Downtown Dallas Cultural Events Calendar: October 2011

Enjoy the monthly Downtown Dallas Cultural Events Calendar for October 2011, just in time as the weather cools off! Please find the calendar below. It list events for the Downtown Dallas area and its environs. Enjoy it, pass it on, use it! 

Events: Torino Artissima

Since surprise trips seem to be the theme for my Fall art calendar, I thought I would share some quick images from my most recent 10 hour trip to Turin, Italy. I went specifically to see (and be seen) at Artissima, the city's annual art fair.


Artissima is neither the largest nor the smallest of fairs. It is pretty mid-sized and includes a book and magazine area, a print shop, 4 different bars/cafes, a theater space called the House of Contamination, and a lecture space. This year was the fair's 15th anniversary.

I say "and be seen", because this was all courtesy of my internship at the Secretariat Schlemmer due to the fact that the fair hosted the reconstructions of Oskar Schlemmer's Bauhaus Dances, as interpreted by Debra McCall in 1984 in it's House of Contamination.

Instead of just showing close-ups of work that really struck a chord, I realized as I walked around the fair that to many people the concept of the art fair is very abstract. Therefore, this time I took some general pictures of the fair itself.

The day I went was the preview, so it was much less packed than it will be. Or at least, that is what the galleries hope. More people equals more prospective buyers.

After Basel and Berlin, I feel like I might actually be getting the hang of these fairs. However, as visually stimulating as they are, let's not forget that it is the galleries job to sell, sell, sell! Which is definitely the part I hate.

An exciting and entertaining part of these fairs is that they are the perfect opportunity for performance artists to venture out and "do their thing." In one of the pictures below you may notice a woman in a white dress. She was one such performance artist who strolled around the fair in a type of LSD induced serenity and randomly gave fair-goers amazing hugs.

As always, enjoy the pictures!

 

On wall: Germaine Kruip, Counter Composition II, 2007

On ground: Amaya Gonzales Reyes, Estrategias Formales, 2009

Parra & Romero, Madrid, Spain

Aida Ruilova, unknown

Kaufman Repetto, Milano, Italy

Per Barclap, Ballerina (Chatrine), 2001

Giorgio Persano, Torino, Italy

Masbedo, The Art of Happiness, 2010
Marco Noire Contemporary Art, Torino, Italy

Basel Recap: Satellite Fairs- Volta

Take the experience I had at Liste and consider its opposite: that’s what Volta turned out to be. Engaging, lively, and friendly. Perhaps because it is located in a difficult part of the city to reach, it was great to feel like my presence was welcome. And of course, the art also impressed.

The intersection between historical subject matter and contemporary issues seemed to prevail at the fair.  As seen in Nandipha Mntambo’s hanging relief sculpture as well as in Alexander Tinei’s painting which intersected well with the scientific in Herwig Weiser’s Death before Disko and Rafael Lozano-Hemmer’s The Company of Colours. Also the edition artist of the fair was Troels Carlsen. His work was set apart from the other galleries and artists and given its own wall, much like at Robert Montgomery’s installation piece at the entrance of the Scope fair.

Death before Disko was particularly spellbinding. As I stood in front of the noisy and bright glass container, I realized that within the central area the very cold hardware was moving. The liquid was pulsating and it became very alive in my mind. When intersected with the electric sounds from below the contraption and warmth emitting from the sides, it felt like I was in the midst of a Frankenstein experiment. This very technological work was coming to life before my eyes.

After a few minutes I broke free from my trance and asked the gallerist some questions. She explained that the black ‘goo,’ for lack of a better term, dimples and spins due to a dual magnet pull. The gallery describes that the piece is meant to “return to the foundations of hardware” to “show how our relationship towards technology is more often emotional than rational.” Considering my initial reaction, I think the piece is rather successful. 

