Thinking About Art

New to the Collection: Trish Tillman

Those who live in D.C. or surrounding areas are surely familiar with the work of Trish Tillman. She recently moved to NYC to attend grad school and I wish her the best of luck. And I thank for allowing me to purchase this excellent piece.

A Cadence
Pigment print
2 panels, each 30" x 30"

I recently had the piece mounted on sintra and it proudly hangs in my house. It's printed with a matte finish and is very painterly. Surprisingly enough, it was made as a response to 9/11.

The new studio...

I mentioned many months ago that I moved to a new place in Reston, VA. Well, I finally have my studio together and put to work. See images below:

So, what all is shown in the pics? Well, there's a couple of older works on the wall. I don't like to put newer work on the wall to get covered in sawdust so I put these up for some color and to see where I've been. Then there's the monster shelving unit that my Dad and I built. This thing is 8' long, 24" deep and 6' tall. It's made out of 2x6's. It literally holds every piece of wood art I have in storage, plus all of my wood waiting to be used, plus an empty bay waiting to be used. It's awesome!

Lastly, you see something being worked on on the table. It's nothing too exciting. I'm re-doing our mantle to make it look better although you couldn't tell from this image.

Now that it's together, it's time to put it to use.

Not to nit-pick, but...

On Saturday I had high hopes for a gallery hop that would reveal bright spots in dull summer months. I planned on the following visits:

1) Arlington Art Center
2) Knew Gallery
3) Addison/Ripley
4) 14th St. Galleries
5) Project 4
6) Flashpoint

For the most part the day was a disappointment. There were bright spots but they were few and far between. In this post, I want to discuss the most disappointing gallery of the day... the one that my whole trip was focused on.

Kriston Capps wrote a review of the summer group show ("A Good Time is Now") at Knew Gallery and talked about the show's standout piece by Michael Ciervo. I liked what Kriston had to say so I googled Michael and found his Web site. I enjoyed a lot of his work online and wanted to be certain to see the work in person. I planned my Saturday gallery hop around that visit. Also, I had never been to Knew Gallery before and wanted to check it out.

The visit was doomed from the start. I point out the following items not to be mean, but to be helpful (I hope) suggestions. Who knows, maybe I'm totally wrong.

When I arrived at the gallery I was welcomed by the site of Michael's piece awkwardly hung in the front window on a wall that was thinner than the painting. It was behind glass that was full of reflections. Upon entering the gallery I found several printouts of Capps' review. I assume that the standout piece was put in the front window to be displayed for the world to see. Unfortunately, you couldn't actually see the painting. You had to stand about 10-15 feet from it and look between the reflections of clouds, tree branches and buildings. I wonder if this is how Kriston encountered the work or if it was moved to this position after the review was published.

I thought that maybe I would be able to enter the display area to view the painting up close. Well, perhaps I could if I wanted to step through a small hole in the wall and stand 1-2 feet from the painting. I still fail to understand the logic of putting the best painting in the show (as it clearly was, even in the difficult location) in the one location where no one could actually see it.

While we're talking about this photograph, notice for a second the announcement for the group show. Now notice the date of the opening reception. Yes, you're right. Apparently it is every Thursday from 6-10+pm. I'm going by the gallery this Thursday to check out the show one more time. I should be there around 9pm. Who else is going?

The image above shows the installation in one of the second floor rooms. The spotlights were not turned on which left the work lighted inadequately but perhaps this was the intended installation. I would have preferred more illumination.

This image (above) shows the labeling system employed by the gallery. The round stickers have the price written on them and they are adhered to the corners of the works. I wonder if the stickers are archival.

Here we see a price tag playing a game of hide and seek behind the artwork. The piece apparently sold for $70.

I wanted to include one image of a couple of paintings that looked interesting. I think the piece on the left is by Peter Fox but I'm not sure about on the right. I should also mention that Ryan Carr Johnson's triptych looked great as well. I wish I could afford his work.

