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Artsites 96
A terrific opportunity to sample the state of the contemporary arts in the greater Metropolitan area (at least as defined by the curators) is currently on exhibition locally. Artsites96 is the second regional biennial of contemporary art organized under the auspices of the Corcoran School of Art in Washington. This event is the united action of eleven art sites in the region, and each site's artists were chosen by a selected curator under the direction of the Corcoran's dean.
Most shows run through July, 1996. The best selection of works is on exhibition at the District of Columbia Arts Center, 2438 18th Street, NW, Washington, D.C. until July 27. It is the best because it is focused on the most ancient of art subjects: the nude figure, which is in part why I liked it so much. Curated by Michael Clark of the Museum of Contemporary Art, this show has both visual candy and artists with well honed skills. Chan Chao's devastatingly erotic photographs are matched by Ward Boult's equally sense-watering photos; these are photographers working above the level of the fake photography of Mapplethrope. On the other extreme of the senses, Bill Skees and Douglas Mathurin complement the eroticism prevalent in the show with safe, non-erotic, warm, family nudes. Manon Cleary is also represented here, and her work continues to astonish me everytime I see it. There are also several superb pieces by Fred Folsom (who recently discovered a multimillion dollar master painting in an antique shop in Charlottesville). Stephen Lewis, as usual, oversteps all bounds and is going to get sued one of these days by McDonalds, or Camel cigarrettes or Disney or some other major corporation. Strangely enough, this selection is superbly rounded off by those great, horribly addictive nudes by Robyn Johnson-Ross. RJR's repulsive nudes are both fascinating and engrossing, and almost steal the show in an art collection of perfect humans!
The show at the Arlington Arts Center (3550 Wilson Blvd, Fairfax) was curated by former Washigton Post art critic Lee Fleming. It is dominated by sculptural elements in the works of the six chosen artists. None of the pieces, with perhaps some of the oils by Peter Dubeau as an exception, are what I would consider had I been in Ms. Fleming's shoes.
However, of the eleven sites, the absolute weakest is the selection at the Corcoran Gallery of Art. The ten artists represented there were chosen from the other sites by Jack Cowart, Chief Curator of the Corcoran. With the exception of Manon Cleary's astonishing work, the Corcoran selections are generally bland and forgetable and look like the work of jocks taking an easy art course at a minor university. Sandra Camomile's Mops and Corsets (or Daniel Sullivan's "Figure 25") is a perfect example of what happens when the arts intelligentsia decides what is art - I am sorry but it's just a bunch of mops! This is the kind of art which baffles the general public (heck, it baffles me!), which is then intimidated by descriptions in the show's catalog such as "gritty mechanistic objects," or "Zen-like assemblages" or my favorite: "a final comforting resolution and transcendence." This is a foolish show, but strangely enough, it somehow belongs in a major undertaking such as Artsites96.
The Greater Reston Arts Center's show (GRACE), 11911 Freedom Dr, Reston, VA, was curated by Susan Arnold, Director of GRACE. She has chosen a figurative theme to her selections, and with the notable exception of Schroeder Cherry's works and Richard Cleaver's "Court Dress," she has also delivered a show dominated by the unwritten academic rules of contemporary art which dominate shows like this as much as academic art rules dominated the salon exhibitions of the late 1800's. I was fascinated by Cleaver's intricate constructions, which have knobs, cyphers and all kinds of hidden images within them. Otherwise a bland show.
Sarah Tanguy was the curator for the selections at the McLean Project for the Arts, 1234 Ingleside Dr, McLean, VA. She has chosen the theme of animals as the unifying force in her selections, and key among her choices are the works of Judy Goodkind, a modern Surrealist who marries cats, dogs, Frida Kahlo and even Harry Truman in absurd paintings which nonetheless work well and deliver - I truly enjoyed her pieces. I also liked the works of Kathryn Freeman, who works in a monumental scale usually attempted by artists much less skilled than her. Her pieces are composed and created so that she marries the sublime with the mundane in such a way that we don't question the once menacing tigers strolling peacefully among humans in "Liberation of the Tigers." This artist was my favorite new discovery among all 86 artists featured by Artsites. I hope to see more of her work soon.
The show at the Ellipse Arts Center, 4350 N. Fairfax Dr, Arlington is a key part of the multi-site regional biennial. The Ellipse's selections were curated by the gallery's director Angela Adams. Six artists are represented at the show - five of which are art professors - and as a result, most of the selected works (with the exception of the works on paper by Phyllis Plattner) tend to fit into that wide chasm of academic art seldom seen in people's homes but always present in public art commissions, airports, fancy hotel lobbies and Corcoran Biennials. On the other hand, Plattner's pieces are not only evidence of superb technical skill, but also deliver that visual and mental satisfaction which a truly creative artist can do without gimmicks or shock. I also found the sculptured installations by Jyung Mee Park, made from folded rice paper, to be both interesting and quizzical, and she transformed one room of the ellipse into an oddly magical place. Finally, David Kohan's black and white paintings were almost suggestive of large drawings, or perhaps the doodles of a mechanical engineer. I liked them, in part because I felt they allowed me to look over his shoulder.
