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ART BLOG

ARTICLES FOR THE MONTH OF DECEMBER 2011
Contributing Bloggers: John Harbinger Jr.and David Harbrenig

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Last Call for “Art Gothic” at OCCA –DEADLINE DECEMBER 31, 011

Orange County Center for Contemporary Art has a call for “Art: Gothic.” Only Two Weeks Left To Enter! DEADLINE: December 31^st. Juror: Amy V. Grimm - Assistant Professor of Art History & Museum Studies: Irvine Valley College.

Gothic invites submissions from artists evincing a peculiar, perverse, idiosyncratic sensitivity, influenced by literature, movies, television and the tabloids, in painting, drawing, sculpture, illustration, fashion, graphic design, animation, photography, video, digital media, computer-based works, installation and performance. OCCCA's museum of the macabre will display supernatural mutations, bizarre curiosities permeated by fantastic and pathological themes. Gothic is a mix of Medievalism, Romanticism, science fiction, Victoriana, punk, the uncanny, the grotesque, and the erotic, inseparable from despair, fear and rapture. Gothic reveals the shadow within, the skull beneath the skin.

Exhibition Dates: February 2nd - March 10th, 2012 Opening Reception: February 4th, 2012 - 6pm to 10pm.

Orange County Center for Contemporary Art, 117 North Sycamore Santa Ana, CA USA, 92701

www.occca.org info.occca@gmail.com

Blog Dec 17 2011

How to make the critics take notice of you and your work

Here is an interesting piece of performance art which is mentioned in ARTnews December 2011 edition. Over a period of two years, artist Joe Sola would set up a video camera in his Los Angeles studio and invite collectors, curators, and critics to come over and talk with him about his art. His unsuspecting visitors were in for a surprise! At some point into the discussion, Joe would rush towards a closed window and throw himself headfirst through the glass disappearing 8 feet below to the ground. The sudden exit of the artist through an explosion of shattered glass never failed to bring his interlocutors to their feet – not so much in applause but rather in absolute panic. Dashing to the window the guest would then discover Sola, outside, quite unharmed, thanks to some stunt training, movie style glass, and some strategically arranged boxes which cushioned his fall.

The performance art was designed to critique the institutions which form the conventional power structures of the art world and to serve as a way of unsettling its social dynamics. Decisions by critics, curators and collectors can determine the course of an artist’s career. By hurtling headlong out the window in the middle of the studio visit however, Sola believed he seized the upper hand. After his jump, he says the dynamics changed –it transformed the meeting into an exhilarating experience and visitors would remain wide-eyed for the rest of the meeting.

After repeating the act 22 times, each time filming the reaction of his “victims” which ranged from stunned silence to loud screams of fear (and pleasure), Sola put together a video piece called “Studio Visit” which he released in 2005.

The article which speaks of Joe Sola’s and other artists’ work is in this month’s ARTnews and is about how a growing number of artists are creating works that critique the people and institutions upon which their careers ultimately depend. You can read it at: http://www.artnews.com/2011/12/06/biting-the-hand-that-feeds-them/

Don’t try this at Home!

Blog Dec 13 2011

How our brains react to real or fake art

I love some of the weird stuff that comes up when I search for something on the Net – especially when it concerns scientific studies. Don’t get wrong, I have a great admiration for science but occasionally I have the impression some academics spend years, and lots of money, discovering what the rest of us know already. Their results are published in serious scientific journals, which are usually only read by other scientists and only when the daily newspapers or weekly magazines, dilute the information into a more readable form (and add a slightly humoristic angle), does the larger public realize that great scientific minds, working in secret labs, now know what the street already knows.

Last week, on Dec 6, a group of Oxford University academics published the results of a study showing that being told a work of art is authentic or fake alters the brain’s response to the visual content of artwork. In the study, fourteen participants were placed in a brain scanner and shown images of works by ‘Rembrandt’ – some were genuine, others were good imitations. Neither the participants nor their brain signals, could distinguish between genuine and fake paintings. However, when the participants were told which images were of the real Rembrandts and which were fakes, the brain signals showed different responses. In short, advice about whether or not an artwork is authentic alters the way we think about it; this advice is equally effective, regardless of whether the artwork is genuine or not.

