I took this in the waiting room of the government building where we witnessed the wedding of our friend Dan to his German boyfriend Adrian. I’m sure the man who officiated does dinner theater on weekends. The room laughed through the entire ceremony.
Bats are so romantic, aren’t they? The images are displayed upside down, so that the bats seem to be standing but are actually hanging from branches.
I only know the two people on the right — the fabulous Ricky and Uta.
Sorry for the lack of posting. Too busy seeing stuff to write about it, as we’re only home long enough to sleep.
From today:
Installation view of Fraktale IV at the Palast der Republik.
Yesterday we lucked into joining a group visiting the Hoffman Collection. Not only was the art impressive, it is in one of the most perfect apartments in Berlin – room after room in the Hackesher Höfe.
In Germany, the entrance to the Reichstag (parliament/legislature) building is right there on a street, where taxis and bicycles ride by (but no private cars), and regular people can walk right up and say hello to the top leaders walking out to their black chauffured cars.
Reichtag eastern entrance
Reichstag eastern entrance, with a line visible where the Berlin Wall once stood. The Marie Elizabeth Lüders Haus is in the background.
The British are a bit more paranoid. Their embassy is on a public street, but it is closed to all vehicular traffic, with police and barricades at either end of the block.
British Embassy in Berlin
Jennifer Dalton, Contemporary Art According to Jen, 2002, Powerpoint presentation in 32 slides
One of my favorite conceptual artists working in New York now is Jennifer Dalton. Ed Winkleman has a post with her request for visual artists to fill out an anonymous survey on how they live. If you are an artist, head on over.
My favorite shows in Williamsburg right now:
Ryan Wolfe, Sketch of a Field of Grass at Dam Stuhltrager, which presents technology imitating nature in a beautiful way,
plus, two group shows by the same curator — Elena Sorokina:
Siemon Allen, Cards (detail)
Enemy Image at Momenta
and
Russian Redux #1 at Schroeder Romero
Harriet Miers and George Bush, still from an AP video
For a couple of minutes, I had a post up about Harriet Miers, the new Supreme Court nominee, being a board member of Exodus Ministries. According to Law Dork, via Wonkette, this is not the “Freedom from homosexuality through the healing power of Jesus Christ” organization, but a Dallas based-organization which “seeks to encourage ex-offenders, to reunite them with their families, and to empower them to become self-sustaining, productive, Christ-centered members of society.” No word yet on what they do with non-Christian ex-cons.
Still, this is one of the least qualified people I have seen in a while being nominated. The employment section of the Washington Post story is pretty underwhelming:
Experience: 2004-present, White House counsel; 2003-2004, White House deputy chief of staff for policy; 2001-2003, White House staff secretary; 1995-2001, chairwoman, Texas Lottery Commission; 1972-2000, private law practice; 1992, president, Dallas Bar Association; 1989-1991, member, Dallas City Council; 1985, president, Dallas Bar Association.
According to Atrios, even some right-wingers thing she’s a joke.
James heard about the nomination today and said, “She can’t possibly get approved.” My response was, “Justice Thomas. There is nothing you can’t get on the Supreme Court these days.”
The lovely and talented Janet Phelps has asked us to be part of a panel on collecting at the Affordable Art Fair on October 29th. Here is the info I have from her:
The panelists are as follows:
Jeremy Adams, Gallery Director, Cue Art Foundation
Joshua Mack, New American Paintings
Stacey Gershon, Curator, JP Morgan Chase Art Collection
James Wagner and Barry Hoggard, collectors, write separate art-related blogs and together maintain an online visual arts calendar.
Robert Goff or Cassie Rosenthal, Directors, Goff Rosenthal
We don’t know yet which of the Goff Rosenthal people will attend.
This panel of collectors, dealers, business men and women, artists, curators, advisors and critics will discuss collecting and how their careers and career choices relate to the way they collect, what they collect and how they collect. The panelists will try to put a human face to the often overwhelming prospect of collecting. Moderated by Franklin Sirmans, Curator and Writer; with Jeremy Adams, Director of Cue Art Foundation; Joshua Mack of New American Painting; Stacey Gershon, Curator at JPMorgan Chase; James Wagner and Barry Hogard, Collectors, Activists, and Critics; and Robert Goff or Cassie Rosenthal, Co-Directors of Goff Rosenthal.
Details for the where and when:
The Art of Collecting: 2:30 on Saturday October 29th at Pier 92. It will last about 1 1/2 to 2 hours tops.
One of the reasons things have been so quiet around here is that I have been working on ArtCat, a service for hosting artists and galleries. The artist part is about finished. Gallery stuff has a way to go, but I have at least one “guinea pig” starting soon.
Recognize the background image? Unfortunately it doesn’t animate on my Mac.