Herwig Weiser, Death before Disko, 2006

speaker, plexiglas,motor, magnetic liquide, light-emitting diode, pc

Galerie Colletpark, Paris

Nandipha Mntambo, Title and Date Unknown, cowhide, resin

Brodie/Stevenson, Johannesburg

Troels Carlsen, View of Several Works at Volta 

Alexander Tinei, Haircut, 2010

120 x 100 cm, Oil on Canvas

Erika Deák Gallery, Budapest

Rafael Lozano-Hemmer, The Company of Colours, 2009,

Shadow Box 9, Edition 1 of 6, 1AP

High resolution interactive display with built-in computerized surveillance system

bitforms gallery, New York

Event and Art Fairs: Dallas-Fort Worth, Texas

Okay, I have to admit something, because of how events have fallen into place the next two weeks are switched a bit. Instead of enjoying a Gallery or Exhibition Review this week, you will get an awesome listing on Events and Art Fairs in Dallas, Texas. Yes, the art:SAGE letters will then be out of order, but the art world will continue to spin.

For those of you who missed out on the CityArts Fest that took place from the 7th-9th of May, no worries, you still have plenty of art festival fun coming your way. The Wildflower Festival will be held at the Galatyn Park Urban Center in Richardson, Texas this weekend. The event is still going strong after 18 years of success. Although mainly a music festival, you can enjoy great events for families with plenty of festival food and some art exhibitions. It's sure to be a good time for all.  There are so many activities packed into these three days that I suggest checking  the website for the full lineup of events! 

If you don't get enough art during the Wildflower Festival, be sure to head to McKinney for the Art Walk  on Saturday, May 22nd from 10 am to 6 pm. Unlike the Wildflower festival, this is event is FREE! Yes, my favorite word! So enjoy the 75+ artists that have gathered in McKinney's Historic Downtown. 

Like art and movies (or artsy movies), well then try something different this summer.  The Modern in Fort Worth just started a film series called Magnolia at the Modern. The selection of films presented by the Magnolia Theater at the Museum includes The Secret in Their Eyes, The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo, and City of Your Final Destination. It began last weekend and will happen every weekend until July 25th. Although tickets are $8.50 a pop, its a great way to opportunity to get out to Fort Worth! My suggestion, give your car are break and take the train from Reunion Station to Fort Worth. Then spend the day in the Cultural District (yes, on foot)! 

Alright, tune back next week for my gallery review. (And don't worry, it will all go back to normal after that!) 

Events and Art Festivals: Austin Art Week

What: Austin Art Week & Austin Art City

Where: Austin, Texas

When: From Sunday the 18th of April to Sunday the 25th of April

For those of you in Texas, Austin Art Week is in full swing! The brainchild of the Art Alliance of Austin this event is a great reason to head down to the Lone Star State's capitol. Anyone who has ever been to Austin will agree, you never need a reason to go there. However, just in case you like to have reasons, Austin Art Week is a fabulous one. Why? Well perhaps because of the explosion of diverse activites that are featured, including happenings, live music, great food, and nearly 200 juried artists installations.*


So as typical of an event this great, there must be a catch. Unfortunately, it's not free. But it is pretty cheap. 15 bucks will get you a two-day pass to the Art City Austin event, free entrance to selected museums, plus a 10% museum store discount. 8 dollars gets you in on either the 24th or 25th. Not a bad deal for those on an art budget.** 


If you are not able to make it for the events from the 21st-23rd, just head down on the 24th for the weekends culminating Art City Austin events. Here is a link to the entire schedule of times and locations. Check it out and tell me how it went! 








Notes:
* In Texas, food is considered to be a particularly important social activity.
** Packages for the entire Art Week Events are $175 for the collector badge. 
The Art After Dark event did not occur this year. Sorry for any inconvenience that may have caused!

Gallery and Exhibition Reviews: Raffaello Centro D'arte

Bruno Caruso

 Pan

Renzo Meschis

Da "La Figlia di Lot" Omaggio a Guttuso

(From "The Lot's Daughter" Homage to Guttuso)

Renato Guttuso, Title and Date Unknown 

(Guttuso is not a contemporary artist, but I have included this piece in reference to Meschis' work)

Antonio Navarra

Oil on Canvas, 2009

On an uneventful weeknight in Palermo, I went to visit the Raffaello Centro d'arte (Center for the arts). I love visiting galleries versus museums because you get to see art that is made by local artists for FREE! 


Like most things in Italy, the gallery world and exhibition procedure is different from what I am used to in America. The space was pretty small, nothing larger than a standard American living room. When I walked in there were some paintings hung on the walls, but most of the work was stacked in a corner. The gallery assistant apologized for the confusion and explained that they had just finished exhibiting in another location. As I explained in the Antonello Blandi exhibition review, due to a lack of space in the galleries themselves most exhibitions are held in cultural hotspots around the city.


