Your Cultural Concierge! VoCA offers critical commentary on the Canadian art scene, with a focus on Toronto. Featuring exhibition previews, critics picks, interviews and in-depth articles on art in Vancouver, Calgary, Winnipeg, Ottawa and Halifax.
February 27th, 2010 — Art News: International, Art fairs, Collecting, Toronto and region, Upcoming Events
Tomorrow, Sunday, February 28, in Toronto, the Canadian Art Reel Artists Film Festival will host the first tribute to the legendary Swiss art dealer and founder of Art Basel, Ernst Beyeler, who died Thursday at his home, aged 88.
Ernst Beyeler in his gallery office, 22 May 1982. Image: beyeler.com
November 13th, 2009 — Art Market, Art News: International, Collecting
Apparently, the art market has returned.
Andy Warhol’s 200 One Dollar Bills. Image: nyt.com
After a year of caution on the part of collectors, recent sales in New York and London have shown a dramatic return. The other day, Sotheby’s New York sold Andy Warhol’s huge 1962 canvas 200 One Dollar Bills for $43.7 million (U.S.) – more than triple its pre-sale estimate.
August 4th, 2009 — Art News: International, Performance art
Like any celebrity worth his salt, erstwhile Canadian bad boy artist-provocateur Terence Koh has gone and gotten married. In his mother’s wedding dress. In the Hamptons.
True to his reputation, he went for extra drama, adding $50 worth of tulle for a 30-foot train to the dress.
Newlywed Terence Koh. Image: suprememanagement.com
Interestingly, Koh has turned the wedding into a piece of performance art. By parodying the ritual with all best intentions, he’s managed to demonstrate how, for many, grand weddings have become pure spectacle.
July 2nd, 2009 — Art News: International, Upcoming Events
We heard the rumours, we knew it was just a matter of time…before another art-themed reality tv series hit the airwaves.
This time, Sarah Jessica Parker is producing, not that that makes it seem any less like the typical, American-idol style competitive program.
13 artist contestants will compete for a gallery exhibition, a cash prize and a sponsored national tour.
May 27th, 2009 — Architecture, Art News: International, Collecting
France sells the Louvre’s illustrious name to the UAE for $555 million as Abu Dhabi begins construction on the Jean Nouvel designed museum.
Jean Nouvel’s design for the Louvre in Abu Dhabi. Image: pushpullbar.com
Read Carol Vogel’s article in today’s New York Times, HERE.
Despite the fact that France may have prostituted herself, the curator’s mandate is to create a “universal spirit”, embodied by groupings such as a sculpture of Christ, a Buddha and a Koran in close proximity.
April 21st, 2009 — Architecture, Art News: International
In THIS post from several days ago, we wrote about an artist who had created a blanket made up of American dollar bills as a response to the economy.
A more interesting - and useful - idea for artists is outlined in this Wall Street Journal article - click HERE - that identifies an age old trend currently being revived among America’s most destitute cities…Cleveland, Detroit.
Image: austinchronicle.com
Artists are moving into cheap neighbourhoods that nobody else wants, where they are picking up properties for as little as a few thousand dollars:
“Artists have become the occupiers of last resort,” said Robert McNulty, president of Partners for Livable Communities, a Washington-based nonprofit organization. “The worse things get, the more creative you have to become.”
April 14th, 2009 — Architecture, Art News: International
The Swiss architect (and VoCA favorite) Peter Zumthor has won the Pritzker Prize for excellence in “talent, vision and commitment” by a living architect.
Zumthor’s stunning Therme Spa in Graubünden. Image: mimoa.eu
Read the full article HERE
February 24th, 2009 — Art News: International, Upcoming Exhibitions
The 53rd Golden Lion awards for Lifetime Achievement will be awarded to Yoko Ono and John Baldessari at the opening of the Venice Biennale in June.
The unbelievably fabulous Yoko Ono. Image: arstechnica.com
Curator Daniel Birnbaum says: “Yoko Ono and John Baldessari have shaped our understanding of art and its relationship to the world in which we live. Their work has revolutionized the language of art and will remain a source of inspiration for generations to come.”
January 28th, 2009 — Art News: International, Loved & Loathed, Thoughts on art
After he launched Stuart, a social networking and portfolio showcase site for artists, and just when we were wondering what Charles Saatchi would get up to next, we’re entirely unsurprised by what he’s done. He’s launching a sort of Big Brother-slash-American Idol for emerging artists.
The world of young contemporary art(stardom) is already a circus by any measure, so why not declare it such with a reality television show?
Collector, ad man and UK celebrity Charles Saatchi. Image: artespain.com
Of course, it’s not the first art-related reality show. In 2006, New York dealer Jeffrey Deitch launched Artstar on Gallery HD, a specialty 24-hour channel devoted to the visual arts. Click HERE for the website and HERE for the New York Times’ take on the show.
January 14th, 2009 — Art News: International, Painting
From Art Daily: The Museo del Prado and Google are today presenting the project “Masterpieces from the Prado on Google Earth”, which will allow users to see details invisible to the naked eye of 14 of the Museum’s masterpieces. Las Meninas, Gentleman with his Hand on his Breast and The Three Graces are among the paintings that have been photographed and which can now be seen on Google Earth by activating the buildings layer in 3d and clicking on Prado.
An upclose image of “Descent of Christ from the Cross” by Dutch Renaissance painter Rogier van der Weyden. Image: nationalpost.com
Check it out HERE
Andrea Carson writes on contemporary art, architecture and design...Read full bio