Contemporary Art « Arrested Motion

Category Archives: Contemporary Art

Showing: Ai Weiwei – “S.A.C.R.E.D” @ The Venice Biennale

Posted by sleepboy, May 30, 2013

For the Venice Biennale, which will officially open this weekend, artist – activist Ai Weiwei has created an installation detailing his 81 days of incarceration by the Chinese government back in 2011. Entitled S.A.C.R.E.D (Supper, Accusers, Cleansing, Ritual, Entropy, and Doubt), the installation at the Sant’Antonin church feature six iron boxes that displays scenes of his captivity in the form of dioramas. This is the Chinese artist’s response to the difficulties and humiliation he faced at the hands of his captors where he was under surveillance […]

Upcoming: Jonathan Yeo @ National Portrait Gallery (London)

Posted by sleepboy, May 30, 2013

Despite his recent work playing with themes of beauty and cosmetic surgery as well as his porn-infused collages, Jonathan Yeo was first known for his contemporary portraiture. On this front, the British artist will be revealing new works for a major showing in September at the National Portrait Gallery in London. The subjects of these paintings include a diverse group of well-known figures including Michael Parkinson, Grayson Perry, Sienna Miller, Rupert Murdoch, and Kevin Spacey, seen above in the guise of Richard III. The artist said of the painting: […]

Upcoming: “Into The Dark” @ Unit 44 / Newcastle Victoria Tunnel

Posted by sleepboy, May 29, 2013

Coming up on June 12th, Unit 44 will be presenting Into The Dark, a group exhibition in Newcastle’s Victoria Tunnel (ala Lazarides’ subterranean Hell’s Half Acre & Minotaur events). On tap to provide works are artists Candice Tripp, D*Face, Eelus, Faith47, Hendrik Beikirch, Hush, Meggs, Pedro Matos, Shepard Fairey, Stormie Mills, Will Barras, and Word to Mother. Free tickets to the event will be released released on the June 1st at midday (UK time) with the link revealed through their social media for those interested in […]

Showing: Brendan Monroe – “Melting Into The Floor” @ Richard Heller Gallery

Posted by sleepboy, May 29, 2013

Earlier this month, Brendan Monroe (interviewed) opened his new solo show at the Richard Heller Gallery in Los Angeles. Entitled Melting Into the Floor, the new body of work includes paintings on paper and a number of sculptures in wood. Drawing from the name of the show, many of the pieces explore the transformation between liquids, gases, and solids – especially the crossing points at which the alteration occurs. Although figurative elements can still seen in Monroe’s new work, the Bay Area-based artist continues to explore the gradual […]

Michael Johansson – “Familiar Abstractions” @ Vigeland-Museet

Posted by sleepboy, May 28, 2013

Last week, we brought a look inside the studio of Michael Johansson in Malmø where he was busy preparing for his show at the Vigeland-Museet in Oslo, Norway. We now have some photos of the recently closes said exhibition, Familiar Abstractions, which features the tetris-like created cubes made from everyday objects that the Swedish artist is known for. Along with these color-coded assemblages, Johansson also filled in some doorways in with some installation work as well as displayed some grid-like sculptural pieces from rack-like materials. Photo credit: Henrik Haven. Discuss Michael Johansson here.

Showing: Pedro Matos – “Building Castles Made of Sand” @ Martha Otero

Posted by sleepboy, May 28, 2013

A couple weekends ago, the Martha Otero Gallery presented all new works from Pedro Matos in his first Los Angeles solo exhibition. Entitled Building Castles Made of Sand, the showing featured a new series of oil paintings on canvas and azulejo panels, a traditional Portuguese medium of hand-painted, tin-glazed, ceramic tile work. Continuing to draw from his experience of working on the streets of Lisbon, Matos weaves layers, textures, patterns, figurative subjects, and typography into his pieces. The exhibition runs through June 15th so you have time to stop by if you […]

Openings: Jake & Dinos Chapman – “The Sum Of All Evil” @ White Cube (Hong Kong)

Posted by sleepboy, May 27, 2013

As Basel Week in Hong Kong comes to a close, we have another exhibition to share with you. Jake & Dinos Chapman, often referred to as the Chapman Brothers (see our Art Focus), introduced their provocative encased dioramas to fans and fairgoers in Hong Kong at the White Cube Gallery with a series of work collectively entitled The Sum Of All Evil. The siblings epic sculptural works are packed with thousands of detailed components and often deal with ideas of war, genocide, violence, the apocalypse, […]

Overtime: May 20 – May 26

Posted by Khoi, May 26, 2013

More stories from the week ended May 26: John Constable masterpiece, Salisbury Cathedral from the Water Meadows, bought by Tate for £23.1mil. RIP: Cecilia Steinfeldt, known as the First Lady of Texas Art, pass away just a week shy of her 98th birthday. Detroit Institute of Art’s multibillion-dollar art collection could face sell-off to satisfy Detroit’s creditors Joseph Beuys biography accuses him of having close ties to the Nazis. SplitArt ends in liquidation due to a split between the investors about its direction. Nils Jennrich, […]

Openings: Scott Campbell – “Things Get Better” @ OHWOW Gallery

Posted by sleepboy, May 25, 2013

Last night, Scott Campbell unveiled a new body of work in Los Angeles at OHWOW Gallery entitled Things Get Better. Mostly consisting of paintings of what he calls “Frankenguns,” jerry-rigged tattoo guns that he was able to make inside of jails in Mexico (with looser regulations than in the United States) and administer tattoos to inmates. Learn more about his unique personal project here and check out some photos from the opening below… Photo credit: Waltercrunk for Arrested Motion. Discuss this show here. Discuss Scott Campbell here.

Openings: Keith Haring & RETNA @ Central Plaza (Hong Kong)

Posted by sleepboy, May 24, 2013

With the art world focus on Hong Kong right now because of Art Basel (covered), AM paid another high profile show a visit (also see Murakami & Basquiat). Thursday night saw the explosive opening of an exhibition of works from the late New York graffiti legend Keith Haring paired with pieces from the Los Angeles-based rising star RETNA. Held on the 75th floor of Central Plaza, the second highest building on the island after IFC, panoramic views greeted attendees as they checked out the showing presented by Andy […]