stungun artifice

How Philly Moves: A Movement

b. whitaker — Thu, 24 Mar 2011 00:19:28 +0000

Even though I’ve taken a little time away from my blog, I’ve decided to post to draw support for a project that I really believe in. It’s pretty awesome and it needs your help to continue. Check it out here.

Click. Watch. Give. Seriously.

PIFA: A City Awaits

b. whitaker — Tue, 21 Dec 2010 17:49:24 +0000

This spring, for 24 days, Philadelphia will become a city of lights – better yet, THE city of lights. Paris in the 1910′s and 1920′s! Visual and performing arts, food and fashion, culture and intellect will be center stage for the Philadelphia International Festival of the Arts.

Check out all the happenings here. I’m really excited to see how Philadelphia’s most avante garde artists will interpret the theme. Bubble, bubble.

Writing Sample

b. whitaker — Tue, 10 Aug 2010 14:16:59 +0000

If you have visited my blog before, you know that one of my most revisited topics is the plight of the art professional (and because for the time being I still consider myself a member of this group) – more specifically, the young art professional.

Recently, while applying for a position in the Art Education field, I was required to answer the question below. I didn’t think my answer, or my writing for that matter was absolutely stellar, but it was a great departure point for more discussion. And hey…isn’t that why I’m writing this blog in the first place?

So feel free…read along…comment if you wish.

Question:

What is one of the greatest obstacles regarding Arts Education in Philadelphia and what is one example of how this obstacle can be addressed?

Answer:

With all of the challenges that face art education, I believe that one of the most threatening obstacles in Philadelphia is its inability, perhaps more than any other industry, to attract and retain young professionals capable of necessary innovation in the field. Without exciting a new generation of art educators, enlisting inspired and critical minds able to translate conventional teaching methods into contemporary initiatives that captivate today’s digital world, becomes difficult.

Since obstacles and opportunities represent two ways of viewing the exact same moment, we must recognize the unique opportunity created by this challenge to generate new interest in our profession. Art education must take its cues from other modern industries that thrive in the 21st century. Due to the creativity of artists, other fields have reached larger audiences and discovered exciting new ways to engage their consumers, while in an odd juxtaposition, it appears that art education has struggled with how to apply the inventiveness of young forward-thinking art professionals to the ways that art is understood, taught, funded, and advocated in and outside of our schools.

I think one of the ways to address this obstacle is to reenergize interest in the field and perhaps one of the most relevant places to do this is in Philadelphia’s arts-focused colleges and universities. There it becomes especially important to explore the future of art education and negotiate how this profession must begin shifting the focus from pedagogy to marketability of the industry, both increasing the draw of funders and magnetizing innovative talent. In many ways, my proposed solution represents only a beginning, however, it seems a significant step toward producing new enthusiasm for art education as a viable and exciting profession, and inviting young creative professionals back to the discussion table.

AG in NYC

b. whitaker — Sun, 11 Apr 2010 13:43:02 +0000

: Ataxia, 2007 installation view, Anna Schwartz Gallery

I was so excited this morning to see the piece on Antony Gormley on CBS Sunday Morning. I’ve loved his public art and was thrilled to know that it was making a debut in NYC this year. Check out his work here.

World’s Greatest Intern

b. whitaker — Thu, 01 Apr 2010 13:13:49 +0000

Just about anyone who knows me personally knows that I’ve been on a pretty extended search for full-time employment. I’m among many jobseekers who can tell you that the job market of old, that is pre-global-economy-collapse, certain had its challenges, but these days we’re dealing with a whole new brand of road blocking and red taping because many potential employers are scaling back (or at least claiming to scale back) on normal hiring practices due to the recession. Since I happened to unwisely time my gutsy leap from a stable 9 to 5 back to (notoriously underpaid) work in the art world only a couple months before the entire global economy buckled, I readied myself to confront entry-level positions and entry-level paychecks.

