Art | Spill

Newsletter 2.1.12 - Art: A Landscape for Environmentalism

2012-02-01T10:51:00.000-05:00

Change can come at a glacial pace. But if global warming activists are to be believed, change is coming faster and faster, and with little relief from the friction of a political climate that is turning an icy shoulder to environmental issues. From the widely contested issue of global warming to the simple idea of conservation, a message emerges from the art world, offering a more easily digestible perspective than the political or scientific.

Eco-art seeks to transcend aesthetic appeal, offering opportunity for participation, engagement, and action. It makes sense because art is, by nature, intrinsically linked to environment. Art has always acknowledged and respected the air that oxidizes oil paint, the moisture that must be in perfect balance to sculpt wood, the clear sky that extends to every landscape's horizon. Art is nature as nature is art.

In the urban environment, green is little more than a tag line used to sell a product that's message is more recycled than its content. Where environmental activists had simply to fight the corporate message of consumption and use, they now must fight to distinguish between the well-packaged and heavily advertised misuse of the 'green' label by companies looking to capitalize on a consumer trend, and the authentic message of conservation and sustainability. As space to broadcast becomes more limited, artists seek inventive ways to exhibit work with an environmentally conscious message.

The slogan has always been a simple catch-all that fits on any shirt or coffee mug. Think globally, act locally. Easily adapted to most any environmental concern, it rings true enough to get suburban gardens growing and to boost sales of reusable fabric bags at the grocery store. Since the phrase caught on in the late 60s, it has come to epitomize the best efforts any individual can make to fix the ecological crises.

Initiatives like The Canary Project, http://canary-project.org/ which started as a mission to photograph areas being studied by scientists for climate change, quickly grew into locally grown installations of art meeting activism. The Green Patriots Poster Campaign, launched by the project, is one such example, seeking to use the modern art of propaganda posters to encourage communication of sustainability issues. The initiative, like so many of its kind, is almost fully interactive, inviting viewers to participate as designers, critics, and activists. The line between art and activism is barely visible. (1)

If, through more traditional art forms, that line is blurred, it all but disappears through some of the more ambitious, living works that have taken root across the globe. The Soil Kitchen, a six-day installation in Philadelphia, used wind power, educational workshops, and soup made from locally grown ingredients to effectively squash any remaining doubt that the art form in itself was a productive statement of sustainability and ecological responsibility. (2)

The effect of humankind on the environment is dynamic, lacking the good fortune of being captured in the pristine stillness of a painting or sketch. Art, then, responds in kind, evolving into a politic, a statement, a call to action, not to freeze the world in a familiar landscape, but to remind the world that it matters, that the beauty of it can be captured in art, and freed by artistic vision.

Zamaana's mission, too, is to support artistic vision and acknowledge the positive effect art has on the world. As supporters of art, and environmental and social issues, Zamaana uses proceeds from purchases as microloans to impoverished entrepreneurs. It's just another way we see art in action, and you can be part of it. Visit us at zamaana.com, or find us on Facebook and Twitter @Zamaana.

1. [Online] http://www.greenpatriotposters.org

2. [Online] http://articles.philly.com/2011-04-04/news/29380533_1_soil-samples-artist-and-sculptor-metals

Newsletter 12.13.11 | War and Art: The Case of Poland

2012-01-31T11:29:00.000-05:00

War can alter the course of history. It has even been known to rewrite it. The fate that befalls art during wartime is often decided by the victor: Native American art and cultural keystones are stored in American museums, art from India resides in British museums, and the Romans claimed Greek artistry and style as their own. However the most systematic attempt at controlling the world of art came out of the Nazi regime, which confiscated hundreds of thousands of works. Some were destroyed in massive bonfires, some kept in private collections, and others were shipped overseas via various art dealers and sold at below market value – with the proceeds helping fund Nazi efforts.

We look to Poland, the first country invaded by Germany, to see the calamitous consequences of war on art and culture. The outright destruction of learning institutions - museums, schools, and libraries – was part of a widespread campaign to eradicate the Polish educated class, as well as the means of educating their children. A deliberate attempt was made to rewrite their history, and according to Governor-General Hans Frank, to make the Polish people "slaves of the German Empire." ¹ By the end of 1942, German officials estimated that “over 90%” of all art in Poland was in their possession, and over 10 million volumes of literature were destroyed. It’s also estimated that the theft and destruction of Polish art was valued at $20 billion, or approximately 43% of Poland’s cultural heritage.²

The Soviet side of Poland’s annexation fared little better. The key difference was that instead of summary executions, the Soviets deported over one million of Poland’s intelligentsia to Siberia. Even the name “Poland” was banned, and they, too, strove to assimilate Poland through the process of “Russification,” which consisted of dividing up Poland’s resources, teaching them Russian, banning traditional Polish activities, and controlling their arts and education. However, there was a massive underground government that spanned all of Poland. The Underground State’s Department of Culture supported and operated secret schools, plays, and orchestras. These artists, writers, and poets became instrumental in reclaiming Poland’s cultural identity after the war. Some of the most famous Polish underground visual artists included Eryk Lipiński, Stanisław Miedza-Tomaszewski, Stanisław Ostoja-Chrostowski, and Konstanty Maria Sopoćko.

The undercurrent of Polish singularity and pride that persisted throughout the war was further amplified after the war was over; it can still be seen today in the arts. Historian Norman Davies wrote of the history of Poland in God's Playground: "In 1945, as a prize for untold sacrifices, the attachment of the survivors to their native culture was stronger than ever before." ³ The youth in post-war Poland became the “Generation of Columbuses” - many of them artists, writers, and radical thinkers who propagated art and philosophy of a new post-war culture.

Today, nearly three-quarters of the Polish population have emphasized the importance of WWII to their sense of national identity.⁴ Several artists continue to create works influenced from atrocities and effects of war. Polish artist Krzystof Wodiczko has “created more than 80 large-scale video and audio projections that give voice to those whose lives have been devastated by violence — and silence….Wodiczko’s installations disturb the peace, bearing witness to suffering and injustice. ‘Breaking through the wall of silence is difficult,’ Wodiczko said. ‘But it is imperative to try.'" ⁵

From visions of human frailty to images of strength and courage, artistic interpretation is instrumental in the visual and sensory elements of a country’s journey through strife. War artists are an integral part of that documentation, reflection, and perception.

Of course, the strongest way to support such artists is to purchase their artwork. Would you as an arts enthusiast support war artists Zamaana may feature in the future? Or as an artist, do you produce war art? Your feedback is important to us. You're a part of Zamaana after all! Write to us at info@zamaana.com and let us know. You can also follow us on Twitter @Zamaana or interact with us on Facebook.

