Modern Art Obsession

Artist Spencer Finch to Speak (Parsons Lecture Series) at The Aperture Foundation

Artist Spencer Finch to Speak at The Aperture Foundation (in cooperation with Parsons New School for Design) at 6:30pm on April 20th.

Some of the best things in Life are Free.. and as far as the art world goes.. this is one of those events.

We've been a long time fan of Spencer Finch and his super Witty sensory perception art creations.

(Photo #1, Images taken of the 2009 Venice Biennale room featuring 2 Spencer Finch artworks, Moonlight (Glass Window) and Moondust (light Sculpture))

If you've been on the New High Line Park in NYC.. you've no doubt marveled at Spencer Finch's Creative Time sponsored "The River That Runs Both Ways" (aka.. The English translation for the Native Indian name "Hudson") work, which looks like a huge stained glass wIndow installation at 15th Street and 9th Ave. In MAO's not sohumble opinnion, it is possibly one of the most perfect public art works we've seen in years!

So here's you chance to meet and listen to the brilliant mind who created this amazing public artwork...  

Here's the note from the official press release..

Aperture and the Photography Program in the School of Art, Media, and Technology at Parsons The New School for Design present a talk with Brooklyn-based artist Spencer Finch. In his renderings of light and color, Finch unites scientific method with a poetic sensibility as he explores the mechanics and mysteries of perception. Working with a variety of media, the artist examines how people experience, remember, and represent an array of visual and sensory phenomena through a studied investigation of his own observations of subjects ranging from the color palette of his dreams to a Monument Valley sunset. Finch is interested in the physical, cultural, and psychological factors that shape perception, examining the effect of light on an object's color, the boundaries of the human field of vision, and the influence of language, memory, and the subconscious.

Spencer Finchwas born in 1962 and lives and works in Brooklyn, New York. He studied at the Rhode Island School of Design, Hamilton College, and Doshisha University in Kyoto, and has exhibited internationally. Finch had a major solo exhibition, What Time is it on the Sun?, at the Massachusetts Museum of Contemporary Art in 2007, which was accompanied by a monograph with essays by Susan Cross and Daniel Birnbaum. His recent solo exhibition, As if the Sea Should Part and Show a Further Sea, was exhibited at the Queensland Art Gallery in Brisbane, Australia, in 2009. Finch was also included in the Making Worldsexhibition at the 2009 Venice Biennale, and has a solo exhibition forthcoming at the Corcoran Gallery of Art in September 2010. His work is held in important museum collections, including those of the Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden, Washington, D.C.; High Museum of Art, Atlanta; Museum für Moderne Kunst, Frankfurt; and Guggenheim Museum, New York

So the lecture starts at 6:30pm.. I'd suggest you get there early.. cause everyone MAO knows will be there...to oooh.. and ahhh.. over Spencer Finch and his amazing art!

Artist Talk with Spencer Finch
Parsons Lecture Series

Tuesday, April 20, 2010
6:30 pm

FREE

Aperture Gallery & Bookstore
547 West 27 Street, 4th floor
New York, New York

The Best Things in Life are Free.... Free NYC Museum Days...

Some of the best things in Life are Free.... YES.. It's Summer Free NYC Museum Days...

So.. I'm sure everyone is busy out getting their Swine Flu vaccine shots these days..

Is MAO the only sane person who thinks the crazy TV media has totally blow this Swine Flu out of proportion?

So far there have only been 50ish cases of swine flu in the USA. This is not a big problem!

The media is really doing their best to cause a panic out of this. It's so stupid. Believe it or not, the price of Lean Hog futures on the Chicago Commodities exchance has actually crashed today! A drop of almost 10% in 2 days.

Well..Would someone please pass MAO the pork chops!!

Anyway, with everyone, including MAO, during this recession looking to save their pennies.. Today we found a great summery of which NYC Msueums are free...and when! Please share this list with everyone.

CLICK Here to see the most up to date LIST.

