Construction Updates from Holder

Well, the snow has melted, and we have the construction update from Holder for the week ending February 12, 2010 below.

Current week - Activities/Issues:
New Gallery / Connector
· Installing 1st Floor Brick
· Continue working on connector roof
· Reworking and insulating existing roof
· Hanging Drywall both 1st and 2nd floor
· Mud and Tape Finish Drywall
· Framing hard ceiling 2nd floor gallery
· MEP trim out hard ceiling
· Installing exterior stairs

Existing Building Renovations
· Continue MEP overhead rough-in
· Continue framing of walls
· Hanging, mudding and finishing drywall
· Rework existing roof
· Demo exterior walls

Storage Bar
· Completed the exterior concrete wall waterproofing / vapor barrier.
· Framing exterior walls and sheathing
· Spray fire proofing
· Exterior brick started

Next week - Activities/Issues:
New Gallery / Connector
· Continue drywall on 2nd Floor
· Continue installing brick 1st Floor
· Curtain wall framing
· Mud, tape and finish drywall
· Framing hard ceilings
· Digging footings and pouring in courtyard
· Continue exterior limestone work
· Continue Standing walls & pouring site walls
· Backfilling site walls
· Pour connector elevated slab
· Start installing connector stairs
· Paint structural steel connector
· Start connector roof

Existing Building Renovations
· Continue hanging drywall
· Mud and tape finishing structure

Storage Bar
· Continue cmu walls on exterior foundation
· Loading new roof with materials and begin moving existing roof on the Art Building.
· Start new roof on storage bar
· Start fireproofing storage bar
· Start bricking storage bar

Interior gallery

Entrance to 1st-floor bathroom in gallery

2nd-floor gallery ceiling

Hide and Seek

Okay, so a lot of what's on Twitter isn't all that useful. We use it, and we find information that's helpful (weather updates, last-minute reminders of events, promotions) in among the junk, but we can understand why you might not be into it. Well, this story from the Chicago Tribune about artists Patrick Skoff and Samantha Brown gives some insight into its very real and large possibilities when it comes to the arts and interacting with your public. The two young painters have been leaving their art around the city, then tweeting its location. If you get there first, you get a painting for free, plus the thrill of the chase. What do the artists get out of it? Fans and publicity, which are about as valuable as cash when you're starting out. Check out their Twitter feed here, and if you happen to be in Chicago (say, at the ongoing College Art Association Conference, where two of our staff members are), maybe you'll end up with something to put on your walls.

GMOA in the News

The Athens CVB is highlighting this weekend's Family Day: Pop-Up Valentines in its email newsletter and on its Web site.

Be aware, though, that if snow materializes, the event may be canceled. UGA events on weekends are not subject to the university's general cancellation policy, and this one is up to the Lyndon House. We will do our best to let you know if it's on or not, especially through Twitter, so check back on our Twitter feed for news.

Speakeasy Photos

We've got all the photos from Speakeasy up on our Flickr page, and the slideshow is embedded above. Beware. This could take up half your day, as we've got nearly 300! We extend our most heartfelt thanks to Blount Photo, which supplied photography for the event and served as one of our generous sponsors. They did a wonderful job with both candid and posed shots, and we can't recommend them enough. Thank you, as well, to everyone who attended the event, which was a very successful fundraiser in addition to being a fun evening and a great excuse to get costumed up for many of our guests. Despite frigid temperatures, some of you were kind of enough to pose outside with one of Todd Emily's vintage automobiles, and the photos were worth it. These events take a lot to put together, but it's all worth it when we can see the results!

More on the 2010 Green Symposium

Bonnie Ramsey, former director of communications for the museum and member of the Decorative Arts Advisory Committee, sent out the following earlier this week:

The Henry D. Green Symposium accolades continue to roll in to Dale
Couch and Linda Chesnut. After a packed 48-hour schedule, over 325 attendees from eight states and speakers cannot stop talking about the program and the weekend's activities. Congratulations to all who made this event a success: the staffs of the Georgia Museum of Art and the Center for Continuing Education, members of the decorative arts committee, the gracious hosts and hostesses for the social events and our beloved sponsors. As Bill Eiland likes to say, "hats off" to all and especially to the adjunct curator (who defies that term) who not only survived his first symposium but made many new friends for the program in the process.

Here's a sampling of the enthusiastic responses:

"The symposium was FABULOUS!! We loved it being at the Center for Continuing Education. It made it so much nicer for everyone..."
Mary Burdell
St. Simons

"It was an honor to have been asked to participate...I cannot thank GMOA and the advisory committee enough for the hospitality and kindness I was shown. It was simply overwhelming. I am sorry I could not stay and thank each member personally."
Charlotte Crabtree
The Silver Vault, Charleston

"...I thought everything went beautifully, and I agree that the lectures were all good. You Georgia folks really know how to to give a good symposium! I've never been wined and dined quite as thoroughly as I was by the good
people of Athens! I am also grateful for the rides to various places..."
June Lucas
MESDA

"...Personally I thought the symposium was perfect and would be hard to improve upon. I like the venue and, man, you Georgians know how to entertain! June and I both loved all the wonderful parties. The hosts could not have been warmer or more welcoming."
Robert Leath
MESDA

"Could not have been better" certainly applied to the entire weekend! In case you did not have a chance to purchase "A Colorful Past: Decorative Arts of Georgia," a collection of the 2008 symposium papers, you can do so by contacting the Museum Shop.