But I hadn’t prepared myself for this (CAUTION – RANTING AHEAD)…

In the art industry, I don’t think anyone will argue that job openings are spare to begin with. Even if you’re a candidate with plenty of skill and experience, finding a job that’s in line with what you’re looking for is quite the task. So of course when faced with the following scenario (over and over again) one is quickly nudged toward the brink of insanity.

So you’re perusing your favorite source for (art-related) job postings, and find something that suits you, so you read through the job description – quite the load of responsibility, but nothing you can’t handle. After all, you’re accustomed to hard work, you’re a quick study, and are a whiz at multi-tasking. Now down to the qualifications. Undergraduate degree required – check. Graduate degree preferred – check. Two to three solid years of relevant work experience – check. Intermediate skill level with semi-complicated programs and systems – nervous check. Mastery of at least one obscure brand of database management and the unique ability to troubleshoot with it – check and consider explaining your limitations later.

Then to pan down and read “…this is an unpaid internship”.

Can you imagine the frustration? Some of you can, I’m sure. The art industry’s obsession with free work these days is absolutely astounding, not to mention insulting at times. I’m of the opinion anyhow that places that seek interns with such high skill levels clearly have the intention of gaining something for nothing rather than enriching and teaching some young person seeking to begin a new career. I just wish that if you’re not willing to invest in an intern, start advertising paid positions.

That’s my rant.

Ever Considered Adoption?

b. whitaker — Sat, 06 Feb 2010 16:33:10 +0000

There’s always a bit of mystery about what drives young collectors. What interests them in art? What interests them in the type of art they collect? For me, as an enthusiast on a budget, I’m always curious about how collectors in my age range, and tax bracket, can afford to build anything that we’d refer to as a collection.

Inevitably, folks I know in their late twenties and early thirties are saving for homes and caring for newborns, and some of us are even trying to recover from the hit we took from losing our jobs in this job market. In any case, disposable income is hard to come by for folks who aren’t established in their careers. How’s a young enthusiast (with a network of contacts who appreciate contemporary art) become a collector?

Enter Fine Art Adoption Network.

FAAN is a vehicle through which artists and art enthusiasts can partner so that art enthusiasts become potential collectors, and artists can introduce their works to new audiences. Like, you’d expect from any adoption process, both artist and potential collector must select one another based on the most advantageous circumstances for the artist. Although some of the details seem a little knotty, I think it’s a great fix for artists and enthusiasts wanting to have a unique experience with giving or receiving artwork.

If you’re an artist or potential collector, check out the details here. It may just be the answer to some of MY questions.

Just Wondering…

b. whitaker — Mon, 23 Nov 2009 23:24:25 +0000

Just wondering…when are these going to make it to Philadelphia? Recently, while poking around recent press about my alma mater, Temple University’s Tyler School of Art, I came across a familiar name. Michael Rakowitz, a finalist in the Jack Wolgin Competition, is also the artist responsible for initiating the project called paraSITE, a glorious cross-section in the world of functional art and urban activism. Although the project is over 10 years old now, it’s interesting to think that there’s no such project happening in Philadelphia these days. Over the past several years, similar initiatives in other cities have sprung up (although at the moment, only the EDAR comes to mind). If I’m feeling left out, I can only imagine how our city’s homeless population (which is estimated to be about 700-1,000 sleeping on the streets) feels.

Saturday Night “Light”

b. whitaker — Wed, 21 Oct 2009 01:48:31 +0000

I’ve always loved simple stories told in simple ways. Whenever I see a photo montage, child-drawn stick figures, basic images moving across the screen with a quiet narrative playing in the background, I pay attention. I’m calling it “The Sesame Street Effect”. Cut and Paste, a short film about a black femme discovering her fetish for “kink”, is told in a charming and innocent voice. Oddly, The Sesame Street Effect is brilliantly applied here. Although I don’t know when or where this short will be screening again, I’m pretty excited about all the other gems that I’ll be stumbling onto in the near future.

