Contemporary Art « Arrested Motion

Category Archives: Contemporary Art

Foster + Partners wins Hong Kong cultural district battle

Posted by sleepboy, March 15, 2011

The West Kowloon Cultural District, which we first told you about in 2009, has finally chosen a design for the planned $2.8 billion 50 hectare arts hub. The firm to win out were the favorites, Foster + Partners, the architects who were also responsible for the breathtaking Chep Lap Kok Airport, the Hong Kong and Shanghai Bank, and the Bilbao Metro, although the original canopy design has been scrapped. More conceptual images after the jump…

Openings: ‘Good Folks’ @ Show & Tell Gallery

Posted by sven, March 15, 2011

Show & Tell Gallery in Toronto continue to impress us with a superb roster of artists. Their latest, Good Folks, opened last week and featured Swoon (interviewed), Monica Canilao, Jeremiah Maddock, Derek Mehaffey (aka Other), Labrona and Troy Dugas. Good Folks looks another well curated show, and brings together a distinguished balance of artists from the fringes of the folk art, street art and protest art movements. This show celebrates the first two years of the gallery’s existence, so we wish them well and much […]

Openings: Shepard Fairey – “Revolutions” @ Robert Berman Gallery

Posted by juggernut3, March 14, 2011

On Saturday night, Shepard Fairey (featured) opened his latest exhibition Revolutions at Los Angeles’ Robert Berman Gallery. This unique showing was in part a mini-retrospective featuring the numerous works which Shepard and Obey have done in their long history and love affair with music. On display were many of Shep’s iconic HPM album covers for fans to enjoy along with a debut of a larger sized series of covers (mixed media collaged 41.5″ x 41.5″). As you saw in our recent studio visit with Shepard, a […]

Set-up / Openings: Brian Adam Douglas – ‘Due Date’ @ Black Rat Projects

Posted by Patrick Nguyen, March 13, 2011

The solo exhibition Due Date by Brian Adam Douglas (interviewed) opened on Thursday 9 March to a full house at London’s Black Rat Projects. Douglas himself was fine form throughout the evening, chatting with visitors and signing copies of his new book, Paper cuts, published by Drago. Among the guests, AM spotted artists Peter Kennard, Matt Small (interviewed) and Giles Walker. Also present was Douglas’s New York dealer, Andrew Edlin of Andrew Edlin Gallery, who’d flown in the day before to attend. Due Date consists […]

Teaser: Ai Weiwei – “Circle of Animals/Zodiac” @ Grand Army Plaza (Central Park)

Posted by sleepboy, March 13, 2011

Chinese conceptual artist and dissident Ai Weiwei, whose studio was recently demolished by the Chinese government, apparently didn’t have his bronze Zodiac Heads in storage there at the time. The pieces which originally exhibited at the 29th Sao Paulo Biennale in Brazil last year will be making a trip to the Big Apple come May. The twelve sculptures represent the traditional Chinese zodiac that adorn the fountain-clock of Yuanming Yuan, an imperial retreat in Beijing, five of which were looted and whose location is currently […]

Overtime: March 7 – March 13

Posted by Khoi, March 13, 2011

New El Mac x Retna mural in Los Angeles. New outdoor work from Steve Locatelli and Escif in Bilboa. Gaia planning a show for Chicago while Skewville gets read for London. Can Charlie Sheen be considered a performance artist or is he just desperate for attention? Damien Hirst designs instruments (that will be auctioned for charity) for the band Squeeze. How does your collection compare to Carlos Slim’s, which consists of about 66,000 works (including Renoir, Cezanne, and Rodin) of art? Cory Arcangel discusses his […]

Openings: James Jean – “Rebus” @ Martha Otero

Posted by Khoi, March 13, 2011

After presenting AM readers with teasers, updates, studio visits/previews, and exhibition set-up posts on James Jean’s Rebus show, the moment of truth has finally arrived and the glorious payoff is in sight. The artist’s first solo exhibition in his hometown of Los Angeles has opened (up until April 23) at West Hollywood’s Martha Otero and includes paintings, drawings, sketchbook spreads, sculpture, editioned scarves, and wall installations. Jean creates a immersive experience that feels like a romanticized dream where the environment is in colorful decay from […]

Charity / Releases: James Jean x OVM – Lotus War Silk Scarf

Posted by juggernut3, March 12, 2011

James Jean fans may remember the sold out fashion line which he created with Prada, but since then he’s taken a hiatus from fashion world to focus on his fine art career. Good news, James has been working on another project. Here’s a first look at the upcoming collaboration with Japan based company OVM. The first release of the future line with OVM is a gorgeous scarf featuring his signature Lotus War imagery from his show at Martha Otero. The scarf is made of premium […]

Teaser: Kent Williams @ Merry Karnowsky Gallery

Posted by sleepboy, March 12, 2011

Kent Williams, who recently showcased a fantastic body of work in New Mexico (covered), is already working on some paintings for a new solo scheduled for May in Los Angeles. The show planned for Merry Karnowsky Gallery will include this painting, New Spring, currently on display at the LCAD MFA Faculty and Students Exhibition in Irvine, CA. Another probable piece after the jump…

Installation: Ryan Travis Christian – “Sad Sacks” @ Guerrero Gallery

Posted by juggernut3, March 12, 2011

Tonight, May 12th, Ryan Travis Christian returns to Guerrero Gallery for the next installment of his works. In what looks like a continuation of works from his previous show last year at GG, Ryan moves to the main room with his classic use of blacks, whites and everything in between. This time, he expands his crazy visual patterns and distinct subject matter to include sex, parties, dreams and more. Look for a large but intricate multi-media installation that should be memorable to behold. Check it […]