You can order it online from the shop or call 706.542.0450, where Amy Miller will be happy to take your order for the book, which is full-color and retails for $35 + shipping and handling. Distribution is being handled by UGA Press, so, with luck, you'll start to see the book showing up in Atlanta-area bookstores soon.

An Update

Remember that Jeremy Hughes opening reception at White Tiger we weren't sure about? Looks like it's tomorrow night at 6 p.m.

Public Art?

Head prep Todd Rivers snapped this photo while in Atlanta. Sure, the stick man doing a little dance with the wheelchaired figure could be a coincidence, put there by nature, but we like to think of it as guerrilla public art, carefully placed by a passerby for maximum aesthetic impact.

Athens Art Events: February 11–14

There are six great art events jam-packed in the next few days, so don’t miss out! In fact, half of them are this evening. If you’re still trying to plan something for your Valentine, one of these events might be perfect.

Golden Acrylic Mediums Demonstration

Tonight (February 11), 6–8 p.m.

Loft Art Supply, 1035 Baxter St.

This free lecture and demo with artist Phil Garrett will show new surfaces for painting and collage created with Golden Acrylic Paints and Mediums. Mixed-media (including drawing, painting and digital) applications and layering effects will also be covered. Attendees will receive coupons and free samples. The demo is free but registration is required. Call 706.548.5334 to register.

Twilight Toasts in the Garden

Tonight, 6:30–8:30 p.m.

Visitor Center and Conservatory, State Botanical Garden of Georgia

Sponsored by the Friends of the Garden, this quarterly event combines a wine tasting, hors d’oeuvres, live music and an art exhibition. The wine selection will be from Five Points Bottle Shop and the food from Trumps Catering. Ernest “Bubba” Beasley and Jason Royer will be playing jazz on bass and guitar. $25 for non-members ($20 members). Call 706.542.6014 for more information.

Opening reception for "SUZANI: Uzbek Treasures in Thread" 

Tonight, 7–9 p.m. (Gallery talk at 8 p.m.)

Gallery 101, Lamar Dodd School of Art

Suzani means “needle” in Farsi and refers to embroidered work used as wall hangings, canopies or covers (photo below). Suzani are an important part of a bride’s dowry in Uzbekistan. Their design was often inspired by floral forms in urban gardens as well as spiritual symbols and motifs. The exhibition at Lamar Dodd will include selected embroideries from the Charlene Page Kaufman Memorial Textile Collection along with student work from the fabric design program inspired by Suzani. The exhibition will be on display through March 4.

Good Dirt Opening Reception

Tomorrow, February 12, 5–7 p.m.

Good Dirt, 510 N. Thomas St.

Good Dirt has an annual tradition of producing 500 soup bowls for the Food Bank of Northeast Georgia and the Empty Bowls luncheon (which will be held on March 17). The Gallery @ Good Dirt will be unveiling some “high-end pots” that will be auctioned at the Food Bank’s silent auction on the day of the Empty Bowls event. Call 706.355.3161 for more information.

Family Day: Pop-up Valentines

Saturday, February 13, 10 a.m.–noon

Lyndon House Arts Center, 293 Hoyt St.

Join GMOA for a Valentine’s Day celebration. Use the works of art you see in the galleries to inspire your own pop-up Valentines. Heart-shaped treats will be provided. Co-sponsored by the Lyndon House Arts Center. Call 706.542.GMOA (4662) for more information.

 

The Daily Groceries Co-op Art Sign Installation

Sunday, February 14

The Daily Groceries, 523 Prince Ave.

The Daily Groceries Co-op offers local, nutritious, organic and fair-trade foods and adheres to cooperative principles. On Sunday, local artist Krysia Haag will present the Daily Groceries with its new sign—a tile mosaic of produce. Call 706.548.1732 for more information.

Last minute Valentine’s Day gift ideas!

If you’re still looking for a Valentine’s Day gift for that special someone, the Georgia Museum of Art’s online shop has some great gift options for you! GMOA’s online store offers unique books, children’s gifts and accessories for your Valentine and your home.

Shopping at GMOA’s online store is quick and easy. With just a click you have the perfect Valentine’s Day gift, and your purchases will be delivered right to your door!

Here are some great suggestions from the online store for this Valentine’s Day:


Doodlebook Frame
The frame is a sketching pad and allows you to design 80 different surroundings around a 4 x 6-inch picture of you and your Valentine.


Umbra Minimix Multi-Frame
This frame is perfect for documenting the history of your relationship in a six-picture collage.


Heart Tote
The colorful hearts on this adorable tote bag make this a perfect Valentine’s Day gift.


