/NEWS/

Does it feel like Indian summer in the place you’re now? In my place it does: the temperature is slightly above 20 degrees, the sun is shining, and the wind is like a sea breeze (though there are no yachts in sight, just cars on the jammed-up roads). The weather might be playing games with us — why, actually, when it occurs to our benefit… This time positive news only — no cancellations or postponements of the events (hopefully, most of them have been left behind), just openings, inspiring projects, and bombshells. Jump in!

P H O T O G R A P H Y

David Bowie’s friend to reveal his photographs at upcoming exhibition 

Who doesn’t know David Bowie: singer, songwriter, and actor, he managed to take over the world with his extraordinary appearance and extravagant looks (the latter rather served as a framing for the former). As a boy (back then he was called by his real name David Robert Jones) he used to make friends with Geoff MacCormack — the future vocalist and composer, better known as Warren Peace. So where am I going with that? It’s Geoff MacCormack, who is opening the next exhibition focused on Bowie’s persona at the Brighton Museum and Art Gallery (Brighton, UK).

Titled as Rock ‘n’ Roll With Me Bowie/MacCormack 1973-76, the upcoming show is set to cover the three-year tour of the two including scenes from the Trans-Siberian Railroad journey and shooting of the The Man Who Fell to Earth. The organizers also promise some intimate shots testifying close friendship between Bowie and MacCormack as well as a short movie on their trip to Moscow in 1973 for the Victory Day parade. The exhibition will last from October 17, 2020 till June 06, 2021, tickets will be available from October 02. Get ready to see a few photographs of David Bowie never made public before (while anticipating the enthralling visit, you can study MacCormack’s rich photo archive on his website).

F A S H I O N

Trans, disabled, and new face of Moschino — meet model Aaron Philip

The story of the 19-year-old Aaron Philip, on the one hand, is not to be envied (the girl was born with cerebral palsy), and yet could be viewed with admiration. In 2018 at the age of 17 Antigua-born Philip signed a contract with Elite Model Management. Since then, being a fine specimen of the minority group (black, disabled, and defying herself as a trans), she was featured in such glossies as British Vogue, Vogue Italia, and Paper Magazine, also modeling for Collina Strada. The young model seems to be conveying the message, which is quite straight and strong:

‘My future plans are to progress in my modelling while celebrating my sense of self and carving a space for my communities in the fashion world’. (Aaron Philip)

And it feels like currently she has a window of opportunity to make her statement. The celebrated Italian brand Moschino has invited Aaron Philip to star in its black-and-white Fall/Winter 2020 campaign. This comes to be the model’s solo major debut in high fashion. Congratulations, Aaron! And good luck, we’re excited about what’s coming next.

C O N T E M P O R A R Y   A R T 

Urs Fisher’s installation to add fresh light to artworks by Max Ernst and Yves Tanguy

The task: how to represent the art by the acclaimed masters from the past in a new light? The check answer: marry them with a living artist. A mesmerizing postmortal collaboration has been recently presented by the NY-based gallery Nahmad Contemporary. Famous paintings by the 20-century surrealists Max Ernst and Yves Tanguy have been set against a wallpaper installation by Urs Fischer, who is 47 now and lives in Switzerland. 

Mysterious foreboding and biomorphic forms appearing in the works by Ernst and Tanguy are perfectly complemented with Urs Fischer’s graffiti-like Gap-toothed City installation, a gloomy portrait of the Big Apple. The desolate and distant New York of today vs the wake of the first World War in Europe — a kind of unexpected intersection of feelings, isn’t it? The SUPERUNKNOWN exhibition will last at Nahmad Contemporary till November, 5. Save the date and set aside some time for a visit! 

C I N E M A 

Next movie by Wes Anderson to start filming in early 2021 

While we are still waiting for The French Dispatch release promised for so long, Wes Anderson is about to start shooting a new film. May it be a follow-up to the unfinished work (which trailer Timothée Chalamet fans would gladly see over again and again) or quite a separate story, is rather unclear: film critics say only that the plot is romantic, the chosen location is Rome, and the casting is already in full swing.  

