Art & Design Magazine
There are several interesting contemporary design exhibitions opening this month. It is nice to see exhibitions dedicated to a particular medium and not general surveys, especially when it comes to glass and jewelry as these fields are a bit unrepresented in contemporary galleries.
See
Glasstress: New Art from the Venice Biennale, February 6- June 3, 2012, The Museum of Arts and Design. The cutting-edge exhibition project organized by glass impresario Adriano Berengo for the past two Venice Biennales—each time making waves in the lagoon city—is to have its American debut at the Museum of Arts and Design. Berengo calls the project "a new visionary manifesto for glass and art." His commission of leading contemporary artists and designers from around the globe, unpracticed in glass, to create works in this medium, has proved an aesthetic game changer. Lacking preconceptions, these creators working with artisans on Murano have produced pieces that are as inventive as they are provocative.
Kiff Slemmons’ "HUESOS”, February 7- March 6, 2012, Gallery Loupe, Montclair, N.J. Slemmons spent ten years collaborating with the artisans of Arte Papel in Oaxaca, Mexico. The result is a collection of paper jewelry which is highly sculptural and utilizes indigenous plants, fibers, natural and synthetic dyes. Slemmons, a self-taught metalsmith, has exhibited nationally and internationally for over thirty years. In 2000, she had a midcareer exhibition, The Thought of Things: Jewelry by Kiff Slemmons at the Palo Alto Art Center, California. Slemmons is best known for found object assemblages and working with non-precious materials, often exhibiting her unique sense of humor. Slemmons will be giving a lecture on her work at the 92nd Street Y in NYC on Tuesday, Feb. 7 at 7 pm. For more information: www.galleryloupe.com
IMPACT: 50 Years of the CFDA, February 10 - April 17, 2012, Museum at F.I.T. Conceived by CFDA President Diane von Furstenberg and curated by Patricia Mears, IMPACT: 50 Years of the CFDA will be an ode to the illustrious designs of the CFDA’s many members and will mark the organization’s fiftieth anniversary in 2012. The exhibition will include approximately 100 objects, both garments and accessories, by the CFDA’s most impactful creators of the last 50 years. Also included will be visual images and acknowledgement of the nearly 600 designers who have been members over the past five decades. Each living designer selected to participate in the exhibition is choosing a single object or ensemble that best represents his or her impact on the fashion world. There will also be a lecture series in March with some of the CFDA’s leading designers. For more information: http://www.fitnyc.edu/335.asp#Lectures.
Bright Future: New Designs in Glass, February 10 through May 5, 2012, Pratt Manhattan Gallery (144 West 14th Street, Second Floor). An exhibition of sculpture, tableware, and lighting designs by American and international artists and firms that explore issues of sustainability, the manipulation of light, and the contrast of ancient and modern influences in contemporary glass. The signature qualities of glass--its flexibility, clarity, complex cultural history and ability to magnify and direct light--are all at play in the works exhibited. The exhibition, which is guest-curated by Sarah Archer, chief curator at the Philadelphia Art Alliance, will be celebrated with an opening reception on Thursday, February 9 from 6 to 8 PM. The exhibition and opening reception are free and open to the public.
Hear
Both of the events listed below are taking place at the New York School of Interior Design, 170 East 70th Street, NYC. Admission is free; RSVP to [email protected] or call 212-492-1500 x405.
Wednesday, February 15, 6pm
LECTURE : Mitchell Owens: Center Stage: The Sets and Costumes of Cecil Beaton
Cecil Beaton was perhaps best known as a fashion and portrait photographer, but he also had a successful career as a stage and costume designer for Broadway, ballet and opera. Mitchell Owens, special projects editor of Architectural Digest, will speak about Beaton’s relentless energy and creativity and some of his most memorable scenic and costume designs.
Wednesday, February 29, 6pm
PANEL DISCUSSION: 20th Century Post-War Ceramics: The Next Big Thing
A group of esteemed gallery owners, ceramic specialists, and designers will gather to discuss the rise of 20th century European and American Post-war ceramics. Panelists include design writer and curator Larry Weinberg; James Zemaitis, SVP and Director of 20th Century Design at Sotheby's; Kim Hostler of Hostler-Burrows, a gallery specializing in Scandianvian artists and architects; Lee Mindel, architect and ceramics specialist; and Ben Williams, ceramics specialist at Philips de Pury. Moderated by Judith Gura, professor of design history at NYSID.