Color-by-Number Stuffed Animals
These stuffed animals come with a set of six washable markers and are the perfect gift for your little artist.


Heart Pencil Sharpener and Eraser
These colorful little hearts would be ideal to throw into a Valentine’s Day gift basket or goodie bag.


Flowers Boxed Postcards
These 50 different floral images won’t wilt and will be useful long after February 14.


Go Green Earrings
These lovely sterling earrings offer the choice of turquoise, peridot or blue topaz beads on rustic hoops.

In addition to these gift options, GMOA’s online shop offers many other earrings, pieces of jewelry, an extensive selection to choose from for your book collector, a wide variety of beautiful scarves and much more!

Art Around Athens

This is kind of a nontraditional fine-art event, but tonight (Wednesday, February 10) at 7:30 p.m. in the UGA Ecology Building (140 E. Green St.), Alaskan artist and author of "Rapture of the Deep," Ray Troll, will deliver an illustrated lecture entitled, "Cruisin' the Fossil Freeway: An Artist's View of the History of Life" as part of UGA's Darwin Days, a yearly celebration of the life and work of Charles Darwin. The lecture is free and open to the public and will be followed by a reception. Troll definitely seems to bridge the gap between scientific illustration and what we think of as higher art, and his colorful images are playful and interesting. Browse around on his Web site to see what you're in for.

Flocks

PICDIT called our attention this morning to the work of Kristi Malakoff, a Canadian artist who seems to focus on scale and repetition in her installation pieces. We recommend you don't skip a single section of her site, though, lest you miss the incredible works she's done with flowers, money, stamps and candy, in addition to her detailed recreation of butterflies and bees en masse.

GMOA in the News

We just sent out the press release through UGA for the annual Willson Center/GMOA Lecture, which is upcoming March 3, on campus, and we're starting to get some posted results for it, including the following article on the UGA News site, which also made eGaMorning:

Willson Center and Georgia Museum of Art present seventh annual lecture
Feb 8, 2010, 11:13

Athens, Ga.­­­– The seventh annual Willson Center/Georgia Museum of Art lecture will take place on Wednesday, March 3, at 4 p.m., in Sanford Hall, Room 314. Nina Hellerstein, professor of French and head of the department of Romance languages at the University of Georgia, will present “Franco-Mexican Artist Jean Charlot (1898-1979), His French Connections and His Mexican-Inspired Murals on the UGA Campus.”

Jean Charlot was born in Paris of French, Spanish and Mexican Indian descent. He studied informally at the École des Beaux Arts in Paris and eventually moved to Mexico, where he became one of Diego Rivera’s assistants. Rivera and the other members of the Syndicate of Revolutionary Painters, Sculptors and Engravers of Mexico dedicated themselves to producing public art for the lower or popular class of society.

In the early 1920s, Charlot was among the artists who assisted Rivera in painting frescos on the walls of the Ministry of Public Education in Mexico City. His contributions to the project included nine decorative shields and three murals of Mexican folk scenes: “Cargadores” (Burden Bearers), “Lavanderas” (Washerwomen), and “Danza de los Listones” (Dance of the Ribbons).

Other influences on Charlot’s work include Indian folk-religious activities he observed during a trip to Chalma and Mayan artifacts he came in contact with while he was staff artist of the Carnegie Institution expedition to Chichén-Itzá on the Yucatán peninsula.

The years from 1941 to 1944, when Charlot was invited by Lamar Dodd to be the artist-in-residence at the University of Georgia, are of particular relevance to Hellerstein’s lecture. Charlot instructed art students at the university while working on murals in the area. The murals painted by Charlot on campus can be seen beneath the portico on the front of the Fine Arts Building and in Brooks Hall, next door to where the lecture will take place.

Spotted!

We'd forgotten to check back in on the Athens Banner-Herald's site but Spotted was taking photos at the student activities fair and captured a pair of our cute interns (Aurelie and Jennifer, whose names you may recognize from this blog). Click here to see the rest of the gallery.

Giacometti's sculpture sells for a record-breaking $104.3 million

Last week’s record-breaking sale of Alberto Giacometti’s “L’Homme qui marche I” (Walking Man I) provoked many questions concerning the relationship between money and art and how it does or does not affect the perceived importance of artists in relation to one another.

On Wednesday, February 3, Giacometti’s sculpture was purchased for $104.3 million (with fees) by an anonymous bidder at Sotheby’s in London. Previously, Pablo Picasso’s "Garçon à la Pipe" (Boy with a Pipe), was the record holder, having been auctioned for $104.1 million in 2004.

When a work of art is purchased at such an astonishing price, it is understandable that there will be new considerations regarding the work’s and the artist’s importance to the development and theories of art. Many sources are discussing whether or not Giacometti has been elevated to the position of the most important artist of the 21st century or if, like the price of his work of art, he has at least surpassed Picasso in importance.

In response to these musings, the Telegraph reminds readers that it is important not to confuse monetary value with aesthetic worth.

