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.
June 6th, 2008 — Art market, Artists, Miscellaneous thoughts on art
Jerry Saltz, for one, bemoans the lack of good art being created and shown today, as do many other critics, VoCA included.
The recent exhibition Unmonumental at the New Museum in New York (see VoCA post HERE) is a perfect example. As someone commented, it was art that’s being made for a market where people will buy anything.
An installation shot of Unmonumental. Image: artcadeforum.wordpress.com
May 13th, 2008 — Miscellaneous thoughts on art
Our 2nd annual Most Influential People in the Canadian Art World:
Click HERE for last year’s list.
1. Phoebe Greenberg, Founder, DHC Art Foundation, Montreal.
Phoebe Greenberg. Image: ledevoir.com
For bringing internationally relevant shows to Canada. Next is Sophie Calle’s installation from the last Venice Biennale.
More HERE.
April 30th, 2008 — Miscellaneous thoughts on art, News: Canada, Vancouver
Vancouver’s Emily Carr Institute of Art and Design is to become a university.
Going head-to-head with Toronto’s OCAD - also an art and design university - and VoCA wonders whether this is a good thing.
Toronto artist - and OCAD dropout - Thrush Holmes’ studio. Image: lowegallery.com
April 23rd, 2008 — Collecting, Miscellaneous thoughts on art
“Art originates out of a diversity of opinions. The gallery owners are biased. And that’s why they are bad witnesses from the start. Also the art collector is biased. Because he defends his own preferences. And thus he is a bad witness. Art is rather determined by neutral positions. From critics, from museums, from curators. These are the people that matter first and foremost when you evaluate art.”
-Harald Falckenberg, art collector, Hamburg
In related news, the RBC Painting Competition has just announced its 2008 jury panel:
-3 artists: Pierre Dorion, James Lahey, Neil Campbell
-4 curators: James Baird, Louise Dery, David Liss, Kitty Scott
-2 gallerists: Jessica Bradley, Monte Clark
April 8th, 2008 — Miscellaneous thoughts on art
Ok, so it’s a little off the beaten track for VoCA - but we’re getting back to basics.
In honour of Milan Design Week, April 16 - 21, and our belief that design should get back to basics, too, here’s a fascinating recent post on Designboom called Silk making in 6 steps.
Check it out - more info and images - right HERE.
Silkworms have made cocoons - here in trays. Image: designboom.com
April 3rd, 2008 — Miscellaneous thoughts on art, News: Canada
Click HERE to read this news story - about the funding that the Ontario government is injecting into the arts - on cbc.ca.
It’s about how the ROM, the AGO and Lumintao Festival are getting millions to help alleviate deficits and cover costs.
But what caught our eye were the comments, reprinted here:
April 3rd, 2008 — Miscellaneous thoughts on art, Painting
Indulge your inner Jackson Pollock…go on…
Click HERE and start painting!
Jackson Pollock painting in his studio, Springs, New York, 1949. Image: monroegallery.com
From Dazed Digital: A Greek-born, London-based artist, Manetas explores the worlds of computers through everything from oil paintings of cables and hardware to video pieces featuring Tomb Raider and Super Mario, which he uses to comic effect. His online work includes a portrait of Antonio Negri, and sites such as jacksonpollock.org, stupidforum.com and 444theory.com, where you are invited to interact with his playful ideas.
March 24th, 2008 — Miscellaneous thoughts on art
VoCA wants to hear from YOU.
Image: prpulp.com
What kind of content would you like to see on VoCA?
What is your favorite section? Least favorite?
Would you enjoy international coverage? Less?
Over the next few months, we will be refining our content!
Watch for:
-A report from New York
-More artist profiles, interviews and (better quality) videos
-Recommendations of specific works of art that we think are ‘steals’
-A focus on art books
Please give your feedback below, thanks!
March 18th, 2008 — Articles, Miscellaneous thoughts on art
The Guardian digs up the seemingly never-ending debate over the death of art criticism:
Read the article HERE
Raoul Hausmann, The Art Critic, 1919-1920. Image: cti.itc.virginia.edu
The Guardian Art Blog picks up the story with readers comments:
Check it out HERE
VoCA would love to hear your comments!
March 1st, 2008 — Miscellaneous thoughts on art, News: International
From today’s New York Times:
Who wants to admit that “I’ve had these posters since college, I know that…I should get some real art, but I don’t know what that means”?
Read the full article right HERE
Tracey Emin with work from the 2007 Venice Biennale. Image: zichi.blogspot.com
Andrea Carson writes on contemporary art, architecture and design...Read full bio