¹ Olsak-Glass, Judith (January 1999). "Review of Piotrowski's Poland's Holocaust". Sarmatian Review.
² Rewindykacja dóbr kultury at Polish Ministry of Foreign Affairs (in Polish)
³ Davies, Norman. God’s Playground: A History of Poland. 2005, Google Print, p.174
⁴ Ruchniewicz, Krzysztof (2007, September 5) The memory of World War II in Poland. Eurozine.
⁵ Soccoccia, Susan (November 19, 2009). “Polish artist brings war in Iraq closer to home in U.S.” Bay State Banner.

Newsletter 11.7.11 | Occupy Museums: Blunder or Much Needed Critique?

2012-01-29T11:32:00.030-05:00

Photo from Glittarazzi

Usually we cover an artistic response directed towards alleviating social issues – either within particular regions or pervasive throughout the world. This month, however, we have somewhat of a twist - where the change being fought for is within the art world itself.

While the Occupy Wall Street movement has gained momentum, another movement, currently specific to New York, has also garnered an impressive amount of media attention. Occupy Museums, started by New York artist Noah Fischer, calls the New York museums “temples of cultural elitism.” The movement may be puzzling at first glance. After all, tickets at MoMa are affordable (according to New York standards) at $25, and they do have free days; but the movement does bring to mind a fundamental set of questions. Who decides what constitutes fine art and its worth? Are those who are buying art, investing in art, and selling art primarily motivated by making money and analyzing investment values? If this is true, is art actually for the masses?

As you must know by now, this subject is very close to us here at Zamaana. From our inception, we’ve strived to change the status quo of the isolated art world primarily composed of the educated and elite. Considering that more “ethnic” styles of art are visible only in select venues, or that while it’s estimated that 2,500-5,000 artists worldwide actually have gallery representation, another 800,000-1 million talented artists across the globe do not*- we strongly support all creative efforts that aim to integrate art and artists with society.

In today’s current state, art’s “value” is highly subject to trends and market forces. A piece that sells for a few thousand dollars can be worth significantly more as an artist grows in popularity and demand for their work increases. Likewise, an artist might never “make it” if a select group of connoisseurs do not take notice of their work. Fine Art is often thought of as elitist in its very nature, as it must be refined and selective in order to be considered “fine,” but there is definitely something to be said about the sociological and political forces that interact with the art world.

Occupy Museums can look to the past for a similar movement driven by dissatisfaction with museum policies. In 1969, the Artist Workers’ Coalition was formed in New York City, pushing museums for reforms, such as the addition of more minority artists, local support, and the inclusion of anti-war pieces in museums and galleries. They received much of the same backlash as the current Occupy Museums movement, yet they generated some of the most memorable pieces of art from that period, and even instilled lasting changes in some of MoMa’s policies (such as implementing a free admission day).

What’s our take on the movement? Yes, we do agree that today marks a time of necessary change, and efforts like Occupy Museums are bound to form in response. And, yes, we applaud the movement for resurfacing a discourse that must be addressed in current times. However, we feel that the transformation that’s really being sought after lies more in increasing accessibility than changing policy. As we see it, by making art more accessible, and thereby expanding the art world, cultural institutions would inevitably be more inclusive, due to the very simple principle of demand. That’s where Zamaana comes in. We’re an initiative to expand the art world – by bringing together socially minded artists and enthusiasts who want to help make lasting global change.

What do you think about Occupy Museums? Do you think that it’s a blunder or a much needed critique? Write to us at info@zamaana.com and let us know! You can also follow us on Twitter @Zamaana or on Facebook and interact with us there. We’ll keep you up to date with our newsletter where we’ll continue to address art issues, feature various artists, and let you know how Zamaana is moving along. We’re still a growing community, the future is full of potential, and at Zamaana, we want you to be a part of it all.

If you’re an artist with a desire to alleviate global poverty, support human rights, or address another social concern, then we want to hear from you. Sign up here!

** www.Saatchionline.com

Tribute to the Master of Fantasy Art

2011-07-26T19:12:00.000-04:00

This last weekend, millions of people from around the world gathered in San Diego for 42nd Comic-Con International, a four-day festival of comic books, sci-fi, and the multitude of media and genres they helped spawn over the last 70 years. Founded in the 1970s by a handful of comic store owners and small-time entertainment agents, the event has ballooned – especially in the last 15 years – into a multi-million dollar spectacle attended by movie studios, video game companies and hi-tech start-ups. So, it was refreshing to see that amid all the glitz and glamor that’s become of Comic-Con, fanboys and celebrities alike paid tribute to a true master of comic book art – the late Frank Frazetta – at a gallery expo of his work held at the Hard Rock: San Diego.

For those not familiar with his work, Frank Frazetta was a fantasy, science fiction and comic book artist best known for his influential works on Conan the Barbarian, Buck Rogers, Lil’ Abner, Flash Gordon and Vampirella, as well as multiple movie posters, album covers and a catalog of more than 120 paintings. Frazetta’s career began in 1944 at the age of fifteen when he was hired by Tally-Ho Comics as a “clean-up” artist. Over the next decade or so, Frazetta went where the work took him, and he made a reputable name for himself working on everything from westerns to space odysseys, and from horror to humor.

After a career that spanned almost six decades, Frazetta retired from comics in 2000 after a series of strokes made it impossible for him to work. In 2010, he passed away from stroke-related illnesses in his home in South Florida.

The Hard Rock-hosted gallery showing is the first by the Frazetta estate since his passing. The event was open to all Comic-Con attendees and exhibited some of his best known works, including album covers for Herman’s Hermits, Nazareth and Molly Hatchet; artwork from his comic work on Tarzan, Conan, Buck Rogers and Vampirella; and original artwork including Sun Goddess, Atlantis, Egyptian Queen, John Carter and the Savage Apes of Mars, Silver Warriors, Dark Kingdom, Geisha and his famous Death Dealer series.

While the Frazetta exhibit didn’t attract as much media hype as the Twilight or True Blood panels, it was visited by more than 3,000 people, including directors John Favreau and Robert Rodriguez, and actors Olivia Wilde and Adrian Grenier.

All too often the amazing artists whose gifts and imaginations gave us sword-swinging savages, interstellar starbases, mystical mindscapes and shield-slinging super soldiers go overlooked outside of their genre. And that’s why I decided on writing about Frazetta for this week’s installation of Art Spill. Also (and I think this may be up for interpretation) how can you look at something like Comic-Con and not think that artists like Frazetta, in their own way, bring about some form of social change. Art is a powerful thing, no?

Kiva Lends a Helping Hand in the USA

2011-07-12T20:37:00.002-04:00

Kiva, the microlending system that Zamaana works with to advance progress and prosperity, last week announced that it is embarking on a new mission: extending microloans to small business owners in the US through Kiva City Program. The Kiva City Program, which was introduced Wednesday by former President Bill Clinton, is a new distribution model that Kiva hopes will help spark life back into the economies of US cities worst hit by the recession.

As part of the Kiva City Program, the microlender is partnering with Visa (and specific local organizations) to source local businesses and help them apply for microloans. The goal is to directly focus Kiva microlending efforts on cities that have taken the most significant economic hits because of the recession, as well as those affected by the BP oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico.

