Pace Gallery is currently hosting its first exhibition of Japanese artist Yoshitomo Nara, who joined the gallery in 2011. The exhibition features new paintings, bronze sculptures and works on paper.
I liked his paintings more than the large bronze sculptures. Here are a couple of my favorites from Friday night’s opening reception. Continue reading Yoshitomo Nara at Pace Gallery
In celebration of what would have been John Lennon’s 71st Birthday this coming Sunday, Lennon’s widow Yoko Ono, in association with Bag One Arts will present Gimme Some Truth, a four-day exhibit of John’s original art work in a pop-up gallery space downtown. Continue reading Gimme Some Truth: Artwork by John Lennon On Exhibit 10/7 -10, 2011
Although it opened way back in November, it took me until yesterday to get to the Flag Art Foundation to check out artist Cary Kwok’s latest show, Obsession – mainly because the gallery’s minimal hours have kept me from getting all the way over to West 25th Street and 11th Avenue on a week day. Thank god that Flag has Saturday hours, because I really would have hated to miss such a fantastic and unusual exhibit!
Continue reading Must See Art: Cary Kwok’s Obsession at Flag Art Foundation
A lot of people I know wet their pants with excitement every time Tim Burton directs a film, but I am not so easily impressed. With the exception of 1994’s Ed Wood, which is a work of genius, most of Burton’s films are heavily flawed, poorly directed and a staggering celebration of style over substance that just leaves me puzzled. I realize that I am in the minority on this one, but I doubt my opinion could be swayed. I still plan to see Burton’s take on Alice in Wonderland when it comes out next year, but I plan to get very high first.
My lack of fan-ship when it comes to Burton’s films, however, does not crossover to my view of his artwork, which is pretty amazing. If you’ve seen the illustrations in his book, The Melancholy Death of Oyster Boy, you know what I am talking about. So I was very psyched to read just this morning that a retrospective of Burton’s paintings and drawings is coming to the NYC Museum of Modern Art in under two weeks. Burton himself offers that the exhibit is “going to be an out-of-body experience.” Here’s what New York Magazine has to say about the Burton retrospective: “For the show, curators Jenny He and Ron Magliozzi raided Burton’s curiosity cabinets for more than 500 photographs, paintings, doodles, storyboards, stories, sculptures, and sketches dating back to his student years at the California Institute of the Arts. Many have nothing to do with the films he’s directed. Some are on canvas, many on notebook paper. Quite a few are on cocktail napkins. ‘Sometimes these things look like they’re just weird,” Burton says, “but I don’t keep a journal or a diary. They help me to remember a certain feeling — they become time capsules.’” Holy crap, this sounds like one more show not to miss!
Tim Burton at MOMA opens November 22nd!
It is no secret that The Beatles were the greatest band ever in the universe of all time. For those Beatles and John Lennon fans in or near New York City, Sunday October 12, 2008 is the final day to see a moving and impressive collection of John Lennon’s drawings and song lyrics entitled “Imagine Peace.” Geoffrey and I went yesterday and spent about an hour enjoying the funny, insightful and often provocative collection of over 100 drawings and framed lyrics of songs from both The Beatles’ and Lennon’s solo catalogs. Some of my favorites were colorful sketches John did with his son Sean, like the frog drawing seen above. They also play Beatles songs non-stop over the gallery’s sound system, which makes it an even more enjoyable experience, because you can work in a little dancing! Sadly, the exhibit has a limited run which ends this evening. Do try to make it by if you can. Gallery address info is below.
Exhibit is at Openhouse Gallery, 201 Mulberry St., in SoHo. Hours: Thursday night 5-9; Friday 12-9 p.m.; Sat. 11 a.m. – 8 p.m.; Sun. 11 a.m.-6p.m. The suggested $2 donation benefits City Meals-On-Wheels.