Another interesting facet of this sale brought up in the Telegraph is the fact that “L’Homme qui marche I” is part of a series of six sculptures. One might expect that a collector willing to fork over $104.3 million for a work of art would prefer to purchase something unique rather than a sculpture with several very similar companions.

Overall, this record sale encourages members of the art community to take into consideration the power of the art market and its influence on shaping the discourse of and opinions on artistic merit and significance.

For more information about the sale of “L’Homme qui marche I” check out articles at CNN and the New York Times.

"Home Is Where The Heart Is"

Athens Area Habitat for Humanity is hosting its third annual “Home Is Where The Heart Is” silent art auction next week. The auction showcases handcrafted art from local artists and will benefit the Women Build Campaign. Bidding will start as low as $20.

The Women Build program actively involves women in Habitat for Humanity, from planning special events to participating in Habitat builds. This year’s Women Build theme is “Investing in Our Community.”

 

Athens Habitat is currently seeking submissions for the auction. The deadline is Wednesday, February 10. A batch of flat wooden houses to be designed and decorated is available, but artists are also allowed to submit any medium that fits with the event’s theme. Email laura@athenshabitat.com for more information.

“Home Is Where The Heart Is” will take place on Thursday, February 18 from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. at Hotel Indigo in downtown Athens.

The High Museum’s Art Access Program has welcomed more than 100,000 students

The High Museum of Art in Atlanta has now welcomed more than 100,000 student participants as part of its Art Access program. The program, which started in 2004, provides metro Atlanta students with greater access to the arts by offering free museum visits to a limited number of students in all grade levels.

The field trip program includes free admission for students and chaperones, payment of school bus transportation, free teacher resources and “Welcome Back” cards that allow participating students to return to the museum with their families one time, free of charge.

The Art Access program was created in 2004 to remove economic barriers to visiting the High Museum for 15,000 public school students each year. The application program concentrates on high-risk schools, districts where arts education funding has been cut most dramatically and districts where there is persistent underfunding of arts education. Art Access is open to public schools in all grade levels in the 10-county metro Atlanta area.

The Kendeda Fund provides operating support for the program as well as funding for an endowment challenge grant that seeks to make Art Access a permanent program at the museum.

“The High has had the privilege and ability to significantly enrich the educational experiences of thousands of Atlanta children by providing a foundation for life-long learning and enjoyment of the visual arts through Art Access. With the help of great donors who believe in the value of art education, the High has dramatically increased the number of students afforded this opportunity. We look forward to continued support and our next 100,000 students,” said Patricia Rodewald, the High Museum’s Eleanor McDonald Storza Director of Education.

“A Tool to Deceive and Slaughter”

Not sure what to get that special someone this Valentines Day? Head on over to eBay and place a bid on Caleb Larson’s sculpture “A Tool to Deceive and Slaughter,” but don’t get too attached. In as little as a week it could belong to someone else. This is because Larson’s sculpture contains an electronic component within its black, acrylic box exterior that connects to the Internet via a wired Ethernet and places itself up for auction on eBay every seven days. Each new owner can set the starting bid, and any amount he or she makes beyond the artist’s initial price of $2,500 is profit, minus a 15 percent royalty for Larson.

For more information, check out this article on Slog and an interview with one of the work’s owners.

New exhibition up in the hall

The Art of the Georgia Review, January 29 – April 29, 2010, Visual Arts Building, UGA Campus, 285 S. Jackson St.

When most people think of the Georgia Review, the award-winning quarterly journal published at the University of Georgia since 1947, they think of poetry, fiction and book reviews, all areas in which the magazine has been traditionally strong. This informal exhibition in the Visual Arts Building (285 S. Jackson St.) of the University of Georgia aims to show in a small space some of the breadth of visual art the Review has published. Tearsheets from the journal have been framed alongside two large screen prints by John Sokol that depict the authors Virginia Woolf (pictured above) and Samuel Beckett as made out of their own words. Other artists whose pages from the Review are on display include filmmaker and former UGA instructor James Herbert, oil painter Terry Rowlett, mixed-media artist Thomas Allen (who cuts out pop-up scenes from the covers of old books, then photographs them) and painters Margaret Morrison and Gaela Erwin. Back issues of the Review containing these works of art and more are available either online at www.thegeorgiareview.com or at the Georgia Review’s offices, which are also in the Visual Arts Building.

Construction Updates from Holder

Here's Holder Construction's update on Phase II for the week ending February 5, 2010.

