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| Phil Wohlrab: "Aerial Landscape" |
Saturday, February 26, 2011
Phil Wohlrab: Digital Illustrations
Monday, February 21, 2011
The "Censored" Robert Mapplethorpe exhibit at the Montclair Art Museum
The Montclair Art Museum has an exhibit running from Feb 4- July 17 of Robert Mapplethorpe's flowers.
Once the leper of the art world, Mapplethorpe propelled sexuality and homo-erotic images into the public forum through his photography. Beginning his body of work with simple subjects such as flowers, he was able to personify them much like Andre Kertez, the Hungarian born photographer did in his work. As he matured, his personal life emerged through his work as it does with many artists.
The Montclair Museum is willing to curate a show with a high profile name surrounded by controversy, yet they are unwilling to use the images that catapulted him into notoriety. The text about the exhibit contradicts the exhibit.
The website explains "Best known for his portraiture, depictions of contemporary gay life, and documentation of sexual subcultures, he was a key member of the New York avant-garde of the 1970s and 80s, counting among his closest artistic colleagues the musician, artist, and poet Patti Smith, as well as Andy Warhol. His renown continued to increase after his untimely death from AIDS-related causes, and today he remains a figure of both celebrity and controversy." yet no images relating to this description are included.
I applaud the publicity stunt, but censoring art in this era is a insulting to the art world in general. Its been 21 years since the Dennis Barrie, the Director of the Contemporary Arts Center in Cincinnati was arrested for a Mapplethorpe exhibit titled The Perfect Moment. This showdown started one prong of the culture wars and set the precedent for what was acceptable and charges of "pandering obscenity" against Barrie were dismissed.
The Museum is subliminally telling the audience that while they are willing to use his powerful name to draw visitors, they are not willing to use his controversial images that made him an important figure in the art world. He dismantled barriers that once confined artists with the bondage of irrational conformity and public approval.
The obvious contradiction between text and images creates a paradox within the exhibit and makes one wonder who their intended audience really is and what their motivation for a censored exhibit is. This is a classic example of how "the inclusion of exclusion" is still unfolding in our daily life and permeates art long after we thought it had stopped.
Once the leper of the art world, Mapplethorpe propelled sexuality and homo-erotic images into the public forum through his photography. Beginning his body of work with simple subjects such as flowers, he was able to personify them much like Andre Kertez, the Hungarian born photographer did in his work. As he matured, his personal life emerged through his work as it does with many artists.
The Montclair Museum is willing to curate a show with a high profile name surrounded by controversy, yet they are unwilling to use the images that catapulted him into notoriety. The text about the exhibit contradicts the exhibit.
The website explains "Best known for his portraiture, depictions of contemporary gay life, and documentation of sexual subcultures, he was a key member of the New York avant-garde of the 1970s and 80s, counting among his closest artistic colleagues the musician, artist, and poet Patti Smith, as well as Andy Warhol. His renown continued to increase after his untimely death from AIDS-related causes, and today he remains a figure of both celebrity and controversy." yet no images relating to this description are included.
I applaud the publicity stunt, but censoring art in this era is a insulting to the art world in general. Its been 21 years since the Dennis Barrie, the Director of the Contemporary Arts Center in Cincinnati was arrested for a Mapplethorpe exhibit titled The Perfect Moment. This showdown started one prong of the culture wars and set the precedent for what was acceptable and charges of "pandering obscenity" against Barrie were dismissed.
The Museum is subliminally telling the audience that while they are willing to use his powerful name to draw visitors, they are not willing to use his controversial images that made him an important figure in the art world. He dismantled barriers that once confined artists with the bondage of irrational conformity and public approval.
The obvious contradiction between text and images creates a paradox within the exhibit and makes one wonder who their intended audience really is and what their motivation for a censored exhibit is. This is a classic example of how "the inclusion of exclusion" is still unfolding in our daily life and permeates art long after we thought it had stopped.
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| Mapplethorpe: "Anjitto, 1981 Photo Credit: Mapplethorpe Foundation |
Saturday, February 19, 2011
Tattoo Artist: Geoff Horn
Check out local tattoo artist Geoff Horn at www.holeintheskytattoos.com
All images are the property of Geoff Horn.
Please contact the artist directly for permission to use any of these images.
