Uncanny Valley Erin Mitchell Exhibition, Installation, SomoS Art House Berlin Opening: Friday, September 1st, 6 pm – 9 pm

Uncanny Valley Erin Mitchell Exhibition, Installation, SomoS Art House Berlin Opening: Friday, September 1st, 6 pm – 9 pm

Opening: Uncanny Valley Site-specific installation by Erin Mitchell Date: September 1st, 2017  6pm - 9pm Duration: September 2-9, Tues-Sat, 2-7pm, or by appointment Entry Free RSVP Facebook                                                                                   -->  auf Deutsch lesen SomoS presents resident artist Erin Mitchell’s newest solo exhibition in which she delves into the interaction between humans and technology. Erin Mitchell, a young American artist, working with techniques such as printmaking, painting, and for the first time large-scale site-specific installation, was born and raised in San Francisco, a city continuously impacted by the ubiquity of startup capital Silicon Valley. Humans’ obsession with the commodification of nature and natural products particularly within the startup and tech worlds reflects the paradox of Silicon Valley; this paradox sits at the center of Erin’s artistic inquiry during her residency at SomoS. The title of her exhibition, "Uncanny Valley," is a reference to the perils of an unquestioning faith in technological progress and is derived from a term that was originally coined in 1970s Japan by robotics professor Masahiro Mori to describes the eerie likeness of human-like AI and robotics, often contributing to a sense of uneasiness and revulsion towards the likeness instead of affinity. Nowadays, with the rise of VR technologies, it seems to be gaining more popularity, especially as a way to describe the verisimilitude between our actual and virtual realities. The exploration of this tension lies at the core of Erin Mitchell's work, which consistently ponders the uneasy relationship between humans and technology. Erin’s works foreshadows the inevitable crash of these worlds which are founded on the continual increase of users, storage capacity, and value and makes a commentary on this ecological fallacy we collectively buy into. This proximity has had marked significance on Erin’s creative perspective as she attempts to unpack and address the ever-blurring distinction between virtual and real, media landscapes, and evolution of technology alongside its human counterparts. Erin elaborates: “My ultimate goal with the installation is to play within and challenge this verisimilitude while hinting at the very tangible realities of the virtual spaces we navigate on a daily basis. Using the trope of the romanticized stock photo landscapes of our computer desktop backgrounds, I want to attract attention to the irony and contradictions within these hyper-idealized photographs of natural environments and the disconnect between their imagery and our actual physical environments. I want to call attention to the similarities between new modes of consumption via technology and the way we understand consumerism in a concrete sense. We're more consumers of our environments than stewards of them.” — Erin Mitchell, Artist’s Statement About Erin Mitchell After earning a BFA in Printmaking and Drawing from the Washington University in St. Louis in 2011, Erin Mitchell’s work has been featured in a considerable number of exhibitions worldwide. Her latest solo exhibition is “Virtual Prism” at the Hang Art Gallery in San Francisco, California (2015). Working with a wide range of media and materials such as printmaking and drawing, her works investigate the intimate relationship between human beings and personal technology. Referring to the ever-changing and expanding digital world, Erin’s works reflect her attempt in explaining how virtual activity exerts influence on our understanding of ourselves and the world around us. Read more about Erin’s work and her background at SomoS's website. Date: September 1st, 6–9pm Location: SomoS Kottbusser Damm 95, 1st floor. Entry Free

The Museum of Contemporary Art Chicago presents MICHAEL RAKOWITZ: BACKSTROKE OF THE WEST