Current week - Activities/Issues:
New Gallery / Connector
· Installing 1st Floor Brick
· Completed MEP overhead 2nd Floor
· Continue working on connector roof
· Started rework of structural steel
· Reworking and insulating existing roof

Existing Building Renovations
· Continue MEP overhead rough-in
· Continue framing of walls
· Hanging, mudding and finishing drywall

Storage Bar
· Completed the exterior concrete wall waterproofing / vapor barrier.
· Framing exterior walls and sheathing

Next week - Activities/Issues:
New Gallery / Connector
· Continue drywall on 2nd Floor
· Continue installing brick 1st Floor
· Curtain wall framing and installing punch openings
· Setting external stairs
· Mud, tape and finish drywall
· Framing hard ceilings
· Digging footings and pouring in courtyard
· Continue exterior limestone work
· Start Standing walls & pouring site walls
· Backfilling site walls

Existing Building Renovations
· Continue hanging drywall
· Continuing installation of new AHU M-8 and new duct

Storage Bar
· Continue cmu walls on exterior foundation
· Loading new roof with materials and begin moving existing roof on the Art Building.
· Start new roof on storage bar
· Start fireproofing storage bar
· Start bricking storage bar

Storage bar exterior framing

Limestone at gallery south elevation

Gallery west end exterior stair

artnear

Here's a useful app for you art lovers who travel frequently and diversely. The new artnear, for the iPhone, will pull up a map of nearby galleries and museums, along with details on current exhibitions, admission, etc. There's a pro version for $4.99 that enables bookmarks for archiving, but the regular version is free as free can be.

Art Around Athens

We'd thought the opening reception for White Tiger Gourmet's new art exhibition of paintings by ex-MFA student Jeremy Hughes wasn't until February 12, but the Athens Banner-Herald had a nice article yesterday that said it's tonight (Friday, February 5) at 6 p.m. You might as well try tonight, and if the reception's not going on, you could just pick up some dinner (White Tiger is primarily a restaurant) and return a week later. Hughes's work is a lot of fun, and if he's going to be there he has intelligent things to say about it.

Saturday, February 6, from 10 to 11:30 a.m., the Athens-Clarke County Library will present "How to Properly Price Your Art," a $20 workshop by retired banker, finance and marketing man Lee Nelson.

And, of course, GMOA will hold Speakeasy at 7 p.m. It's been a long time coming and a lot of planning, but we are so excited about this event. It should be a unique and fun-filled evening, with tours of C.L. Morehead's art collection by GMOA curators, drinks, dancing, live music, a silent auction and more. We can't wait to see you there in your 1920s finery.

Ceramics Building due to open in the fall

At the moment, the ceramics people are still downstairs from us, in the Visual Arts Building on North Campus, but just because we'll be moving back to our regular HQ at some point within the year (dates are yet to be set) doesn't mean we'll be farther away from them. In fact, the art school is working on a new building for them as well, which will be right around the corner from both the big Dodd building and the new GMOA and is pictured above. According to the news on the LDSOA's site, Menefee + Winer is the architectural firm, and the 15,000-square-foot building is expected to be finished in the fall of this year, having begin construction in January. East Campus may be getting crowded, especially with the new parking deck (which will provide ample room for GMOA's events, as well as for those at the Performing Arts Center, and is literally a stone's throw away) that's just gone up, but it'll be great to have all us arty folk in one location. Maybe we'll still be able to smell it when they fire up the kilns.

A Soulful Celebration

GMOA's upcoming Black History Month event, "A Soulful Celebration," is getting some more press, this time from UGA, which has posted our news release and incorporated the event in one of its own.

Here's some of the relevant information:

Athens, Ga. – The Friends of the Georgia Museum of Art, the membership program of the Georgia Museum of Art at the University of Georgia, have organized “A Soulful Celebration,” a dinner and concert event to be held Feb. 24, in celebration of Black History Month and honoring Louis and Mae Castenell.

The dinner will include an art exhibition featuring works by local African-American artists John Ahee, Harold Rittenberry and Yvonne Studevan. The dinner and exhibition begin at 6 p.m. at the UGA Visual Arts Building on Jackson Street and cost $40 per person.

A gospel concert by Ebenezer Baptist Church West Choir will follow at the UGA Chapel on North Campus at 7:30 p.m. The concert is free and open to the public.

Louis Castenell was the first African-American dean at UGA and served as dean of the College of Education for eight years. During his time at the university, he has worked hard to increase diversity awareness on campus. His wife, Mae, is a founding and active member of the Athens Chapter of the Links, Incorporated, one of the nation’s oldest and largest volunteer service organizations committed to enriching, sustaining and ensuring the culture and economic survival of African Americans and other persons of African ancestry.

“A Soulful Celebration” is sponsored by Athens First Bank and Trust; Athens Chapter of The Links, Incorporated; Todd Emily; David S. and Rebecca Lockman; Christine Albright; and Peter Appel.

Those interested in attending the dinner and art exhibition should R.S.V.P. to 706/542-0830 by Friday, Feb. 19.

Dinner will be catered by The National. Please remember that, even if you can't make the dinner or your wallet won't let you at the moment, the performance following it is as free as free can be and requires no reservations. The choir is fantastic, and if you haven't ever seen them perform, this is a wonderful opportunity to do so.

GI Chihuly?

What do Hieronymous Bosch and Spider-man have in common? Well, they're both action figures, the former thanks to artist Mike Leavitt, who continues to work on his "Art Army" and most recently expanded it with a figure of the cartoonist R. Crumb. You can see more of Leavitt's figures, including Jackson Pollock (above), Andy Warhol, Banksy and Salvador Dali, alongside pop culture folks from Lady Sovereign to Ghostface Killah and David Lynch, at his Web site.

