February 5, 2022 • View in browser

This week, we did a three-part series on representations of labor in art, examined an exhibition that considers the history of controversial monuments in the US, published an essay on Crypto-art and speed, and reviewed shows by Albrecht Dürer, Ceirra Evans, Mary Lum, The Black Woman Is God annual in Oakland, CA.

We also shared opinions pieces about the taboo against artists having children, the precarious reality of Venezuelan museums, a museum show with art selected by guards, and much more.

Also, you can now follow us on TikTok!

— Hrag Vartanian, editor-in-chief 

Grigory Myasoyedov, “Time of Harvesting (Mowers)” (1887)

Billy Anania's three-part series highlights the intersections of art and organized labor through history, from the strikes of ancient Egypt to protest art today.

The Ancient Art of Organized Labor
From Egyptian craftsmen to European textile workers, artists have always found strength in numbers.

The General Strike in Modern Art
A massive strike wave in the 19th and 20th centuries redefined how painters, illustrators, and photographers advocate for the working class.

Artists Are Embracing the Power of Refusal
Amid today’s rampant wealth consolidation and labor exploitation, contemporary art has shifted from bourgeois keepsake to active participant in the working-class struggle.

NEWS THIS WEEK

Johannes Adam Simon Oertel, "Pulling Down the Statue of King George III" (circa 1852-1853) Monuments: Commemoration and Controversy (courtesy New-York Historical Society)

• An exhibition at the New-York Historical Society reexamines the display of controversial monuments dating back to the country’s founding.

• New York University presents a scintillating close read on the fresco art of Pompeii’s lost villas.

• Nearly 200 workers at the American Museum of Natural History move to unionize, citing COVID-19 safety and compensation among top concerns.

• The lack of a “Morals Clause” in a donation agreement between Jeff Bezos and Smithsonianbars the institution from removing his name if scandal hits.

• The Portland-based collective Heater Bloc designs DIY, tent-safe heaters that cost only $7 to build.

• A New Zealand auction house sells two glass plate negatives as NFTs and encourages the buyers to destroy the originals.

WHAT TO SEE IN NYC AND LA THIS MONTH

In New York, lend an ear to a sonic fusion of orchestral music and noise from a concrete plant, watch furniture spring to life in protest or pleasure, and dance in a glittery reimagining of San Francisco’s first Black-owned gay bar.

A number of talented Los Angeles artists are having important solo shows this month, including contemporary artists EJ Hill and Ulysses Jenkins, key figures of the Chicano art movement, Carlos Almaraz and Richard Duardo, and more.

LATEST IN ART

Nicole Dixon, "The Axe Forgets, But The Tree Re-members" (2021), 36 x 36 inches, acrylic, charcoal, redwood, fabric, watercolor, pen, chalk pastel, gold leaf on canvas (image courtesy the artist)

Enter the Universe of Black Womxn Artists in the Bay Area
Faith Adiele on The Blueprint: If the Universe Can Be Imagined It Exists, the latest edition of The Black Woman Is God, at SOMArts Cultural Center.

This year’s iteration comes on the heels of two years of intense activity centering Black womxn artists in the Bay Area. As always, joy and celebration are strong themes, with images of Black mermaids, stylized comics of local leaders, and women in bold colors and glitter. Ritual, healing, and spiritual identity are another major focus.

Dürer’s Journeys Offers a Detailed Examination of the Worldly Artist
Olivia McEwan On Dürer’s Journeys: Travels of a Renaissance Artist at the National Gallery, London.

An Artist Goes Home to Her Appalachia
Natalie Weis on Ceirra Evans: It’s Okay to Go Home at Moremen Gallery in Louisville.

Walking for Art
John Yau on Mary Lum: When the Sky Is a Shape at Yancey Richardson.

Screenshot of Robert Hodgin, “Growth v.1,0, #142”

Waiting for the “Drop”: Crypto-art and Speed
A. V. Marraccini considers how making art on the blockchain has created a form of unprecedented acceleration.

MORE FROM HYPERALLERGIC

Alina Tenser's son Nikolai Tenser Smith in her studio at VCU (2011) (photo credit Alina Tenser)

How MFA Programs Perpetuate the Taboo Against Artists Having Children
Daniel Gerwin brings to light how MFA programs continue to sustain the idea that raising children precludes serious art.

Can an Exhibition Selected by Museum Guards Address Inequality at Museums?
Dereck Stafford Mangus: "Guarding the Art has the chance to become the model for how museums honor and respect the dignity of their guards moving forward."

The Zombie Life of Venezuelan Museums
Gabriela Rangel brings attention to the conditions of the artworks and facility of the Caracas Museum of Contemporary Art.

Artist Sophie Calle Took a Job as a Maid to Spy on the Guests
Julia Curl reviews "The Hotel" and dives into how Sophie Calle paints a voyeuristic portrait of who she imagines various visitors to be.

Required Reading
This week, Vice Media helps the Saudi Arabian regime, Hollywood’s favorite NYC locations, the reality behind why celebrities are talking up NFTs, a Pacific island nation welcomes digital residents, and much more.

Opportunities in February 2022
From residencies at BRIC and NXTHVN to awards from the Native Arts and Cultures Foundation and more, we've gathered a list of opportunities to apply to this month.

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IN OUR STORE

"Yellow Tulips" Tea Towel x Alex Katz

As the snow melts, we're looking ahead to the first sunny blooms of spring. Bring Brooklyn-born artist Alex Katz's "Yellow Tulips" into your home with this linen tea towel. Be sure to check out our full art-inspired tea towel collection.

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