MICHAEL RAKOWITZ:  BACKSTROKE OF THE WEST FEATURING A MAJOR NEW WORK The Museum of Contemporary Art Chicago presents the first major museum survey of Chicago-based, Iraqi-American artist Michael Rakowitz whose work explores contested social, political, and cultural histories. Rakowitz revives destroyed and looted objects and marginalized histories, and questions how art can function as a space for closing those wounds. Drawing on personal experience and research on these subjects, as well as history and popular culture, Rakowitz creates illustrated objects, installations, and performances that invite viewers to contemplate their complicit relationship to the political world around them, recognizing that hospitality and hostility are interlinked. The exhibition includes his major commission What Dust Will Rise? created for Documenta 13; The invisible enemy should not exist, a lifelong project by the artist to refabricate to scale every single item looted from the Iraqi National Museum; and an important new commission, The Ballad of Special Ops Cody. On view from September 16, 2017 to March 4, 2018, Michael Rakowitz: Backstroke of the West is organized by Omar Kholeif, MCA Manilow Senior Curator and Director of Global Initiatives. An unprecedented survey of Rakowitz's works, this exhibition isolates key points in the troubled history between the east and the west to reconcile the complex and often violent relationship between the artist's homeland of Iraq, with his upbringing in the United States, with an American father and an Iraqi-Jewish mother. Backstroke of the West refers to a mis-translation of Revenge of the Sith, from a Chinese bootleg version of the Star Wars film, likely from a program such as Google Translate. The title speaks to Rakowitz's interest in translation as a means of crossing social and political boundaries, as well as how popular culture can be used to access shared cultural narratives.   Entering the exhibition, visitors encounter the powerful work May The Arrogant Not Prevail (2010), a replica of the famous Ishtar Gate from Iraqi antiquity, made out of recycled Arabic food packaging. The Ishtar Gate was built in c.575 BC by Nebuchadnezzar in ancient Babylon (now modern day Iraq), for the avenue called Aj ibur shapu, which means "the invisible enemy should not exist," or its alternative translation, "may the arrogant not prevail."   The exhibition includes a portion of What Dust Will Rise? (2012), a site-specific commission for Documenta 13, in which Rakowitz re-creates lost volumes from the State Library of Hesse-Kassel, Germany, that were destroyed in a fire. Rakowitz had stone carvers from Afghanistan and Italy remake the lost books out of travertine quarried from Bamiyan where two massive sandstone Buddhas once stood before they were destroyed by the Taliban. The work reveals Rakowitz's desire to close wounds and reconstitute lost histories from the mutual tolls of countries at war.   One of Rakowitz's most acclaimed works, The invisible enemy should not exist (2007-ongoing) suggests that the voids left by human conflict have no geographical boundaries. After the 2003 invasion of Iraq by the US, numerous artifacts from the National Museum of Iraq were stolen by looters. The centerpiece of the project is an ongoing series of sculptures that represent an attempt to reconstruct the looted archaeological artifacts, and speaks to Rakowitz's interest in reconstituting histories that have been lost, stolen, or marginalized. Rakowitz has also created new work from this series to top the fourth pillar in Trafalgar Square in 2018 and 2019 - a winged bull that guarded the ancient Nergal Gate in Ninevah from 700 BC to 2015 when it was destroyed.   In The worst condition is to pass under a sword which is not one's own (2009), Rakowitz traces links between western science fiction and military activities in Iraq during Saddam Hussein's regime. The installation shows the influence of the Star Wars films on the uniforms worn by the Fedayeen Saddam, an elite militia whose members dressed like Darth Vader. The paramilitary group was under the leadership of Saddam's son Uday who was an avid fan of George Lucas's space opera. Also, the design of war monuments in Baghdad, such as the famous Hands of Victory, bears an uncanny resemblance to the iconic poster for the Star Wars fifth episode, The Empire Strikes Back. Rakowitz re-creates this with two hands frozen in combat with clashing light sabers, meticulously wrapped in pages from Saddam Hussein's novels.   Also dealing with pop culture, The Breakup (2010) is a ten-part radio series accompanied by records, magazine covers, maps, and other ephemera on the Beatles final years, alongside Middle Eastern media clippings detailing the movement to unify Israeli, Palestinian, and other regional authorities under one umbrella at the end of the 1960s. Rakowitz draws parallels between the Beatles' break-up and the rise and fall of the Pan-Arab dream of unification. The Breakup suggests that the same weakness - a failure to "come together" - is responsible for each of their respective downfalls, with a centerpiece of the Sgt. Pepper's cover transformed with historic Arab figures such as Egyptian singer Oum Kulthum and the late Egyptian president, Gamel Abdel Nasser.   In conjunction with the Chicago Architecture Biennial, the exhibition presents one of Rakowitz's most celebrated works, paraSITE, an ongoing project since 1998, which enables the homeless to create their own inflatable shelters using a set of instructions that Rakowitz wrote and distributed throughout New York City and Boston. Rakowitz works directly with local communities on this project, allowing homeless people to attach their shelters to a building's heating, ventilation, and air conditioning system for warmth and circulation. Like many of the artist's works, paraSITE illustrates Rakowitz's desire to make the world a more hospitable place for everyone.   Another interactive work in the exhibition is Enemy Kitchen (2017), where Rakowitz plans to install a pop-up food truck at the MCA at times during the run of the exhibition, and serve Iraqi-Jewish cooking from favorite childhood recipes he has collected from his mother. These dishes are served on paper plates which are exact replicas of the ones used in Saddam Hussein's former residence. With a light, tongue-in-cheek sense of humor, Rakowitz shows that hospitality--such as a warm meal--can easily lull us into complacency and trust, navigating collective fears of hostility and otherness at a safe, even geographic distance.   The MCA has commissioned a new work for the exhibition, The Ballad of Special Ops Cody (2017) that also comes from Rakowitz's long-term engagement with US veterans. The work is based on an incident in 2005, when an Iraqi insurgent group aligned with Abu Musab al-Zarqawi claimed to be holding a US soldier for ransom. The US military soon realized that the threat was a hoax and the 'soldier' was a souvenir action figure produced for military families named Special Ops Cody. The installation will reproduce the fake scene and then travel to the Oriental Institute at the University of Chicago where it will hold Mesopotamian votive statues that were taken by the west, a kind of ancient surrogate hostage.   Michael Rakowitz lives and works in Chicago and is currently a professor of art theory and practice at Northwestern University. He received his BFA from Purchase College SUNY and his MA from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. He was recently selected for the prestigious Fourth Plinth at Trafalgar Square in London. He has exhibited at Documenta 13 in Hasse-Kassel, Germany; the Museum of Modern Art and P.S.1 in New York; and the Massachusetts Museum of Contemporary Art. The artist has had solo exhibitions at the Tate Modern in London, UK; the Lombard Freld Gallery in New York, NY; Alberto Peola Arte Contemporanea in Turin, Italy; and Kunstaum Innsbruck in Innsbruck, Austria. He is the recipient of the Tiffany Foundation Award (2012); the Sharjah Biennial Jury Award (2007); the New York Foundation for the Arts Fellowship Grant (2006); the Creative Capital Grant (2002); and the Design Grand Prix from UNESCO (2002).   IMAGES: MCACHICAGO.ORG/MEDIA # # # Image: Installation view, Michael Rakowitz, The worst condition is to pass under a sword which is not one's own, Tate Modern, January-May 2010. © Michael Rakowitz. Photo © Tate Photography. #fineartmagazine