Found Footage Festival at Ciné

This Friday, February 5, the Found Footage Festival will be at Ciné. The festival showcases such odd (and very funny) videos as infomercials, training videos and cable access shows found at garage sales, thrift stores, warehouses and even in dumpsters.

Comedians Joe Pickett and Nick Prueher host the show and tour all over the country. Pickett and Prueher started collecting videotapes in the early 1990s after finding “Inside and Outside Custodial Duties,” a custodial training video, in a McDonald’s break room in Wisconsin. In 2004, the men watched all the videos they had found. After three months and more than 1,000 hours of footage, Pickett and Prueher “found 90 minutes of needles in a thousand haystacks.”

Pickett and Prueher have two simple guidelines for choosing footage:

1)   Footage must be found on physical format. No YouTube.

2)   It has to be unintentionally funny. Whatever it’s trying to do, it has to fail miserably at that.

Four volumes and hundreds of shows later, Joe and Nick are coming to Athens for one night only. The Found Footage Festival will be at Ciné this Friday with two shows, 8 p.m. and 10 p.m. Tickets are $10 in advance.

If you can’t make it to Ciné on Friday, at least check out the Found Footage Web site and watch some of the hilarious video clips. You can also buy DVDs and other merchandise online.

Art History Lecture - Lamar Dodd School of Art

For the third installment of the Association of Graduate Art Students’ (AGAS) lecture series, Ronda Kasl will present her lecture tomorrow, February 4, at 5 p.m. in Room S150 of the Lamar Dodd School of Art. Kasl will discuss the devotional practices surrounding lifelike images, or “holy dolls,” of the infant Christ in the 17th century.

Kasl is senior curator of painting and sculpture before 1800 at the Indianapolis Museum of Art and specializes in late medieval Spanish art.

The Schomburg Center celebrates Black History Month with two special exhibits

The Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture, a research unit of the New York Public Library, will celebrate Black History Month with two new exhibitions that together will be called “365 Days: 390 years in the making.” One features photographs of President Barack Obama’s first year in the White House, and the other showcases watercolor paintings by artist Jerry Pinkney that depict people and events in African American history.

“Barack Obama: The First Year” features 77 photographs by Pete Souza, the official White House photographer, plus commentary by Souza, and showcases images ranging from the inaugural ball last January to the President playing outside with his daughters.

Pinkney’s exhibition, “African-American Journey to Freedom,” brings together 35 watercolors by the award-winning artist and children’s book illustrator showcasing people and events in African American history, from colonial times to the Voting Rights Act of 1965. Some highlights include a depiction of the Great Migration of blacks from the South to the North and famous figures such as Sojourner Truth.

The two exhibitions will be on display February 5 through April 18, 2010, at the Schomburg Center in New York. The center is a national research library devoted to collecting, preserving and providing access to resources documenting the experiences of peoples of African descent throughout the world.

Tino Sehgal at the Guggenheim

There have been a couple of interesting articles in the New York Times about artist Tino Sehgal recently. The latest focuses on his solo exhibition, “Tino Sehgal,” on view at the Guggenheim Museum in New York through March 10.

Visitors to the Guggenheim will first encounter “Kiss,” a living sculpture that involves two figures entwined in an embrace while lying in the middle of the ground floor of the rotunda. “Kiss” is on loan from MoMA.

Sehgal’s other work at the Guggenheim is “This Progress,” made up of a series of encounters and interactions with people serving as interpreters who approach visitors and engage them in conversations about progress.

Sehgal does not allow his works to be photographed or documented in any way. There are no labels, descriptions or catalogues produced for his works, and there are only start dates, no openings, for his exhibitions.

These restrictions may seem odd, but they derive from Sehgal’s belief that the world has too many things. The article states that:

His goal is to create a counter-model: to make something (a situation) from virtually nothing (actions, words) and then let that something disappear, leaving no potential marketable trace.

Unfortunately, in today’s society, it is harder for the artist to ensure this sense of impermanence, a point made blatantly obvious by the photograph of “Kiss” on the New York Times’ Web site, taken with a visitor’s phone.

These restrictions might lead one to believe that Sehgal’s works have no commercial value, but that would be incorrect. He does sell his works; the process is just a bit more complicated. Because he allows no documentation, the contract must be conducted orally with the presence of a witness. During the transaction, the work for sale is described, as well as the rights of the buyer to install the work under the artist’s supervision. Owners of a Sehgal must still adhere to his restrictions once a work is in their possession. If resold, it must be done under the same conditions, and the ban on any form of documentation still stands. If this ban is violated, the work’s authenticity is compromised.

For a more in-depth look at Tino Sehgal, be sure to check out this article as well.

Art Around Athens

It's your last chance to see the "23rd Annual Student Juried Printmaking and Book Arts Exhibition" at the Lamar Dodd School of Art, which has a closing reception scheduled today from 5 to 7 p.m. in the Suite Gallery, Plaza Gallery and second-floor Printmaking Galleries, and will come down tomorrow (February 4). The juror this year was Dr. Asen Kirin, who has worked with the museum on several projects.