Also some parts of the production are claimed to be live-action with a few stop-motion animated sequences mixed in. Yet having no idea what kind of a Mediterranean love story the legendary filmmaker has in mind, one can’t help but marvel at Anderson’s sense for Italian culture. Just take his short film for Prada called Castello Cavalcanti (produced by Roman Coppola, 2013). Hopefully, this time it won’t take too long to wait — at least, Wes Anderson is reported to begin filming the novelty in spring 2021.

A R T  &  T E C H 

Explore heritage of Sol LeWitt together with new Microsoft app

Sol LeWitt worked as a night receptionist at MoMA first, among his colleagues were Lucy Lippard, Dan Flavin, and Robert Ryman. Not only did he manage to become an artist himself, but also to contribute greatly to the acknowledged breakthrough that happened in the world of arts in the 60s. Father of minimalism and conceptualism, a big creator and thinker, Sol LeWitt’s figure is certainly worth attention — this time Microsoft plays tribute to the great artist announcing a new app on his life and creative biography. 

Would you like to take a 360° tour of the artist’s famous studio in Chester? Or, perhaps, you might like the idea of learning more about Sol’s artistic practice, discovering his previously unreleased interviews and coining facts about his works? Whatever you choose, the new Sol LeWitt app developed by Microsoft in collaboration with Sol LeWitt Estate (headed by the artist’s daughter) provides you such an opportunity. If you feel like going for more, try unlocking special content by Microsoft Azure Al. More details are available on the company website. 

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Marigold and French Blue will rule the upcoming New York Fashion Week, Miyazaki works to get inside the museum’s walls, while art by another artist has elicited many controversies… What else is new in the art world this week? 

F A S H I O N 

Pantone announces colour palette for SS/2021 NY Fashion Week

You’ve probably heard that 2021 colour of the year is Al Aqua. Annually chosen by the Pantone Colour Institute, the shade should capture the spirit of the period as well as set the tone for the world leading couture houses. This time it’s SS/2021 New York Fashion Week that is going to benefit from the Pantone careful pick. The upcoming fashion show definitely won’t do without its main shades: Marigold, Cerulean, Rust, Illuminating, and French Blue, all of which have either been featured on the runways or spotted on celebrities in 2020. 

The other principal colours include Green Ash, Burnt Coral, Mint, Amethyst Orchid, and Raspberry Sorbet. The Pantone Institute experts traditionally recommend a few core classics to mix the standout shades with: for instance, Butter Cream or Ultimate Gray. According to the Pantone direction, the colour palette selected for SS/2021 NY Fashion Week is designed to be both relaxing and energetic, so that we all could recharge our batteries and feel some optimism after the challenging times of the pandemic. 

C I N E M A 

‘Body of Truth’ featuring Marina Abramovic, Shirin Neshat, Sigalit Landau, and Katharina Sieverding released 

The film Body of Truth is a very feministic work (in the best sense) both written and directed by Evelyn Schels, who filmed the Georg Baselitz documentary in 2013. The official release date is September 10 (Germany).

The four main characters, performance star Marina Abramovic, film director Shirin Neshat, multimedia artist Sigalit Landau, and self-portrait photographer Katharina Sieverding, who actually play themselves, tell their stories of political confrontation against the war, violence, and suppression. The statements are different as well as the women’s biographies, however, the main weapon is the same: the artists’ own bodies.

‘The mind can lie, the mind can mostly lie, but the body never can lie’ — says Marina Abramovic about the film. Sigalit Landau shares the position, admitting she trusts her body more than her mind. In the film Landau immerses a barbed wire in the salt wire, thus, seeking ways to crystallize her story physically. Shirin Neshat acts more drastically, showing writing on the faces of Iranian women as the only visible part of their skin… and a battlefield for political ideologies. In her turn, the film director Evelyn Schels says no previous knowledge is required to understand the work, it’s all about the emotional perception.

New museum of motion pictures to open with Hayao Miyazaki show 

The new Academy Museum of Motion Pictures in Los Angeles is to open on April 30 with a fascinating retrospective of the famous Japanese film director Hayao Miyazaki. His animated films, such as My Neighbor Totoro, Howl’s Moving Castle, and Kiki’s Delivery Service will be carefully incorporated into the space of the exhibition.

