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AW Portraits: Video Artist Caseena Karim

6/19/2018

 

Lost Files: Reclaiming Spaces in Brooklyn

6/19/2018

 

ARTSYWINDOW x Experience Mag: Female Creatives in the Art World Today

5/30/2017

 
From the start of 2017, ArtsyWindow has been collaborating with the Experience Magazine, an independent virtual magazine established by creatives from the Bronx that focuses on Black and Latinx artists. Please read the long form article by ArtsyWindow below featured in the Spring 2017 female empowerment issue on theexperiencemag.com starting on page 62 in the virtual magazine. 
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Female Creatives in the Art World Today

By Kiara Ventura


In today's political climate, black and brown female-identified artists have many notions against us including our gender, our culture, and identity. We are constantly being reminded by the media and US Politics that who are are is wrong and this can often result in feeling discouraged in our art and creations.
 
As of March 2017, Trump plans to eliminate essential arts program such as National Endowment for the Arts, Art Works, and Institute of Museum Services according to CNN Politics. After seeking to defund Planned Parenthood, he continues in attempting to restrict access to abortion and Obamacare`s important health benefits such as maternity leave and access to preventive services such as birth control as stated in Fortune.com. According to The Hill, even though the funding for Domestic Violence program before the Trump administration was already insufficient, he plans to cut from the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) even more.
 
With this triggering combination of attacks on our well-being and practice, we cannot help but feel personally attacked. Even with this increasing pressure, many black and brown females are responding loud and clear as an act of resistance. As a mode of making our voices heard, we are creating and uniting now more than ever and this wave of female empowerment within our community is especially affecting female artists and entrepreneurs in New York City. Because as we all know participating in the Women`s March and waving a sign in the air is not enough in the midst of the many voices that were not represented in the March (but that's a whole other story). Therefore, it's appropriate zoom in on three females in particular to get a glimpse of how female creatives and influencers are making their voices heard in the NYC art scene today.
 
Shavonne Taisha
 
With the lack of support from political systems, we are often left to take care of ourselves and eachother. This idea is part of the motivation behind Melanin NYC, an online publication that prides itself as a “Black Girl Collective,” focuses on sisterhood, and often writes articles about mental health, music, and lifestyle. Created by the Shavonne Taisha in 2015, Melanin NYC was partially pushed by her dealing with a relationship break up. While she was beginning the publication, she was battling domestic violence with her then partner. “During those times [of being a relationship with a person with a violent history against women] it was very hard cause that was when I started Melanin NYC and I sometimes paused in my creations,” Taisha said. She realized that getting through this personal struggle involved not only self-love but by being a part of loving sisterhood. “We are a group of women who celebrate one another and our accomplishments. As women, we carry so many struggles, and obligation and expectations but when it comes to sisterhood and we get together...we have to power to be completely powerful.”
 
Roe Black
 
Poet Roe Black literally uses her voice through the art of spoken word to emphasize the injustices against the black community, her spirituality, personal experiences, and sexism. Black produces work under the name “roeZart” and recently released an EP in early March of 2017. As she grows as an artist, Black battles sexism and tries to stay true to her values. “Especially in the music industry they feel like females have to be sexy to make it. And I don't believe that you can be smart and sexy at the same time. You can be a multifaceted women. So I`ve been really careful about the opportunities that I come across.” While listening to the EP, most might identify her flow as rap however she still identifies herself simply as a spoken word artist. Whether it's through spoken word or her music, her poetic flow and vibrant use of words make an impact on creating change within our community. When asked how she maintains herself despite the pressures of society, she responded, “I try staying around people that are positive, I cut a lot of negative people out of my life. Not that I lost love for them but you have to take care of yourself and guard your energy.”
 
Rocio Marie
 
Rocio Marie is known a unapologetic Dominican-American artist from NYC and her paintings of female multicolored emotional characters. As a full-time artist, she focuses her practice on painting and sculpture and her artistic style which stems from qualities she was once ashamed of having as a little girl. “As a little girl things that would make me self-concious...I have a bigger nose and my big hair, like things that would bother me, I`d draw out. All my girls have similar lips and big noses. I feel like they are all self-portraits,” Marie said. Through focusing on qualities that once weakened her self-esteem, Rocio found her strength as an artist: honesty. “As humans, we all feel like shit sometimes. I think my art is very honest about that and seeing it maybe can be healing or at least makes you feel like you are not alone. I want to show that feeling like shit can be beautiful or cute and colorful and sparkly.”
 
Through being open about themselves and issues in society these young female influencers are positively impacting the creative world and making a strong statement. They are part of the current push towards female empowerment and combating stereotypes of how society thinks a women should be. Whether it's through creating a sisterhood, performing spoken word, or creating art works, these women are prime examples of how women are currently making their voices heard in artistic ways and representing the female creative community with pride.
 
 To see more, visit theexperiencemag.com
 
 Sources:
http://www.cnn.com/2017/03/16/politics/trump-budget-cuts/
http://fortune.com/2017/03/24/ahca-trump-republican-health-care-women/
http://thehill.com/blogs/pundits-blog/the-administration/315427-how-will-president-trump-handle-violence-against-women

Throwback Tuesday: ArtsyWindow Founder Interviewed Top NYC DJ, VenusX

5/30/2017

 
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As part of my summer 2016 internship at the Brooklyn Museum, I choose to take on a personal project and interview a featured artist, VenusX. This article was posted on the museum`s Tumblr blog.
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Article by Kiara Ventura

Posted on BK Museum Tumblr

Jasmine Venus Soto says her job title is “VenusX,” that includes creating and building the GHE20 GOTH1K movement, being a DJ, curating, planning parties for people of all ages in New York City warehouses, and much more. Being born and raised in uptown New York City by an Ecuadorian father and Dominican mother, taught her how to be her own boss and value her education. Venus continues to challenge the public and support those who feel like they don’t belong through her unique point of views, music, style, and underground parties. And now she is bringing that to the Brooklyn Museum on July 28th at 6pm, as part of the Tom Sachs Boom Box Residency series, along with Acyde, Tremaine Emory, and NY Theo. All four DJs will be selling red velvet cake, USB mixes, and T-Shirts in Tom Sachs`s Bodega while switching roles and playing sets in the Presidential Vampire Booth throughout the night.
In preparation for this upcoming event, get to know VenusX a little more though this conversation I had with her over coffee.
Kiara: How would you describe yourself right now as you navigate through the music and fashion world?  
VenusX: Who I was when I started DJing and touring at 23 years old is different from who I am now. Before I was just living in the moment and now that I’ve been in the game for a while I realized that the industry is not equal. You really have to outsmart the system in order to survive it. The system is used to women being the sexual objects. They are not used to women who have their own definition of themselves that might not include men. I don’t go through the world using my femininity as a tool to get me access to places. I prefer to use my intellect. I prefer to use my ideas and creativity.
K: What is your daily routine like?
V: Lately I’ve working on opening my store next week. Before that I was on tour. I live two extremes. It`s either I work for 16 hours in the studio planning upcoming events and building my business, or I’m on tour and I just wake up, get on a plane, do a show, and do the same for the next few days. I don’t know how to live a normal life.
K: How do you handle your job as a DJ?
V: For me as a DJ, I need to be available because that is what DJing is about. It’s about providing that soundtrack so people can dance. People need to dance all the time. They don`t need to dance once a year when I drop an album. My job as a DJ is different from my job as a artist. I feel like it’s an intimate responsibility. I like DJing often and being reliable to a crowd of people who need that space and time to get some shit off their chest in a sweaty environment with great music.
K: There are many great things happening with GHE20 GOTH1K including that your store will open next week. What is your overall goal for GHE20 GOTH1K and what do you hope for its future?
V: I hope that GHE20 GOTH1K can become a go-to party, website, and store for people that they want to be a part of something that is more authentic. I have a system that might not make people rich, but it’s sustainable—it employs a lot of people and their good ideas. The intention is to constantly have a cycle where culture can be created. So we are motivating people to make music, design clothes, design their personalities, and to exist in the world that might not appreciate them or have a place for them.
K: You recently held a GHE20 GOTH1K party for all ages including Kanye`s creative director Virgil Abloh, last week you DJed at the Coney Island bumpers cars, and now you are coming to the Brooklyn Museum on Thursday which is open to everyone for free. I see this theme of accessibility across many of the events you’re involved in. Why is that important to you?
V: Sometimes people don’t understand culture unless you give them a taste of it. It’s not the same as being a commercial artist. I do some events for free because I believe that what I’m doing is important. If there is someone who goes to my event for free, maybe that will turn into them going to ten more shows after because they experienced it and they were so into it. This helps people understand that I really stand up for what I do regardless if I’m getting money for it or not. There’s always an opportunity to come the events I’m involved in and experience them one way or another.
K: How do you feel about the Brooklyn Museum and being a part of our DJ event on July 28th?
V: I’m really excited for it. I’m really excited to be a female on that lineup and to be recognized by these cultural forces. They can work with any rapper or DJ but instead they are supporting this specific movement. That’s very powerful because even with all the trending issues being brought up, there’s still not a lot of diversity in our world.
We still live in a heteronormative white world so if in the Brooklyn Museum Tom Sachs can bring three black men and a Dominican woman to play all different kinds of music. That’s powerful. Some kid out there who only knows of one person in the lineup and then discovers me there, might change how they see the world. In every lineup, you never know who’s going to walk away from it and what it’s going to inspire them to do.
K: You will be selling cake, USB mixes, and shirts in Tom Sach’s Bodega and performing a set in the Presidential Vampire DJ Booth. In this exhibition, the Boomboxes play a playlist curated by Sachs, his friends, and fans.  How do you feel about his work and becoming a part of it through your participation?
V: I think the concept is amazing and I hope that kids are more motivated to go to museums as a result of seeing such a cool event happen. I think that’s the whole point is to bridge music and sculpture in these spaces that are traditionally western colonized spaces. When you take art from where it’s from for people to perceive it, sometimes you lose a lot of people in that process. So I think it’s cool that he did this kind of exhibit where you can engage with it, it`s music, and the different personalities inside that space. I’m excited for it because I never performed at any setting that has been this curated down to the DJ Booth.
K: What can we expect from your set?
V: A world of sounds. My friend and I are working on a mixtape that is predominately Brazilian music and contemporary rap music from the U.S. so I`m probably going to be playing a nice mixture of that.
K: What vibes are you aiming to give off at this event? What do you hope it will accomplish?
V: Always good vibes but I also like to challenge people by playing things that they never heard before in ways that they never thought. I definitely don’t aim to please. I hope that my style comes across because sometimes DJs just play a lot of rap and that doesn’t mean that they don’t have other types of music. They may be playing one type of music because of the pressure from the audience. With that said, I’m going to try to be the wild card out of the four of us.