The Flickering Light, a new project by Sara-Zia Ebrahimi, has been showcasing independent films every Saturday night at the Sedgwick Theater in Mount Airy. Check out the website and take a look at the schedule for the next few weeks before the whole operation goes on a little winter break. Perhaps you’ll stumble on a few gems of your own.

10 x 10: InLiquid’s Celebratory Guessing Game

b. whitaker — Wed, 30 Sep 2009 16:42:46 +0000

Guests viewing work at InLiquid's 10x10 at the Crane Arts Building

For it’s 10-year anniversary, one of Philadelphia’s hubs for creative genius, InLiquid, is celebrating with a unique exhibit. 260 artists who have partnered with the organization over the past 10 years have each submitted one piece, 10” by 10”. The twist here is that all of the works are exhibited anonymously. The viewer doesn’t know whether he/she is looking at the work of an emerging artist or a 30-year veteran. I know I didn’t. It’s a great testament to the talent that resides here and it makes for an enormous display of InLiquid’s influence on an art community that is as diverse as the city itself.

I had a peek at the exhibit last night. Take a look at some of the highlights and see if you can tell whose work you’re looking at. For a list of artists in this show click here.

Check out the details of InLiquid’s Celebration & Benefit (including an auction chock full of goodies) here.

Member of the British Empire?

b. whitaker — Mon, 21 Sep 2009 18:05:53 +0000

Yinka Shonibare MBE (b. United Kingdom, 1962). Diary of a Victorian Dandy: 03.00 hours, 1998. Chromogenic photograph, 72 x 90 in. Collections of Peter Norton and Eileen Harris Norton, Santa Monica. Image courtesy of the artist, Stephen Friedman Gallery, London, and James Cohan Gallery, New York. © the artist

Without the element of surprise, art is (arguably) only decorative. Yinka Shonibare MBE, at 47, is a master at turning expectations on their heads. Born a Londoner of Nigerian heritage, Shonibare spent most of his childhood in Lagos and returned to London at the age of 16 to complete his studies; however, if you’re starting to see the typical political propaganda art of colonial corruption as a subtext here – think again.

Yinka Shonibare MBE, closed yesterday after a summer-long stint at the Brooklyn Museum of Art. A mixture of sculpture, painting, photography and video installations, this exhibit is heavy on Shonibare’s trademark images – headless mannequins clothed in elaborate 19th century European costuming constructed using the Dutch wax fabric popularized in contemporary African clothing. Shonibare explores race and class with an intriguing complicity, focusing a major part of the exhibition on themes of upward mobility and the aristocratic lifestyle, yet balancing the frivolity of his images with the profundity of their meanings. I love it!

Yinka Shonibare MBE (b. United Kingdom, 1962). How to Blow Up Two Heads at Once (Ladies), 2006. Two life-size fiberglass mannequins, two guns, Dutch wax printed cotton, shoes, and leather riding boots

I toured most of the exhibit eagerly and inquisitively, wondering about what made Shonibare use such a European aesthetic to communicate some really important questions about African sentiments. In the end, though I’ve decided that he’s done it because the viewer doesn’t expect him to. There is nothing more thoughtful behind the decision, still the questions that are raised by his work are nonetheless poignant. Although I think his work is often intended to draw attention to the “haves” vs. “have-nots” narrative, once drawn in, the viewer finds that it is more about the human condition. More psychological than political, his work explores the ways in which human beings destroy other human beings by creating the social constraints in which we all live. It’s a visual bonus that he does it using classic Roccoco styling and colorful African fabrics and symbols.

Shonibare is, judging by this show alone, a contemporary conceptual giant and I’m very excited for new projects. In the meantime, I’ll be keeping you posted about where Shonibare will be surveyed next. I’ve heard rumors of the Brooklyn show moving to Washington, DC this fall. Believe me, it is a must-see!