‘Miyazaki has the talent to combine to create movies that are both entertaining, but if you want to take a closer look, also very meaningful and relevant for our own lives’. (Jessica Niebel, the exhibition curator) 

The visitors will have a chance to explore some materials from the production process, including concept drawings and storyboards (that what Miyazaki usually uses instead of a script). The show will also feature 3D installations, which aim at immersing the viewer into the animated worlds of the cartoons. The exhibition is designed as a 7-part journey, so get ready to follow the character’s voice and slip into a daydream. A bit closer to the ground, but still amazing: many works exhibited will leave Japan for the first time and stay in the Museum for about a year because of their fragility. 

A R T 

Berlin Art Week runs from September 9—13

The major annual cultural event Berlin Art Week organized by Kulturprojekte Berlin fortunately takes place this year. During the 5 days, from September 9—13, visitors will gain a chance to join talks, performances, contemporary art fairs, biennales, and many other appointments (the program is particularly rich). The participating venues are just amazing, take at least, ℅ Berlin, KW Institute for Contemporary Art, Nationalgalerie, and Tempelhof Airport.

Since you are there, there are a couple of events definitely not to miss. First, the Berlin Biennial for Contemporary Art — taking place every two years since 1998, the Biennial runs from September 5 to November 1, 2020 for the 11th time. The Berlin Biennial has the nature of an art contemporary lab and a space open for experiments with the latest art trends. About 130 participants are on the list. The other noteworthy event is the POSITIONS Berlin Art Fair (September 10—13). Running at Tempelhof Airport Hangar 3-4 each year, the art fair gathers collectors, galleries, and artists in one place to offer them a liberal discursive platform and a perfect meeting place.

Artwork by Erik Kessels criticizing plastic surgery called into question 

Destroy My Face is a new artwork by the Dutch artist Erik Kessels, which consists of algorithmically generated images of female faces that have undergone plastic surgery. Kessels invited skaters from Pier15 Skatepark to destroy the faces while riding on the installation, which the latter gladly did. On the BredaPhoto Instagram account some posts have emerged saying: Status after one day skating!. 

However, not everybody appreciated the idea of the artwork. A group of artists, designers, and other creatives have recently sent an open letter to the board of BredaPhoto and Pier15 Skatepark, calling for Kessels’ explanation. The opponents criticize the way Erik Kessels highlights the issue as an artist, finding it sexist and violent.

If you share the opposing position, you can add your signature to the open letter here. 

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Autumn has come unnoticed… Did you see that? That means the strangest summer of our lives has been left behind, yet we have no idea what’s coming next. Joking, for sure — summer (of any kind) has always been my favorite season, and early autumn doesn’t yield much to it: it’s usually warm, sunny, smells like a new beginning, and has so many openings. For example, the famous Linz-based Ars Electronica festival welcomes its visitors just in a few days, while probably the first-ever makeup museum in New York seeks your attention (bring yourself and let your friends know). Discover the other news and enjoy our selection of professional opportunities from the latest Art Digest:

F A S H I O N 

Makeup Museum opened in New York
Yes, you heard it right — it’s a real museum, not a makeup studio or other sort of a promotional activity. 

Based on the collection of the famous makeup artist Kevyn Aucoin, the Museum features an extensive digital archive that sheds a light on the history of beautology. By the way, it’s been 10,000 years since people started wearing makeup, did you know that? If you feel like visiting the place, take care of the tickets: the ongoing debut exhibition focuses on the makeup era of the 1950s’ in America.

Kevyn Aucoin (1962—2002) is probably one of most famous names in the makeup industry. In the 80-90’s the artist ‘sculpted’ looks of many celebrities (Madonna, Cher, Tina Turner are among them) and top-models (e.g. Claudia Schiffer, who has recently been announced to curate a fashion photography exhibition, Cindy Crawford, Naomi Campbell). Interested in makeup since early childhood (back then Kevyn tried putting cosmetics on his sister), the artist decided to follow his dream and made a fascinating career, collaborating with Vogue and Allure, working with Revlon, Shiseido, and finally launching his own brand, Kevyn Aucoin Beauty, in 2001. Many colleagues say Kevyn Aucoin was ahead of his time and, thus, pioneered the industry, bringing makeup out of the shadows, making it more accessible and yet very desirable. 