Finding a gallery between shows is a special treat, because you get to experience the no frills side of the art world. After a quick introduction by the assistant I was left to my own devices to wander through the space.


The work that was hung on the wall was not labeled, there was no special precedence given to any one piece.* It felt like I had just entered an artists studio. The gallery assistant gave me free rein to touch and move the works stacked against the wall and answered every question I had without hesitation and without giving me a sales pitch. She also allowed me to take photographs for the blog. (My apologies, I know they are pretty low quality!) 


Ignoring the couple of prerequisite lithographs by Salvador Dalí and Fernando Botero that seem to exist in every gallery, I was able to focus on the work of Sicilian artists Bruno Caruso, Renato Guttuso, and Meschis, and as well as other Italians, such as Roman artist Navarra.**


Here are a few of their works, if you have any questions about a particular piece you can contact the gallery directly or just email me!

Notes:

* Due to the lack of labels near the work, and the fact that I was not entirely sure the gallery assistant actually worked for the gallery, the paintings featured lack some information. If you really want some information, just email me and I will try to get it for you! 

**Although I do love the work done by Dali and Botero, this blog is focused on featuring  contemporary local artists. Also, I say prerequisite, because in my experience most galleries that focus purely on sales rather than exhibiting their artists seem to have one or two lithographs by a well-known artist hanging around. 

Events and Art Festivals: Corpus Christi, Texas

What:  Festival of the Arts 

               "Chalk it up for the Arts"

Where: Art Center of Corpus Christi

                 100 N. Shoreline

                 Corpus Christi, Texas

When: 26th-28th of March 2010

Times: Friday: 5:30-8PM, Saturday: 10AM-7PM, Sunday: 10AM-5PM 

I am a big fan of two very fun things, festivals and chalk. So, it should come as no surprise that I chose to write about the latest event taking place in Texas this coming weekend. Held at the Art Center of Corpus Christi, the festival begins with a ceremony and reception to officially open the exhibition. The festival's main attraction is the Italian Street Painting done by returning artists Julie Kirk and Melanie Stimmell. There are also many other art exhibitions, demonstrations, and performances (on Saturday and Sunday) free to the public. Not to mention the several arts activities for kids, including printmaking, mosaic making, and collage making labs. This is a great opportunity to see how great collaboration between different arts programs can make for a really fun event. So for those of you near enough, get out to Corpus Christi for some art time near the beach! 

Below are some examples of previous Italian Street Painting at the 2007 Festival of the Arts in Corpus. As always, get out there and enjoy the art!

Bella Via, Festival of the Arts 2007

Homere et Son Guide, Festival of the Arts 2007

Gallery and Exhibition Reviews: Antonello Blandi Exhibition in Palermo, Sicily

Notte Siciliana (Sicilian Night)

Mixed Media on Canvas, 100 x 100 cm

Da Palermo A Palermo (From Palermo to Palermo)

Mixed Media on Canvas, 100x 100 cm

I recently moved back to my hometown of Palermo in Sicily, primarily, with hopes of living in a quiet place where I could finish my MA thesis. But also to reconnect with my roots and discover what the art scene is like in Palermo. Since my family is still very much established in the city, I had the opportunity to visit the exhibition reception for a local artist. Antonello Blandi mixes three concepts in his paintings.  He begins by taking a traditional theme here in Sicily, the local landscape (known as Paesaggi in Italian, because it mixes the village-scape within the land). He then adds in an eclectic and arbitrary element: impressionist, abstract, surrealist, etc. All of which are depicted in vibrant colors taken from the Mediterranean setting. 

Antonello Blandi

Giorgio Matranga Eventi presenta: Scaramanpittando* 

Villa Niscemi

Opening Reception: 6th of March 2010 18:30PM

Exhibition from 5th of March until 11th of March 2010

Opening hours: M-F 9:30-13:30 & 16:30-19:30 S/Sun 9:30-12:30

Website Link


Situated along the walls of the front room, sprinkled across the courtyard, and on easels in the back room were displayed Blandi’s brightly colored paintings. The exhibition at the Villa Niscemi is very different from those I have experienced in the UK and the US. For instance, the exhibition stays open for less than a week in this location, and then the works are moved to a gallery. As odd as this seems, it actually is a great way to get loads of people to come to see the works in a historical, but homelike atmosphere.

