Author: Seraphina Calder
In the heart of San Marcos, Texas, resides an artist with a profound mission — Augustine Chavez. His work delves into the intricate and often controversial realm of undocumented immigration, drawing inspiration from the daily political discourse surrounding the deportation of these individuals. With a multifaceted approach that spans painting, sculpture, photography, concrete, and found objects, Chavez crafts a narrative that challenges stereotypes and advocates for the often-overlooked contributions of undocumented immigrants in the United States. Chavez’s artistic journey is driven by a desire to give voice to those who live and work on the fringes of society. His pieces…
The latest statistics make uncomfortable reading for art fair organizers heading into 2024. The latest Global Collecting Surveycompiled for Art Basel and UBS by art economist Clare McAndrew, found that high-net-worth collectors attended one fewer fair on average during the first half of 2023 than in the equivalent period of 2022. Worse, the proportion of such collectors of purchases from these events fell from 74% to 58% in this period.Art Market Report 2023, an earlier study by McAndrew—and it should be noted that this was also sponsored by Art Basel, so it’s as flattering to fairs as the facts allow—found…
Discourse on Singapore’s place in the world often begins with its immediate neighbors in Southeast Asia and ends with its former colonizers and the wider Asian region. So for the 2024 edition of Singapore Art Week (SAW), two major exhibitions look closely at the conversations and parallels between Singapore, Southeast Asia and the Global South.At the National Gallery Singapore (NGS), tropical delves into the modern history of Southeast Asia and Latin America and challenges their shared colonial narratives. These regions, as posited in Syed Hussein Alatas’ 1977 text The myth of the lazy native, contain more than bananas and parrots.…
Renowned environmental artist Steven Siegel, born in White Plains, New York, in 1953, graduated from Hampshire College in 1976. Earning his MFA from Pratt Institute in 1978, Siegel is celebrated for his public art commissions and site-specific installations crafted from recycled materials. Steven Siegel emerges with a distinctive voice, echoing through his ongoing project, “No Wall…”. Born in 2021, this endeavor defies the conventional notions of completion, serving as a testament to Siegel’s unique approach to artistic expression. “No Wall…” is more than just an artwork; it’s a dynamic exploration, a cinematic journey, and a thought-provoking question encapsulated within a…
Today, Jack Shainman Gallery, celebrating its 40th anniversary, opens its new space in Tribeca’s historic Clock Tower building. The grand opening is headlined by an exhibition by Irish artist Richard Mosse, who presents his video installation broken spectrum (2018–2022), which explores the environmental challenges facing the Amazon rainforest. Located at 46 Lafayette Street, the new gallery space occupies 20,000 square feet within the Italian Renaissance building. Formerly a Beaux-Arts banking hall, the venue is adorned with 29-foot-high ceilings and elegant white marble columns, providing the gallery with the space for large-scale installations. Jack Shainman Gallery is known for championing artists…
The Dallas Art Fair has named the 91 exhibitors who will participate in its next edition, scheduled for April 4 and 7 at the Fashion Industry Gallery. The list of exhibitors includes several galleries with Texas locations, including Erin Cluley Gallery + Projects (Dallas), Martha’s (Austin), 12.26 (Dallas), McClain Gallery (Houston), Sicardi | Ayers | Bacino (Houston), and Pencil on Paper (Dallas), which is participating for the first time in the fair. Other first-time exhibitors include Sow & Tailor, Amanita and Hostler Burrows. Galleries across the United States participating include Perrotin, Derek Eller Gallery, Charlie James Gallery, Deli Gallery, Franklin…
Peter Hogarth, a North East England-based artist, has spent the past forty years as a maestro of animal portrait art. He has carved a niche for himself with a unique blend of sensitivity and portraiture that transcends mere likeness, delving into the very essence of his subjects. Specializing in bespoke commissioned work, Hogarth’s journey in the world of art is a testament to his unwavering dedication to his craft. Using a range of photographs provided by clients, he deftly extracts and amalgamates key features and fine details, breathing life into the portraits that adorn his impressive repertoire. The process is…
In 1936, Ithell Colquhoun appeared alongside other British Surrealists in a London show dedicated to the movement, effectively absorbing her into the group. Up until this point, she had painted otherworldly flowers and strange paintings that had their roots in the Bible. Surrealism seemed like a good fit for all these dreamlike images, but there was a problem: Colquhoun was a registered member of semi-secret occult societies. By 1939, Colquhoun had broken with Surrealism, whose leaders did not believe the occult to be a valuable source of artistic inspiration. Perhaps Colquhoun left of her own accord, perhaps she was expelled…
You’ve seen the headlines. “Kate Fowle, former director of MoMA PS1, joins Hauser & Wirth” . “Pace Gallery Hires Hirshhorn Museum Curator Mark Beasley to Lead Its New ‘Live’ Art Program. In recent years, there has been a steady exodus of high-profile American museum curators into the commercial sector. But look a little further and you’ll find that the trend doesn’t stop in the curatorial department. Mid-level registrars, senior event producers, visitor services associates, video editors, retail assistants, and even museum educators too they’re making the switch.And their transitions may have an even greater impact and reveal more about the…
More than other photographers with access to A-listers and the political elite, Annie Leibovitz lives among the stars. He captured President Nixon’s abject escape from the White House, as well as a legion of artists, from Keith Haring at the height of his fame to a lanky David Byrne. Magazine photography has never been the same since Leibovitz invited John Lennon to curl like a child around Yoko Ono on what turned out to be the last day of his life, in 1980, to Rolling Stone. Eleven years later, for the same publication, he photographed Demi Moore naked and pregnant,…