LAST CHANCE to see the bold and colorful Black Frames painting before it comes down September 5.  Grano Café is offering complimentary coffee or tea to visitors who come to see Jannis Varelas’ large-scale work from Monday, September 28 through Tuesday, September 5. This artwork was specially commissioned in conjunction with the exhibition A World of Emotions: Ancient Greece, 700 BC - 200 AD. LOCATION: Olympic Tower Atrium, 645 Fifth Avenue, Entrances on 51st and 52nd Streets VIEWING HOURS: Mon-Sun, 8 am–10 pm  LAST DAY: Tue, Sep 5 until 5 pm  FREE COFFEE OR TEA FROM GRANO CAFÉ: Mon-Fri, 7 am–5:30 pm Say you have come to see the art and you will receive complimentary coffee or tea. #fineartmagazine

Barakat Gallery, A Gandharan Bubba head

A Gandharan Stucco Buddha Head 100 AD to 300 AD Between c.100-400 A.D. Gandharan sculptors working in schist, terracotta and stucco produced  an astonishing number and variety of Buddhist images. Gandhara was situated at the crossroads  between east and west and thus came under a wide variety of artistic influences including Persian,   Greek and Indian. It also became an important pilgrimage site for Buddhists from across Asia  as it was claimed that events from the Buddha's former lives had occurred in the area. This stucco head displays the Gandharan tendency to combine realism around the nose, mouth  and cheek areas with deeply cut stylised eyes. Small traces of the original polychromy survive,  for example remains of a red pigment in the earlobes and around the hair-line. Traces of black  are also apparent in the curls of the hair. The hair is arranged in a top-knot. This was the  Gandharan version of the ushnisha, a mound on the head which symbolised the Buddha's  spiritual wisdom. Traces of an urna, or third eye, are also just visible on the forehead, outlined  in red. The bottom of both earlobes has been lost but it is still possible to make out their elongated  form. This was a reference to the Buddha's former wealth, symbolised by the effect of wearing  heavy earrings. Despite small areas of loss, the serenity of the expression, partly created  through the downcast eyes, has been preserved.  This is beautiful example available at an  exceptional price. To see additional information and pricing on this item as well as other select  Gandharan pieces in the collection please click HERE Barakat Gallery London: 58 Brook Street, Mayfair, London +442074937778  Beverly Hills: 421 North Rodeo Drive, Beverly Hills, California +14242395840 Seoul: 58-4, Samcheong-ro, Jongno-gu, South Korea +821034973413 West Hollywood: 941 N La Cienega Blvd. Los Angeles CA 90069 +13108598408 Hong Kong: 68 C Hollywood Road Kelford Mansion. Sheung Wan.Tel.00852-26382005 21 Wong Chuk Hang Road Global Trade Square 1901Wong Chuk Hang-Aberdeen Tel.00852-26382191 CONNECT WITH US:

