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Explain Me: The Spring Break Art Show Part One and Two With Pictures!

by Paddy Johnson on March 17, 2018
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Last week William Powhida and I spent an enormous amount of time at the Spring Break Art Show. We had so much to say about the show we produced two podcasts and discussed many booths at length. In the first podcast, we give the lay of the land in art fair world (we discuss the character of other fairs, and SPRING/BREAK), identify themes, and get the bad art out of the way. We also collect a few pitches from those in booths, so those who couldn’t attend the fair could get a sense of what it was like. In the second podcast we go deep on a few booths and try to give a more thorough analysis of what we saw.

There are however some limitations to what we can do with a podcast, and one of them is visuals. Handily, Art F City manages those just fine, so in this post I assemble images of a lot of the work we discuss so that listeners have a few cues. That said, a disclaimer needs to be made: some of these photographs suck. I’ve tried whenever possible to use press images, but in some cases, I wasn’t able to make that happen. You’ll know the difference, and I’m sorry.

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Hans Ulrich Obrist Interested in Time, Hans Ulrich Obrist

by Paddy Johnson on March 16, 2018
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The line for last week’s keynote lecture at the Armory Show was as long as the speaker’s resume; slated to talk was Hans Ulrich Obrist, artistic director of the Serpentine Gallery and arguably the most famous curator in the world. But since Obrist is a fixture at large art fairs, the huge turnout was a surprise. Having watched a few of his interviews online, I worried that the talk would be a pretentious ramble. My fears weren’t entirely unfounded, though no one could accuse Obrist of lacking enthusiasm as he spent well over an hour discussing notions of time, the archive, unrealized projects, and the Serpentine’s recent shows. Central to all of this was his belief in the freedom to experiment.

But Obrist’s talk had limited success in getting attendees fired up, likely because of the curator’s consistent failure to fully elucidate his themes.

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Carol Cole: Cast a Clear Light at The Weatherspoon

by Paddy Johnson on February 21, 2018
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Exciting news: I’ve co-curated an exhibition of Carol Cole’s work and collection at the Weatherspoon with Emily Stamey! This exhibition is long overdue, so I’m proud to have had a part in making it happen. Carol Cole: Cast a Clear Light opens March 3rd and will run through June 17th. If you have a chance to see it, make it happen. You won’t be disappointed.

Press release after the jump.

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Explain Me: The Stink of Met Admission Hikes Endures

by Paddy Johnson on February 21, 2018
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Back in January, William Powhida and I recorded an episode of Explain Me on the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s new admission policy. Earlier that month, the museum known for housing some of the world’s greatest treasures announced its admission price would no longer remain “pay-as-you-wish”. As of March 1st, their suggested admission, $25 will become mandatory for anyone living outside of New York State. Children under 12 get in for free.

Given that there’s less than two weeks until this policy change goes into affect, we thought it might be a good time to release our discussion and revisit the debate.

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How The New Tax Bill Affects Freelancers

by Hannah Cole on January 22, 2018
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It’s 2018, and you are likely starting to think about your taxes. You may also be wondering what’s in the newly passed tax legislation (officially the “Tax Cuts and Jobs Act” or TCJA) and how it’s going to affect you. Here is some help, specifically targeted for freelancers and creative economy workers.

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Explain Me: What Curators Really Think—A Cringe Worthy Report

by Paddy Johnson on December 29, 2017
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On this episode of Explain Me we discuss a disastrous curator conference at SVA titled “Curatorial Activism and the Politics of Shock”, the Miami art fairs, and three shows— “Talon Rouge: Six Mexican Artists Revisit José Juan Tablada and His New York Circle” at PROXYCO, “Johnny Abrahams: Threnody” at The Hole and “Molly Zuckerman-Hartung: Learning Artist” and “Maryam Hoseini Of Strangers and Parrots” at Rachel Uffner.

Links and show images mentioned in the discussion below:

CAFKA
TJ Clark – Farewell to an idea
PROXYCO
“Johnny Abrahams: Threnody” at The Hole
“Molly Zuckerman-Hartung: Learning Artist” and “Maryam Hoseini Of Strangers and Parrots” at Rachel Uffner

Installation view, Johnny Abrahams “Threnody"

Installation view, Johnny Abrahams “Threnody”

Installation view, Maryam Hoseini, Of Strangers and Parrots, Rachel Uffner Gallery

Installation view, Maryam Hoseini, Of Strangers and Parrots, Rachel Uffner Gallery

 Installation view, Molly Zuckerman-Hartung, Learning Artist, Rachel Uffner Gallery


Installation view, Molly Zuckerman-Hartung, Learning Artist, Rachel Uffner Gallery

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From Donald Trump’s Lips to Future Clown’s Hips: Time to Resign!

by Paddy Johnson on December 20, 2017
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It’s a miserable day in American history. Republicans have passed a bill that will give corporations and wealthy millionaires massive tax cuts while reducing the services for virtually everyone else. They’ve included enrichment provisions that will benefit the president and senators who have been on the fence, and by lying to the American people. Previously, we’ve had presidents who wouldn’t condone, let alone encourage such actions. But this year, we have Donald Trump in office, a pathological liar, narcissist and mentally unstable dotard intent on leading us off a cliff. Naturally, he’s happy to sign a bill that benefits only him and his rich colleagues.