In an op-ed published on HuffingtonPost.com, Kiva President Premal Shah said, “The prospect of a long, jobless recovery continues to erode the kind of economic growth that matters to most Americans -- the one with a paycheck…A core part of the answer to our national dilemma lies among the small businesses that line Main Street and neighborhoods across America. According to a new study of businesses with nine or fewer employees commissioned by Kiva.org and Visa, more than 51,000 small businesses were lost nationwide between 2006 and 2008.”

Kiva.org, which started in 2005, allows anyone to make a microloan through the Internet to entrepreneurs in developing countries. Since then, 577,000 entrepreneurs in 59 countries – including Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bolivia, Cambodia, Haiti, Kenya, Kyrgyzstan, Liberia, Mexico, Mozambique, Nigeria, Paraguay, Peru, Rwanda, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Tanzania, Ukraine and Vietnam – have received microloans totaling $223 million.

A study commissioned by Kiva and Visa found that 20 of the 50 largest metropolitan areas in the U.S. lost at least 1% of their small businesses between 2006 and 2008. Kiva-Visa microloans will focus on small businesses in such cities as Detroit, Michigan; Cleveland, Ohio; Miami, Florida; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania; Columbus, Ohio; Orlando, Florida; Minneapolis, Minnesota; Kansas City, Missouri; Las Vegas, Nevada; Phoenix, Arizona; New Orleans, Louisiana; Ft. Myers, Florida; Providence, Rhode Island; Riverside, California; Portland, Oregon; Sacramento, California; Atlanta, Georgia; Mobile, Alabama and Milwaukee, Wisconsin.

As Kiva explains in a press release, each Kiva City will operate as an alliance between four groups: Kiva, civic leaders (such as mayors, state and congressional representatives, and other elected officials), community organizations and financial institutions. The average size of a Kiva loan in the United States is estimated at $7,000, and entrepreneurs can use it for anything from funding operations and purchasing equipment to paying rent and hiring new employees.

Art in the News

2011-07-04T21:39:00.001-04:00

In the past, when there has been a lot going on in the world of art, I’ve put together a news wrap-up of the most important stories. Well, this last week has apparently been a busy one and I find myself unable to decide exactly what story to cover in-depth. So…

Comic book artist Gene Colan died this last week at the age of 84. Colon was known by many as a very influential artist whose work included runs on Captain America, Batman, Dracula, Howard the Duck, Dr. Strange, and Daredevil. Colan's career spanned seven decades and his distinctive India ink drawing style earned him a strong following from comic book lovers, as well as his peers. Additionally, he is credited with co-creating characters The Falcon and Blade – two of the first major African-American super heroes to appear in Marvel Comics continuity.

Artwork owned by collector Huguette Clark, who passed away last month and whose collection included works by Renoir, John Singer Sargent, and William Merritt Chase, will form the core of a new museum in Santa Barbara. Clark, who died at the impressive age of 104, was the daughter of US Senator William Clark. At the time of her death, she lived in a 42-room apartment on Fifth Avenue full of art, books, and musical instruments. She willed one especially famous painting, a "Water Lilies" canvas by Claude Monet, to the Corcoran Gallery of Art in Washington, DC. The rest of her paintings and artifacts will be shown at her $100-million, 24-acre estate in Santa Barbara, which is soon to be a museum.

Last week, Chinese artist and political dissident Ai Weiwei was released from jail following weeks of captivity. However, the Chinese government issued a statement shortly thereafter stating he remained under investigation and would be prohibited from leaving Beijing for at least the next year as a condition of his bail. China has accused Ai of evading taxes on a company he owns. His supporters, family members and attorneys have called the charges a pretext and say Ai was targeted for his increasing outspokenness at a time when the ruling Communist government is taking a heavy hand toward even the slightest dissent. Ai made a brief appearance at the gate of his Beijing art studio where reporters had gathered. He declined to say much, other than to thank those who came and assure them he felt fine.

Robert Miller, an art dealer whose Manhattan gallery represented an eclectic list of prominent American painters, sculptors and photographers, died on Wednesday in Miami at the age of 72. Miller learned his trade at the André Emmerich Gallery in the 1960s and founded the Robert Miller Gallery on Fifth Avenue in 1977. The gallery, which later moved to the Fuller Building on East 57th Street and is now on West 26th Street in Chelsea, quickly achieved blue-chip status. Mr. Miller, aligned with no particular movement, showed the work of a wide variety of artists young and old, fashionable and neglected. At one time or another, Miller represented Robert Mapplethorpe, Lee Krasner, Alice Neel, Milton Resnick, Joan Nelson, Louise Bourgeois, Bruce Weber, and Jan Groover. The gallery also represented the estates of Diane Arbus, Eva Hesse, and Jean-Michel Basquiat.

Government Arts Grants Going Bye-Bye? What We Need is a Kickstart.

2011-06-20T14:31:00.002-04:00

So, it appears that those political forces opposed to government support of the arts are slowly but surely making headway. Several governors have all but eliminated art patronage (and, in some cases, education programs) from their budgets. As the debit ceiling debate in the US speeds toward its September deadline, there is little doubt that similar actions will happen on the national level.

Looking at massive and near immediate de-funding, where can today’s artists turn? The National Endowment for the Arts may be forced to work on such a shoestring budget that it will hardly be able to distribute grants. State and private universities don’t seem to be in a position to invest heavily in the arts these days. Wealthy patrons are fairly few and far between. So, who can one turn to for funding?

I’m fairly certain I’m not introducing any of you to Kickstarter, but it may be the future of arts patronage…and we may be better off for it.

The premise behind pitching for funds on Kickstarter is similar to any other grant proposal: outline the basic concept of the project, offer a sample or portfolio of work for review, and request a dollar amount to complete the project. Traditionally, when submitting for a grant (or even pitching to a wealthy patron), this usually starts a long waiting game where you sit in a vacuum with your fingers crossed, making occasional follow-up requests by e-mail or phone. On Kickstarter, you can see exactly how your project is doing and can submit additional information or pitch materials (I understand videos do very well).

Historically, the kinds of projects that do best on Kickstarter are actually film and music. Over the past two years, these two categories have accounted for more than $32.7 million in fundraising — more than every other category combined. However, many painters, illustrators, comic book artists, sculptors and industrial artists have funded projects through Kickstarter. I have yet to hear of any Kickstarter horror stories – I wish the same were true for grants. Where a grant is elitist and foot-dragging, Kickstarter is populist, fast, and fun.

The other huge positive about Kickstarter is that it allows artists that would never stand a chance in the grant/wealthy patron system from getting their project going. The amateur artist, untrained artist, art school dropout and/or commercial artist (the often overlooked “bastard stepchildren” of the art world) can get even the most ambitious or esoteric of projects funded via Kickstarter with a good pitch. For artists who seek funds to further their dreams, the “crowdfunding” model of Kickstarter is something of a godsend.