C O N T E M P O R A R Y  A R T 

Keith Haring’s personal art collection at Sotheby’s 

140 works from the personal collection of the Keith Haring will be auctioned off at Sotheby’s from September 24—October 1. The works include those by Andy Warhol, Jean Michel-Basquiat, Roy Lichtenstein, Kenny Scharf, and other famous contemporaries of the artist, either bought by or gifted to Haring. The sale, which goes under the title Dear Keith: Works from the Personal Collection of Keith Haring, might be called charitable: the money raised will be donated to the New York City LGBTQ+ center. 

‘Art should be something that liberates your soul, provokes the imagination and encourages people to go further’. (Keith Haring)

And the proceeds might be enough! The most expensive painting, Warhol’s 1983 portrait of Haring, is expected to bring between $200,000 and $250,000, while the cheapest lots range from $100. Remember, Keith Haring (1958—1990) was a prominent American pop-and street artist, whose graffiti-inspired works contained many allusions to the same-sex relations. Thus, Haring tried to draw public attention to such problems as homophobia and AIDS. The cruelest joke is that the artist himself died of the AIDS-related complications, just like his close friend and lover, artist Jean Dubuffet. Keith Haring managed to elaborate a widely recognized visual language that still serves as a call for social activism.

Ars Electronica opens September 9

The legendary art festival takes place from September 9—13 this year. As usually, in Austria, Linz, but not only — more than 120 locations around the world will host Ars Electronica activities, which guests will be able to watch online. Running under the theme In Kepler’s Garden, the 2020 festival focuses on new communication channels as well as specially intensive and highly individual experiences, which most of us have faced during the pandemic. 

‚We’re not excited about technology, we’re excited about what we can do with it.‘
(Gerfried Stocker, Artistic Director of Ars Electronica) 

Ars Electronica is the pioneering festival for art, technology, and society, which was established in the far 1979. Annually a couple of dozens artists and scientists meet up in Linz to discuss the prospects of the digital future and present some groundbreaking projects in the field.

O P P O R T U N I T I E S 

Art opportunities for September 2020

Entering autumn with a safe list of some attractive ops sounds as a good idea, doesn’t it? Artwork Archive is as usually glad to offer young artists a rich variety of international fellowships, competitions, and exhibiting options, deadline for which expire this September. It’s up to you whether to seek creating a perfect street photography for the New York Center for Photographic Arts (NYC4PA) or apply for SERF+ COVID-19 Relief Grant. Don’t be afraid of trying, and luck will be with you! 

P H O T O G R A P H Y 

Meet LensCulture Critics Choice Award 2020

LensCulture is famous for granting aspiring photographers with opportunities to display their works and make a statement. Each few months artists can apply for a new award nomination, and LensCulture Critics Choice Award is, arguably, the most captivating one. 

Members of the jury panel, all big names in the field of photography, each selects a work and gives a critical explanation to one’s choice. Those artists, whose works have been chosen by more than one critic, enter the Top Ten and win a $1000 cash grant. Among the jurors are, for instance, Jim Casper, LensCulture Editor-in-Chief, and Cory Keller, Curator of Photography at SF MOMA.

71 Self-Portraits in Isolation by Daisy Noyes. Selected by Cory Keller, Curator of Photography at SF MOMA. Photo_ Courtesy of the Artist_

Mother Earth by Ola Zdeb. Selected by Khalifa Al Obaidly, Director of Photography Festival at Qatar Museums. Courtesy of the Artist_

Concrete Flowers by Vanja Bucan. Selected by Jim Casper, LensCulture Editor-in-Chief and publisher. Courtesy of the Artist_

Enjoy the works by the favorites of this year edition and learn more about the selection criteria with specific examples as well. 

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It’s been a while, isn’t it? Following a much-needed two-week break (holiday is always a good idea), we’re proceeding with discovering the most interesting art news. With renewed vigor and fresh eyes. Come and join us! 

F A S H I O N 

Claudia Schiffer to curate exhibition for Dusseldorf Museum 

Since it was announced in the mid-August, it can’t really count as news. However, the story is so breaking that we’ve decided to include it in the digest. Supermodel Claudia Schiffer will organize her first exhibition for Dusseldorf’s Kunstpalast. Not too surprising, it’s a photography show devoted to the fashion scene of the 1990s. Get ready to see some shots by such stars of the period as Juergen Teller, Karl Lagerfeld, and Ellen von Unwerth. Apart from the magazine images and advertisements, the exhibition features a few curious things from the personal archive of Schiffer. Save the date: Fashion Photography From the 1990s – curated by Claudia Schiffer runs March 4 – June 13, 2021 at Dusseldorf’s Kunstpalast. 