Kingdom of Art

1/18/2017

 
Last Sunday, January 15th, The Experience Magazine hosted, the Sunrise Kingdom, a visual arts party at the Bronx Museum of Art.

The sounds of rap and spoken word poetry blended with the paint and canvases on the walls speaking on the roots of African Ancestry, contemporary Black and Latino culture, New York and Bronx pride. The event featured more than 20 emerging NYC based artists and performers that were brought together by the Experience Magazine, a publication dedicated to supporting emerging artists. 

The walls were covered with colorful canvases of contemporary works curated by Rob Ayala, the founder of the art collective Fantasy in Color. On the floor, products were being sold by small local businesses such as the Bronx Native, a clothing company, and NaturaleeNSatiable, a spa product company. 

The room was filled with people connecting with one another and the art on view. As the records were being spun by DJ See No Evil, the show was hosted by Jay Stone and Kitty Leigh, editors of the Experience Magazine. With all the upcoming artists and fresh creators in the room, this event was quite a memorable experience.

Curating the CONFESSIONS Art Show

10/23/2016

 
July 16th, 2016 was an emotional day. It wasn`t about having wine and viewing art. It was about connecting with one`s emotional side, appreciating that we all have flaws, and relating to one another. The day revolved about positive and negative emotions, secrets, and confessions. Nicole Bello (Artist Bello Ame) painted works based off of anonymous confessions that people have submitted to her. We gathered confessions by posting a white board in the bathroom during her last art show and inviting people to write in a open Google Doc through Facebook. We mostly received confessions that were unexpected, deep, and moving such as "I`m with a person I don`t love," "I want to change my gender," or simply "I love myself." Each submission was inspiring since the public was confident enough to share a part of themselves with us and this sense of openness was depicted during the show.

In terms of setting up the space, my goal was to make the viewers feel like they were in a setting that was private and secretive, as if they were reading a diary that wasn`t theirs. To convey these feelings, I covered the the whole ceiling with confessions that people have submitted. I wrote the introduction text, painting labels, and ceiling confessions all by hand to make the text seem more personal. Each painting was labeled with the confession it was based off of and placed with other works it related to either in theme and/or color. 

​To emphasize the theme of confessing, I invited artists to perform poems and songs that were personal. To include the audience into the show, I invited the visitors to share their confessions as well. The audience anonymously wrote their confessions on a piece of paper, I then collected them, and handed them out to a random person. Then everyone got the chance to come up to the mic, read the random confession they received and simply respond. The results were so moving and emotional. Many people gave advice and related to the confession on some level. The environment felt so open and comfortable that many visitors ended up talking and connecting with one another. Curating the art and the events of this show was satisfying because I know that I was part of the process of deeply impacting the visitors. Nicole Bello and I didn`t simply display art for them to look at but we gave them a deep art experience that hopefully impacted how they viewed one another and the world.

Gold Dust and The Death of Graffiti

8/31/2016

 
Part I
GOLD DUST
When visiting the Museum of Transit I felt like I just stepped out of a time machine and into a 1910s New York train station. The trains had vintage ads trying to sell ladies stockings, shaving cream for war bonds, "The Folding Brownie" camera, and more.
 Our tour guide, Pauline, mainly focused on the different types of trains and how the New Yorkers at the time shaped how the trains were made and how they functioned. One of the trains that she mentioned, the IRT 1917 Low Voltage Trailer, had beige woven seats, small fans on its ceiling, leather holders for passengers to balance themselves, red floors, and three doors on either side. What was fascinating about the tour was that our group got to sit down in each train as she talked. Seeing so many people sitting in these vintage trains gave me a glimpse of what it would feel like to ride these trains in the past.
I felt like I was in an art installation which transported me into a different time. Many were engaged by this tour because it connected to our daily lives and now we see trains differently. Each train and its advertisements gave me hints of what appealed to New Yorkers at the time. One advertisement focused on trying to sell Gold Dust washing powder and struck me with its negative messages. It says, “WOMEN WILL EVENTUALLY GET THE RIGHT TO VOTE--FOR GOLD DUST.” Next to this message is a complete cartoon of two dark skin toddlers in red tutus washing dishes. The simple design tells us that they were trying to make a clear statement. I found many things wrong and disrespectful about what this advertisement was communicating. Firstly, it mocked the efforts of the women rights movement to gain the right to vote during the early 1900s. It`s communicating that women should not be concerned with politics and focus on housework by “voting” for a dish washing powder instead.

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The cartoon image of the toddlers washing dishes tells us that the Gold Dust company supported racism, discrimination, and slavery. These twin toddlers were the company's trademark and usually appeared in many of their print media along with the slogan “Let the twins do the work.” It's a shame how Gold Dust used these discriminatory tactics in attempt to sell their product.


Part II
LADY PINK
Born in Ecuador but raised in NYC, Lady Pink is known as one the leading female graffiti artists and painted subway trains from 1979 to 1985. Her work, The Death of Graffiti, shows how the MTA handled their issue with graffiti--by removing it. I chose this image because I admire Lady Pink`s work. The image depicts a time in the 1980s and shows how Lady Pink emotionally felt about her art being removed from train cars.

