In this episode we discuss how the Frieze Art Fair’s failing air conditioning units won’t help global warming, sales strategies for emerging artists, and galleries that have come and gone. Look to Part II where we discuss the difference between social practice and relational aesthetics and discuss the Doug Aitken show at 303.
This week on Explain Me, William Powhida and Paddy Johnson talk with artist Kevin McCoy about Blockchain, Bitcoin and the Monegraph. This episode is your ultimate bitcoin/blockchain/monegraph explainer.
LINKS
READING LIST
China, Crypto-Currency, and the World Order
Tribute and Tribulations – http://wdwreview.org/desks/china-crypto-currency-and-the-world-order/
Digital Denominations – http://wdwreview.org/desks/china-crypto-currency-and-the-world-order-part-2/
Clone Wars – http://wdwreview.org/desks/china-crypto-currency-and-the-world-order-part-3/
http://www.academia.edu/33838249/Does_digital_culture_want_to_be_free_How_blockchains_are_transforming_the_economy_of_cultural_goods
Show sponsor:
In this episode of Explain Me, Paddy Johnson and William Powhida discuss the New Museum Triennial. Both Johnson and Powhida agree this show has more of its fair share of bad art but only Powhida sees this as a dealbreaker. Debate ensues. The ad in which Pepsi and model Kendall Jenner create world peace gets a mention.
Thanks to Explain Me sponsor, Superfine
Lydia Ourahmane, “Finitude, 2018, Courtesy of the Artist
Chemu Ng’ok Image via: Hyperallergic
Anupam Roy installation view
Gresham Tapiwa Nyaude, The New Zimbabwe (2018) at “2018 Triennial: Songs
Manolis D. Lemos, dusk and dawn look just the same (riot tourism), 2017 (still). Courtesy of the artist and CAN Christina Androulidaki Gallery, Athens
Haroon Gunn-Salie “Senzenina” (2018), an installation by the South African artist Haroon Gunn- Salie, memorializes the 2012 police massacre of striking miners in his homeland.
Hardeep Pandhal, Pool Party Pilot Episode, 2018, 4K animation, color, sound; 8:10 min. Hardeep Pandhal.
Tomm El-Saieh
Tiril Hasselknippe, installation view
PRONOUNCIATION GUIDE
Gary Carrion-Murayari
** Carry-on Mur-uh-yar-ee
Tomm El-Saieh
** El-say
Lydia Ourahmane
** Oura-ha-mane
Chemu Ng’ok
** Chem-oo Nuh-gok
Gresham Tapiwa Nyaude
** Tap-ee-wa Naw-u-deh
Manolis D. Lemos
** Man-o-lis Lem-os
Tiril Hasselknippe
** Tir-ill Has-ul-nip
Hardeep Pandhal
** Pand-al
Haroon Gunn-Salie ** Sal-ley
Anupam Roy
** A-new-pam
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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, Maryam Hoseini, Of Strangers and Parrots, Rachel Uffner Gallery
Installation view, Molly Zuckerman-Hartung, Learning Artist, Rachel Uffner Gallery
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.
Paddy Johnson, Editorial DirectorMichael Anthony Farley, Senior EditorWhitney Kimball, IMG MGMT Editor