‘It was an intense and amazing time that had not been seen before, when shoots lasted for days and fashion was front-page news for weeks’ (Claudia Schiffer, speaking of the fashion world of the 1990s)

A few things you wanted to know about Claudia Schiffer, but were afraid to ask (in case, there are no experts on her biography here). Claudia was born in the small town of Rheinberg, not far from Dusseldorf on August 25, 1970. Coming from a wealthy family of a lawyer, the girl planned to follow in her father’s footsteps by joining his law firm. However, it was the chance that did things right. After  being spotted by the head of the Metropolitan Model Agency in a nightclub, Claudia flew to Paris to have her trial photo shoot. Despite her slightly critical attitude to the idea of becoming a model, everything went well — very soon she would appear on the cover of Elle, followed by campaigns for Guess and Chanel as well as fashion shootings for Vogue, Harper’s Bazaar, and Playboy. An inimitable muse of Karl Lagerfeld, Claudia Schiffer entered the Guinness Book of World Records as the model with the most magazine covers. By the way, she still carries the proud status of a supermodel, posing for covers and ad campaigns from time to time. 

Meet calendar for New York Fashion Week 

Good news: NYFW shows will take place both physically and digitally on September 13—17. Guests will be invited to Spring Studios to watch some shows live, while other events will be hosted online at NYFW.com. Virtual talks, Q&A’s, exclusive designer content and many more to be live streamed across social networks and can be followed by @NYFW.

However, not all the expected participants are aboard: to be more precise, by now there are only 60 brands out of the 177 labels announced on NYFW review calendar earlier in February. Such fashion giants as Michael Kors, Tory Burch, and Brandon Maxwell have declined to participate. Some of them probably lack a mission, while others don’t seem to expect much from the current format of the show. Among those on calendar are Jason Wu, Proenza Schouler, Christian Siriano, Badgley Mischka, and quite a few young American brands (check the NYFW website for the full list as well some engaging stories). 

P H O T O G R A P H Y

Last call: Bird In Flight Prize’20

Hurry up! August 30 is the deadline for applications for Bird In Flight Prize 2020. What’s good about the award, it’s hard to imagine a looser format than Bird In Flight has. You as an applying photographer neither have to follow the topic, nor comply with the set criteria (there are not just any). You’re even allowed to retouch photos and use someone’s images, in case the copyright is respected. What organizers expect you to show, are some new ways of telling a story. €2,000 is at stake. There is also a special nomination with a separate prize, and a chance for some 25 participants to get their portfolio reviewed by the experts.

And do you know, what kind of a bird is the organizer? Bird In Flight is an international online magazine devoted to photography and visual culture. The resource features art by various photographers working in different techniques and genres from all over the world. Bird In Flight focuses on fresh unexpected trends in photo industry and encourages good visual storytelling. Bird In Flight Prize is the annual photo contest set up by the magazine. It’s international, and aims at serial works (5—12 photographs each). The jury panel includes recognized photographers, artists, curators, photo editors from such countries as the Netherlands, Great Britain, Spain, Poland, and Sweden. 

D E S I G N 

3daysofdesign to take place on September 3—5

Better late than never: the major Denmark’s design event will happen from September 3—5, 2020 in Copenhagen. To be more precise, the festival will take place just at every turn of the Danish capital: in the streets, historical buildings, galleries, exhibitors’ showrooms. An unexpected surprise from the organizers: this year visitors don’t have to acquire tickets for the events of 3daysofdesign, as those initiatives requiring a ticket are postponed to the 2021 festival due to the pandemic.

3daysofdesign is Denmark’s annual event that showcases latest and brightest ideas in the fields of furniture, lighting, interior, and lifestyle design. The theme of the 2020 edition Circular Economy is celebrated by the artist Alfredo Häberli, who has created an abstract expression to identify this year topic. Now with a few days left, you can already start discovering the festival by peeking (virtually, of course) at designers’ studios and workshops or listening to some interesting podcasts on the 3daysofdesign website. 