Although I am admittedly being a bit snarky with my post here, I hope that the owner of Knew Gallery takes this post with an open mind. If I were an exhibiting artist, I would want my work to be displayed in the best possible way (particularly Michael Ciervo's piece... he deserves much better). Most of these nit-picks can be easily fixed.

In following posts I will talk about the other galleries I visited.

I've Seen it All Now

Our Chief Art Critic, Blake Gopnik, wrote today about the virtues of an auto repair shop mural painted on 14th St, NW. Specifically, this:

Using approximately 1,220 words, Gopnik tells us about the virtues of this "work of art." While painting is dead, apparently advertising murals with poor design are alive and well.

Painters showing in D.C. right now... how does it feel to know that none of your work is as interesting as this puke green sign to our Chief Art Critic?

Solarize This on "Space, Place and Time"

Alexandra Silverthorne writes a review of "Space, Place and Time" at H&F Fine Arts.

Here's a snippet:

Each artist exhibits a signature style, determined by size, color, and printing technique. And while the subject matter differs from photographer to photographer, one thing is for certain: Someone once was here. There is a memory, a mark, a trace of a person. Sometimes they still are there - still physically present in the photograph - but there is something or someone missing. The person has been changed. As a result, each photograph presents itself in a haunting manner.

Be sure to see the show!

PostSecret Video

Frank Warren has a new video trailer to promote an upcoming book. It's beautiful, as expected.

New Work

It was a few weeks ago that I posted some new work (paint on paper and canvas). I've continued playing with paint and felt like sharing these two recent works.

This is the very beginning of what may be something or may be nothing at all. I don't know yet. It's hard to get a feel for the texture of the work in jpegs (especially the green piece) but I would love to hear your thoughts about the work. Please be frank with me. Your feedback is welcome.

Untitled
Latex on canvas
20" x 20"
2007

Untitled
Spray paint on canvas
12" x 12"
2007

Thanks!

"Space, Place and Time" - Opening Night Photos

On Friday night, H&F Fine Arts held the opening reception for "Space, Place and Time." Featured in the show are three great young photographers: Shannon Chester (B&W), Joanna Knox (color) and Phil Nesmith (dry-plate ferrotypes). We had a great turnout. Here are some photos:

(L to R): Chester, Nesmith, Knox, Chester

(L to R): Nesmith, Knox, Chester

(L to R): Chester, Knox

(L to R): Knox, Chester

(L to R): Knox, Chester, Nesmith

Knox

Chester

Nesmith

Reminder: "Space, Place and Time" @ H&F Fine Arts

Friendly reminder about "Space, Place and Time" at H&F Fine Arts. The show opened today and the reception is tomorrow (Friday) from 6-9pm. Come on out and enjoy the show!

Space, Place and Time: Joanna Knox, Shannon Chester, Phil Nesmith
Dates: August 9 – September 8
Opening reception: Friday, August 10 from 6-9pm

H&F Fine Arts is pleased to announce a group show of photographers Joanna Knox, Shannon Chester, and Phil Nesmith, each of whom are interested in exploring the delicate interplay between the places that define our lives, the spaces we inhabit, and the relentless passage of time that propels us through our days. Space, Place and Time runs from August 9 to September 8. An opening reception will be held on Friday, August 10 from 6-9pm.

Fascinated by abandoned structures, Joanna Knox explores vacancy and physical decay as symbols of human transience and mortality. Her evocative images of crumbling interiors study the subtleties of light and what it can reveal about the nature of change. Reverent of the spaces she examines, Knox’s haunting compositions mourn the absence of departed inhabitants while invoking the sacredness of space that once held life and lamenting the untold stories that resonate among the ruin.

Shannon Chester examines the intimate relationship between setting and inhabitant. Her subjects, often in repose, harmonize with their surrounding as if contiguous, organic elements of the space—whether a room, a bed, or a lush wash of foliage. Chester approaches her subjects with soft focus, capturing the profound intimacy and quiet of stillness. In contrast, her artful use of long exposures deftly reveals the inevitable, almost unconscious movement of our bodies through time—and space.

