Monday, December 27, 2010

Highlights 2010


2010

... has been a GREAT year and I am already EXCITED about next year! 
Thank you ALL for your support so far.

Here are my 2010 highlights:

1. Julie Mehretu at the Guggenheim

2. Charles LeDray at the Whitney

3. "Live-in Sessions" at the Metropolitan.


5. Jacob Samuel "Outside the Box" at Hammer Museum (L.A.)

6. William Kentridge at the MoMA

7. Anj Smith at the Hauser & Wirth Gallery

8. Joseph Beuys at the Mary Boone Gallery


10. Chris Doyle at the Andrew Edlin Gallery

11. Marina Abromovic at MoMA

..... Oh.... and so much more.... I could just go on and on!!  


The 15th of January we will be flying out of JFK to move to London after I have lived in America for nearly 15 years! Slightly stressful now with all that needs to be organized, but how THRILLED I am at being allowed to "discover" a new City and a new Art World. 
Looking forward to sharing with YOU my ART impressions of 2011


HAPPY NEW YEAR!
With Love
Kristin







Thursday, December 23, 2010

Transparent.... Christmas!

from the teapot show at the Rose Burlingham Gallery

EVA FAYE
Studio Visit

On Monday night I was invited to visit Eva Faye´s studio in downtown New York. Being welcomed into someone's studio can sometimes feel like you are invited into their heart, it has something sacred about it. This is how it felt like with Eva a heartwarming moment. 
I thought that the white and the transparent serious fit beautifully here as my Merry Christmas greeting to you. Eva Faye has a gentle and very careful thought out touch to her work, I can contemplate her deep consideration in every stroke or puncture.  She works mostly with oil, pencil, charcoal and lately vellum.

Please consider that the pictures I took make her work look a lot darker than they are in real.

Eva Faye

 "White Series"




"Transparent drawings"

This series is probably my favorite. It has a mystical ethnical beauty lingering over them.


 From the Oyster series

"3"

Eva Faye grew up in Norway but has lived in America most of her grown up life.
In February 2011 Norwegians will have a chance to see Eva Faye and Frank Brunner's work at Bærum Kunstforening.

Wishing you all a wonderful Holliday
With CHRISTMAS Love
Kristin


Monday, December 20, 2010

A Fire in My Belly


David Wojnarowicz
"A Fire In My Belly"
Removed from the Smithsonian Institute 
Now showing at the New Museum

It is Christmas and I know that I should be be presenting more bright and uplifting Art, I apologize. Instead I am showing shots from "A Fire In My Belly" because I think it is IMPORTANT.
This might be the most political Art Piece today and it was made in 1992.... The artist died of Aids the same year. In November the Smithsonian Institute removed the silent movie from their exhibit "Hide/Seek difference and desire in American Portraiture". The Catholic Church pressured them into removing it. 

I want to warn you that the pictures bellow are strong, but I am still a defender of free speech and surprised that a religious institution can have this power over an Art institution.
I therefore think it was brave of the New Museum to react quickly and show the silent movie immediately in their lobby. 
When I look at these pictures that I took I feel that they are even more disturbing than when I actually watched the film... Not because my pictures are good, but because you can stop up and stare at the shot, in the movie everything happens fast. The shot with the ants crawling over Christ happens within a few seconds.

According to Diamanda Galas (the famous singer/composer) a friend who was an inspiration behind this movie:

"Ants are only one of the many insects and animals that cover a man removed from his village and deposited in a leper asylum. There would also be maggots and rats and crows. David was gentle I must insist."

Bellow are shots from the film:

















Disturbing, but also with a strong message for those that suffer!

I must admit that I am nearly scared of posting this post. I hope that "A Fire In My Belly" will make you understand the power of free speech and that it is important that we keep it for our future.
I also do think that the Catholic Church by being so offended by the film that they demanded it removed from a public institution made the message even stronger. It also makes people like me more curious about what Bill Donohue calls "Hate Speech" really is about.

David intended it to be "a Poetic meditation on humanity, life, death, faith and suffering made in part as a response to the AIDS related death of his good friend Peter Hujar"
        -New Museum


With Love
Kristin

Thursday, December 16, 2010

Ancient Near East


Cylinder seals and modern impression
Mesopotamia
around 14th Century B.C.


