Contemporary Art « Arrested Motion

Category Archives: Contemporary Art

Previews: Kehinde Wiley – “A New Republic” @ Brooklyn Museum

Posted by sleepboy, February 20, 2015

Today marks the public opening of Kehinde Wiley’s massive mid-career survey entitled A New Republic at the Brooklyn Museum. For this exhibition, the locally-based artist has a selection of Wiley’s World Stage paintings, which started in 2006, many of which feature his signature “street castings” – taking urban youths off the street and posing & dressing them like the upper crust of society in Renaissance and old master paintings. Rounding things out are a serious of bronzes, stained glass paintings, and smaller “altarpieces.” Photo credit: Byron Smith and Chad Batka […]

Releases: Fables – The Complete Covers By James Jean

Posted by sleepboy, February 20, 2015

Currently available from James Jean (interviewed) on his online store are signed copies of Fables: The Complete Covers By James Jean. The 256 page book is a compilation of the work from when the gifted painter worked as the cover artist for the comic series Fables. Including prep and production art, the publication is a in-depth look at the early phase of James’ acclaimed career that made him famous. Discuss James Jean here.

Jose Parla Studio By Snøhetta

Posted by sleepboy, February 18, 2015

It looks like the Norway-based company Snøhetta recently designed and oversaw the renovation of an expansive new studio for Jose Parla. The former Brooklyn warehouse was divided into two sections – “the arena” and “the nest.” The first is a double-height workspace for the NY-based artist’s increasingly large projects (see Barclays Center & One World Trade Center), while the other is an elevated lounge space that overlooks the other. Photo credit: Jeff Goldberg / ESTO (via Dezeen). Discuss Jose Parla here.

Previews: Clemens Behr – ‘Small Works’ @ Mini Galerie

Posted by sven, February 18, 2015

Berlin-based Clemens Behr opens a solo exhibition this week at Amsterdam’s Mini Galerie entitled Small Works. True to the name of the show, this is a rare chance to get up close and personal to Behr’s typically installation-heavy, and much larger scale works. Working mainly with industrial and salvaged architectural materials, Behr applies an abstract language to his sculptural works, placing otherwise familiar materials out of context and imposing a defiance to logic, gravity and form. His Small Works within this exhibition retain all the (un)familiar […]

Upcoming: Phil Hale – “Life Want to Live” @ Jonathan LeVine Gallery

Posted by sleepboy, February 17, 2015

This Saturday night (February 21st), Jonathan LeVine Gallery (529 West 20th Street) will be presenting new works from acclaimed painter and illustrator Phil Hale. Life Want to Live will be the American artist’s first solo show in four years as well as his debut with the Chelsea showspace, introducing his surreal and distorted images of life to fans in New York. In conjunction with the exhibition, the London-based artist will be releasing a new book that shares its title with the show. In the introduction, Michiko Oki states the […]

Setup: GILF! – “Shattering” @ Joseph Gross Gallery

Posted by juggernut3, February 16, 2015

Last Thursday, Brooklyn-based conceptual and activist artist Ann Lewis also known as GILF! hosted an unusual event in DUMBO entitled Shattering. She invited guests into a private space in the gallery and gave them the opportunity to individually shatter glasses and dishes that she provided. She will be using the ceramic remnants to create artwork for an upcoming show at Joseph Gross Gallery in Chelsea this spring. The piece will become part of a public works project that will benefit neighborhoods such as Brownsville and East New York. When […]

Overtime: Feb 9 – Feb 15

Posted by Khoi, February 15, 2015

More stories from the week that ended Feb 15 (click on bolded words for more information): Jamian Juliano-Villani’s solo exhibition at Museum Of Contemporary Art Detroit now on view. RIP: Rex Ray, who died at the age of 59 after a long illness. RIP: Tomie Ohtake who died at the age of 101 due to cardiac arrest brought on by pneumonia. Alfred Momaday prints, thought to be stolen, found in New Mexico meth lab. Rudolf Staechelin Family Trust remove 18 loaned masterpieces from Kunstmuseum Basel. […]

Showing: Kour Pour – “Samsara” @ Depart Foundation

Posted by Khoi, February 13, 2015

Currently up now until March 7 is Kour Pour’s first solo exhibition, curated by Nicola Ricciardi, in Los Angeles at Depart Foundation. The show includes the artist’s coveted carpet paintings, as well as a wall installation consisting of golden powdered incense. Unlike previous versions of his carpet paintings, which used imagery appropriated from museum and auction catalogs, the artist has created original compositions and juxtaposed them in anachronistic and cross-cultural narratives. These pieces contain images of hunters and gatherers, religious icons and mystical creatures, merchants, lovers […]

POW! WOW! ’15 / Streets: Mark Dean Veca

Posted by sleepboy, February 12, 2015

Invited in for POW! WOW! Hawaii (more coverage here) for the first time this year, Mark Dean Veca (interviewed) took several days to paint a wall featuring his signature version of “Toile de Jouy” style patterns on Cooke Street in the Kaka’ako district of Honolulu. Because of the industrial nature of the area, the work from the Southern California-based artist and other participants in this year’s event are always a welcome addition in beautifying the local environment. Photo credit: @arrestedmotion_sal. Discuss Mark Dean Veca here. Discuss POW! WOW! Hawaii here.

POW! WOW! ’15: James Jean @ Honolulu Museum of Art (Part I)

Posted by sleepboy, February 12, 2015

Invited back to POW! WOW! Hawaii (more coverage here) for a second time (see 2014), James Jean (interviewed) has upgraded to a much larger mural this time around. Set up at one of the inner courtyards at the Honolulu Museum of Art, the gifted painter is well on his way to transforming the wall with just two colors. Head in for a look yourself the piece entitled Nervosa III if you are in town and also make it down to Kaka’ako Agora tonight at 6 pm for what […]