It’s time Donald Trump resigned. We have yet to see what will make this happen, but I hope artist Rachel Mason‘s video “Time to Resign” plays a part in making that happen. In this video she plays Future Clown, a character that can change the future. The character takes over Trump and splices together his words to produce a resignation speech. It’s the speech we all need and want to hear. Plus, it’s kinda catchy—useful for days like today.

Rachel Mason is an artist has interviewed and corresponded with some of the world’s most well known leaders, created busts in their likeness and performances and operas inspired by world events. She is the resistance. 

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Irena Jurek Interviews Billy Grant: One-Time Pyromaniac, Now Artist with a Drill

by Irena Jurek on December 20, 2017
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Billy Grant’s art practice is expansive. He works in virtually every medium from painting, drawing and collage to sculpture, video, and performance. He collaborates constantly—his best known collaborative effort with the Virginia based art collective Dearraindrop which ran from 2001 to 2009. (Grant was one of three members of the group that included his sister Laura Grant and their friend Joe Grillo, and had originally been part of the collective Paperrad, in Boston.) In short, he is a force.

And that force was on full display earlier this year when he displayed a new body of paintings, in his two-person show with the sculptor and installation artist, Rich Porter at Safe Gallery. Grant brought his characteristic exuberance and obsessive attention to detail in a series of maximalist monochromes, which are created by attaching a paintbrush to the end of a drill. And we’ll experience it again January 19th, when his work is again on view, this time at Real Estate Gallery in a group show curated by Joe Bradley and Jeremy Willis.

This past week, I had a chance to sit down with Billy and discuss his childhood as an arsonist, how Dearraindrop evolved into a collective, his dedication to bizarre and unusual ways to make paintings, and why he’ll never be an abstractionist. I got right to it.

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Gentrification, Income Inequality and Donald Trump Baby Turds

by Paddy Johnson on November 24, 2017
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In this episode of Explain Me William Powhida and Paddy Johnson talk about the 450 million dollar Leonardo Da Vinci of disputed authenticity and the Boyle Heights activists who follow artist Laura Owen’s from L.A. to New York to protest her non-profit 365 Mission while she visited The Whitney. Activists believe the presence of her gallery will lead to displacement. Additionally, we discuss the exhibitions listed below.

Listen to us on iTunes and Stitcher

Didier Williams

Didier Williams

Tiger Strikes Asteroid: Didier William, “We Will Win“. Review: A Haitian Artist’s Mesmerizing Eyes

Paddy Johnson failing to hula hoop and draw at the same time.

Paddy Johnson failing to hula hoop and draw at the same time.

The Museum of Human Achievement (in Austin TX)

Nicholas Cueva at Five Miles

Nicholas Cueva at Five Miles

Five Miles: Nicholas Cueva, “The People Games Play

Tracing Trajectories at Trestle Gallery - Installation view.

Tracing Trajectories at Trestle Gallery – Installation view.

Trestle Projects: Tracing Trajectories/Selections from the Hoggard/Wagner Collection 

From “Anteroom”, by Anita Thacher, 1982, 35mm color slide projection, brass doorknob and plate, sound, 108 x 144 x 3 inches – Image courtesy of the artist and Microscope Gallery

From “Anteroom”, by Anita Thacher, 1982, 35mm color slide projection, brass doorknob and plate, sound, 108 x 144 x 3 inches – Image courtesy of the artist and Microscope Gallery

Microscope Gallery: Anita Thacher, “Anteroom”

Rachel Rossin, Installation view at Signal Gallery

Rachel Rossin, Installation view at Signal Gallery

Rachel Rossin Aquarium detail

Rachel Rossin Aquarium detail

Signal Gallery: Rachel Rossin, “Peak Performance”

Installation view at Present Company

Installation view at Present Company

Myeongsoo Kim at Present Company

Myeongsoo Kim at Present Company

Present Company: Myeongsoo Kim and Jessie Rose Vala, “Dusk to Dust” 

Future Retrieval at Denny Gallery, Installation view

Future Retrieval at Denny Gallery, Installation view

Denny Gallery: Future Retrieval, Permanent Spectacle

Derek Eller Gallery: Whiting Tennis

Whiting Tennis, The Vegetarian

Whiting Tennis, The Vegetarian, at Derek Eller

Whiting Tennis at Derek Eller, Installation view

Whiting Tennis at Derek Eller, Installation view

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The AFC Paddle8 Auction Launches!

by Paddy Johnson on November 8, 2017
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Charity auctions are a great way to acquire art while supporting the arts organizations you love. So, if you’ve listened to our new podcast, “Explain Me” hosted by yours truly (Paddy Johnson) and artist William Powhida, or would like to see “We’re So Not Getting the Security Deposit Back: A Guide to Defunct Artist Spaces” come to your town, consider bidding in our paddle8 auction. William Powhida has donated a letterpress print (shown above) that will directly benefit the production of our podcast, Richard Kern has offered a butt, Zoe Crosher‘s photograph from her Manifest Destiny Billboard Project is damn near canonical (and missing a bid), and there are plenty of other artists to chose from. The auction ends November 14th at 5 pm, so get your bids in now!

Meanwhile, if you have chance, I spent a bit of time chatting with Paddle8 over text message and the conversation turned out really well. (I was asked who my dream “Explain Me” guest was and decided it was economist Paul Krugman. If any readers have an in, let me know!) The texts are worth checking out, if for no other reason, than for the amazing AILADI stickers I had a chance to use!)

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