Photo_ Filippo Bamberghi_3daysofdesign

Photo_ Filippo Bamberghi_3daysofdesign

Photo_ Filippo Bamberghi_3daysofdesign

C O N T E M P O R A R Y    A R T

Moscow International Biennale for Young Art coming soon

For those interested in contemporary art and specially works by young (both emerging and somehow established) artists. The 7th edition of Moscow International Biennale for Young Art is to set off on September 05 and last until early December.  The main venue is Museum of Moscow, which internal facades will be lined with some site-specific works by the chosen artists during the first part of the Biennale. Other events from the educational and parallel programs will take place in different art institutions across Moscow, culminating with the special project Our Worlds On Strike by the artist Abhijan Toto at MMOMA in the beginning of 2021.

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Andy Warhol is everywhere: on the screens (coming soon) and yet in the halls of Tate. Wong Kar Wai is tasting new waters not leaving his beloved Shanghai, while Virgil Abloh as usual doesn’t find it difficult to surprise the audience. Scroll down to learn more about the interesting news of the week.

C I N E M A 

Now confirmed: Jared Leto to play Andy Warhol in new biopic

The biographical film is titled Warhol and based on the so-called book by Victor Bockris. The producer is Terence Winter, the screenwriter of the famous The Wolf of Wall Street. Back in 2016, the actor was already rumored to be starring in the film about the king of pop art. Recently Leto has paid a surprise to his fans by confirming the information on Instagram:

‘Yes it’s true I will be playing Andy Warhol in an upcoming film. And so grateful and excited about the opportunity. Happy belated birthday Andy. We miss you and your genius.’

Andy Warhol would have turned 92 on August 6 (Leto’s post was published one day after that). The celebrated American artist died at the age of 58 from a sudden irregular heartbeat in his sleep, recovering from a gallbladder surgery. Prior to that he had already been close to losing his life, when writer and radical feminist Valerie Solanas tried shooting the artist in his own studio in 1968. Coming from a poor family of Americanized Slovak migrants, Warhol (born Andrew Warhola) started out as a commercial illustrator. Having realized it wasn’t the way to take over the art world, Andy Warhol resorted to the winning strategy: he decided to give people what they wanted by creating images of celebrities, money, and fast foods in large quantities. Warhol is famous for using silkscreen a lot and believed to be one of the pioneers of video art. His Factory where both social life took place (a major celebrities hangout) and films were screened became a phenomenon of the American art world. Probably, the most recognized works by Warhol are his Campbell’s soup cans (1962) and the Marilyn Diptych (1962), the latter created immediately after the death of Monroe. 

Hong Kong film director Wong Kar-Wai to work upon his first TV series 

Remember talking about Wong Kar-Wai on the website of Haze Gallery, while discussing the figure of the brilliant photographer Wing Shya? The two collaborated on the movie Happy Together (1997), where Kar-Wai took the direction and Shya documented the production process. This case as many others represents Wong Kar-Wai as an experienced film director, however, it’s time the maestro tried a new role. 

Kar-Wai is set to produce a new TV drama project called Blossom Shanghai. Originally thought just as the film Blossoms, the idea has evolved into television series. The series will serve as an adaptation of the short stories novel by Jin Yucheng, featuring the life (and love) adventure of a young opportunist in the gilded city of Shanghai. For Kar-Wai Blossom Shanghai is a perfect chance to confess his love for his hometown as well as to try his hand on television. 

A R T 

Andy Warhol exhibition at Tate extended until November 15 

The major retrospective of Warhol’s art at Tate Modern was to take place before September 4. Due to the pandemic the exhibition went digital: since the middle of March viewers could enjoy a curator’s tour of the exhibition, exploring it room by room virtually as well as the high-quality images of Andy Warhol’s works. Good news: you still can try all of the online options plus attend the show live until late autumn. The only thing is you should book tickets in advance and comply with precaution measures, more details on this are available on the website. 

Tate Modern hasn’t seen such an extended show of Warhol’s works for about 20 years. From his early tender illustrations in pencil till the perimortem works that are rather grotesque and mystical… Let alone the already mentioned images of Monroe, soup cans, and Coca Cola, viewers will discover works never exhibited before in the UK. For instance, Warhol’s  Ladies and Gentlemen series that contains images of mostly black drag queens and trans women hasn’t been on display for a long time and, thus, remains obscure.

