If you would like to support ArtCat and IDIOM, please visit our sponsorship page. You may also make a tax-deductible contribution to IDIOM.
Most people expect James and me to only be interested in the visual arts for some reason, but we’re also fanatics about any “new” art, be it music, theater, dance, etc. Since 2003, one of the places to hear and see new things, especially multi-disciplinary work (why isn’t there more of that?) has been Issue Project Room, founded by artist Suzanne Fiol.
They are now raising money to make capital improvements to their new home in an amazing space at 110 Livingston. Their benefit this weekend (Saturday, October 1, 2011) includes a special performances by Steve Roden and A^ction: Kim Gordon, Tony Conrad, and John Miller, plus an amazing art auction. Artists include: Peggy Ahwesh, Jo Andres, Paolo Arao, Kenseth Armstead, Assume Vivid Astro Focus, Donald Baechler, Paul Chan, Tony Conrad, Ethan Cook, Wayne Coyne, Peggy Cyphers, E.V. Day, Devon Dikeou, Daniella Dooling, Shawn Dulaney, Devin Elijah, Rochelle Feinstein, Suzanne Fiol, Neal Franc, Isa Freeling, Michelle Handelman, Joseph Holmes, Mi Ju, Art Kane, Robin Khan, Todd Knopke, Jutta Koether, Lauren Luloff, Christian Marclay, John Miller, Paul Miller (DJ Spooky), Stephen Moore, Ulrike Muller, James Nares, Yoko Ono, Tony Oursler, Carissa Pelleteri, Tristan Perich, Barbara Pollack, Lee Ranaldo, Brett Reichman, Steve Roden, Julia Rommel, Kevin Ryan, Cindy Sherman, James Siena, Gary Simmons, Jude Tallichet, Mickalene Thomas, Stephen Vitiello, Andy Warhol, Martynka Wawrzyniak, John Waters, Alyssa Taylor Wendt, Robert Wilson and Marina Zurkow.
James and I will be there, and hope you will join us at at Industria Superstudio in the West Village to support this important organization. Tickets are only $125, or $50 if you are already a member. You can also bid online for the silent auction artworks. However, if you don’t attend you will miss the performance and Ned Sublette as the live auctioneer!
Robert Beck, Untitled ("An Atlas of Human Figure Drawings" by Caroline Bedell Thomas/ "Art as Therapy with Children" by Edith Kramer), 2001/2004, Graphite, ink, and latent fingerprint powder on paper, 16 1/2 x 14 inches
This is one of several lovely drawings by Robert Beck based on art therapy drawings (found in a book of child personality assessment tests) in Crazy Lady, a group show curated by Jane Harris, at Schroeder Romero & Shredder.
[image via Schroeder Romero & Shredder]
James and I are thrilled to be on the benefit committee again this year for NURTUREart’s Annual Benefit, occurring October 11, 2011 at the Chelsea Art Museum on West 22nd Street.
The art preview site is up now, with over 250 works available on a first-come first-served basis, with those able to buy the VIP tickets ($500) getting in 30 minutes early. There is a lot of great work, but I’m not going to recommend anything, as James and I might want it for ourselves.
Please support this important organization and its move to the Morgan L stop in Bushwick!
Elisa Soliven
Erica Greenwald
Erica Greenwald
Erica Greenwald
There were other interesting artists in the show, but I have good images for these two.
Artist websites:
Don’t miss the other installation shots on both artists’ sites.
Prototype 011 (shaving station)
I’ll post a few photos of other artists in the Hunter College MFA Spring 2011 Thesis Exhibition later, but first I wanted to put up those I took of Joshua Johnson‘s work, as we’ve been following him since 2006. He was a painter back then, but his Hunter MFA show was nearly all sculpture. There are some good detail images of these works and others on his website.
Prototype 012 (towel bar with pump dispenser)
Prototype 013 (bathroom mirror)
detail of Prototype 013 (bathroom mirror)
Prototype 007 (Picture Frame)
Schematic
I’m switching to WordPress for bloggy.com, and keeping the old Movable Type site as an archive. With over 9 years of posts in Movable Type, I’m not going to try to import it all into WP. I’ll leave it up at archive.bloggy.com for posterity.
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