This nice list is brought to you by the great online web resource www.nyc-arts.org

A few things NOT to miss during NYC Art Fair Mania this Week

A few things not to miss during NYC Art Fair Mania Week.

Yes.. it's going to be a crazy few days of Art Mania.. with tons of art events fighting for your every dollar VIP time.

But there were a few "MAO Must" things to see this week among all the millions of Art events. And FYI... these are extra special, cause these are all FREE!

1. Matthew Pillsbury's show at The French Institute Alliance Francaise.
The show is called "An American in the City of Light" at 22 East 60th street.
MAO got a sneak peak yesterday, and it's possibly Matthews best work to date.
There are about 15 new wondrous photo works in the show, you've never seen Paris like this before.
Check it out.. The show is up until April 18th.

2. Jeremy Kost at the Dactyl Foundation in Soho. 64 Grand Street, just east of West Broadway.
This latest Kost project is curated by Tim Goossens (PS1), "After the Party".

So, we were at the jammed wild happening preview party last night.. the work is impressive and provocative. Jeremy continues his intense exploration of hot male objectification with his usual flair. (Photo #1, Male Collage by Jeremy Kost, 16" x 10", 6 Unique Polaroids)
The show is impressive in scale with several hundred male hustler model Polaroid photos all taken in the course of a few nights days, but still the show manages to have a light jovial feeling. Jeremy has once again succeeded in capturing that fleeting feeling of male youth and beauty like no one else.
The show is only up for a week, so see it before it comes down on March 21th.

3.VANESSA BEECROFT | VB64 PERFORMANCE/SCULPTURE, Friday March 6th, 7 to 10pm.

We've never before seen a live Vanessa Beecroft performance in the flesh.. but we will this Friday night !
VANESSA BEECROFT
VB64 PERFORMANCE/SCULPTURE

MARCH 6 - 29, 2009
PERFORMANCE FRIDAY MARCH 6, 7 - 10 PM

FILMING PRODUCED WITH KANYE WEST

DEITCH STUDIOS
4-40 44TH DRIVE (ON THE EAST RIVER)
LONG ISLAND CITY, NY, 11101
(212) 343-7300
WWW.DEITCH.COM

Last Opportunity to see the Chuck Close curated show at the FLAG Art Foundation

It's the last chance to see these 2 amazing shows at the FLAG Art Foundation. If you've not seen this yet... drop everything and go tomorrow!

The FLAG Foundation is a great new undiscovered gem of the Chelsea Art world. The space is super impressive, and the art incredible..plus the entire Chuck Close "Attention To Detail" show was 100% curated out of the foundation's private collection.

(photo, by Cindy Sherman, Untitled #209, 1989, color coupler print in artist's frame, 58 x 42")

MAO was lucky enough to get to see these shows a few weeks ago..and we can't say enough positive things about them.

Here is their website with just a few of the works in the 2 shows www.FlagArtFoundation.org

Here's some of the press release...

The FLAG Art Foundation invites you to the FINAL public viewing of "Attention to Detail" and "Drawn Together"

on

Thursday July 24^th

^{from 11am to 2pm.}

"Attention to Detail" curated by Chuck Close includes work by 50 different artists from the well known like Robert Gober, Gerhard Richter and Damien Hirst to younger artists like Ken Solomon, Cary Kwok and Tara Donovan.

"Drawn Together," on the 10th floor, features a 30 foot long work by Mark Bradford that has never been seen before in New York and multiple works by Dan Fischer, Ewan Gibbs, Jim Hodges, Ellsworth Kelly, Brice Marden, Richard Phillips and Charles Ray.

FLAG is located in the Chelsea Arts Tower at 545 West 25th Street, 9th floor.

Just let them know that MAO sent you.. and they will be sure to roll out the MAO red carpet for our dedicated Modern Art Obsessed readers.

Jeremy Kost's Art Installation at the Tribeca Grand

Jeremy Kost art installation and party at the Tribeca Grand Hotel this Sunday.