The study, first published in Frontiers in Human Neuroscience, supports what art historians, critics and the general public have long know instinctively – that it is better to think we are seeing the genuine article.

The way we view art is not rational. Even when we can’t distinguish between two works, the knowledge that one was painted by a renowned artist makes us respond to it very differently. That’s why we go to renowned galleries and museums – to see the real thing; original paintings, worth a lot of money, by famous artists.

Making money as a performance artist

It’s hard to make a living as a painter or sculptor. The competition for collectors’ attention and wallet is fierce as there is so much good art to choose from and at prices to suit every budget. In the circumstances few artists are able to forge full-time careers which permit them to live reasonably well. It’s a tough market place but at least it is more or less comprehensible - when an artist creates a painting or sculpture for sale, the collector actually gets something tangible for his/her money. There is an exchange of money for “goods.”

However, there is a relatively new kind of artist who has joined the ranks of the fine arts - the performance artist, who creates ephemeral works, and has nothing to sell. When the price of an artist’s work is a measure of his/her success, how do performance artists even get into the game of climbing the ladder to success? The art enthusiast/collector can watch the art being performed but there is nothing to hang on the wall, nothing to embellish the dining room table, nothing except a memory to take home when the art is finished?

It seems that the very, very, very few performance artists who do manage to make money, do so not from the art itself but from developing a secondary market based on the performance. This includes selling video recordings, selling the props of a performance, and from charging spectators to pay to view their art. If in the end the performance is a spectacle where viewers have to pay to see it, I wonder how these artists would fare if their performances had to compete in another, less artsy-fartsy arena like the theater, or the cinema against plays and movies.

Having said that, I salute all performance artists everywhere. Beyond needing courage, they need to be a bit bonkers, be prepared to live from almost nothing, and love what they do so much that they remain undeterred by the fact that nothing will remain from their art in the future.

How to write your own press release

A Press Release can be an effective promotional tool - if it gets published of course. So how do you write a good press release about your up-coming show and get the local media to read it and publish it? Remember, a press release, in contrast to a paid advert, is free publicity and usually good publicity since it is written by you. It can put you in front of a wide audience and is often perceived by readers as validation from a seemingly unbiased and authoritative source.

Even though in some gallery owners might insist on writing the release, all artists should be able to put together a self-penned press release should the necessity arise as for example, for a studio exhibition or for a show in a venue where the artist has to do all the preparatory and promotional work.

Don't let the idea of writing a press release intimidate you. It is something that you can learn to do. Like all things –practice makes perfect. Here are some simple tips:

Many newspapers or magazines have a "press release guideline" or format on how to prepare a press release. Look on their web site or phone in to ask what it is. Your press release should conform to the requirements of each individual publication.

Keep it short. Keep the language simple and straightforward. Normally a press release is one page in length, double-spaced, and uses one side of a sheet of paper. Make it interesting and informative because that what press releases are - newsworthy announcements. So make sure you include info about exhibit title, your name or the names of the artists participating in the exhibition, the dates, the opening and closing reception date and time, the name and address of the gallery, the day and hours the gallery is open and the contact information. Don’t forget your contact info.

Think about what the audience for that particular paper would like to know about or find newsworthy. Spend time thinking about your headline. It should be clear, attract attention and compel the reader to read on.

Photos are always a good addition. A good photo can put your press release at the top of the editor’s pile. Just make sure the photo is appropriate for your story.

Remember, when you send in a press release it may take several weeks before it's published. Check with the magazine about deadlines for submissions. Once the article is sent do not nudge the editor with phone calls. It will probably annoy him and he’ll end up throwing it in the trash just for spite. Lastly- Be patient. If the publication doesn’t contact you, you’ll just have to wait to see if your submission is published by checking the papers and magazines.

Interpreting art

Every image seeks a viewer and tends to provoke an emotional response from that viewer. A simple image like a sign may be a direct and easily understandable communication, or an image can be something more complex and possibly obscure, like a symbol. Symbols invite interpretation.