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In the painting, one train car is filled with color graffiti and even says “PINK” on it while the other is bare. The sky is dark and light pink and hovers over the city setting. The intense and deep hues gives the work a heavily emotional vibe. In front of the colorful train car is a naked women standing on top of a huge pile of spray cans. Her arm seems to be reaching towards the plain white train car. The painting may depicts how when the MTA removes Pink`s art she felt like she her stripped bare of her talent. By removing her work, the MTA is devaluing her art and skill. This was also experienced by many graffiti artists. This continuation of graffiti removal discouraged many artists of the time and that's when train graffiti began to die out.
Posted by Kiara Ventura

The Natural Connection Between Concave Room for Bees and Fugue in B♭

8/31/2016

 
For some reason I imagined that Socrates Sculpture Park would be a small park filled with Greek sculptures and fancy fountains. I was wrong. It's actually a spacious park with large contemporary works that emphasize the ideals of sustainability and supporting the earth's ecosystem.
Jess Wilcox, the director of exhibitions, introduced us to their current exhibition, LANDMARK. According to the park, LANDMARK is “a series of artist commissions and projects that transforms the land both physically and symbolically.” She highlighted that since the museum`s audience is mainly local, they try to exhibit works that physically change through time to keep the locals engaged. The show works with the earth and its ecosystems, while changing its form.
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Two works that particularly fascinated me were Meg Webster`s Concave Room for Bees and Jessica Segall‘s Fugue in B♭. Concave Room for Bees is a circular earthwork made out of soil that creates an enclosed space. On top of the soil are a variety of organized plants and flowers that are all pollinizers. This then connects to Fugue in B♭, which is a recycled piano from the piano factory that used to be near the park.
Visitors can see the insides of piano and honey bees flying inside making a beehive that conquers the piano`s strings as time passes. These bees often visit Concave Room for Bees to collect nectar. Ultimately, the bees are the connectors and the facilitators in the communication between the two works of art. When creating shows, curators always strive to create conversations and connections between the works of art and Socrates Sculpture Park definitely accomplished that here. I admired how this exhibition includes works with a purpose that support each other and the ecosystem while giving the visitors a constantly transforming show.

“In the South Bronx of America” Photos at the Museum of the City of NY

6/22/2016

 
In the South Bronx of America featured photographs by Mel Rosenthal that were taken in the 1970s. These photos give you a look at how the Bronx was once a place that was wrecked literally. Blocks of the borough were broken down to piles of rubble, dust, and the last of the residents gripping onto what was left. As depressing as it sounds, Rosenthal captures more than just piles of rubble. He captures the pride behind the smiles of the residents as they stand in front of their home: The Bronx.

It can be seen that Rosenthal had a special connection with what he was capturing. Not only is he telling the story of the residents through this series but of himself. He grew up in the Bronx in the 1930s and 1940s, then returned in the 1970s only to see that his home has deteriorated. What's interesting about this series is that, you can see that the condition of  the borough physically declined but the culture, energy, and smiles of its residents haven`t. 
The 1976 work, "When I looked for her to give her the picture, her building had burned, and she had moved," centers on a smiling dark skin woman in a white dress posing as if she is elegantly dancing salsa. Other works, include a cuban deli shop owner smiling in front of his store`s fruit stand, a group of teenagers with shovels in hand attempting to plant a community garden, a nicely dressed mother and daughter standing in front a demolished building and more.
He skillfully displays the stories of the people and their drive to move forward while simultaneously telling the story of the land, its decreased value, and the reduction of city services it has suffered. It's a beautiful balance.

The Rise of Bronx Art

5/31/2016

 
Graffiti and hip hop set up the art scene in the Bronx during the 1980s. However, Bronx art expanded outside of graffiti through time. In the past 10 years, more and more art spaces and galleries popped up through out the borough. These spaces created environments for Bronx communities and artist to connect, unite, and raise awareness about their work. Gentrification was also brought up in this conversation as well. The big question Bronx natives involved in the art world face is how can they make BX art and culture thrive without attracting real estate investors. Either way, Bronx artists continue to represent their borough through their work and make the BX art scene rise.

​Video edited and shot by me, Kiara Ventura

Curating the Bello Ame Art Show

5/31/2016

 
Last month, I worked on a major project with my close friend and upcoming artist, Nicole Bello. I had the pleasure of curating her first art show which took place at her apartment on April 29th 2016 in the Bronx. Since this event was her opening debut as a painter, I wanted to emphasize the tool of the paintbrush so I hung about 50 paintbrushes from the ceiling using clear string and tape. I utilized her living room TV by displaying the exhibition opening text and a slideshow of Bello working on her pieces. On the other side of the room, I set a Photo Booth area where the visitors can have fun posing for the camera with a poster saying "BELLO AME" that served as their background. 

The works that were exhibited revolved around the conversations the artist, Nicole Bello, had with friends. The show also featured open mic performances and ended off with bids on the pieces. Overall, the show was successful considering that out of 16 works, 14 were sold.

In addition, this event simultaneously prepared Bello for her next art show at the end of June called, "Confessions." With the help of Bello and her manager, Nelson Medina, we set a huge whiteboard in the bathroom and small boxes with pieces of paper beside them to invite the visitors to anonomously write down their deepest secrets. Bello is now in the process of painting these secrets and attempting to communicate these secrets in a visual form. Just like her first show, Bello is attracted to making her works participatory.

As an aspiring curator, I noticed that while I was putting together this event, I was simply excited and content. That`s how I knew that I would like to work on more events like this in the future. It was a pleasure to collaborate with Nicole Bello and we are currently planning more shows for Summer 2016. 

As for now, please enjoy a video recap of the Bello Ame art show below. Thanks for reading!
-KV

ArtsyWindow Visits "ASTRONOISE" by Laura Poitras 

4/7/2016

 
Here is a review of "ASTRONOISE" by Laura Poitras, now showing at the Whitney Museum of Art till May 1st.

Thanks for watching!

-KV


Profile on Catalina Gonella: The Foodie and NYC Lover Produced By Kiara Ventura

3/10/2016

 

Profile Piece about Me Produced by Catalina Gonella

3/10/2016

 
As part of our NYU Multimedia project, my friend, Catalina and I had to produce profile pieces about each other.  For this project we exercised our new skills on how to give interviews, use Adobe Premiere, and take B-roll (lots of B-roll). This video is about my journey in the art and journalism world. Hope you like it! -KV

Smart Glamour`s Body Positive Runway

2/24/2016

 
Smart Glamour, a fashion brand that creates clothing for women of various heights and sizes, held a runway show on February 19th in the West Village area. Representing many ethnicity, body shapes, and sizes on the runway, Smart Glamour sets themselves a part from other brands in today`s fashion industry.
For more info about Smart Glamour brand, visit their website here.

A Soulful Night at NYU

2/13/2016

 
A look into African Heritage Month`s Night of Soul event
By Kiara Ventura
“We have too many criminals trapped in the system. We have lost little black boys and girls. Miseducated parents following the cycle of the domino effect...Too many black communities are in poverty but not one...I said not one is a comfortable place to lay in,” 22-year-old Devante Tate, also known as Poetically Acclaimed, spoke into the mic at NYU`s Night of Soul on February 5th. 
 The Night of Soul was sponsored by African Heritage Month at NYU. Its committee planned events throughout  the whole month of February “to share and embrace the many facets of the African Diaspora, its history and culture.”
 While singers and spoken word poets were performing, two painters, Anthony and Monty, were creating multiple works of art on the stage. Some of these works were of a multi-colored lion, an abstract sunset, and a dark skin woman with an afro crying as a bomb blew up behind her.
 As each performer came up to the stage the host, who goes by the name Miss Bizzy Bahdee, read their background and their social media handles were projected onto the wall behind them. Whether it was through singing, rapping, or poetry, most of the performances spoke about fighting injustices towards black communities and/ or were simply appreciating urban culture.
 Miss Bizzy Bahdee said, “I just wanted to make sure the audience is here to listen to the art and that there is a positive atmosphere. That's what I like about this event...is that it's all positive and about expression.”  ​

Many Latina Visual Artists Exist but Why Aren't They Being Heard?

1/19/2016

 
by Kiara Ventura

Spicy. Sassy. Sexy. These are the words you usually hear when the media covers stories about Latinas while mainly focusing their attention on Latinas in the entertainment industry. Messages such as Sofia Vergara on the cover of Esquire with the word “SEX” spelled out across her midsection and mainstream internet headlines like “All of JLo`s Sexy Cleavage Baring Outfits from the 2015 American Music Awards,” are the “news” that the media chooses to give their attention to when it comes to covering Latinas nowadays. However, there is one group of Latinas that are not getting much attention from media--Latina visual artists.
Frida Kahlo was the first and last Latina artist to make a big bang in the art world. And she is still creating waves today, considering that over 100 articles were written on her “Art. Garden. Life.” exhibition at the New York Botanical Garden which ended last month. Even huge publications like the New York Times, The New Yorker, NBCnews.com, and the Huffington Post all covered this exhibition. But where are the new waves of Latina visual artists now and why aren't they being covered by the mainstream media?