Metropolitan Museum
Cradle of Civilization
5th "Live-in" session

Again I had a guided tour, this time to the Ancient Near East. A section rather small on the second floor that otherwise I don't think would have kept my attention for very long. But together with four other enthusiastic learners, among them a young hipster from Singapore who impressed with his added knowledge and a wonderful volunteer who was enthusiastically telling us about the "Cradle of Civilization" it ended up being a great extended hour filled with wonders.

Look at the above seals, these little cylinders had a persons symbolized story on it and by rolling it over it became their signature. They would usually hang it around their neck so it could be used at all time, like a form of identification, amazing.


Map of Mesopotamia

Tablets in Clay
Mesopotamia
Ca. 2000-3000 B.C.

The top tablet is early writing about wheat and barley quantities. The Mesopotamian land had a rich soil and was easy to farm and barley was often used as payment to the workers. Early on they learned how to control the rivers for irrigation. Flooding though could be extremely destructive and put a lot of stress on the people. They reached for the Gods for help. The temple was the God of the city and the main job of the ruler was to nourish the relationship with the Gods.


This little figure has it's face covered by its offering, so you are interestingly forced to look at it from it's side. Seemingly something common from what I saw, most of the pieces looked best from the side.


the entrance to the Northwest Palace 
of Ashurnasirpal II At Nimrud
883-859 B.C.

 If you ever go and look at these horse/humans guarding the palace, look at the legs. The horses has five legs so it would look beautiful from both the front and the side.

Part of the wall inside the castle

The Professional way
Babylon
glazed Lion panel
(1792-1750 B.C.)

From the panels leading through the massive gate from the Temple of Marduk (city god of Babylon) to the Bit Akitu, the temple of the New Years festival.



Vessel terminating in the forepart of a 
fantastic iconine creature
Gold/Iran
Achaemenid period, 5th century B.C.

Gorgeous vessel probably belonging to an Achaemenid King.


Striding figure with ibex horns, a raptor skin draped around the shoulders and upturned boots
Arsenical copper
Iran or Mesopotamia
ca. 3000 B.C.

Created around the time of the first Sumerian cities emerged, when the figures began to represent more the human shape. With the triple belt and the beard this one is supposed to represent a royal or divine human being. Quite a bit of a demonic looking royal i would say.

Statue of Gudea
Diorite
Mesopotamia 
Ca. 2150 B.C.

This figure makes me think of peace. The seated pose with the hands folded is a traditional gesture of greeting and attentiveness. Parts of the inscription says:
"Gudea, the man who built the temple, may his life be long"

Head of a ruler
Arsenical copper
Iran (?)
2300-2000 B.C.

To read more about this head and theories of it being Ur-Namma here: 
You will notice my picture:)




 
The Royal Cemetery at Ur
(ca. 2600-2200 B.C.)

In these burial cites (part of hundreds) that probably belonged to the royal family of Ur, the deceased were buried with male and female guards and attendants in full dress and with chariots drawn by equids and oxen. A great source for illuminating life and customs in Sumer. I think the rest of the burial site is in Pennsylvania and at the British Museum.

Vessel stand with ibex support
Copper alloy, inlaid with shell and lapis lazuli
Mesopotamia
(Early Dynastic III 2600-2350 B.C.)

This stand was probably used for incense or offerings at a ritual.

Seated female
steatite or chlorite, limestone
Central Asia (Bactria-Margiana)
Late 3rd-early 2nd millennium B.C.

She is wearing a voluminous sheepskin robe, I adore this little figure of divinity.

Statuette of a female
Ceramic
Northwestern Iran, Caspian region
(Early 1st millenium B.C.)

Do you remember the Cycladic female? with the large wonderful buttocks. The Caspians put it all in the hips:)

Quiver plaque with animals and mythological scenes
Bronze
Western Iran
(Early 1st millenium B.C.)

A gorgeous sword scabbard.

Vessel fragment in the form of nude female
Ceramic, paint
Southwestern Iran
Neo-Elamite period (8th - 7th Century B.C.)

I had a sigh of relief when I noticed this one. Somehow a little humor and sensuality does not hurt while you are out to learn.

Clothing from a horseman along the Silk Road

The Silk Road was the trade routes that connected the East, South and Western Asia with the Mediterranean world, also North and Northeast Africa and Europe. The word stemming from Chinese silk trade from over 3000 years back in time.

Next up in the "Live-in Sessions" is the Oceanic Room and I can´t wait to tell you all about it. Impressive!

With Love 
Kristin