Since Art is full of symbols it therefore requires interpretation. Some interpretations are based on ‘expertise’ by artists, art critics, historians, curators, anthropologists and psychologists but we should remember that interpretations of images can never be regarded as absolute or definitive explanations. When we view art, we each interpret the images in our own manner. Whether that interpretation flows through some kind of professional expertise or not is irrelevant. Each of us has a unique emotional expertise based our experiences and therefore our interpretations of art can be just as individually unique. There is no such thing as interpreting art correctly.

So next time you’re in a gallery and you overhear the people next to you spouting on about the whys-and-wherefores of an artwork, don’t let yourself be taken in. Your interpretation is just as valid.

An opportunity to create a large mural

The city of Indio is accepting applications from artists to create a mural on the north side of the Coachella Valley Enterprise Zone building at 45-125 Smurr Street.

The Indio Chamber of Commerce launched a multiple mural project back in 1997 to help spark development in the downtown. Now the Indio Public Arts and Historic Preservation Commission are leading the efforts to continue with the program. Seven murals have already been completed, the last one being done in 2003 and now there two more in the works.

The city of Indio is accepting applications from artists interested in painting a mural on the side of the Coachella Valley Enterprise Zone building at 45-125 Smurr St. Though the selection committee is preferably looking for someone with experience, it will consider submittals by a newcomer if the proposed project is strong. There is a budget available of up to $30,000, and the artist will be given from March through June 28 to prepare the site and complete the mural.

Applications can be obtained online at the city's website at www.indio.org.

Information or questions: (760) 541-4252

The deadline to apply is 4 p.m. Dec. 27, 2011. The selection will ultimately have to be approved by the City Council.

A spokesman for the Indio Public Arts & Historic preservation Commission has said that the mural should “reflect the spirit of the community, its history, the present and its future and represent the character of the people of the area of Indio and/or the Coachella Valley.”

Juried Art Competitions & Events: Deadline DECEMBER 2011

Topanga Canyon Gallery, 120 N. Topanga Canyon Blvd, CA 90290 has a call out for the 2012 Juried Open exhibition to be held at the gallery from January 11 until January 29, 2012. Accepted work must be hand delivered on January 8. There will be a reception and presentation of awards on January 22. For details visit the website at www.topangacanyongallery.com for the prospectus and information. There is online registration, a way to upload images online and pay the fee. The curator of the event is Fanklyn Liegel. DEADLINE: December 4, 2011

Linus Art Gallery in Pasadena, CA seeks entries for an exhibition of abstract art. Open to all artists worldwide in media from photography, to paintings in oil, acrylic, watercolor and ink, graphite drawings and fabric work from quilts to stitch-work. Accepted artists will be asked to be a part of a collective show in future months. Artists will be asked if they wish to submit their artwork for the future show, which is not a requirement to being a part of this show. There’s $35 fee for 3 entries, $5 for each additional. Visit www.linusgallery.com for details. Questions? Tel: (310) 491-0269 DEADLINE: December 10, 2011

The Great Landscape: Linus Art Gallery in Pasadena, CA seeks entries for an exhibition where artists are invited to express their vision of what makes a great landscape. Nature? The skyline? Urban sprawl? Farmland? All artists worldwide will be considered, in media from photography,

stitch work. Accepted artists will be asked to be a part of a collective show in future months. The artists will be asked if they wish to submit their artwork for the show, which is not a requirement to being a part of this show. $35 for 3 entries, $5 for each add'l. Visit www.linusgallery.com for details, or phone (310) 491-0269. DEADLINE: December 20, 2011

Light Space & Time is an online art gallery. It has a call out for a Juried Art Competition for the month of December with the theme Seascapes. A Group exhibition of the top ten finalists will be held online at the Light Space & Time Art Gallery for the month of January 2012. The gallery invites all 2D artists (including photographers) to send us your best interpretation of the theme Seascapes by depicting coastal living, ocean activities, seaside vistas and any related seashore subjects. A group exhibition of the top ten finalists, along with Special Recognition awards will also be presented. The group exhibition will be held online at the Light Space & Time Online Art Gallery during the month of January, 2012. There will be extensive worldwide publicity to the winners of this event. www.lightspacetime.com DEADLINE: December 29,2011