Through a simple Google search, one would find quickly written articles about Latina visual artists. For example, the Huffington Post`s listicle article, “13 Young Latina Artists Changing The Contemporary Art Landscape” and another listicle by the small publication sofritoforyoursoul.com named, “Unsung Souls: 5 Visual Artists You Should Discover This Latino Heritage Month!” give readers a glance of the Latino art world. Most journalists write about Latina artists as if it is a underground concept, as if there are not many Latina visual artist out there trying to bring attention to their work.
Picture"Super Fruits" By Uzumaki
“I don't appreciate how the media upholds certain people [like the rich] because of their status and not because of the quality of their art. There are people who put their blood, sweat, and tears into their art and I feel like I am one of those people,” Julianna Cepeda, a 20-year-old Dominican artist from Manhattan, said.

“Honestly, I haven't seen mainstream media coverage on us [Latinas] or people of melanin [of color] at all. If I do, I would have to dig deep for it. I feel like the media does not cover us in general because American media is whitewashed. Most of the people who are controlling media are not in our best interest.”

According to “The Latino Media Gap,” a report on the state of Latinos in the US Media by Frances Muntaner from Columbia University, the participation of Latinos in the mainstream media is “stunningly low” [Muntaner 1]. “When Latinos are visible, they tend to be portrayed through decades-old stereotypes as criminals, law enforcers, cheap labor, and hypersexualized beings,” Muntaner wrote. Perhaps the popular media does not want make it visible and let the public know that some Latinos are even artistic beings.    ​

Cepeda, who also goes by the artist name Uzumaki, creates art of different mediums, such as sculpture, paintings, film, and photography, all inspired by her Dominican culture and identity. She speaks on the issue of racism in Dominican Republic's history and utilizes her artwork as a way to communicate her country`s story through a modern lense. Just as a journalist tells stories through writing, she tells the story of her country and identity through her artwork.

“I stick to traditional Dominican art but I add my own little modern twist to it. I feel like this is very important because our island right now is at a civil war between Dominicans and Haitians. I find that terrible. When Trujillo ruled, he embedded racism in a lot of people. What I am trying to push through my art is that melanin [African-roots] is power. I show my culture in my art because if I don`t stick to it, who's going to say it for me? I really want to restore that balance and knowledge of our true culture in my people.”

Picture"Self" - 16x22" Sculpture by Alize Santana
This theme of representing identity and culture also appeals to other Latina artists as well.
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Alize Santana, a 19-year-old Puerto Rican and Ecuadorian fine artist who grew up in the Bronx, attends the School of Visual Arts on 23rd street in Manhattan. She mentioned that she is one of the very few Latinas attending this school and that it is important to include themes of her culture in her work. However, the art critics at her school think otherwise.

“The Bronx is a big part of my work. I also explore themes of feminism and poverty. I went to a predominantly white high school and it made me realize how much of a Latina I was because everyone around me were so different. As I got older, I embraced it,” she said.

“It’s important to include my identity in my art because I do not see it very often. There are not many Hispanics in my school. I need to put it [my identity] out there. But some people aren't so accepting. During one of the critiques of my work for school, some would [verbally] beat me down and say ‘I don't see why it is necessary to include your culture in your work. Aren't we all the same?’”

Many Latina artist refer to their culture in their artwork as a way to distinguish themselves. Journalism plays a role in this process by informing the public about the artwork these Latina artists are producing. “Within the Latino community, I have to say there are so many artists that have been working for decades and decades and have had really minimal visibility in the mainstream. They are only known to their own community,” Taína Caragol, a writer and curator from the Smithsonian National Portrait Gallery, said in an interview with Latina.com. The line of communication between the public and the existing Latina visual artists is interrupted by the lack of media coverage of this group in the mainstream media.

“As a Latina, I feel like I have to put more work in to be known. I think there should be more media coverage on Latina artists, because we deserve it,” Santana said.

Check out Julianna Cepeda`s work through her site here and instagram, @uzumaki.gallery
Check out Alize Santana`s work through her site here and instagram, @wutevaaa

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Young NYU Rapper Aims to Inspire his People Back in Columbus, Ohio

1/12/2016

 
By Kiara Ventura
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“Y’all ready?” Chris Hearn, a 19-year-old rapper who is a sophomore at NYU, asked. The crowd, who were lounging around in couches with beer bottles in hand, clapped in response. The 5’3 young man in his red Nike hoodie and fitted cap began spitting lyrics into the mic as he occasionally closed his eyes. His left fresh Nike sneaker tapped the carpet floor, and his eyes then scanned the crowd. Beanies and oversized glasses were swaying to the chill beat.  “Doing one hunnit’ on the freeway, pedal down to the ground. Doing 700 in the PJ, flying into the clouds,” he rapped as he tightened his grip of the mic, “I'm on my way to the mountaintop and I`m going 500 miles…”

His latest album called “500 miles,” which is the distance between Columbus and his dorm at NYU, was written, produced, and created in his hometown over the summer of 2015. He created the rap name, Ceezar, which stands for “Create Everything Excellent with Zero Acts of Recklessness." Ever since, Hearn has been promoting his album throughout the city at NYU events and small intimate shows some organized by SoFar sounds, a company that gathers underground performers to create intimate live music shows across the country, and Pianos NYC, a well-known music venue in the Lower East Side.
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“I`m doing things here [in NYC] with the goal of going back over there to help my people,” Hearn said. “My family and friends did not even know what NYU was because a lot of people in my city don't get the opportunity to even go to college at all. There's this sense of being trapped because people get raised in the city and stay there forever.”​​

“I did not leave because I did not like it, I left because I loved it.”
Columbus is the 15th largest city in the US and according to Neighborhoodscouts.com, its crime index is rated a 8 out of 100; 100 being the safest. Hearn said that the neighborhood he grew up in, the Northeast Side, has a high population of African Americans and low-income minorities. He is one of the very few of his neighborhood to leave and attend a college outside of the state. His attendance at NYU was also made possible by the MLK scholarship. ​
PictureHearn performing at a SoFar Sounds event in Nolita, New York. Photo Taken By Nina Coleman
As a young boy he used to live in the “hood,” as his mother would say. At 4 years old his “Uncle Brandon,” who was a producer, would encourage him to freestyle. As a 7-year-old, he used to run up to his mother, who gave to birth to him at the age of 16, and rap about how he performed on the basketball court that day. At 9 years old, he wrote his first verse with a pink highlighter on construction paper that is hanging on his dorm wall today. 

Now, he is mentoring a 14-year-old boy, named Mamadou Diallo, as part of his participation in AAP (Academic Achievement Program). “When I grew up, it was just me and my mom, and I didn't have any siblings in my home,” Hearn said as he glanced at his mentee. “I'm the first person in my family to go to college. I was just on my own. So that's why I wanted to do a program like this because I knew there more people that were in my situation.” Like Hearn, Diallo, a slim high school freshman from the Bronx, is a young black man who grew up without a father. “I chose to be a part of this program because I felt like I did not have nobody else to help me out,” Diallo said. “It is only me and my three sisters in the house. So I try to do enough to support us.”


PictureHearn chatting with his mentee, Mamadou Diallo. Photo taken by: Kiara Ventura
Hearn, along with with other AAP members, visited the Bronx Lighthouse school every two weeks to meet up with their mentees. He became Diallo`s mentor during the fall of 2015 and even though the mentorship program ended in November, they still plan to keep in touch. “From meeting with Chris, I learned to always do my best. Not just pass by with all Cs or get passing grades. I learned to always try to do better...He has a good heart. He is always there for me,” Diallo said as he looked down at his khaki uniform pants then up at Hearn.
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 Even though, Mamadou felt like Hearn has been there for him, Hearn`s hometown has felt otherwise. His community back in Ohio seems to have a tough love relationship with him because he chose to leave it. The rapper even responds to his community's negative reaction with his song, “HOLLYWOOD CEEZ,” included the 500 miles album. “I went 500 miles just to try and make a name. I came back to my city and they said I`m not the same. They said I changed. When I ask them to explain, they just say that I went Hollywood. Hollywood! Hollywood!” the song goes.

