PINTA

Cecilia Paredes (Peru)

Armadillo, 2001

Blanca Berlin Galeria 

(Madrid)

PINTA

The Modern and Contemporary Latin American Art Show

Preview Evening, London 

Yesterday, I jumped at the opportunity of going to the Pinta Preview Evening at the Earls Court Exhibition Center. This is the second fair they are holding in London, but it has been going on in New York for about 5 years. The pulsating Art environment in Latin America these days are smiting itself into our consciousness and I am trying to follow it closely.

Sao Paulo, I think will be a new Art Capital, competing on good terms with Berlin, London and New York. The Brazilian economy is faring pretty well these days and they are spending money on ART!

Abraham Palatnik

Nara Rosler Galeria

(Sao Paulo)

Laura Vinci

Nara Roesler Galeria

(Sao Paulo)

Liliana Porter (Argentinian)

Green Bird, 2007

Galeria espacio Minimo

(Madrid)

Pedro Tyler (Uruguayan living in Chile)

Aninat Isabel Galeria 

(Santiago)

Pedro Tyler

"My Country is the Whole World"

Colectivo Aninat & Swinburn

Colectivo Aninat & Swinburn

Galeria Isabel Aninat

(Santiago)

Rivane Neuenschwander

Prosopopeia, 2010

Galeria Fortes Vilaca

(Sao Paulo)

Rivane Neuenschwander

"Prosopopeia 2010 is an installation consisting of four tables on which the artist has designed and set out a series of word games made from organic and edible materials... Dehydrated and peeled oranges become giant alphabet letters and can be arranged into aluminum bowls; coconut soap bars have letters carved out, filled with pepper and beet root powder and arranged like a scrabble set; screen printed letters on wood can be dug into channels of pepper powder and hollow eggs reveal secret letters that are exposed only by offering them up to a naked light bulb."

           Galeria Fortes Vilaca

Eduardo Basualdo

Ruth Benzacar Galeria de Arte

(Buenos Aires)

Look closely and you will see the sword swiping through... this is part of a larger installation.

Alejandro Pintado (Mexico)

Post Box Gallery 

(London)

Santiago Montoya (Colombia)

Tri Amigos

Artworks. b146

(Zurich)

Santiago Montaya

"Ever since I was a child I wanted to become an artist, a painter I thought.

When I got there i was warned I shouldn´t paint.

But I am a stubborn fool: I had to do it.

17 years later here I am.

Santiago Montaya

Manuela Viera-Gallo (Chilean born in Rome)

Y Gallery 

(Queens)

These birds and owls are quite fascinating when you see them up close. As Yoab Vera from the Gallery excitedly explains the artist feels she is constantly compelled to move, more forced than by her own will. She "Keeps flying".

Tania Candiani (Mexico)

Seguridad Portatil (Portable security)

Y Gallery

(Queens)

Lisa Iglesias (Norwegian/Dominican, born NY)

"A story we tell ourselves about ourselves" 2011

Y Gallery 

(Queens)

An immaculate drawing.

Cristina Ataide 

Galeria Magda Bellotti

(Madrid)

Cristina Ataide´s sculpture of a vulcanic Island Mountain made me nearly trip, here it is in its tiny grandeur.

Gaston Ugalde

Siguaraya Gallery

(La Paz)

Claudia Jaguaribe

Biblioteca

Claudia Jaguaribe

Favela

Baro Galeria

(Sao Paulo)

These were actually my favorites. Fitting what I am always looking for here at ArtEco, great Contemporary Art with an Environmental tone. The gallerist Adriano Casanova had a busy job trying to talk to all the interested. I thought he nearly needed a body guard... especially since he was trying to hold onto another piece of art situated in front of this last very popular picture, afraid that it would be pulled down in the middle of the frenzy. The photos are hot, hot, hot and selling out by the minute.

Juan Pablo Echeverri (Colombia)

Edel Assanti Gallery

(London)

Strong photos about the real superhero's out there by Juan Pablo Echeverri. He has taken a whole series about the hard working immigrants in America, where he is showing what they work as and then telling the story about how much they send home to their families. This super hero here is Noe Reyes from the State of Puebla. He works as a delivery boy in Brooklyn, New York. He sends 500 dollars a week.

How unselfish, what a hero!!