Former U.S. Army paratrooper Phil Nesmith volunteered for service in Iraq and spent a year shooting photos while living among soldiers in combat. The resulting work is vivid, honest, and unflinching—a bold presentation of the best and worst of human capability. Nesmith’s finished pieces are hybrid dry-plate ferrotypes made from digitally captured images. The result is a glimpse of modern conflict in the aesthetic of civil-war era photography; this disquieting compression of time speaks to the inevitable sameness of human conflict over eras.

Combined, the work of Knox, Chester, and Nesmith vibrates with the haunting collision of these themes, revealing the inextricable links between our temporal experience and the spaces we inhabit. The exhibition provides a unique glimpse through the eyes of three emerging artists whose work reveals a talent and vision that belies their youth.

The One Word Project @ The Arts Club of Washington

I mentioned this some time ago, but The One Word Project will soon take place in exhibition format. Long time readers might recall the project. It began here in 2004 and wrapped up in 2005 (last post here). A book was published in 2006. Now, opening on August 28, The One Word Project comes to life. See the press release below:

The One Word Project
Curated by J.T. Kirkland
August 28 – September 29
Opening reception on Friday, September 7 from 6:30–9:00pm

The Arts Club of Washington is pleased to announce The One Word Project, a group exhibition that is the capstone of a three-year exploration of the triangular dialogue between artist, work, and viewer. Featuring more than 30 artists and a wide array of media, the show runs from August 28 to September 29; an opening reception will be held on Friday, September 7 from 6:30-9:00pm.

Begun in 2004 as an online forum for stimulating artists to speak freely about their work, The One Word Project is a deliberate enactment of the 'conversation' between artist and viewer. Interested in seeking new ways to capture pure creative response, curator J.T. Kirkland distilled the traditional artist interview to its most basic element: a single word. After digesting the work of a self-selecting group of artists, Kirkland prompted each with a word of his choosing, to which each artist was asked to respond in approximately100–500 words. The resulting statements—which vary in length, approach, and relevance to the original word—offer a written correlative that informs and enhances the viewer's appreciation of the artist's work.

For Kirkland, the process of making art is as valuable and interesting as the work itself. The One Word Project reveals a fascination with the translation from artist mind to realized art object. The single word prompt minimizes the polluting influence of the viewer's agenda; spurred by an intentionally open-ended stimulus, the resulting self-articulation offers unfiltered insights into process.

In 2006, the work and words of The One Word Project artists were collected in a full-color art book of the same title. The current exhibition represents the natural conclusion of this three-year arc. Each piece is accompanied by Kirkland's word and the artists' response, offering a rare glimpse into the mind of the artist by both visual and verbal avenues. Viewers are encouraged to add their own impressions to the 'conversation'.

The exhibition features work by James W. Bailey (VA), Rachael Baldanza (NY), Joseph Barbaccia (VA), Gregg Chadwick (CA), J. Coleman (DC), Anna Conti (CA), Warren Craghead III (VA), Rosetta DeBerardinis (MD), Greg Ferrand (DC), D. Keith Furon (CA), Matt Hollis (DC), Candace Keegan (MD), Angela Kleis (DC), Tara Krause (CA), Andrew Krieger (DC), Prescott Moore Lassman (DC), James Leonard (NY), Nathan Manuel (DC), Jennifer McMackon (Ontario, Canada), Jennifer Miller (DC), A.B. Miner (DC), Charles Neenan (VA), Peter Reginato (NY), Jose Ruiz (NY), Wayne Schoenfeld (CA), Kathleen Shafer (DC), Alexandra Silverthorne (DC), Marsha Stein (MD), Trish Tillman (NY), Kelly Towles (DC), Bryan Whitson (DC), and Jamie Wimberly (DC).

High resolution images are available upon request. Books will be available for purchase at the opening reception.

Arts Club of Washington
2017 I Street, NW
Washington, DC 20006

(202) 331-7282

Tues-Fri 10-5; Sat 10-2
http://www.artsclubofwashington.org

Press Contact: J.T. Kirkland (Curator) @ (703) 209-3435 or jtkirkland@gmail.com