Well.. my little MAO-ettes.. We know everyone will be oh so super busy doing Armory Show events this weekend.. but there's one hot event you might want to put on the calendar for Sunday night.

Jeremy Kost, up and coming artist and Friend Of MAO (to be known as FOMAOs) will be holding court a party at the Tribeca Grand Hotel.

The reception will be hosted by 2008 Whitney Biennial Curator, Shamim M. Momin and artist Terence Koh..so you know it has to be a totally chic event! Jeremy Kost is represented by Conner Contemporary Art in DC so you may already know his Polaroid centric work.

The work Jeremy will be showing is called "Not Yet Titled (Making Faces)", 2008 and it's been inspired by Bruce Nauman's "Studies for a Hologram".  Its a new fresh, provocative, sexy take on an incredible work. Here's an interview Jeremy did with Renee Lucas of City Magazine about the new project at Tribeca Grand.

The video work will be installed in the lobby of the hotel, showing in the evenings of March 28, 29, and 30th.

The Party... 

Sunday March 30th, 2008 

7pm to 11pm

Tribeca Grand Hotel Lobby,

2 Avenue of the Americas

(at Church Street).

Oh.. and Be sure to

RSVP to events@tribecagrand.com

caue it's going to be quite a crazy art hot hot hot happening scene!!

MAO and the Dr. Quiz will be there!

Tim Noble & Sue Webster's Electric Fountain at Rock Center..Pretty!

Art Production Fund Presents Tim Noble and Sue Webster.. Electric Fountain. Now blinking in Bright Blue at Rockefeller Center now till April 5th 2008.

OK... So.. we took some photos on our walk home the other night.

We just thought everyone would like the pretty 35 foot high fountain in 3-D neon blue on the plaza at Rock Center.

We at MAO don't really think this is too thought provoking great art..  but.. It's BIG!! AND AS THEY SAY.. IF YOU CAN'T MAKE IT GOOD.. MAKE IT BIG!! So.. It's 3,390 LED bulbs and 527 meters of neon tubing...and blinking.

But it brought a moment of happiness to what had been a terrible few weeks for MAO.  For those looking for more mental stimulation about public Art.. why in the world are you reading this blog?? please go here and read Ed's Blog..

God.. how much worse is it going to get on Wall Street!!  So much Gloom, Doom, and Losses everywhere.

So enjoy the Fountain! It's Pretty!

All good things come in three.. The New High Line, Creative Time, and Spencer Finch

Yes.. it's Spencer Finch all the time over here at MAO.. clearly it's not mystery why there's the big-O in this website title! Nothing but Finch! Finch..Finch.. Finch.. What can we say.. MAO hearts SPENCER FINCH !

It was just announced by Creative Time and Friends of the High Line... here's a sneak peak!

Congrats Spencer!

SPENCER FINCH
THE RIVER THAT FLOWS BOTH WAYS
High Line, NYC
Fall 2008 - 2009
Creative Time, Friends of the High Line, and the NYC Department of Parks and Recreation present Spencer Finch’s first major public art installation and the inaugural art commission for the High Line Park. Finch will craft 700 unique panes of glass, representing the water conditions on the Hudson River over a period of 700 minutes on a single day. The work links the movement of the river, viewable from the site, with the historic movement of the railway on Manhattan’s West Side.

We at MAO, think this new Spencer Finch work will be installed at the Chelsea Market Space on the High Line..Maps here... but we're still searching for additional details.. 

Union Square Light Show by Tord Boontje

While everybody is busy starting finishing their Christmas Shopping.. There's a great free public art show in Union Square... but it's only there at night! It's a night time music and light show by Designer/Artist Tord Boontje.  An amazing blending of art and technology, "Bright Nights" is one not to miss!

You'll find it on the cobble stone path inside the park on the norther side of Union Square.

Here's a photo of the cobble stone walkway from the the park ave end, taken around 10:30pm last night. Yes, crazy obsessive NYC people still do art stuff at 11pm!