Until next time…

Creative License or Complete Lie? The Tale of “A Gay Girl in Damascus”

2011-06-13T07:58:00.000-04:00

Last week, I (and many others, I’m guessing) was captivated by the story of 36-year-old Amina Abdullah Araf al-Omari, an Syrian-American woman who authored a popular blog called “A Gay Girl in Damascus” and who was reportedly taken into custody by Syrian security forces days before a major offensive against democratic protests in the country. Araf's blog had been described as clever and "brutally honest, poking at subjects long considered taboo in Arab culture".

The online response from the LGBT community, mainstream media, and social networking sites was immediate and extremely vocal. Facebook pages were set up calling for Araf's release. Activists around the world swarmed Twitter with the hashtag “#FreeAmina”. Journalist Andrew Belonsky wrote an article for Death and Taxes magazine saying "[The] US government should...use its power and influence to call for Arraf's release...Such a statement would of course prove that the US remains committed to freeing citizens held overseas, just as we have in North Korea and Iran, but an official declaration would also send two indispensable messages: international governments must protect free speech, and democratic societies must respect LGBT equality.”

Late Sunday night it was revealed that Amina was not a Syrian-American; not an Arab; not a Muslim; not a lesbian, and had not been abducted by masked gunmen in Syrian government cars…

She was a work of fiction. The imagining of an American named Tom McMaster…

Details are thin as to why he chose to write a blog as a gay woman living in Syria, or what the reaction will be from the blogging, Arab, Muslim, and/or LGBT communities.

In a press statement released on Sunday, McMaster said, “"I never expected this level of attention…While the narrative voice may have been fictional, the facts on this blog are true and not misleading as to the situation on the ground."

What now has me thinking so much about this case is this: if “A Gay Girl in Damascus” was a work of art – an act of political fiction – did it still have some merit of truth?

Like many others, I’m torn by this story. On one hand, this blogger created a believable and likable character that conveyed interesting stories based off actual events. He created a window into the world of the Middle East through the eyes of an outsider-insider – a gay, dual citizen living in a totalitarian Muslim nation. However, on the other hand, at no time did he ever express that his blog was a work of fiction. And, after writing of his heroine’s “abduction” and related press coverage, he took days to reveal the truth, and only after NPR and The Washington Post informed him they planned to run the story.

Only time will tell what becomes of this story. I’m interested to see what comes of it, as well as what arguments are made for and against McMaster…as well as whether or not Amina’s story will go down as a terrible ruse or a work of art.

Until next time…

Collecting the Art of War

2011-06-09T20:14:00.001-04:00

There is an old expression - "Life Happens." I’ve found the same thing is true about art. No matter where, no matter when, no matter how, people make art – even at war. Collecting and preserving that art is the current mission of former Army Combat Medic, Jaeson Parsons.

Parsons joined the Army in 2005 and began serving in the Iraqi city of Ramadi later that same year. If you’ll recall, 2005 Ramadi was a city torn asunder by sectarian violence and an al-Qaida stronghold, making it one of the most dangerous cities in Iraq.

"I started running missions with a partner medic; I think it was my fourth or fifth day there. We were doing route clearance, looking for bombs...so we would stay out all night, eight to 12 hours a night, clearing these routes."

Parsons' experience in Iraq left him with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. After spending months away from family in a dangerous place where friends are hurt and killed, he was medically discharged from the Army in 2009. And his troubles followed him home.

"My wife and I weren't really getting along anymore. We were contemplating divorce. I wasn't taking my meds like I should have been. I wasn't going to groups. I wasn't talking. I had basically shrunk into all sides and tried to put up all these walls," Parsons said.

In a press interview, Parsons recalled spending several days in a Chicago VA hospital seeking help for his PTSD. It was at this time that his wife reminded him of the book project he had talked about while serving in Iraq: collecting graffiti – drawings, poetry, and even elaborate carvings – created by soldiers in an attempt to help everyone understand war through the raw, unfiltered emotions of soldiers.

Parsons said the idea came to him when he saw a drawing of a lighthouse with a sunset, shoreline, and the ocean in the background.

"It was really stunning…It’s probably 24 inch by 24 inch square little piece of art inside of this building in a terrible part of desert that so many soldiers' lives have been lost, but here on the inside of this building is this little piece, this little slab of paradise that somebody took the time, hours it must have took them, to paint this."

In a NPR interview, Parsons also recalled heartbreaking love poetry scribbled on latrine stalls, deeply insightful and philosophical rants on the walls of barracks, amazingly detailed murals painted on blast walls, and even a realistic carving of a face in a post in a smoking area.

Parsons, now a full-time student at West Virginia University, hopes to travel to Iraq and Kuwait soon with his Graffiti of War team to take photographs of the graffiti that still exists at the dwindling U.S. military bases. If possible, Parsons wants the images to include some background information about the artist. However, he admits in most cases the drawings and writings will be anonymous.

Personally, I think it’s all too easy for most of us to get wrapped up in the politics of war and completely forget that the people fighting are beautiful, fragile human beings – beautiful, fragile human beings that see and experience intense, violent, saddening, humbling, and frightening things most of us never will. Although I may not have been a supporter of our actions in Iraq, I look forward to seeing this book once it is finished and wish Mr. Parsons all the best in his efforts. Hopefully, in documenting the graffiti of his brothers and sisters in-arms he can find some of the peace he – and all US servicemen – deserve.

Until next time…

The “Not So Rapturous” Rapture Spawns Creativity

2011-05-24T20:39:00.000-04:00

Despite the rantings of a California televangelist, there was no catastrophic global earthquake on Saturday evening, nobody faded from existence and floated off into the heavens, no zombie hordes shambled across the landscape. Nope, we’re all here and just fine as far as I can tell. In fact, it’s Monday and most of us are back behind our desks, or computers, or registers or whatever as if the Rapture just didn’t just happen.

Regardless of your feelings about the non-apocalypse this weekend, you have to admit – it seems to have brought out the creativity in people. I, like many out there, absolutely loved jumping online between Wednesday and Sunday just to see what new and creative take someone had posted about the four horsemen, zombies, ascending into heaven, not ascending into heaven, and the return of dinosaurs. Here are some highlights I was able to find:

Random Acts of Rapture

On Saturday evening, Facebook and Twitter were swarmed with pictures of people that had spontaneously ascended into heaven. Most of these pictures consisted of clothing (or other objects) neatly and artistically arranged to look like the individual had been raptured. To see some of the better “Rapture Bombs” (or just for a chuckle), follow this link.

Zombie Preparedness

A week ago, a post on the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's Public Health Matters blog, "Preparedness 101: Zombie Apocalypse" proved even the government has a sense of humor about the apocalypse. In their words:

“The rise of zombies in pop culture has given credence to the idea that a zombie apocalypse could happen. In such a scenario, zombies would take over entire countries, roaming city streets eating anything living that got in their way. The proliferation of this idea has led many people to wonder ‘How do I prepare for a zombie apocalypse?'"