The selections at the International Sculpture Center, 1605 32nd Street, NW in Washington were chosen by Carla Hanzal, Curator of Exhibitions. Beware! If you are looking for the sublime skill of a modern Rodin, that kind of sculpture doesn't get into these shows. However, I did like the etched stones by Rick Clement, as well as the piece "Blue" by Emile Brzezinski. Both of these works had an element usually found in those pre-Celtic stone circles and wonderful sculptured stones built by the ancient Picts of Scotland. Even closer to those Pre-Scottish stone circles is Brent Crothers "Ode to the Ancient Forest."
Claudia Amory, Director of the School 33 Art Center, 1427 Light St, Baltimore, MD was the curator for this Baltimore site. The show is dominated by Kendall Buster's massive sculptures, which are more mechanical engineering wonders than art.
The artists chosen for the Maryland Art Place, 218 W. Saratoga Av, Baltimore, were picked by Jack Rasmussen, the Executive Director. He has chosen the artists based on art that was "leaning towards the 'fun' side." This, of course, explains why we see more mops by Sandra Camomile (although the catalogue insists that even though the mops are "fun" they nonetheless reflect the "constrictions of social roles for women" - Obviously the curator has never been in the Navy). But seriously, if we view this show as "fun art," then A. Clarke Bedford completely wins and destroys art history and art criticism in the process. He combines great artistic skill (this is always a key element, even in "fun" art) with a razor sharp sense of wit and true knowledge of art history to deliver work which will create smiles and raise an eyebrow or two.
The show at the Washington Project for the Arts was curated by its director, Christopher French, husband of the Corcoran's curator Terrie Sultan. Here again, the catalogue takes us into that realm of art where we wish we had one of those Star Trek universal translators. The words speak of "sensuous materialism and metaphysical inquiry," and we read of art installations which "isolate rather than privilege the condition of originality...." Uhhh? In plain English, I somehow still liked the nearly abstract works of W.C. Richardson, which remind me of those astounding Moorish geometric tiles in the Alhambra (the catalog states that his paintings "evoke the warp and woof of physical structure"). Richardson's works are rich in design and far from spontaneous; they are in fact carefully planned and as such deliver with the clarity of a school bell.
Finally, the artists displayed at the Rockville Arts Place (100 Middle East Ln, Rockville, MD) were chosen by Francoise Yohalem, and she has collected nine artists whose works are not unified by any theme, although some of the minimalist pieces by Tazuko Ichikawa and Bill Schmidt could have been. My favorite selections in this otherwise rather weak assembly of work were the photographs of Carole Clem, which uses the body to deliver succint, secret messages. I also liked Allan Rosenbaum neo-Aztec/Mya earthenware.
In my opinion, the best show was the one curated by Michael Clark of MOCA, and this is no accident, as Mr. Clark is the only commercial art gallery owner amongst all the curators, which can be otherwise characterized as the directors or curators of non-profit art sites; this is evident in their choices.
Overall, there is a tremendous selection of works, ranging from several magnificent works of art such as the pieces by Manon Cleary or Kathryn Freeman down to many members of the "Gee Mom, I-can-do-that" school of art. Nonetheless, I give it my strongest possible recommendation as a must see for the month of July. Bus tours and several other related events have been planned.
For information call the Corcoran at (202) 628-9484.
Artsites96 at District of Columbia Arts Center
In my opinion this is the best selection of works in the eleven Artsite96 locations. This is perhaps because it is focused on the most ancient of art subjects: the nude figure, which is in part why I liked it so much.
Curated by Michael Clark of MOCA, this show has both visual power and highly skilled artists. Chan Chao's devastatingly erotic photographs are matched by Ward Boult's equally sense-watering photos. On the other extreme of the senses, Bill Skees and Douglas Mathurin complement the eroticism prevalent in the show with warm, family nudes. Manon Cleary is also represented here, and her work continues to astonish me everytime I see it.
There are also several superb pieces by Fred Folsom. Stephen Lewis, as usual, oversteps all bounds and is going to get sued one of these days by McDonalds, or Camel cigarrettes or the"don't-you-dare-f**k with-The-Mouse" people (Disney!).
The show is superbly rounded off by those great, horribly addictive nudes by Robyn Johnson-Ross. Ever have a mouth sore and can't stop licking it with your tongue? RJR's repulsive nudes are both fascinating and engrossing, and almost steal the show in an art collection of perfect humans!
Artsites96 at Ellipse Arts Center
Key part of the multi-site regional biennial directed by the Corcoran's Dean (Samuel Hoi). The Ellipse's selections were curated by the gallery's director Angela Adams. Six artists are represented at the show - five of which are art professors - and as a result, most of the selected works (with the exception of the works on paper by Phyllis Plattner) tend to fit into that wide chasm of academic art seldom seen in people's homes but always present in public art commissions, airports, fancy hotel lobbies and Corcoran Biennials.
On the other hand, Plattner's pieces are not only evidence of superb technical skill, but also deliver that visual and mental satisfaction which a truly creative artist can do without gimmicks or shock. I also found the sculptured installations by Jyung Mee Park, made from folded rice paper, to be both interesting and quizzical, and she transformed one room of the ellipse into an oddly magical place.
Finally, David Kohan's black and white paintings were almost suggestive of large drawings, or perhaps the doodles of a mechanical engineer. I liked them, in part because I felt they allowed me to look over his shoulder! There are ten other Artsites in the region; they are all worth a visit!