Sonir Falcone

I ended it in the Champagne room... a hypnotizing disco with changing video effects. There was not much information about this work, but a kind young man was willing to help me out. It turned out he was the artist assistant... Her name is Sonir Falcone and googling her I am showing that she is married to Mr. Pierre Falcone an Angolean Unesco Ambassador. The whole thing seemed quite mysterious. Is this her gallery as well? Or what gallery represents her? I asked, he could not answer. But he smiled and laughed and said it is called "Window of the Soul" and that it is about the cycle of life.

With Love

Kristin

A short Life of Trouble

Marcia Tucker

"A short life of trouble,

forty years in the new york art world"

(edited by Lisa Lou)

I lived myself into the life of Marcia Tucker like I could meet her tomorrow. Maybe suddenly she would be standing in front of me at an opening in Manhattan, I thought. Then I would not hesitate to tell her how inspiring I thought her book was and how much I actually cried while reading it.

Then I realized Marcia Tucker is not here anymore.... I will never be able to meet her.

Architects:

Seijma & Ryue Nishizawa

SANAA 

Marcia Tucker you could say culminated in the building of the New Museum on Bowery.

After having been fired as an secretary at the MoMA really young with these words:

"why aren't these sharpened" Lieberman asked (after she would not come back to work on a Saturday)

"Because you are not doing it the right way. You stick them up your ass and turn hard, that's what does it"

Broke, daring and not compromising. She went on to assist a portrait painter, and gradually by meeting the right people and throwing herself with passion into the Art World, it lead her to an incredible carrier at the Whitney.

How i wished I could have seen some of the exhibits that she curated. She brought forward artists like Bruce Nauman and Richard Tuttle in the 70's. As a strong feminist Woman of the time, she managed to arrange solo exhibits for Ree Morton, Gladys Nilsson, Nancy Graves, Jane Kaufmann, Lee Krasner and Joan Mitchell. Thinking this was nearly 40 years ago, it is quite amazing, since still there are still few and far between the female solo shows.

When her exhibitions became to progressive for The Whitney, they fired her. 

But, here comes my favorite part, instead of letting that bring her down. She put the little money she had left about $1,200 and began her adventures with "The New Museum". Building a new Museum from the bottom up.

Although she resigned her position as the Director of the New Museum in 1998 and died in 2006.

There would have never been a "New Museum" as we know it without her daring enthusiasm to start it and bring it forward.

The New Museum is still a progressive place where they give new Artists Solo shows. Like Urs Fischer and Rivane Neuenschwander.

Dear Marcia Tucker! 

I wish I had met you! 

You are one of those that tells us: 

"Yes, You can do it too!"

  

I Wish Your Wish

Rivane Neuenschwander

A day like any other

New Museum

If you feel out of luck one day or otherwise not your happy self? You should go for a visit to the New Museum right now. It's hosting one of the most uplifting and giving exhibits by the artist Rivane Neuenschwander. 

The exhibit includes past work like "Rain Rains" from 2002 with hanging leaking and receiving buckets, more beautiful than it sounds. And new ones like "A Conversation" Inspired by the Coppola movie with the same name. Here she raided a large corner space for Bug-devices. Funny idea, back in fashion now with all these Russian spies around, some whom might be hanging out at your next garden party....

My favorite was (of course) the "I Wish Your Wish" piece, and the attendance to this piece is even for free! It is installed in the lobby, in a large glass room where there are thousands of silk ribbons with different wish messages, hanging from small holes in the wall. 

I was allowed to pick two wishes, one was "I wish for a long life for my children" and another that is secret:). 

Michael, who works there (also an artist) helped twining these around my wrist and helpfully said; that one will have to wear them until they fall off, so the wish will come true. After this, you write down two of your own made up wishes to give back, then you place them in the empty wholes from the ribbons that have been taken. Maybe someone else will get your wish one day?

Rivane Neuenschwander´s idea came from a church from Brazil (Rivane is Brazilian) where they actually tied ribbons to their wrists and the gates to the church as a tradition. When they fell off their wishes was granted.

I took this blurry picture quickly in the elevator at the New Museum thinking I have a chance to take plenty more.... But, little did I know the ribbons disappeared during the evening that day, and I have no idea where and when? I guess that means my wishes are now granted?

I hope so! Sending good wishes to you all! 

with Love Kristin