The Barakat Gallery, 421 North Rodeo Drive, Beverly Hills, CA 90210 #fineartmagazine

Louis Stern Fine Arts will be closed August 22 - September 5. For any assistance, please contact us at info@louissternfinearts.com. "Seton" by Doug Ohlson Current Exhibition | Gallery Selections August 9 - September 16 Upcoming Exhibition | Alfredo Ramos Martinez and the Evolution of Latin American Modernism - a Pacific Standard Time: LA/LA Exhibition September 23 - November 18

Copyright © 2017 Louis Stern Fine Arts, All rights reserved. You are receiving this email because you have requested to receive email notifications on gallery events. Louis Stern Fine Arts 9002 Melrose Avenue West Hollywood, CA  90069 #fineartmagazine

MOJA Arts Festival 2017 Juried Art Submissions Due August 25

MOJA Arts Festival 2017 Juried Art Submissions Due August 25

2016 MOJA Juried Art Exhibition Best In Show Winner: Moving In and Out of the Game with a Smooth Slide, acrylic paint and collage on board, by Hampton Olfus, Jr.

The City of Charleston Office of Cultural Affairs is now accepting artwork submissions for consideration in the 2017 MOJA Arts Festival's Juried Art Exhibition at City Gallery. This year’s festival runs September 28 - October 8, 2017.  The MOJA Arts Festival is an 11-day multi-disciplinary celebration of African-American and Caribbean culture organized by the City of Charleston Office of Cultural Affairs in partnership with the MOJA Planning Committee. MOJA’s wide range of events include visual arts, dance, gospel, jazz, poetry, R&B, classical music, storytelling, theatre, children’s activities, traditional crafts, ethnic food, and more.

Juror: Orisanmi Odensanya

This year's juror is Orisanmi Kehinde Odesanya, an Ohio-based doll artist whose work has been exhibited at the City Gallery as part of the 2016 exhibition Sixteen Crowns: Manifestations of Ase. Orisanmi has been designing and creating dolls for over 20 years. Through a passion for African art and culture, she has created more than 200 small-scale figures to honor Yoruba deities and masqueraders. The figures embody the wisdom and folklore of oral tradition. They represent the philosophy, spirituality, and performance of Yoruba expressive culture.

2016 MOJA Juried Art Exhibition Runner Up Winner: The Edges of Olfus, oil on canvas with graphite and pen, by Meyriel Edge

Entry Specifications/ Eligible Works

Proposed artwork must have been completed within the last two years and may not have been previously exhibited in the Charleston region. Artwork in the following categories may be submitted: oils, acrylics, watercolors, pastels, printmaking, drawing, photography, and graphics. Additional work in fiber, sculpture, metals, ceramics, basketry and mixed media will also be juried, however, space constraints will dictate our ability to exhibit. Wall pieces must be framed and ready for hanging. Freestanding pieces must be fully assembled and ready for installation. Accepted artwork may not be removed before the assigned time. Early removal or late pick-up will result in disqualification from future participation. An exhibition program listing participating artists, their phone number, title and value of artwork will be available. The City of Charleston provides damage and theft insurance for artwork while on display. Please be aware that the gallery cannot is unable to store any packing materials or crates at delivery from local artists. Out-of-state artists are responsible for packing, insuring, and shipping (to and from the gallery) their works if they are chosen.

Submissions

Estimated art delivery date for the exhibition is Sept. 18. All artists living in the state of South Carolina, North Carolina, Florida, and Georgia are invited to submit. Please include the artwork title, medium, and size in the description of each piece.  Submitted artwork must comply fully with the following requirements for originality and date of completion: (1) The artwork is an original creation completed within the last two years and is not, in whole or in part, a copy of any person’s work or photograph and (2) the artwork was created solely by the artist and not in a workshop, class, or under supervision of an instructor.

Important Information

Deadline: August 25, 2017 Application Fee (USD): $20.00

Click Here to Apply

For more information, please contact Anne Quattlebaum, City Gallery Coordinator, at 843-958-6484 or at quattlebauma@charleston-sc.gov. #fineartmagazine