*TRIGGER WARNING*

I just found this artist who is deeply engaged in issues of injustice (especially LGBT issues) while addressing self-harm. She says, "I challenge myself and others to critically consider our reactions and interactions with social issues of injustice. I often use my body to explore and push the boundaries of codes, routes and rules and to problematize the limitations of social norms, expectations and progress."

www.marycoble.com to see all her work, but this work really hit me:

"Note to Self is a performance that deals with gay, lesbian, bi and transgender people who have died due to hate crimes committed against them. Coble compiled a list of 436 names of these individuals, through research on various websites, news reports and official and unofficial documentation. The list started and ended with the word “anonymous” to acknowledge the many lives that were taken that my list didn’t include.

During a solid twelve-hour timeframe these names were tattooed, with no ink, onto the surface of Coble’s body. She had these names inklessly tattooed on her body as a reference to the brutality of these murders; many of the victims had slurs such as dyke or faggot carved into their bodies.

After each name was completed, a Blood Painting was made by pressing a sheet of paper directly against the fresh abrasion. These prints were then places on the walls of the gallery. As the list of name compiled on her body the same list was mirrored on the gallery walls.

The first three hours of this performance was open to the public while the last nine hours were webcast so the audience could watch via the net."

http://marycoble.com/performance-installation/note-to-self-2005

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(Also: reminds me of this work by Catherine Opie's work:)

“1993’s “Self-Portrait/Cutting,”…plays with the history of painted portraiture while turning its back on it. Seated before a decorative green background like a royal icon by Holbein, she has a bleeding, childlike, stick-figure drawing of lesbian domestic bliss cut into the flesh of her back. (Artist Judie Bamber wielded the blade.) Art’s exalted tradition of the female nude floats into view.

Opie simultaneously accepts and rejects it. And she remakes it into a powerful document of humanist experience.”

http://queercontemporaryart.tumblr.com/post/27908806855/catherine-opie-self-portrait-cutting-1993-today



THESE WOMEN ARE MAKING TRULY CHALLENGING WORK... questioning our reactions to these social taboos of self-harm and the reality of LGBT issues. 

They are addressing extremely hard issues that nobody wants to talk about. That takes serious courage. 

Powerful. Traumatic. Relevant.

Isa Genzken // feminist issues in the art world // retrospective

I have a lot to say about this, but I'm sure all you know there is an important retrospective by Isa Genzken happening now at MoMa. 

From an article on BBC: "Genzken, a creator of cryptic, grungy assemblages that employ found objects and commercial materials, is one of the most formidable artists in Europe but has never had an exhibition of this size in the United States. She has been especially influential for younger artists, on both sides of the Atlantic, and this show will introduce her perplexing sculpture to a whole new audience.

But the massive Genzken show (which tours in 2014 to Chicago and Dallas) carries even more weight than usual, because when it opens it will be one of the only full-scale exhibitions by a female artist at any of New York’s most important museums. Thanks to a combination of scheduling accidents and garden-variety sexism, male artists are occupying pretty much every major exhibition space in town, from Christopher Wool at the Guggenheim to Chris Burden at the New Museum and Balthus at the Met."

(http://www.bbc.com/culture/story/20131112-the-art-worlds-glass-ceiling)

While this show looks absolutely STELLAR (all her work is really strong) and it's always great to have a major retrospective of such an influential artist, the critics and media keep putting their feet in their mouths when they constantly throw the "female" or "woman" word in there -- which just perpetuates the inequality. (A talented woman having a retrospective at a big museum? how can this be? Did we mention she's a WOMAN?). [sigh].

Here's a screenshot that Wendy White posted on FB from this link: http://www.moma.org/visit/calendar/exhibitions/1345 

ANYWAYS, she's pretty damn good for a WOMAN, right? ;) Here are glimpses of her work -- I'd encourage everyone to look at more. She seems quite engaged with street life -- grunginess, street art, the history of abstraction and painting in general. Check it out: 

Flight Patterns by Richard Barnes

http://www.booooooom.com/2009/02/02/richard-barnes/

I know this isn't the most academic post of the semester but it is about art and we are all women. I found it very touching and true.
http://www.upworthy.com/2-people-described-the-same-person-to-a-forensic-artist-and-this-is-what-happene

Amy Sillman

"Every day the raw, the goofy,

the inexplicable, the urgent,

the disrupting, the embarrassing,

the awful, the complex, and the 

fearsome barge into my life,

whether I like it or not. I respond

with paintings that are partly cartoon,

partly lament, partly grudge, that I 

hope are unpredictable, beautiful,

but sort of shaggy. Doubt can be an 

advantage. I have no advance visual 

strategy. I don't make drawings before

I begin and I make a lot of changes

intuitively as I go along.

I have an eye for the beauty of

ugliness, awkwardness, isolation.

Like a fatso, my paintings are 

built for comfort, not for speed."

-Amy Sillman

 

Painting included in prior exhibition: "Third Person Singular"

I would like to remind everyone to STAY TUNED on some of the visiting artist's that we've been lucky enough to spend time with through the Diane Marek visiting artist series: these artists continue to impress me.

It just so happened that Summer Wheat was doing a talk at SCAD while I was in Savannah for my show. I attended and was thoroughly impressed by her new work. There are no pictures online yet, but she is basically still thinking of this piece at the cress, "Mud Room," and creating an entire installation referencing the life of the maid (from Vermeer's painting). She continues to challenge and blur the lines of painting -- mainly exploring casting paint from molds (reminded me of your wax castings, Laura!)

Her upcoming solo show is in March in NYC -- i hope we are there during our senior trip! =) Def. stay tuned. Truly magical! (here's a shot of her studio -- she got herself prepared for her magical show by putting tissue paper on her windows. Setting the vibe!

Here is the work at the cress that she continues to question: "What would be behind a Vemeer painting? What goes on the other side? What is the life of this maid like?"

ROBERT IRWIN

For Danielle

http://archinect.com/features/article/79984/venice-biennale-review

Collectif EXYZT
LABICHAMPI festival
Karosta, Latvia. 2007, Photo: Cyrille Weiner, Credits: EXYZT, Courtesy: EXYZT and Fondazione La Biennale di Venezia

Nnenna Okore (born 1975) is a Nigerian artist living and working in the United States

https://www.google.com/search?q=NNenna+OKORE+images&espv=210&es_sm=93&tbm=isch&tbo=u&source=univ&sa=X&ei=JXGFUsCsFtGrkQfP6IDoDw&ved=0CCsQsAQ&biw=1268&bih=641&dpr=0.9

Sarah Cain

I was researching my chosen exhibition and discovered the artist Sarah Cain.  I have found my new favorite artist.  Her work deals with the combination of painting and drawing on two and three dimensional surfaces.  Her use of popping color and integration of fabric is mouth watering. There is a wonderful push and pull with organic mark making and geometric shapes.  She explores so many realms (small and large works, sculpture, installation, found objects, painting, etc.) with such grace. Honestly, I do not remember the last time I was this jealous.

 I only posted 2-D works but if you are interested please check out her installations (many great pieces can be found via google images)!