The brightly colored paintings were highlighted against the wooden walls in the front room and  the stucco walls in the back room. Unfortunately, the Antipasto table and influx of people traveling through to the main gallery space overshadowed the paintings placed on easels in the courtyard. Which is a shame, because of all the paintings, I believe these were the most captivating in technique and subject. Another interesting aspect is that there is no information available listed about the paintings. Although this meant the work was appreciated for its aesthetic value alone, it did make it very difficult to talk to the artist about a particular piece. 

Blandi implements many of the tools of his trade as a graphic designer to highlight Sicilian icons in bright colors and simple shapes. He then adds to this style by drawing upon art historical influences. Da Palermo A Palermo is reminiscent of Van Gogh's Bedroom in Arles (1888), but it also retains a Surrealist characteristic. When I asked the artist about his decisions to place the city's buildings on top of objects, I received a blunt, albeit slightly disillusioning answer. Without reserve the artist proclaimed that while some artists create work to satisfy philosophical or idealistic concerns, he paints to paint. He also realizes that his audience has diverse aesthetic tastes. For instance, some people like scenes with water or boats, while others might prefer chairs. As an older artist, he has realized that art is as much about originality and invention as it is about meeting the practical needs of both the artist and the viewer. 

Alba Siciliana (Sicilian Dawn)

Mixed Media on canvas, 100 x100 cm

Untitled 

Lithography Poster

*Note: Scaramanpittando is a conjunction of two words: scaramanzia and dipingere. Scaramanzia mean superstition, while dipingere means to paint. This link will bring you to the event page, check out the photos from the opening reception. 

Event Listing: Valentine's Day Weekend

Put the art in heart on Valetine's Day this year by checking out a few a FREE event in cities near you!


Stateside


Dallas
Sweet Start to the Chinese New Year!
Crow Collection of Asian Art
2010 Flora Street
Dallas, TX 75201-2335
Sunday, February 14th 2010
12:00 PM to 2:00 PM
"Start the New Year sweetly with performances, complimentary tea and hot chocolate, and a Chinese candy "bar" at the Crow Collection." While you are there, check out the museums collection of traditional Chinese snuff bottles!


San Diego
Have a Stroll in the Park
Balboa Park
1549 El Prado San Diego, CA 92101-1699
Every Day, All Day
Museums and Attractions are not free, but bring a thermos of hot chocolates and walk around the largest urban park in North America! The park is filled with beautiful architecture and lush landscape. (Don't forget an umbrella!)


Cambridge
Community Gymcraftics Series
The West Cambridge Youth Center
680 Huron Ave. Cambridge, MA 02138
Sunday, February 14th  
4:30 PM - 6:00 PM
What do you get if you mix art, exercise, music, and movement? Gymcraftics. This is a great activity for single people and couples to build a sense of trust and community...and have fun!


Europe


Bristol
Love Food Festival
at Paintworks, off Bath Rd
Arnos Vale, Bristol, United Kingdom BS4 3EH
Sunday, February 14th
10:30 AM- 4:00 PM
Local food, drinks, and crafts, the Love Food Festival is great place for couples, friends, and families to go. Enjoy art and music by local artisans. There are plenty of stalls that should grab your attention!


Brussels

Bozar !Mexico! Festival
at the Center for Fine Arts
Rue Ravenstein 23, 1000 Brussels, Belgium
January 16th until April 25th 2010
Tuesday to Sunday, 10:00AM - 6:00PM, until 9:00PM on Thursdays
Add a little spice to your Valentine's Day weekend with a series of exhibitions on Mexican art and artists. 

Roquemaure
Lover's Festival
all over Roquemaure
Roquemaure, France 30150
Visit the website for information on the various events throughout the weekend, as well as some nifty information on the roots of St. Valentine's Day. On Sunday, the relics of St. Valentine are held in the church and processed through town, there are also fireworks and markets in the town square. 

Don't forget that Mardi Gras/Carnival passes over Valentine's Day this year, so there are plenty of festivals throughout Europe and the States! These events are typically great places to grab some unique art finds!