Also, this Saturday (February 6), is your last chance to submit to the Juried Art Exhibition of Southworks, the Oconee Cultural Arts Foundation's annual national juried show. This year's juror is Catherine Fox, who used to cover arts for the Atlanta Journal-Constitution and has an exciting new blog project we're adding to our RSS reader.

"Art Works"

National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) Chairman Rocco Landesman hit the ground running this fall with what he has named “Art Works,” a 6-month tour on which he will learn and blog about different places where art works. Landesman defines “art works” in the following ways:

1. “Art works” is a noun. They are the books, crafts, dances, designs, drawings, films, installations, music, musicals, paintings, plays, performances, poetry, textiles, and sculptures that are the creation of artists.

2. “Art works” is a verb. Art works on and within people to change and inspire them; it addresses the need people have to create, to imagine, to aspire to something more.

3. “Art works” is a declarative sentence: arts jobs are real jobs that are part of the real economy. Art workers pay taxes, and art contributes to economic growth, neighborhood revitalization, and the livability of American towns and cities.

Landesman’s first trip was to Peoria, Ill., in November with a tour of the Warehouse District, a roundtable discussion with artists and various community leaders and a performance of the Eastlight Theatre’s production of the musical “Rent.” Since his trip to Peoria, Landesman has been to St. Louis, Memphis, Miami and Washington, D.C. He plans to visit California, Idaho and Kentucky in the next few months. During and after each trip, he blogs about how art works in each place.

Despite some negative reactions to the tour and its name, the concept of NEA blogging seems like a good move overall. The blog brings art into people’s lives in an interesting way and highlights the importance of active arts communities.

The NEA has also announced a request for proposals for an “Art Works” logo. Click here for more information.

Get Your Art Fix For Free... Offline and Online

Recently, many of us have had to reconsider visits to museums, which can be pricey. Museum attendance throughout the United States has ebbed, probably because the economy forestalls discretionary spending. I have a temporary solution for those of us who find the monetary burden too heavy but would rather not sacrifice a healthy interaction with the art world. First, I exhibit several Web sites, which could accompany this one, where art enthusiasts can find information on art shows (usually free) going on in Athens. I’ve also posted a handful of ways to interact with the art world through the Internet. Although this solution offers a highly constricted interaction with artistic mediums, it can help if your pocketbook won’t allow art purchasing and museum visiting. The Internet, of course, is not an adequate surrogate for firsthand interaction with art, but it can be an edifying assistant to the physical experience of visiting a museum and a convenient way to stay informed.  My primary objective in visiting art Web sites is to gain a more thorough understanding of the pieces I’ve interacted or hope to interact with; perhaps these sites will reveal fruitful results for your curious art mind. 

First, let’s explore the free, tangible options available to us in Athens:

One of my favorite art venues in Athens has to be the friendly White Tiger Gourmet in the Boulevard area. Not only do you have the option to munch on delicious typically southern dishes, but, without paying an entrance fee, you can admire the eclectic array of typically southern art. Recently, “Morning Gravy,” a show featuring works by the Lines brothers, has garnered attention for its whimsical, handsome photography. Look for more shows by local artists in this venue.

For those stationed in Athens and its surrounding areas looking for great, mostly free exhibitions, the Web sites of Flagpole, the alternative newsweekly in Athens; Athens Music and Arts, a tumblr blog written by Athens local Julie Phillips that gives an overview of local cultural events; and the Railroad Arts District blog, which also covers Athens’ cultural events, offer insightful details on upcoming shows.

The following Web sites serve a slightly more didactic purpose. The Met podcast and the WYNC radio station casts are both auditory options available to you on the Internet. The BBC also provides sound bites and podcasts based around culture and the arts. The Flavorpill Web site, which offers cultural goings-on, links its readers to the Met podcast, which gives a thorough look at American paintings, among other analyses. For a more "judicial" look at ethical and legal questions surrounding art, the Art Law Blog does just fine in raising these questions. Finally, I’d like to mention the crude but entertaining and comprehensive c-monster culture blog and the reasonably well organized art:21 blog. The former gives international updates on happenings in the art world with an intuitive navigational format. The latter falls into the informational update category, abandoning the sensational stories seen in c-monster (e.g., curator gets fired for spending too much time looking at racy Modigliani paintings; sentenced to three years in prison) for a more level-headed rundown of contemporary art.

In the vein of art news blogs, ArtDaily.com offers the most exhilarating images and viewer-interactive options but not necessarily in-depth original analysis of art. Art in America magazine publishes articles similar to those found at Art Daily but perhaps in a less flashy way. However, for those who are looking for videos, large images and thrilling stories that you can tell your grandma (unlike those on c-monster), it wins the art site race by far—containing, for example, a video deconstruction of Picasso’s “Guernica.” The Daily Beast also satisfies some of those same impulsive and entertaining urges. Although these Web sites feature sensational art stories, the avid art critic can also find something intriguing among well-thought-out, well-written pieces on contemporary art and questions concerning ethical issues in the art world.  For another interactive Web experience check out the BBC Leonardo studio. Art:21, the aforementioned PBS television show covering contemporary art, posts its shows online. 