The post then emphasizes that its tips for surviving a zombie apocalypse that can transfer to real emergencies as well. To see the CDC zombie release, visit this link.

Tweeting from Heaven

On Saturday evening beginning at exactly 6:00 pm, the team at CollegeHumor.com – a comedy website via a vie Funny or Die that aims to amuse with outrageous or lowbrow humor – began an hour long stream of tweets that can only be described as hilarious. The stream began with the anonymous tweeter stating “6 o'clock on the dot and we're already gracefully floating upwards in a stream of light.” then moving to “Hypothetically, is it bad form to pee yourself a little during ascension? I'm not asking for me, it's just for a friend…” and finally concluding with “Oh no, oh no, oh no, oh no....apparently there's been an "incident" at the unicorn stables. Children are crying. Lots of people yelling.”

The whole thing is pretty funny. I understand there’s a video as well but I haven’t seen it. To read the May 21st Twitter stream, visit this link.

Dinos Return

One of the funniest Internet trends from this weekend came on Saturday evening about 8:00 pm when “Rapture” became “Raptor.” People began posting cleverly Photoshopped pictures of the small, carnivorous dinosaurs from Jurassic Park running through their yard or chasing cars on the freeway. Also, for those that use the Google Chrome web browser, somebody posted a plug-in that would change all news headlines from “Rapture” to “Raptor.”

It was nothing shy of thrilling (to say the least) to see how creative people can be when given an opportunity – as well as to see how friendly and tongue-in-cheek most of the humor has been. I only wish we could put that good natured, creative energy to work in other areas…just imagine what kind of world we would live in? Now, that…that is a rapturous idea, huh?

Another Feel Good Artsy Story – This Time From South Florida

2011-05-19T10:26:00.002-04:00

I’ve been on sort of a “feel good” story kick the last couple of weeks when it comes to this blog. That probably has to do with the incessant stream of absolutely overwhelming negativity that we call “the news” these days. It’s way too easy to play into their little game of “angry and angrier,” so I decided to take my ball and find a new game. Sorry guys, stop being so toxic and maybe I’ll come visit again in the future.

But, I digress. Onto the story…

According to a recent press release I found on PR Newswire, the Dade Medical College here in South Florida is doing their part to aid in child development and wellness by donating $10,000 to ArtSouth, a non-profit program that encourage the arts and art education in the community. The College made the donation as a tribute to the late Stanley Levine, co-founder of ArtSouth and a friend of the College.

ArtSouth was founded in Homestead, Florida in the summer of 2000 by Levine and Ellie Schneiderman. It opened its doors to the public with a core group of under ten artists. According to the ArtSouth website, that number has more than tripled today thanks to the addition of a fully operational school, galleries, and on-going events. In addition to providing affordable art studio spaces to juried artists, the 3.5 acre ArtSouth facility offers a children’s summer camp, year-round art exhibits, and cultural performances that are free to the public.

The $10,000 donation will make Dade Medical College the exclusive sponsor of this year's summer camp activities for kids, including art classes, workshops, after-school programs and more.

Also, in keeping with the arts theme and as renovations to Dade Medical College's future campus continue, the Children's Gallery and Art Center of Homestead has been commissioned to create a mural titled "The Arts & Science Connection" inspired by Leonardo Da Vinci's Vitruvian Man. The mural will be painted on the southern wall of the building, which is built into the back patio of the gallery and art center, where recurring special art and music events are held.

In a quote in the press release, Dade Medical College President & CEO Ernesto Perez said the following, "I am honored to continue helping these two wonderful organizations in Homestead that propel arts education forward. Our kids need to continue learning about the arts through programs like these and our community needs to stay focused on encouraging art education through community service and integration with other subjects."

Makes me feel good to know that in a world where dwindling emphasis seems to be placed on the arts or artists these days, an organization like Dade Medical College is stepping up and showing such support for the arts and its community.

Until next time…

Mr. Happy and Little Miss Giggles Celebrate 76th Birthday of Creator

2011-05-11T22:12:00.000-04:00

I’ll say right off that this blog is only partially about art. But, I decided to include it this week because it’s one of those stories that is just too fun not to share with you on here…

If you’ve been on Google today, you’ve probably seen some old friends from your childhood (or from reading to your children…or maybe both). To celebrate the 76th birthday of cartoonist and children’s book author Roger Hargreaves, the search website is featuring 16 different doodles of his beloved creations – the Mr. Men and Little Miss characters – on its home page.

Born on May 9, 1935, in Cleckheaton, England, Mr. Hargreaves started off his creative career into the world of advertising. But, after years as an ad man, he decided to return to his real passion, cartooning. Finally, in 1971, he published his first Mr. Men book, Mr. Tickle (a personal favorite, by the way). It is said that Mr. Hargreaves got the initial inspiration for the Mr. Tickle character from his son, Adam, when he once day asked his father what a “tickle” looked like. Hargreaves drew a round orange body with long arms…the rest is history.

Mr. Tickle was an immediate success and led to numerous other books, including Mr. Happy, Mr. Messy, Mr. Dizzy, Mr. Forgetful, Mr. Bump, Mr. Topsy-Turvy, and Mr. Funny…as well as a much beloved and award-winning BBC animated series. A decade later, the Little Miss series of books began to appear. His books have sold more than 100 million copies in 28 countries, and have been translated into numerous languages. Hargreaves died of a stroke on September 11, 1988.

To celebrate what would have been Roger Hargreaves’ 76th birthday, the Google home page is featuring doodles of some of his most popular Mr. Men and Little Miss characters. For years, Google has occasionally swapped the logo on its homepage for a doodle or piece of flash animation. The Google team typically does this to commemorate events of international or national importance, ranging from news events, civic milestones, birthdays, death anniversaries and important dates in history.

So, why am I retelling this story here? First off, I’m of the age where I grew up with these characters….so, yes, I have a soft spot for them. Similarly, I’m also a parent and know that Mr. Hargreaves not only lives on, but will continue to live on for generations. But, what I really liked about this story is the idea that this completely ordinary man – a clean-cut British advertising designer who grew up working in his father’s dry cleaning business – took a simple request by his son and turned it into something that would touch the world. To me, that is nothing shy of beautiful and should be an inspiration to us all.

Until next time,

Birthday Suit Rebellion for Weiwei

2011-05-03T22:07:00.001-04:00

As I’m sure you’re all aware, the big news story of the day is the special operations raid by US Special Operations forces into Pakistan, resulting in the death of Osama Bin Laden. Understanding it’s a huge news story being followed by millions across the globe, the problem for me is that I write an art blog and rely on news services to help me with story leads. That’s why I was totally relieved when I came across this…

If you’ll remember, a couple of weeks ago I wrote about the arrest of artist Ai Weiwei by Chinese authorities that believed him to be a national threat for speaking out in favor of democratic reform. Ai, who was co-designer of the Bird's Nest stadium for the 2008 Beijing Olympics, was detained at Beijing airport when preparing to leave the country for an opening. He has not been heard of since.