He explains that “his people” reacted in this way because he was no longer accessible to them due to his busy schedule here in NYC. Even his mother, Teagan Hearn, commented on his big move. “There are two sides of me,” she said. “One side of me really hates it. But the other side of me, the logical side, is really happy for him. Even though I am a worrier, I believe that he will do just fine.”
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When talking about his community, the young rapper repeatedly stressed,“I did not leave because I did not like it, I left because I loved it.” He stressed that he loves his city and community so much that he desires to go back and inspire others to go after their life goals, especially “for the children.” “I`ve felt like I owe it everything because it raised me and the people within it put me in the position that I'm in now,” Hearn said, “The ceiling for my people is set so low that I just want to bring back information and the belief that they can really get out there and go accomplish their dreams.”
 
To find out more about Chris Hearn and his work, visit ceeztheworld.com.

#KVTriesIt: Experiencing Different Feels at the The Museum of Feelings 

12/1/2015

 
Picture
Taken by: KV
    The pop-up Museum of Feelings, presented by the Glade company, gave me all types of feels when I went through each of its sections. Its distinct spaces are meant to “turn your emotions into art” and play with your sense of sight, touch and smell.
    The museum is behind a mall called Brookfield Place. If you step into a mall with fancy stores like Tory Burch and Hermes, you're at the right place. I walked towards the back of the mall and arrived at the site at about 6:40pm last Wednesday, November 25th. The wait in line lasted for more than an hour. So you might want to visit the museum earlier in the day.
     When entering, you'll be greeted by a woman who will give you a shiny piece of paper. These are meant to be held in front of the glowing pyramid in the middle of the room which will reflect light on to the walls. And this is where the iPhones were whipped out by all my friends and people in the room (including me) to snap pictures. Go ahead and take those pics because there is literally no place like this one.
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Illuminating green strings hung from the ceiling. Taken by: KV
    The second room, my personal favorite, made me feel like I was on a foreign planet. Everyone was given 3-D glasses to see the special lighting effects of the space. The room was filled with strings of green lights hanging from the ceiling and the best part was that you get to walk through them.
    Get ready to have some fun while moving around in the next section. As soon as you step inside, a circle of light would be projected on the floor surrounding your feet. Run, jump, and dance while the lights on the ground move with you. And of course, I had to take a video of my friends running like little kids across the room for Snapchat.
    If you like looking through kaleidoscopes, then the upcoming room is made for you. Here, you would feel like you just stepped into one. Moving graphics of cherry blossoms were projected onto the ceiling. Every inch of the room (except the floor) was covered by diamond shaped mirrors. And you know happens when there's mirrors- selfies! So it was no surprise that many were taking mirror selfies and hipster solo pictures for the gram (including me). ​
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Moving graphics of cherry blossoms were projected onto the ceiling. Taken by: Zohura Chowdhury
     Last but not least the final section was all about interacting with your sense of smell. The smells of lavender and vanilla filled the air as a cloud that changed colors was displayed in the middle of the room. Honestly, the scents did not appeal to me at all and were too overwhelming. However, the cool thing about this room was that it was lit by a pinkish purplish light. So if you ever wanted to be in the Hotline Bling video, then this is the perfect place to dance like Dominican Drake.
    Finally, my nose was overwhelmed some more at the gift shop which had smelling stations where you could smell all the scents that were infused in each room. Also, here is where you can buy each scent in candle form and go to a kiosk that would take your picture and tell you your mood. I was told that my mood was “confident.” The picture would then be printed out and each print has a scent on it. Now I know what confidence smells like.
    Mood and emotions played a central theme here. This is the first time where I visited a museum and felt like the space focused on triggering the visitors’ feelings and senses. I felt curious and excited when entering each section because I did not know what to expect. My experience mostly consisted of taking many instagrammable and snapchattable moments while smelling a variety of strong scents and lasting less than an hour. Not to mention, this whole visit didn't cost a dime. It was fun, affordable, and a museum experience that is set apart from the rest. The Museum of Feelings can truly say that it is a living work of art that goes far beyond visually interacting with its visitors.

Brookfield Place, 230 Vesey St (themuseumoffeelings.com). Mon–Sat 11am–9pm, Sun 11am–7pm. Through Dec 15. ​

El Arte de Imbert

10/21/2015

 
PictureA view from Loma de Bajabonico Mountain near Imbert
El Arte de Imbert
Inside one of Dominican Republic`s historical art shops

Up on a mountain in Puerto Plata Dominican Republic, sits a small art workshop and store that serves as a tourist stop. Surrounding the art stop is a village with bumpy dirt roads, houses made of wood and slabs of metal, and smiling children that wave hello to tourists in buses that pass them by. Inside are skilled sculptors that work as a team to produce sculptures that are sold to many art and gift shops across Dominican Republic.
Tour guides, such as Elvis from a Dominican Republic Adventures Company, utilize this art shop as a stop for his group to visit before they go on to the 27 Waterfalls of Damajagua in Puerto Plata.
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    Over 100 sculptures are displayed in the shop for visitors observe and buy. They also have the opportunity to study the process in which these sculptures are made and learn about the history behind how the Asociación de Artesanos de Madera Petrificada de Imbert, Inc. (translates into Crafts Association of Imbert Petrified Wood, Inc.) came to be into what it is today.

The History

Francisco Clase Ramos, born in 1951 Imbert Puerto Plata, was a skilled artist who began making sculptures out of mud when he was nine years old. In 1972, Francisco, also known as “Papito,” discovered a soft wood like stone with brown streaks which he calls “petrified wood.” From then on, Cesar Cabrera (Payo) and Estanislao Garcio (Fino) joined him as assistants. As a team, they moved to the city of Puerto Plata to sell their products. Their work successfully spread to Imbert, Puerto Plata where artists today are making a living from craving petrified wood just like they once did.

The Institution

After Clase`s death, due to cancer in 1996, Master Painter Francisco De Jesus Reyes pushed for the formation of a artisans association. He observed how it was a challenge for the artisans to sell their products individually. He then convinced them using the saying, “unity is strength.” In October 1997, the Association of Artisans was founded in a small neighborhood school of Imbert. Their unique products began to get popular and were traded off to gifts shops around DR, these sculptures are popular items that are usually sold to tourists.

Now the Association is known as a tourism spot, where visitors can observe how the artists make their sculptures step by step as a team. First, the artists exact large blocks of limestone with picks and saws. By using a machete, ax, or pick, the blocks are then cut into smaller pieces according to the size the artist desires. Specific details are carved with knives, chisels, and files. Next the carver then passes the piece to the polisher. The artist who polishes the work, smoothes the surface with sandpaper and adds polish to give the piece a shiny finish. Finally, the work is then passed to the painter who adds color to the piece.

Some of the works that the artists make are of chickens which represents the Dominican cultural practice of having cock fights, a sculpture of two figures with a heart in between them which represents two lovers dancing, and figures with instruments in their hands which represents a band playing the sounds of merengue. These sculptures are specially made to represent the different cultural aspects of Dominican Republic so the visitors who buy these items can feel like they are taking a piece of DR home with them.

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Now the Association is known as a tourism spot, where visitors can observe how the artists make their sculptures step by step as a team. First, the artists exact large blocks of limestone with picks and saws. By using a machete, ax, or pick, the blocks are then cut into smaller pieces according to the size the artist desires. Specific details are carved with knives, chisels, and files. Next the carver then passes the piece to the polisher. The artist who polishes the work, smoothes the surface with sandpaper and adds polish to give the piece a shiny finish. Finally, the work is then passed to the painter who adds color to the piece.

Some of the works that the artists make are of chickens which represents the Dominican cultural practice of having cock fights, a sculpture of two figures with a heart in between them which represents two lovers dancing, and figures with instruments in their hands which represents a band playing the sounds of merengue. These sculptures are specially made to represent the different cultural aspects of Dominican Republic so the visitors who buy these items can feel like they are taking a piece of DR home with them.

Straight from the Source: Interviewing Five AIM Artists About What They Are Trying to Communicate Through their Piece

7/21/2015

 
Straight from the Source: Interviewing Five AIM Artists About What They Are Trying to Communicate Through their Piece

by Kiara Ventura

When studying a work of art, there is usually one main question on our minds: “What message is the artist trying to send to me as a viewer?” You search every corner of the piece and your questions still remain unanswered. It would be great if the artist who created this work was there to answer your floating questions.