There's hundreds of shapes which dance to music, plus they're sensitive to peoples movements.
Some will chase you, and others scurry away. It's super interactive, and totally beautiful! They swirl, they zig zag, they morph, the change colors too... they move in a random fashion, it's almost a living light sculpture.. very trippy.. But, all we kept on thinking... these would be even more amazing if we were stoned for kids.

Thanks to Target for sponsoring this fun non-commercial event... and it's super cool and the best thing.. it's 100% free.. so bring the kids they'll have a blast, just Like Dr. Quiz and I!!

Here's a detail of the some of the many changing/morphing images..

Press story about it.

Bright Nights is free and open to the public from Monday, December 4 through Tuesday, December 26. It is open nightly until 11:00 p.m.

Madison Square With Chuck Close, Mitch Epstein, and Dayanita Singh

There's a Photography project on display for a few more weeks, Cities In Transition at Madison Square Park. Billboard sized photos from Chuck Close, Mitch Esptein and Dayanita Singh are on display. The project focus is documenting the changing faces of American city life.

New York (Chuck Close), Boston (Mitch Epstein) and Hartford, CT (Dayanita Singh) are the three focus cites.

(Photo # 1 & 2 by Chuck Close )

This
view of the Chuck Close portraits
was taken from
in
front
of the Flatiron
Building.

Others are along the
Broadway and 23rd street
side
of the
park.

Work by Mitch Epstein & Dayanita Singh are inside.

It's been said before.. the park is now amazing. Madison Square has been transformed from a crime ridden vagrant filled urban blight to a cool oasis in just a few years.

Now, you can see posh/chic young art dealers like the girls at DCKT sipping Long Island Ice Teas at lunch on the parks Shake Shack Webcam

Madison Square Park Art

.

Happy Summer Everyone! If you get the chance.. check out how amazingly beautiful they have made Madison Square Park! This use to be a ruff slummy under secured area of NYC. But now, the park has a Conservancy (and Shake Shack yum!) which has done a great job of cleaning up and beautifying this 6.2-acre central downtown Manhattan oasis.

They now also have ART!! They've installed 5 new large scale sculptures by German born artist Ursula von Rydingsvard. I first saw her work up at Storm King Art Center a few years ago.

The first photo is of "Czara z Babelkami" it is made of cedar and stands about 20 feet tall,

The second photo is of "Damski Czepek" its made of clear Polyurethane resin and probably stand about 8 to 10 feet tall.

I have no idea what either of these names (or these sculptures) mean.. but they both look pretty cool as they are place peacefully around the park.  Anyway...its well worth a stop and look, if you are waiting on the super long lines for the overpriced burgers at Shake Shack!

Calder Mobile at The Seagram Building

So over this weekend, New York City's Midtown Manhattan (Park Ave and 53d Street) just got a new impressive work of Public art! You've got to go check it out!

It's a huge Alexander Calder Standing Mobile, and its on display right now on the Park Ave Plaza of the incredible Seagram Building between 52nd and 53rd street.

Two great works of engineering art.. They complement each other so well. The Mobile looks like it just "belongs to the buildings plaza."

Ludwig Mies van der Rohe, Philip Johnson, and Alexander Calder all at their best...a total WOW!

I don't know how long it's going to be there, but don't miss it, cause it's a perfect placement for this Modern Monument.

I snapped some pictures yesterday morning (photo #1), and then again on my walk home today (Photo # 2 & #3).
It's pretty cool.

After checking the Calder Foundation Website, I'm still not sure yet of the exact name of this Calder Standing Mobile.

It looks a bit like the
Calder 1963 Southern Cross
(photo #4 )
but the colors and the base are a different.

If any smart MAO reader knows the correct name of this Calder Standing Mobile.. Please let me know, and I'll post it on the site.

My advice is, pause, take a nice deep breath, and just watch the Mobile as it moves through the air.

You'll find its floating color looks graceful, tranquil and is beautifully delicate, which makes for an amazing oasis among the noisy chaos of Midtown Manhattan.

I hope it stays there for a long time, cause it looks perfect!