Tate Modern reopened Steve McQueen’s exhibition 

Still art lovers don’t live by Warhol alone. Tate Modern reopened the exhibition of Steve McQueen’s artworks on Friday, August 07. The art by the winner of the Turner Prize (1999), proclaimed artist and filmmaker McQueen hasn’t been exhibited in his home town London for two decades. 14 major works by Steve McQueen await the viewer at the show at Tate, including film, photography, and sculpture. The exhibition might become a sort of a wrap-up of McQueen’s latest creative period. 

‘I remember my first school trip to Tate when I was an impressionable 8-year-old, which was really the moment I gained an understanding that anything is possible. As we all gradually emerge from lockdown, and in some ways begin to see the world anew, I hope visitors experience that same sense of possibility’.
(Steve McQueen)

Among the works on display are Exodus 1992/97, the artist’s first film shot on a Super 8 camera, and the two-part film Caribs’ Leap. Within the latter work Steve McQueen suggests the viewer to split the experience: watching the first part of the film inside the exhibition, and the other one in front of the museum, overlooking the River Thames. There is also a recent work called End Credits (2012–ongoing) where McQueen plays tribute to the actor and civil rights activist Paul Robeson. 

F A S H I O N 

Louis Vuitton presented Spring/Summer 2021 Men’s’ collection 

Virgil Abloh, the artistic director of Louis Vuitton men’s wear department, presented a new SS21 collection on August 06. The presentation took place at the port of Shanghai inspired by the song I’ll Wait For You (Strange Worlds in My Mind) by the American jazz composer Sun Ra. The collection is supposed to be the face of the LV new upcycling program, however, that was the case just for a few garments presented on the runway. 

‘Ideas – the very foundation of fashion – are no longer disposable’. 
(Virgil Abloh)

About half of the garments from the collection are made of recyclable materials, while the other half comes from past LV shows. The general mood of SS21 is dreamy: deep cartoony colours, sophisticated patterns, clean lines interrupted by disjoint seams… The SS21 collection by Louis Vuitton is a perfect example of what you call: the devil is in the details. The concept of the collection is available on the brand’s website. 

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Every month of the year grants us new opportunities, including, but not limited to, the career ones (just look what we found). Watching an inspiring film about fashion, seeing a worthy exhibition, or flipping through a book, which is not quite a book, but a documentation of the artist’s heritage. Whatever you look for, don’t miss your opp!

Artwork Archive opps for artists in August 2020

Artwork Archive is a web based program for artists, galleries, and collectors to present, sell, and buy art. Each month the website comes up with some new opportunities for creatives, a substantial part of which, however, targets US artists (since it’s a Denver-based initiative). Still there is a great variety of other opps on the list this August. 

For instance, the Magazine for Contemporary Art seeks works by visual artists worldwide to include in the upcoming online publication. ‘Curiocity’ Brisbane (Australia) calls upon all creators, engineers and architects included, to reflect upon the intersection of art, science, and technology, while J. Mane online gallery wants artists to share their vision of food and eating. Deadlines for submissions vary from early August till late September, 2020 — anyway, there is not much time left. And don’t forget about the Complete Guide to 2020 Artist Opportunities — a careful weekly newsletter by Artwork Archive, offered for free. 

Yayoi Kusama retrospective at Gropius Bau pushed to March 2021

Another representation of works by the famous Japanese artist Yayoi Kusama is postponed: planned for September 2020 at the Berlin Gropius Bau, the retrospective will presumably take place in March 2021. Exhibitions by Kusama at the New York Botanical Garden and Tate Modern in London were also moved because of the pandemic. When the major retrospective finally takes place, viewers will get a chance to see the entire artistic heritage by the 91-year-old Yayoi Kusama created throughout her career. After Gropius Bau the exhibition is set to visit the venues of the Museum Ludwig in Cologne and the Fondation Beyeler in Riehen, Switzerland. 

