If you went to Carnegie International this year looking for a survey of contemporary artwork and artists, what you encountered is probably not what you expected. What's on view is a mix of commissioned works, found works and historical works, some of it beautiful, most of it disconcerting and altogether quite heavy. It's a tour … Continue reading I found the end of the world and it’s in Pittsburgh
Southern Alleghenies Museum of Art Biennial
Driving to Central Pennsylvania after spending a few hours visiting the 58th Carnegie International, we were debating if this was the best Carnegie International we have experienced so far or perhaps one of the worst. It was certainly heavy-handed with curatorial visions and discourse of worldly views. On the way to Hollidaysburg, we had just … Continue reading Southern Alleghenies Museum of Art Biennial
Frolic in the Forest at Sidestreet Arts Gallery
Not much can beat having a gallery in the neighborhood. It's a few blocks away and we walk by it frequently. In a way it feels like another room of our house. So when we learned that Sidestreet Arts gallery has an opening reception on the first Friday of each month, we circled our calendar. … Continue reading Frolic in the Forest at Sidestreet Arts Gallery
Portland Art Openings March 2023
Maybe the winter decided to stay a little bit longer, but the spring of art cannot wait. It was another First Thursday Art Walk in Pearl District. We were delighted to walk on a cool and dry night and enjoy seeing art, people, and the city. Our first stop was at Waterstone Gallery. There are … Continue reading Portland Art Openings March 2023
Reading the Teacups of History
On September 4, 1977, members of a Chinese youth gang, attempting to kill leaders of a rival gang, shot up the Golden Dragon Restaurant at 822 Washington Street in San Francisco. Sometime before the Golden Dragon was established, a restaurant at the address was named Tao Lee Yon. It was a teacup on eBay that … Continue reading Reading the Teacups of History
Art Log: February 3, 2023
Portland is proving to have its fair share of art connections with Texas. Last week on the Meet-Up Art Walk we stopped in Froelick Gallery and spotted the work of Terrell James, an artist we met at Barry Whistler Gallery in Dallas. She lives in Houston where the gallery owner has roots. The weekend prior … Continue reading Art Log: February 3, 2023
Art Log: November 22, 2022
When I saw the piece of cake on the Poster for the Art of Food Show at JSMA in Portland, Oregon, I knew instantly what it was. This work by Claus Oldenburg played prominently into a Texas Art story that played out in the 1960s at the Museum for the Contemporary Arts in Dallas. I … Continue reading Art Log: November 22, 2022
A Bigger, Better Dallas Art Fair
There's a sense that Dallas is becoming much more important than it has been. Rents and real estate are up, the food scene has gained complexity, more and more languages are spoken, the arts venues are top-notch, the art we see is more inclusive and international, the museum plans a major expansion and it seems … Continue reading A Bigger, Better Dallas Art Fair
Figures From the Vault – A Celebration of the Body at SAMA
As the pandemic continues to disrupt the world, the art institutions, facing budget restrictions and dwindling visitor numbers, have to be creative in curating their exhibitions. Many look inward and deep into their own vault. The Southern Alleghenies Museum of Art (SAMA) currently features figurative art from their permanent collection. The result is a dynamic … Continue reading Figures From the Vault – A Celebration of the Body at SAMA
Biggers at 500X
It is no surprise that the art world has met a racial reckoning since Trumpism. A year on, many minority artists are featured in venerable institutions. If we think about the intricate relationship and influence between patrons, curators and artists, and realize that the former two groups are still largely white, we begin to wonder … Continue reading Biggers at 500X