In solidarity and protest of Ai’s incarceration, and to celebrate his work, 32-year-old yoga instructor, Charlotte Eaton, gave visitors at London's Tate Modern Gallery a surprise by shedding her clothes and walking naked Ai’s "Landscape of Sunflower Seeds.” The story goes that Eaton originally emailed Tate Modern Gallery to request the opportunity to be photographed naked with the work as a way to “reflect the playfulness of the artwork and to give the silenced artist a voice.” After not hearing anything in return, she…um…took some initiative.

About 40 museum patrons watched as she stripped down and walked across the work, the phrases “Thank you Ai Weiwei” and “Freedom” written on either side of her body.

"I didn't want to be removed by security so didn't stay long. I heard someone shout 'bravo', which was very nice," she is reported to have said. "No action was taken against me by security guards, and a member of the Tate's press smiled at me as I winked at her and left.”

I may have gone a bit far by calling what she did a “rebellion” in the title; I took some creative license there. But, I found myself smiling as I read the article and wanted very much to share it with you. To me, it’s totally inspiring and life-affirming to hear about someone so moved by an artist’s work and life that she would totally expose herself to it (no pun intended…hold on, yes, pun intended).

Recent News About Kiva, Our Partner in Social Change

2011-04-26T18:45:00.002-04:00

Over the last several weeks, I’ve focused a great deal of my blog posts here on art and artists in today’s social and political climate. But, this week I want to turn the spotlight on Kiva, the micro-lending organization with whom Zamaana has partnered with to promote progressive social change around the globe. In the last two weeks, Kiva has made some very exciting announcements about new programs and partnerships, and I’d like to use this as an opportunity to share those with you.

Kiva Teams with Israeli Aid Organization

According to a press release published last week, KIEDF (Koret Israel Economic Development Funds) has teamed up with Kiva to launch its first partnership with an Israeli microfinance institution. The purpose of this alliance is to allow individuals anywhere to make small loans through the Kiva website to Bedouin women of the Negev (Arab Israelis) in the country’s north, as well as other low-income populations throughout Israel. Through Kiva.org's partnership with KIEDF, individuals will be able to browse and lend to predominantly female-owned small businesses throughout Israel.

KIEDF has developed a powerful model with SAWA direct non-bank lending to assist low-income populations throughout the country on the path to economic independence. As a Kiva field partner, KIEDF will share information about its borrowers so that Kiva lenders can finance their loans enabling these women to develop their micro-businesses.

Kiva Goes Green

In yet another press release, Kiva announced that it has just added a new category of green loans to help borrowers move to cleaner and safer forms of energy, green agriculture, transport and recycling. Green Loans, which can be accessed from a new module on the lend tab, allows the Kiva community to make loans towards green businesses and individuals who are helping make the transition to cleaner and more efficient sources of energy. Kiva Green Loans include both business and personal loans that contribute towards reducing energy expenditures, minimizing waste and pollution, recycling, or re-purposing used materials.

The release goes on to site the case of Blanca Rosa of Santa Cruz, Bolivia who applied for a $500 loan from Kiva to help her expand her business of converting taxi engines to run on natural gas, which ends up being a more affordable business model. With the loan she received from Kiva, she was able to purchase an emulator, timing devices, iron, bolts, and other supplies for her gas conversion workshop.

Other examples of Green Loans include loans to create or purchase organic fertilizer; loans to purchase renewable energy-generating devices, such as solar panels, wind power and biofuels; loans for transportation, including hybrid cars, converting cars to natural gas or purchasing a bicycle; loans for “green” home improvements, including more efficient heating methods or high-efficiency cookers/low propane gas stoves; and recycling-related loans, such as re-purposing or transforming used or recycled materials.

Kiva Reaches Major Milestone

Finally, Kiva recently announced that it has facilitated over $200 million in loans globally. This milestone comes just a little over a year after Kiva reached $100 million in loans, signifying that in the past year alone, the Kiva community has loaned an equal amount to the world’s poor in one year as they had in the previous four years of Kiva’s history combined.

Since launching in October 2005, Kiva has achieved significant growth and has evolved into a marketplace for lending that extends beyond entrepreneurs in developing countries to include loans in the United States and a pilot student loan program. In its five and a half years, over 570,000 lenders have made loans through Kiva, helping to fund nearly 531,000 entrepreneurs and students in 59 countries around the world.

In the past year, Kiva has achieved several notable accomplishments, including:

• In August 2010, Omidyar Network, a philanthropic investment firm, awarded $5 million to further develop Kiva’s technology and expand into new markets. During the first two years of the grant, Omidyar Network will match up to $2 million of online donations from individual Kiva lenders.

• In September 2010, Kiva expanded its loan offerings by launching a pilot student loans program in Bolivia, Paraguay and Lebanon. Student loans provide recipients with the opportunity to gain new knowledge and skills that better position them to find jobs, support their families and grow their communities. All of the loans in the initial group of students on the Kiva website were funded within 24 hours following the launch of the program.

• In October 2010, Kiva partnered with Visa Inc. to expand opportunities for U.S. small businesses, including building the awareness, understanding, and availability of microloans. This partnership coincided with Kiva’s expansion in the Gulf Coast region and new partnership with Accion Texas-Louisiana, the largest microfinance institution in the country.

"Reaching an additional $100 million in loans in just over a year is a tremendous achievement for us and speaks to the passion of the Kiva community,” said Premal Shah, President of Kiva.org. “In the past year, we have successfully leveraged the Kiva platform to reach new microloan markets like loans for students and, in the future, will look to new categories that contribute to the alleviation of global poverty like green and water loans. This would not be possible without the support of our partners, volunteers and lenders, who have played a significant role in making Kiva what it is today, so we would like to take this opportunity to thank you."

A Cultural Recession?

2011-04-18T11:23:00.000-04:00

Dali Museum, St. Petersburg, FL

Guest Blogger - Bryce Smith

Last week, my wife Vanessa and I went to the new Dali Museum in St. Petersburg for a showing of surrealist art done by Tampa Bay area middle and high school kids. Because my wife is an art teacher and two of her students were being honored, she spent a majority of the evening talking with parents and guests about their work. Meanwhile, I had the opportunity to move around the crowd and really get a good look at this unique gallery.

As I was making my way from one hall to the next, I overheard a couple saying (and I’m summarizing here) “This place is beautiful, but is it worth what they had to have spent on it? And, how much of that is our tax money?”

Ahhh…the lovely smell of Tea Party in the art gallery.

I continued on my way and happened into another conversation by the bar. Went something like this:

Guy 1: “I really don’t get this stuff…this art…it doesn’t make sense.”

Guy 2: “I hear ya. But, my daughter’s work is here so I have to support her.”