On the night of July 15th, the Bronx Museum of the Arts held a Summer Open House event in which they invited the public and artists who had their work on display in the exhibition called, “Bronx Calling: The Third AIM Biennial.” These emerging artists residing in the New York metropolitan area were selected participants of the AIM (Artists in the Marketplace) program in which they attend a 13-week seminar that aid them in networking and finding opportunities. Every two years, AIM produces an exhibition and catalogue that features the work of 72 artists.

I got the rare opportunity to speak to some of these artists and ask that exact question we ask ourselves. While standing in front of their piece, I asked five AIM artists, “What is the main message you are trying to send to your viewers through this work?” This question then sparked a discussion.

Here is what they said…
1. Fiederieke Reveman and Red Head 
Picture
Photo taken by: KV
PicturePhoto taken by: KV

FR: My work is about childhood memory and the sensitivity about childhood. It is kind of a research through the colors and through the composition. It is like a collage of memories and trauma.


KV: It seems like the memories are flashing by...I see a sense of movement.


FR: Yes, there is a dreamlike atmosphere. There are things you can guess maybe by seeing it. But by seeing it together as a painting, it is always changing. There is never a fixed point in the painting.


KV: Is there a reason why one eye is clearer than the other?


FR: Yes, it is like a memory so the face is almost vanishing into the surrounding. It is kind of coming out of nowhere. The face is almost sculpted with the whites then it goes more to the detailed part.


KV: I love how there are a lot of vivid colors on one side and then they fade away on the other side. Oh, and I see some faces here!


FR: You can see some figures in there. This is why I think it is interesting to play with the viewers. You can see something, if you want to see something.


KV: Yeah, maybe different viewers will see different things in this work.


FR: Yes, that is exactly what I want to transport.

Click here to find out more about Fiederieke

2. Ronald Hall and Shadows of Color 
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Picture of Work from ronaldhall.com
PicturePhoto of Artist Ronald Hall from examiner.com

RH: Well, I just moved here from Seattle about a year and a half ago. When I first moved here, I was here to do a residency. I was excited about living in New York for the first time so I wanted to do something that was a homage to New York. I decided to do some research and find out about the history of African Americans in New York. I dug up some images I found in books and online. So this painting is loosely based on some historical images of African American life in the 18th century.


KV: When you did research, what did you find out about African American life in New York during that time period?


RH: I found out about a slave revolt that happened in Manhattan during the 1800s that caused the destruction of a lot of African American affluent neighborhoods and businesses. Some of these images are loosely based on that. This building here (to the right)  is based on one of the buildings that actually existed in one of these neighborhoods located in Brooklyn. And that building (to the left) is an image of the first African American color school in Brooklyn. It is actually still standing I believe. That silhouette (next to twisted arrow symbol) is of a voting ballot.


KV: What does the little face placed in the purple word cloud suppose to symbolize?


RH: Yes, it is a symbol of an racism. The image is based off of a well known book called Uncle Tom's Cabin.


Click here to find out more about Ronald


3. Gamaliel Rodriguez and Figure 1730

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Image of "Figure 1730" from abstractioninaction.com
PictureArtist Gamaliel Rodriguez poses with his work "Figure 1730" Taken by: KV
GR: Basically what I do is draw illustrative drawings using ballpoint pen and ink. The whole idea is to create this illusion that looks real but it is actually not. I actually invented them. And also if you see the top of the drawing, there is a text attached to it. The text is also false. There is a relationship between the image and the text. I would like the viewers to create questions when they see this work. This is very important for an artist. When you make something you want people to ask themselves, “What is happening in the image?” and “What did the artist chose to use this material?” The more questions the artwork creates, the better the artwork is. As an artist, you are a communicator and you use art as a channel of communication. And the receivers (the people viewing the work), they will receive and perceive many things. The whole idea is to create something that looks real but actually isn`t.


KV: You said that the text is false. What makes it false?


GR: I invented the number and searched for real companies that went broke. Then I invented this theory that there was a fire at the company's building but that is false.


KV: So this work is all based on your imagination?


GR: Yes.


KV: Is there a special pen that you used for this? Or did you use a regular ballpoint pen?


GR: I just used a regular Papermate blue pen. And to make the straight lines, I used a ruler. For the smoke, I blew the ink out of the pen and onto a plate. Then I used my fingers to create the smoke.


KV: How long did it take you to make this?


GR: Eight hours a day over the course of a week.


KV: How did you come up with the idea for this work?


GR: Basically, I was looking for old prints from the eighteenth and seventeenth century. They would use a lot of prints and engravings to illustrate books. When you read a book and then you see the image. You can relate the text to the image. Say you read about a boat that went on fire, then you see the image and think that the fire actually happened. If I invent events like this, that is going to be better because people will believe it is true but it is actually not.

Click here to find out more about Gamaliel



4. Maria Hupfield and All Places All Times
Picture"All Places All Times" Taken by: KV
MH: This work is about exactly what it says "all places, all times, always and forever" and how art has life and energy even from inside a frame. I think that each of us have different relationships with works of art and although meaning may appear fixed change is a constant. We can see the same piece but we are different people so we have individual encounters. How we see a work can evolve as we gain new insights, experiences and reach different points in our lives. 


KV: Does this piece also go with the performance piece you just showed us?


MH: Absolutely, yes. My performance activates all the elements you see here including those you don't such as the actions made by my body, what I am doing with the materials and of course the live music of Laura Ortman. For performance artists, we often get asked, “Well, we want you to perform at our exhibition,” and I say, “For sure, I would love to perform as part of the exhibit!” - so I can show the full range of my work. Often we only get to see the document of the performance, I never really get to see Coco Fusco doing Planet of the Apes because that is so sought after. Live performance offers a special shared experience. I like to think about our bodies occupying the the gallery and the space coming alive full of creative energy. Hopefully, after the performance you see the work with new eyes and that memory offers something more to the inanimate still object on display.

Click here to find out more about Maria


5. Michael Shultis and The Flop
Picture
Image of work from michealshultis.com

MS: The whole initial concept was to paint the USA winning the world cup and it was suppose to be a joke about global dominance, which I feel an as American we inevitably confront every time we wake up. I took images from the actual World Cup of other teams and replaced the winning team with the USA. The idea of USA and soccer to me is like the perfect combination of irony in the sense that it is the one thing that no one gives a f**k about.  That is what I want to use for our conversation about power.


KV: I see the big yellow "M" letter in this piece. Is that suppose to resemble the Mcdonald's symbol?


MS: Yeah, and it is also the “M” for Mexico. The chainlink fence was an after thought but I am glad I put it in there.


KV: Oh, it sort of looks like a goal and fence?


MS: Yeah, it was an afterthought thought. What's funny is that it actually needed something so I ended up placing a fence there and I did not even know the connotation until afterwards.


KV: What are the objects on each side of the piece?


MS: Oh, those are skis. I found those right by the World Trade Center actually.


KV: And why did you choose to include them?


MS: Part of the goal was to also to reference sports without using the correct objects. The skis and the volleyball while focusing on soccer...It was actually suppose to show the viewer that I am not just talking about soccer, I`m using it only as a metaphor for American stupidity.


KV: ...and it is suppose to have a funny sense to it…


MS: Totally! I think humor is the most important tool in contemporary art right now. The act of the jester in the Renaissance times was the only person who could confront the king and actually critique the king. And I think that is the same way with art right now. Artists can actually confront the ruling class because the ruling class are those who are buying art.
Click here to find out more about Michael Shultis
Info:

“Bronx Calling: The Third AIM Biennial” is now on display at the Bronx Museum of the Arts from July 9 to September 20, 2015. For more info, visit http://www.bronxmuseum.org .

14 Things I Discovered at the Whitney Museum of American Art

7/13/2015

 
14 Things I discovered at the Whitney Museum
by Kiara Ventura
  1. According to the cashier I encountered, NYU students can get themselves plus three guest in for free just by showing their ID.

