Posted inArt

The New Digital Puritans: Social Network Censorship #NSFW

Reuben Negron, an artist who lives and works in Connecticut and New York, is best known for his realistic watercolor depictions of intimate moments, ranging from the raw to the vulnerable. His scenes often give me the impression of looking in a mirror. Negron’s series This House of Glass, “an intimate exposé on what we keep hidden from others – and in many cases, what we hide from ourselves,” and Dirty Dirty Love, an exploration of “sex, sexuality and identity as concepts … [through] interactions with individuals and couples in domestic and private settings,” were both shown as separate solo exhibitions at Like the Spice Gallery in Brooklyn.

Posted inOpinion

Are Tech Companies the New Thought Police?

VALENCE, France — There is a new thread in the ongoing stream of censorship by social networks and mobile applications. Vine, the iPhone and iPod Touch “Instagram for video” app, underwent controversy mere days after it’s release on the App Store. Twitter-owned Vine was released last week to a notable buzz, even being featured by Apple as an App Store “Editor’s Pick” from the first day of its launch.

Posted inOpinion

Kate Middleton Portrait Buzz: Art Criticism, Sexism, or Something Else?

VALENCE, France — The internet has its royal panties in a bustle, once again. Today’s unveiling of the portrait of Kate Middleton, or rather the British Duchess of Cambridge, met with gasps of horror, followed by a cascade of sarcastic media and Twitter wit. The subject of much of the outrage and verbal discourse being the pressing matter of whether artist Paul Emsley portrayed the future queen as being pretty enough.

Posted inArt

Post-It War Volley or Commentary on the Technology Industry?

PARIS — I met artist Andreas Kopp in early December, after a brisk pre-conference behind-the-scenes tour at LeWeb, in Paris. On my way out the door, rushing to catch my coat and the metro, I stumbled upon a group of German hipsters (They’re much more approachable that their American counterparts). Andreas and the Post It Art Creators team sprawled across giant sheets of paper, diligently sticking Post-it notes to a neatly organized grid.