The 91-year-old Yayoi Kusama is one of the top-selling female artists in the global art market today, widely recognized for the obsessively repetitive patterns in her works (polka dots is the most encountered one). However, it wasn’t always like that. The Japanese artist took a hard road to reach fame in her older age. Having grown up a highly anxious person (Kusama is reported to have had her first hallucinations as a child and generally being traumatized in this age), she moved to New York to continue studying art. Though being friends with Donald Judd, Dan Flavin, and other promising artists, who were to become famous in NY very soon, Kusama had it tough promoting and selling her artworks in US. Her first decent show of Infinity Net paintings took place in 1959. Later for about a decade she participated in group exhibitions in Europe, not enjoying popularity overseas. It’s the 1966 Venice Biennale, where Kusama presented her work Narcissus Garden, that made the artist attractive for the American art world. As for her homeland Japan, it was only in the 1980s that she gained recognition there. Yayoi Kusama art is both captivating and repulsive: finding oneself at one of her Infinity Mirror Rooms filled with numerous objects designed the same way, one can’t but starts thinking of the artist’s destiny, genius, and the pain she had to go through. 

Documentary about Martin Margiela to be available online soon

The film Martin Margiela: In His Own Words released in April 2020 will appear in online cinema on August 14. A documentary throws some light on the enigmatic figure of Margiela, one of the greatest yet anonymous couturiers of the world. The Belgian fashion designer hardly ever wanted to open up before the film director Reiner Holzemer talked him into a few confessions. Along with shots of Margiela’s sketches and his personal belongings, the film features comments made by some other stars of the fashion industry, like designer Jean Paul Gaultier and critic Cathy Horyn. Martin Margiela himself will show up in the frame, too.

P.S. While waiting for the online premiere until the mid August, enjoy the official trailer of the film https://hypebeast.com/2020/4/martin-margiela-in-his-own-words-trailer

So, Martin Margiela is like Banksy for the world of fashion, still what is he famous for apart from that? The Belgian designer is considered one of the pioneers of deconstruction and sustainable approach to clothing, while the collections by Maison Martin Margiela have shaken the world by their careless innovativeness. After having graduated from the prestigious Royal Academy of Fine Arts Antwerp in 1980, he started off as a design assistant to Jean Paul Gaultier, before setting his own brand in 1988. Highly successful at the turn of the century, Margiela left his own company in 2009, claiming he was tired of pressure and a bit run out of inspiration. Margiela has never enjoyed having direct communication with journalists, that’s why he remained personally known in small circles only for a long time. The new movie might suggest another explanation for the phenomenon of Martin Margiela, but one thing for sure: the designer knew how to turn trash into treasure and wasn’t afraid of looking bizarre. 

Works by Anselm Kiefer exhibited at Galerie Thaddaeus Ropac Salzburg 

A new series of monumental works by Anselm Kiefer have been put on show at Galerie Thaddaeus Ropac Salzburg until October 3. In this series the artist refers to the famous German poet and singer of the classical period of Minnesang, namely Walther von der Vogelweide (c. 1170 – c. 1230). In his new pictures painted in the south of France, Kiefer sings the beauty of nature, just like Vogelweide described the enchantment of a romantic meeting in his poems. In the new series Anselm Kiefer gives a particular focus to the figures of Grim Reaper, Eros, and Thanatos. 

The art by German painter and sculptor Anselm Kiefer (b. 1945) (b. 1945) can be defined as neo-expressionism. Using different materials, such as straw, ash, clay, lead, and shellac, Kiefer explores the issue of cultural and collective memory, reflecting a lot upon Germany’s post-war identity and history. In his works the artist makes various allusions to literature, philosophy, and religion, which fits well with Kiefer’s background: before studying arts, he learnt law and Romance languages. Paintings and sculptures by Anselm Kiefer are exhibited worldwide. 

Street art by Banksy documented in new hardcover book 

The new hardcover book has a long title, which sounds like Banksy: You Are An Acceptable Level of Threat and if You Were Not You Would Know About. It has 248 pages that highlight works by the famous street artist: from his early graffiti from the late 1990s till the objects created in the recent 2018. The fresh edition serves both as a chronicle and documentation of Banksy’s artistic career. So, as a reader, you can not only enjoy high-quality illustrations of the artist’s works, but also extensive descriptions, which explain the context of his oeuvre. The book has been released online and is already available for purchasing 🙂 

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