  2. The Whitney Museum does not have a customer service desk.

  3. You cannot refund a ticket you just bought.

  4. Old sneakers look a hundred times better and artsy-er with paint splattered all over them.

        5.  A man approached this work and said, "This is a masterpiece!" 
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Artist Barnett Newman (1905-1970) Title Day One Date 1951-52 Medium Oil on canvas Dimensions Overall: 132 1/16 × 50 1/8 in. (335.4 × 127.3 cm) Credit line Whitney Museum of American Art, New York; Purchase, with funds from the Friends of the Whitney Museum of American Art Accession number 67.18 Rights and Reproductions Information © artist or artist’s estate
6. It is best to start your visit from the 8th floor and then make your way down the museum. When you are done looking at a floor, all you have to do is go down the stairs inside the building or outside on the balcony.
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Photo taken by: KV


7. You can get an amazing view of Manhattan's West Side from the 8th floor balcony.

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Here is Melanie gracefully posing in front of the west side`s urban background. The Empire State Building is saying hello from afar! Taken by: KV
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Hey, that's me! Taken by: MA
8. Instead of simply signing the right hand corner of his piece, artists such as John Court chose to uniquely sign with his thumbprint too.
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Photo Taken by: KV
9. The 6th floor was my favorite floor. I mean look at all these cool pieces...
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Photo taken by: KV
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Photo taken by: KV
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Photo taken by: KR
10. Chuck Close is an amazing artist. Well, I knew that already but look at this piece that he DREW and PAINTED. 
Click here to listen to the audio guide to this piece. 
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Photo taken by: KV
11. Cigarettes come in all sizes. 
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Photo taken by: KV
12. It is okay to feel uncomfortable around art. Some artists play with pushing boundaries.
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Can you spot the reflection? Taken by: KV
13.  This is not just a tower of old televisions. This is a tower of ART. 
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Photo Taken by: KR
14. When you are done visiting the Whitney, take the stairs up to the Highline and catch some more works of art as you walk up the west side.
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Photo taken by: KR
To find out more about the Whitney Museum click here.

Taking a Second Look: How to Look at Art

7/11/2015

 
PictureBlue Green Red Artist: Ellsworth Kelly (American, born Newburgh, New York, 1923) Date: 1963 Medium: Oil on canvas Dimensions: 91 x 82 in. Credit Line: Arthur Hoppock Hearn Fund, 1963 Accession Number: 63.73 Rights and Reproduction: © Ellsworth Kelly Source: metmuseum.org
Making the most out of your art exhibition visit

By Kiara Ventura

I know what you are thinking. You just set your eyeballs on the work of art and voila, you have looked at art. This article is not about the simple act of putting your eyes on a work of art but rather about how you can make the best out of your experience with a piece and take in some understanding of what the artist was trying to convey (whether it be an image and/or an idea). My goal is to try to make you spend at least 5 minutes in front of a work of art rather than a few seconds.

Keep in mind...
Firstly, let me just put this out there; I believe that we will never fully understand a work of art. A work of art will never be fully understood unless you were the one who created it yourself. Each work of art was made by a certain person, in a certain place in the world, in a certain culture, and in a certain time period. Therefore, we as art observers will never know every thought and intention that was going through the mind of an artist when they created their work. There are many artworks from ancient worlds that are not fully understood simply because we can only get glimpses of what their societies were like through the literature and/or artifacts they have left behind. We will never know why an artist chose to give his canvas a rough spiky texture rather than a smooth flat texture or choose crayon as his medium rather than acrylic paint, etc. We can only be certain of the artist's choices and views only if they revealed their exact thought process behind their work.

Tip: When you are looking at a piece you should not comment, “The artist felt happy because...” or “The artist chose this color because...” Instead, keep an open mind and try saying, “The artist may have felt happy...” or “Maybe the artist chose this color because…” Keep an open mind when trying to understand art. When your interpretation comes out as a fact, you are more likely to not think about other possible interpretations. Remember that you are not in the artist`s shoes. But also remember that most artists produce art for others to see and interpret on their own.

PictureIndian. The Goddess Matangi, circa 1760. Opaque watercolor, gold, and silver on paper, 111⁄4 x 161⁄4 in. (28.6 x 41.9 cm). Brooklyn Museum, Anonymous gift, 84.201.9. Photo: Brooklyn Museum

How to look at art:

1. You walk into a exhibition. In front of you stands a wall with the title of the exhibition and under it are paragraphs of information that are as long as the Great Wall of China. I know what you are thinking. You're planning to read the first paragraph and rush right into the exhibition. Slow your roll there buddy! Read the wall text! It is there for a reason. Wall texts are meant to serve as a foundation for your thinking process while observing the works.

Tip: If you are one of those people who have a habit of rushing right into the exhibition, try visiting the exhibition website before your visit (usually the exact intro wall text is posted on the site) and read up on the exhibition. 

2. Hopefully by now you have read the introduction and you are walking into the exhibition. There is usually a work that stands in the front and center, and that is meant to be the first work you see. Do not just spend three seconds looking at it and pass by, because these are usually the gems of the show. Curators carefully pick which work or works they place at the opening of the show to attract visitors inside. Usually the first work visitors see are meant to represent and connect to the other works following it. So while viewing this piece ask yourself, “Why did the curator chose to place this piece here?” You can bring up this question with the following pieces too.

PictureMarble statue of a kouros (youth) Period: Archaic Date: ca. 590–580 B.C. Culture: Greek, Attic Medium: Marble, Naxian Dimensions: H. without plinth 76 5/8 in. (194.6 cm); H. of head 12 in. (30.5 cm); length of face 8 7/8 in. (22.6 cm); shoulder width 20 5/16 in. (51.6 cm) Classification: Stone Sculpture Credit Line: Fletcher Fund, 1932 Accession Number: 32.11.1
3.You’re walking. You’re walking. Now, you are getting to the meat of the show. It is time to spend some one on one time with each work of art in the exhibition. Even if a work is initially confusing or uncomfortable to look at, give it a chance. If you skip it, you might be a missing a cool new learning experience. 

4. You are in front of a work and you do not know what to think or look for. You may have the urge to look at its label information but lets not read about the work just yet. While your eyes are set on the piece, try to answer all the questions you have in mind. To start off, simply identify what you see in the art work. Bring up the basic 5Ws: Who created the work? What is the work made out of? Where was it made? How was it made? You can create more questions based on its features such as color, shade, pattern, symmetry, texture, style, and more. Try to identify the work`s foreground, middle ground, and background. Ask yourself if the work has a sense of flow or movement. My personal favorite question to ask is what feeling am I sensing as I am viewing this work? Or what mood do I think the artist was trying to convey? 

Tip: If you are with friends, take some time to ponder on your own and have a discussion. If you have a question you did not answer yourself, ask your friend(s). See if you can find evidence in the work to support a potential answer. Remember that art is a very open field, do not be afraid to get imaginative and say what you think. Have fun while you explore your thoughts and the exhibition.

5. Go ahead and look at the work`s label! See if your thoughts were somewhat correct. If not, try to revise your thoughts and connect them to what you just found out. Some labels provide more information than others, so not all of your questions will be answered. But this is okay, the art world revolves around unanswered questions. 

6. Try this questioning process with works of art throughout the whole exhibition. You can even have a curatorial approach to your questions by asking yourself why you think the curator choose to group certain works together? Why is the space set up in this way? How does the lighting of the exhibition affect the mood of the space? Did the curator do a good job in providing enough information  and guiding the visitors through the show?

7. You have finally reached the end and maybe all the thoughts you gathered made you have a new outlook on life. Connect every piece of information you gained and try to come up with an overall theme or message of the show. One main purpose of art is to communicate. So ask yourself, “What message did this exhibition communicate to me?”

Viewing art in this manner is a process that I learned through time while visiting art galleries. There is no “right” way in understanding art but I do find this way to be effective. If you agree, feel free to share your experience by commenting below or email me at artsywindow@gmail.com.

“We All End Up in the Clay”

6/28/2015

 
Picture
Exhibition Review of JAMES ‘SON FORD’ THOMAS: The Devil and His Blues
by Kiara Ventura

“Blues is trouble. Anybody can get the blues. Some people have the blues and don't even know it,” James Thomas said in the 1982 documentary, James “Son Ford” Thomas: Artist. Thomas was mainly known as a leading blues singer from the Mississippi Delta area and worked as a gravedigger from 1961 to 1971.

Other than singing his soul out as a Blues musician and burying souls as a gravedigger, James Thomas dedicated a part of his life to sculpting. Born in 1926 Eden Mississippi, Thomas began sculpting animals and made his own toys out of clay from the local Yazoo River (believed to mean “River of Death”). As a young boy, he made many Ford Tractor clay models which gave him the nickname, “Ford.”