Geoff Horn - Email link
Shop phone 908.925.5288 / Cell phone 973.930.5990
Friday, February 11, 2011
Waiting for Submissions
While we're waiting for submissions, I'm going to periodically add images to the blog just to keep it fresh.
This is NOT intended to be focused on the Editor in any way, just as a way to keep things fresh when people log in to check it out while we're waiting for submissions from all of the creative people I know are out there!
If you have sent a submission and do not see it posted, please reach out to me to make sure I received it.
Have a creative day.
This is NOT intended to be focused on the Editor in any way, just as a way to keep things fresh when people log in to check it out while we're waiting for submissions from all of the creative people I know are out there!
If you have sent a submission and do not see it posted, please reach out to me to make sure I received it.
Have a creative day.
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| Graffiti under the elevated track on Broadway - Bushwick, Brooklyn |
Monday, February 7, 2011
Local artist: Nad Ronnoco, set #2
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| Nad Ronnoco; "Masked" / Size 30 x40 / [SOLD] |
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| Nad Ronnoco; "Dinner" / Size 30 x 40 / Available $125 |
Contact Nad Ronnoco email by clicking HERE
Or hit him up on Facebook by clicking HERE
Local artist: Nad Ronnoco, set #1
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| Nad Ronnoco: " Fedro Tribute 1" / Size 36 x 48 [SOLD] |
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| Nad Ronnoco, "Fedro Tribute " / Size 36 x 48 [$125 - Available, but on Display] |
Submissions to Montclair Vibe
I was recently asked if artists could submit their work if they lived in Verona. YES!
I should have said Montclair and "towns in close proximity". My apologies for excluding anyone.
Open to: Painter, photographers, tattoo artists, mixed media, musicians, writers, fabric, metal work, sculpture, ceramic, jewelry design and any others who wold like to add a sample of their work to the blog.
Clear images of the work, along with medium, sizes and any contact information you would like added. Short bio's and.or links to your personal website are welcome.
Please send inquiries & submissions to MontclairVibe@gmail.com
I should have said Montclair and "towns in close proximity". My apologies for excluding anyone.
Open to: Painter, photographers, tattoo artists, mixed media, musicians, writers, fabric, metal work, sculpture, ceramic, jewelry design and any others who wold like to add a sample of their work to the blog.
Clear images of the work, along with medium, sizes and any contact information you would like added. Short bio's and.or links to your personal website are welcome.
Please send inquiries & submissions to MontclairVibe@gmail.com
Friday, February 4, 2011
Winter and Martinis
Winter is a pain in the ass, especially this winter. I grew up in Buffalo so imagine having to deal with this every year? It will melt - its just a matter of "when".
In the mean time, maybe we can get some colorful submissions to brighten things up visually.
A Blog for Artists in Essex County; Creating a Positive Forum for all Artists
As arts organizations are beginning to crumble, and other website are geared toward online bickering between people (who apparently find fault with everything in and around Montclair) and less creative use of text, this blog was launched as a way to put all of the cool stuff going on into one place.
Some of it will be extracted from the news, but most of it will stuff that is discovered from the most important source of information: The People who live in the area and the artist who are creating the work.
The International Montclair Film Festival set up shop a while ago, and will be launching at the end of this year. I would love to see some amateur film makers start working on shorts as an inspiration for what this town can really create.
Send photos, paintings and music clips! I will post them.
Local talent playing somewhere? Please let me know.
Creative ideas that are being overlooked? Send those also.
RULES of this blog: This is a forum to promote positive creativity and to support the arts and artists in the area who give Montclair its "creative reputation".
Welcome to Montclair Vibe!
Some of it will be extracted from the news, but most of it will stuff that is discovered from the most important source of information: The People who live in the area and the artist who are creating the work.
The International Montclair Film Festival set up shop a while ago, and will be launching at the end of this year. I would love to see some amateur film makers start working on shorts as an inspiration for what this town can really create.
Send photos, paintings and music clips! I will post them.
Local talent playing somewhere? Please let me know.
Creative ideas that are being overlooked? Send those also.
RULES of this blog: This is a forum to promote positive creativity and to support the arts and artists in the area who give Montclair its "creative reputation".
Welcome to Montclair Vibe!
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