Guy 1: “Same deal. The thing my son has up here…like I said, I don’t get it.”

Yadda, yadda, yadda…

You have to love faux supportive parents: don’t try to relate or understand, just smile and wave and grit your teeth while thinking about the 100 other places you’d rather be.

“Bryce,” I said to myself, “These people are the exception, not the rule.” After all, I’m an optimist and think the very best of people…must be in my Sagittarian blood.

A couple of days later, I read this:

“Museums across the country are reporting significant financial stress for the second year in a row, while attendance continued to increase in many locations last year.

A survey of nearly 400 institutions by the American Association of Museums shows more than 70 percent were facing economic troubles in 2010. Most museums saw a reduction in funding, especially government and corporate support.

Museums in the Southeast were least likely to be seeing more visitors.”

Sheesh!

Then, on NPR the next day I hear: “The Philadelphia Orchestra has joined a growing number of arts organizations experiencing financial difficulties across the United States. The more than 100-year-old orchestra is headed towards Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection after running low on cash and running on a deficit.”

What’s up with all this? I mean, I know right now money’s tight for a lot of people…especially with the cost of gas and food rising back up to 2008 levels. It’s tough times…I know…but seriously…NASCAR is enjoying record years.

So, it appears that in addition to being “great,” this recession is also a cultural one. The value of our cultural institutions of art (and of learning and science for that matter) seem to be waning, and that art (or just plain knowledge) for the sake of itself is looked upon as a ridiculous waste of time and talent that could be directed toward more profitable pursuits.

Truth is, outside of some major metropolitan areas, the arts suffer from an image problem:

“They’re cold and elitist.”

“The arts are for snobby pseudo-intellectuals.”

“They preach a set of morals or messages I don’t identify with.”

“They contribute little to the community but always have their collective hand out for money.”

“I just don’t get it…”

This is what you’re contending with.

So, here’s the $10,000 question: “How do we change it so people appreciate the arts again?” Man, I wish I had the answer…seriously, I do. It would be awesome to be the marketing guru that was able to reach into his magic hat and pull out the overnight PR campaign that can change people’s ingrained beliefs. But, I’m just not that guy…

Ultimately, solving this image problem is going to have to fall on the shoulders of artists and patrons of the arts. So, what I can say to the arts community is this: you know your local audience, you know who they are and how they live. Reach out to those around you, not as an artist but as a member of the community with something to offer. We are all human, we share a common experience, and as an artist you help celebrate that experience. There’s nothing superior, or preachy, or mystical...just uniquely human.

Soul Surfer Sheds Light on the Quran

2011-04-13T21:59:00.002-04:00

American Qur'an Sura 19(a) - Sandow Birk

Sandow Birk, a Los Angeles-based artist and lifelong surfer, became curious about the Quran shortly after the attacks of September 11th. Out of that curiosity sprang a project to set all of the Muslim holy book's chapters into paintings. Those chapters currently completed are now being shown at the exhibition "The Word of God: Sandow Birk's American Qur'an" at The Andy Warhol Museum in Pittsburgh.

With the US House of Representatives holding hearings on “The Islamic Threat” and a Florida pastor’s attention-seeking, pyro-maniacal antics generating violent responses around the world, an exhibit such as this is a breath of fresh air – as well as an example of how open-minded, cross-cultural exploration can produce incredibly deep, moving, and beautifully human art.

As a young surfer, Mr. Birk followed the example of The Endless Summer and began a trek to find (and ride) the best waves in the world. His travels eventually brought him to Morocco, India, Indonesia, Malaysia, and other countries with large Muslim populations. There he ate the food, he toured the architecture (including mosques), and he heard the call to prayer; none of which seemed at all threatening to this young man originally born in Ohio to Presbyterian parents.

Fast forward to 2005, and the images and arguments Mr. Birk saw and heard in the media just didn’t jive with what he’d experienced in his younger days. So, with Islamophobia growing in the US and wars raging in Iraq and Afghanistan, Mr. Birk began a series of paintings that combined the handwritten words of the Quran with paintings of scenes from modern, everyday American life illustrating the114 chapters (Suras) in the Quran. His goal was to show the parallels between what he experienced in Muslim nations and what he learned in his exploration of the Quran with contemporary American life. To that end, the imagery chosen includes a tractor trailer on a highway, a man scuba diving off the California coast, a wedding, a Los Angeles bodega and post-Katrina New Orleans.

Each chapter is a separate artwork that may comprise between two and eight paintings. As of today, Mr. Birk is about halfway through the Quran and has every intention of finishing.

Mr. Birk's exhibit is the first in a five-part “Word of God” series being run this year at The Warhol Museum. The series is intended to explore the holy texts of major faiths as seen through the eyes of contemporary artists. Other exhibitions in the series include: "The Word of God: Helene Aylon's The Liberation of G-d and The Unmentionable," May 8-June 26; "The Word of God: Chitra Ganesh," concerning Hindu myth and goddesses, July 9-Sept. 4; "The Word of God: Max Gimblett, Buddhanature," Sept. 17-Nov. 27; and "Word of God: Jeffery Valance," who created his own Bible, Dec. 3-Feb. 12.

Renowned Artist and Enemy of the State

2011-04-04T18:54:00.001-04:00

Ai Weiwei

His name is Ai Weiwei. He is 53 years old and considered a national treasure in China. He co-designed the Bird's Nest stadium for the 2008 Beijing Olympics - a stunning work of architecture meant to showcase China’s rich culture. Now he sits in prison, perhaps indefinitely, because the Chinese government wants to head-off the same types of democratization movements that have swept across the Middle East. Weiwei's only crime: an outspoken belief that the country he so loves must recognize human rights in order to grow culturally and spiritually.

Sounds dangerous, doesn’t he?

Weiwei was stopped and detained by Chinese security forces early Sunday as he tried to board a plane for Hong Kong. At approximately the same time, police raided his Beijing home and gallery, seizing computers, journals and other materials. His wife, Lu Qing, was also detained for several hours then released. The last I read, she had not heard from her husband, and the police refuse to speak of his whereabouts.

Weiwei’s troubles began approximately a month ago when dozens of lawyers, writers, artists, and social commentators began being detained, confined to their homes, or placed under surveillance since anonymous calls for a "Jasmine Revolution" in China began circulating online. He openly criticized the crackdown and announced last week that he was setting up a studio in Germany because of the problems he faced showing his work in China.

Chinese authorities were thought until now to have tolerated Weiwei, who exhibited last year at London's Tate Modern gallery, and his calls for pro-democracy protests because of his international profile and because his father was one of China's most famous modern poets.   Weiwei has had previous run-ins with the authorities. He was beaten by police in 2009 for supporting young victims of the 2008 Sichuan Earthquake. Similarly, he was banned from international travel ahead of the Nobel Peace Prize Award ceremony for jailed Chinese dissident Lui Xiaobo.