Some of these works that he had created throughout his life were first displayed in an exhibition called Black Folk Art in America, 1930-1980 at the Corcoran Gallery in Washington D.C. This exhibition was said to be the “first time an American museum had given major recognition to the work of 20th century African American self taught artists…” Now Thomas's work is being shown at the 80 WSE gallery and this is the first time his individual work is being shown at a major institution after his death in 1993.


Picture
When entering the JAMES ‘SON FORD’ THOMAS: The Devil and His Blues exhibition at 80WSE, I was greeted by a clay skull that had tin foil outlining its eyes and real human teeth in its mouth. I was amazed and examined each crooked off-white tooth. At ten years old, Thomas made his first skull to scare his grandfather and carried on in creating them into his adult years. I studied the wide array of clay figures on display: sweet birds, one dark snake, a sparkly fish, a gold hand, and a wide array of skulls. I sensed an eerie feeling throughout this exhibition. I even sensed hints of sadness (or blues) within the sweet birds and the sparkly fish. In fact, Thomas believed in ‘hoodoo,’ which is an African American folk spirituality that gave significance to animals.

After watching two short documentary films called James “Son Ford” Thomas: Artist and ‘Sonny Ford:’ Delta Artist, I began to see how his life as a musician and sculptor went hand in hand. It seems like the feelings or ideas he sang about also translated into the works he sculpted. The theme of death kept recurring in my mind especially in the second section of the exhibition displaying a wide array of suited men in coffins with the name ‘SON THOMAS’ engraved in some.

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To finish off my visit, I observed a wide array of clay heads. Each one was unique. Some had blonde wigs, silly glasses, pink lipstick, and dangly earrings. It seemed like each face was ready to talk and blurt out their life story. I imagined that creating these heads were pure fun. Each facial expression made me smile. Even though, it could be seen that Thomas did not aim for an overall realistic look for each face, it seemed like each work was inspired by real people. I soon found out that some were. For example, Thomas made representations of George Washington and Abraham Lincoln. Some faces were inspired by members of the Delta community while others came straight from his imagination.

As eerie as his work may be, we may all relate to his creations since they constantly touch upon the idea of death and maybe even sadness. After all, Thomas did state that “Anyone can get the blues” and “We all end up in the clay.”


Info:
JAMES ‘SON FORD’ THOMAS: The Devil and His Blues (June 9,2015 - August 9, 2015)

80WSE
New York University
80 Washington Square East
New York, NY 10003


For more info visit:
http://steinhardt.nyu.edu/80wse/james_son_ford_thomas


Exploring the Art of TSENG KWONG CHI: The Photographer Behind and in Front of the Camera

6/11/2015

 
By Kiara Ventura
PictureTseng Kwong Chi New York, New York (Brooklyn Bridge), 1979, from the East Meets West series Gelatin silver print, printed 2014 36 x 36 in. Courtesy Muna Tseng Dance Projects, Inc., New York
   When walking into the Grey Art Gallery, one would be greeted by a large red text on a deep blue wall reading, Tseng Kwong Chi: Performing for the Camera. Now who is Tseng Kwong Chi? And how does he incorporate the art of performing with photography?

   Tseng Kwong Chi was born in Hong Kong during 1951. While growing up, his father fought in the Nationalist Army against Mao Zedong and the Communists in China. Him and his family fled to Shanghai, then Hong Kong, and immigrated to Vancouver in 1966 due to the communist takeover. Chi attended the University of British Columbia and decided to continue his education in Paris. He studied painting, graphics, and found his calling for photography at the Ecole Superieure D’Arts Graphiques (ESAG). After being educated in Paris, he moved to the Big Apple`s downtown area in 1978 with his sister, Muna Tseng, who was pursuing her dance career.

PictureTseng Kwong Chi New York, New York (World Trade Center), 1979, from the East Meets West series Gelatin silver print, printed 2005 Courtesy Muna Tseng Dance Projects, Inc., New York
   When taking a right into the gallery after reading its inviting wall text, one would see an array of photos showing Mr. Chi in front of various tourist sites, all part of the “East Meets West Series.” These black and white works show Chi with his head up high as the Twin Towers, Hollywood sign, the Eiffel tower, and the Notre Dame Cathedral all served as his one of his many backgrounds. I personally admired the photo where Chi snapped a photo of himself jumping in front on the Brooklyn Bridge as his mouth was open and his arm was up as if he was about to rocket into the NYC skies. Even though he constantly changed his background, his “Mao suit,” black mysterious sunglasses, and adventurous character remained present in each piece. Looking closely, one would notice the black device in his hand that enabled him to be his own photographer in the push of a button, which is why some call him the inventor of the “selfie.” 

   In the “Expeditionary Series,” the settings are more natural, grand, and breathtaking. A work that I spent a good amount of time studying was taken in 1987 Puerto Rico where Tseng stands at the far distant end of the photo. The ocean with calm cool waves takes up most of photo while the shining sun illuminates Tseng`s small figure that stands near a cliff. At a first glance, Tseng may not be spotted. Throughout this series, my friend and I even made a game called, “Spot Tseng!” since there seems to be a theme of Tseng blending into the natural settings due to his far distance from the camera. However, his attire and Chinese inspired look set him to seem out of place against natural environments. He was also able to accomplish these photos with the help of two assistants.

   I soon got a glimpse of his journalistic and lively social life in the upcoming sections. He was once a freelance writer for the Soho Weekly News and in one of his articles he created a project in which he invited political figures that were against gay, feminist, and abortion rights to pose in front of a crumbled American flag, as part of the “Moral Majority Series.” Tseng, who is gay himself, expressed a sense of irony when he posed with some of these conservative Christian politicians. Along with his hand held button, Tseng also covered a story in which he took pictures with celebrities at the Metropolitan Museum of Art`s Costumes of China, the Chi'ng Dynasty exhibition preview party where he was initially an uninvited guest but gained access because he wore his iconic “Mao Suit.”

   “The Downtown Scene” and “Portrait of Friends” displays Tseng`s wide array of friends which led me to wonder, “how did he make so many friends?” He took shots of renowned artists who broke the norms of the art world such as Andy Warhol, Jean-Michel Basquiat, and his closest friend, Keith Haring. In these photos, they are shown lounging in their respective studio settings that reflect their abstract artistic styles. The art of performance really comes alive in his covering the NYC downtown scene where in one of the photos Tseng confidently wears a dress, puckers his lips, and puts his hand on his hip as he poses for the camera. The gallery also provided a photo slideshow, which shed some light on Muna Tseng dancing and posing with a partner against a super galactic background. 
Picture
Tseng Kwong Chi Andy Warhol (New York), c. 1986, from the Portraits of the Artists series C-print, printed 2012 30 x 30 in. Courtesy Muna Tseng Dance Projects, Inc., New York, and Eric Firestone Gallery, East Hampton, New York
   In the downstairs gallery are photos Tseng shot with visitors of the Riis Park and Lifeguard ball in the early 1980s. When entering the downstairs section, one would be greeted by a group photo of Tseng on a beach with people dressed in bathing suits as a lady, whose nipple is falling out her one piece, has her hand on Tseng shoulder and his head on her buttocks. In this series, Tseng is smiling through it all. The end of the exhibition truly sheds light on Tseng`s collaborations with Keith Haring. Some his shots display Haring in the process of creating a subway drawing and painting on the body of Dancer Bill T. Jones. The exaggerated life size photo of Bill T. Jones`s bare body covered in spiral abstract designs made me wonder about all the talents that came together to form this one artwork; Haring's artistic style, Bill T. Jones`s sharp body form that almost mimics that of Haring's iconic figures, and Tseng`s talented eye that captured the perfect moment.

   At the end of my visit, I was sad to find out that Tseng died of AIDS at age 39 in 1990. But I was also surprised to find out that these photos were all taken within a decade, starting from 1980. This exhibition is just a glimpse of his many works which all seemed like they took a lifetime to create. A lifetime of adventure, experimentation, and pure fun.

Picture
Tseng Kwong Chi Art After Midnight, New York, 1985 Vintage gelatin silver print 36 x 36 in. Courtesy Muna Tseng Dance Projects, Inc., New York


This exhibition was curated by Amy Brandt, a curator at the Chrysler Museum of Art, and is being shown at NYU`s Grey Art Gallery till July 11, 2015.

INFO:
Performing for the Camera by Tseng Kwong Chi
Grey Art Gallery
New York University
100 Washington Square East
New York, NY 10003

For more info visit:
http://www.nyu.edu/greyart/

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