And, of course, when GMOA’s renovations are complete and we reopen to the public in January 2011, you can indulge in our own fascinating collection... for free! For more information or suggestions regarding blogs and Web sites featuring art coverage, email me at au79f14@uga.edu or leave a comment.

Just Our Type

Congratulations to Ron Arnholm, graphic design professor in the Lamar Dodd School of Art, who recently designed a new typeface, ITC Legacy Square Serif, as part of his Legacy family of fonts, that was accepted for the TDC2 2010 Type Design competition of the Type Directors Club of New York and will receive the “Certificate of Excellence in Type Design."

According to the LDSOA newsletter:

It will also be included at the front of the Annual of The Type Directors Club, “Typography 31”, as a “Judges Choice”. This font family was selected by one of the jurors as a personal favorite. The winning entries will be shown at the TDC Awards Exhibition this summer in New York.

They will also be included in the exhibition touring the United States, Canada, England, France, Germany, Ireland, Japan, Russia and Spain.

Only 16 entries of 176 submitted from 29 countries were selected by the jury.

The Georgia Museum of Art uses both Legacy ITC Serif Book and Legacy ITC Sans-Serif Book as its official fonts on all materials, including exterior signage. We've always found both the capital M, with its lovely straight legs, and the capital R, with its beautiful swoop, particularly elegant.

Art Around Athens

As one show at downtown's Flicker Bar closes, another opens. The multitalented Janet Geddis, who is on the verge of opening Avid Bookshop (which will retail both new and used books in Athens), has an exhibition of photography opening there tonight (Monday, February 1), with a reception from 7 to 9 p.m. All proceeds go to the bookstore, so if you're enthusiastic about photography, buying local, independent bookstores or fun mixed drinks, it seems like it'll be a good time and a good cause. The exhibition will be up throughout February.

Papercuts

Or, rather, cut paper. Thanks to Wired, we've discovered artist Charles Clary, who creates wall sculptures from exactly that, which have a gentle, organic feeling to them.

Los Angeles County Museum of Art's new Reading Room

The Los Angeles County Museum of Art has created a new site, called the Reading Room, to give the public access to rare and out-of-print art publications, according to an article in the Los Angeles Times.

Ten rare art catalogues are currently available on the site, such as "Six More," the catalog for LACMA’s 1963 exhibition on L.A. pop; "Billy Al Bengston," a rare 1968 monograph; and the surveys "Late Fifties at the Ferus" (1968). LACMA plans to reprint more of its publications online as well as produce books exclusively for online publication.

In addition to reading the publications, visitors to this new Web site will be able to perform text searches and download the PDF versions of the volumes, but the content is still limited to noncommercial personal or educational uses.

GMOA in the News

The Athens Convention and Visitors Bureau is promoting Speakeasy very nicely on their Web site. Remember, this event is less than a week from today, and while space is limited, we still have openings, so please call 706.542.0437 to RSVP and purchase your tickets. It's also highlighted in the Athens Banner-Herald's calendar.

Allison Floyd spotlighted the upcoming "A Soulful Celebration," GMOA's Black History Month event, in her Athens Banner-Herald article on what to do during Black History Month.

And the Banner-Herald also mentioned Buddy and Lucy Allen's award from GAMG on Sunday.

Construction Updates from Holder

Here's this week's construction update from Holder, for the week ending January 29, 2010.

Current week - Activities/Issues:
New Gallery / Connector
· Installing 1st Floor Brick
· Continue MEP overhead 1st Floor
· Completed MEP overhead 2nd Floor
· Continue Gallery interior wall vapor barrier
· Continue working on connector roof
· Started rework of structural steel
· Reworking and insulating existing roof
· Painted and block filled cmu walls

Existing Building Renovations
· Continue MEP overhead rough-in
· Continue framing of walls
· Hanging, mudding and finishing drywall

Storage Bar
· Continue the exterior concrete wall waterproofing / vapor barrier.
· Framing exterior walls and sheathing
· Back-filling wall

Next week - Activities/Issues:
New Gallery / Connector
· Continue drywall on 2nd Floor
· Continue installing brick 1st Floor
· Curtain wall framing and installing punch openings
· Setting external stairs
· Mud, tape and finish drywall
· Framing hard ceilings
· Digging footings and pouring in courtyard
· Continue exterior limestone work
· Start rolled on vapor barrier and exterior sheathing

Existing Building Renovations
· Continue hanging drywall
· Continuing installation of new AHU M-8 and new duct

Storage Bar
· Continue cmu walls on exterior foundation
· Backfilling exterior structure walls
· Loading new roof with materials and begin moving existing roof on the Art Building.

Waterproofing at storage bar

Storage bar progress

New footings at sculpture garden