Opinion
Photos from the Alien Landscape of Socotra
LOS ANGELES — Socotra. Most of us have never heard of it. Officially part of the Republic of Yemen, the island has long been isolated geologically from the rest of the world.
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Art
Fresh Work from a Member of the Old Avant-Garde
This week I had the opportunity to check out the newest exhibition at Brennan and Griffin Gallery, "Guy Goodwin: Recent Works." It’s one of those exhibitions you feel good about from the moment you enter the room.
News
A New Magazine for Contemporary Chinese Literature
LOS ANGELES — I'd be hard pressed to name a single contemporary Chinese literary writer. So I was happy to hear about Pathlight magazine, an English-language literary magazine that aims to bring contemporary Chinese literature into the English-speaking world.
Opinion
Required Reading
This week, essays and reviews on Occupy and criticism, British Modernism, Herzog's Biennial piece, The Art Newspaper misses the point in Russia, New York's design community is strong, a Triennial review and a look at representations of violence.
Books
Wheel Life: Paul Scheerbart's Quest to Build a Perpetual Motion Machine
My favorite shelf in the home library is where Raymond Roussel, the Comte de Lautréamont, E.T. A. Hoffmann, Leonora Carrington and other writers form a brilliant phalanx of eccentricity and marvel. I turn to it like a five-hour energy drink, sampling a few pages of, say, Raymond Queneau or Heinrich
Art
Without Elaboration (Part 2)
In 1981, Bess was reintroduced (or, for many of us) introduced by way of a small one-person exhibition at the Whitney Museum of American Art. Barbara Haskell organized the show and there was a small pamphlet available for free. According to the pamphlet, the symbols in Bess’ work were based on “obsc
Art
Second Sight: The Photographs of George Hendrik Breitner
It’s unlikely, half a century from now, that a shadow oeuvre will appear among the personal effects of many contemporary artists, a secret body of work that parallels or even exceeds their public output. This is what happened with the Dutch painter George Hendrik Breitner (1857–1923), whose several
Art
The Uses of Dismemberment: MoMA’s Exquisite Corpses
Dr. Frankenstein’s monster, as discussed in last week’s post, was assembled out of discarded body parts — an exhumed limb here, a torso there — with everything “awkwardly sewn into a corporeal pastiche.”
Art
What to Do with Useless Objects or the Playful Political Art of Máximo González
LOS ANGELES — The Craft and Folk Art Museum (CAFAM) in Los Angeles is a gem of a museum. Small, but certainly limber, the museum is bringing the worlds of contemporary art and craft together with its ongoing shows. Taking up the largest third floor gallery — or the place of honor, as I’d like to thi
Art
A Finnish "Yes" at a New Gallery in Jersey City
Studio 371 is a new gallery in downtown Jersey City. With more than 3,500 square feet, lots of natural light and raw aesthetics, the space is ideal for a range of work, including large installations and performances. The current show, Kyllä Kyllä, features the work of artists Trevor Amery and Kathry
Opinion
New Film Explores Bullying in Schools
LOS ANGELES — The It Gets Better project. The Born This Way Foundation. These high profile movements powered by celebrities like Lady Gaga aim to reduce bullying in schools. And while statistics tell compelling stories, we often need film to illustrate the challenges. And film can tell us the storie
Opinion
QR Code Art Makes Its Way Into the Galleries
LOS ANGELES — QR codes are on the rise. I've spotted them everywhere, from subway ads (yes, we have subway ads in Los Angeles) to billboards to movie posters to business cards. And so they've inevitably cropped up in art.