According to a source cited in the Wall Street Journal, the number of people targeted in the current crackdown, so far, is fewer than in the campaigns against Tibetan and Uighur activists in the last three years. But, he said the current crackdown was unusual—and troubling—because it targeted people for expressing political views rather than organizing political activity.

Since January, I’ve written a few posts on here about the arts or artists being under attack, and it’s not just in autocracies like China. There are people in this country trying furiously to defund, devalue, and marginalize the arts.

Why? What makes artists so scary? Sure, there is a long history of artists thumbing their noses at authority…but why the huge push back? The only answer I can come up with is that art, by its very nature, is rooted in truth. Without a core of raw human truth, art is empty and soulless. Those that would have art (and the voice of the artist) controlled, contained, or crushed are those who would do the same to the truth…and, eventually, to humanity. If what I’ve come up with is even close to accurate, it makes it more important than ever for us to support the arts and speak out on behalf of artists.

Until next time…

What Happens When a Corporate COO Sells Out and Finds Art?

2011-03-31T11:31:00.001-04:00

When her company, DailyCandy, was bought by Comcast for $125-million, the former company COO, Catherine Levene, decided to do something she’d always wanted - take a year off to see the world and explore new things. While traveling in Madrid, she became completely enamored with the art she was almost constantly exposed to. After continuing her travels, and her art education, she returned to the US with a new passion – and a new idea. According to a release on PR Newswire, that newfound passion led her to create a new startup called Artspace.com.

Artspace.com launched earlier this week with three goals – connect art lovers and collectors with top contemporary artists and galleries, educate visitors about the art world, and give back to cultural institutions and non-profit organizations that support the arts.

This sounds vaguely familiar (except for the selling to Comcast for $125-million). While some might think I’d be envious that someone with deep pockets adopted a mission similar to that of Zamaana, I sincerely support what she is doing and wish her all the best. Galleries and artists face the very serious challenge of reaching new audiences – especially here in the United States. The fact that Levene wants to help people learn about art, collect it, and do some good in the world speaks greatly to the power of art and to her as a person.

According to the press release, there are 11 million households in the US buying art every year. However, most of that is purchased online from sites like Amazon.com, or from mass retailers like Home Depot and Crate & Barrel. Levene says she sees Artspace as a venue for showcasing amazing artwork that those people may they never knew existed or thought they could afford. In order to make the buying process more interactive and engaging, Artspace has incorporated a number of social media-like features that encourage collectors to share the art buying process with their friends, co-workers and family members. Plus, users may curate collections on the site and share them with through Facebook and Twitter.

One of the main charities Artspace will be contributing to is Charity: Water. Charity: Water is a non-profit organization that brings clean, safe drinking water to people and communities in developing nations. Unsafe water and lack of basic sanitation cause 80% of diseases and kill more people every year than all forms of violence, including war. Charity: Water uses 100% of donations to fund directly sustainable water projects in such places as Sierra Leone, Ethiopia, Honduras, India, Tanzania, Mozambique, Bangladesh, and Cambodia. For more information, please visit www.charitywater.org.

Art and Social Change in Hong Kong

2011-03-22T12:48:00.001-04:00

An anti-pollution activist group in Hong Kong has turned to a new medium in its efforts to promote clean air on the island - art. The organization, the Hong Kong Clean Air Network, enlisted the support of more than 40 artists to create or donate works that bring attention to degrading air quality in the Asian financial hub. The resulting collection, which was put on display Monday and will show through March 27 in the Hong Kong International Financial Center shopping mall, includes a massive 32-foot tall sculpture of a pair of gray lungs. Once the show has finished its run, the art will be auctioned by Sotheby’s, with the proceeds going to fight air pollution.

Fruits in Furnace - Chen Jia Gang

The artists that contributed to the collection include well-known names from Hong Kong, Mainland China, and elsewhere. Also, BSI Investment Advisors (part of the Italian insurance giant Generali) donated two works by photographer and video artist Jiang Zhi estimated to be worth $9,000 each to the collection. The artworks include sculptures, paintings, and photographs - all of which illustrate environmental issues and problems, like smog, waste, and the destruction of natural habitats.

One of the most publicized works donated is the before mentioned pair of gray lungs crafted by Chinese artist Ma Han. Made of fiberglass, rice and car paint, the piece could fetch as much as $150,000 according to published Sotheby’s estimates. If all Sotheby’s estimates are realized, the 51 total works could raise more than $1.9 million.

“The auction is not just an elite exercise for opinion leaders but a new way to approach the general public,” said Joanne Ooi, chief executive of the Clean Air Network, in a New York Times article about the exhibit. “Art is undoubtedly less daunting and more appealing than activism. On top of that, such a public show of support by well-known corporate partners Sotheby’s and BSI will definitely mainstream the clean air issue.”

While Ms. Ooi’s statement about the nature of art and activism is a bit blunter than I would put it, she is absolutely correct. As such, I wholeheartedly support what the Hong Kong Clean Air Network is attempting to accomplish with this campaign – especially since it very closely mirrors the mission and goals of Zamaana.

Sometimes, the best and most effective way to bring attention to a problem (or offer a solution) is not with rhetoric and debate, but with art. That being the case, artists and art organizations have a much larger responsibility than most of us can imagine: a responsibility to observe the world much closer, to take a stand on important issues, and to take the lead in making a change. Whether you choose do so by becoming active with Zamaana, by joining up with another activist group, or by taking a stand on your own, it is entirely up to you.

The important part is to do something…

Nature at its Most Humbling

2011-03-14T19:31:00.005-04:00

Frighteningly Humbling. That’s the only way I can truly describe the terrible devastation in Japan following last week’s 9.0 earthquake and resulting tsunami. Like so many of you, I watched this weekend as footage of streets flooded, buildings collapsed (some of which that were built to be earthquake-proof), and bodies washed ashore up and down the northeast Japanese coast. To make matters worse, the graveness of these images was compounded by stories of a nuclear power plant in the affected area whose reactors teetered on the verge of catastrophic meltdown. To call the situation dire feels like an understatement.

I am aware that this is not the first massive earthquake to strike recently. Haiti, Chile and Pakistan still reel from the effects of massive tremors in the last few years. New Zealand is barely starting to recover from a violent quake near the hamlet of Christchurch. But, this disaster stands out because it struck one of the most technologically advanced nations on the planet, as well as the world’s third largest economy. This was not a country lacking in infrastructure. They did not lack predictive techniques, preventative measures or dedicated responses for such an earthquake. I would even dare to speculate that Japan, of any country, is probably the one best prepared for such a scenario. That being the case, it seems to make the extent of the destruction seem all the much more awful.

Like I mentioned in this very blog only last week, Art Spill and Zamaana are dedicated to helping people and making the planet a better place. That said, I would be remiss if I did not provide my readers with a means of offering assistance to our brothers and sisters in Japan that have been so terribly affected by this disaster.

A friend and colleague posted a link on his blog this morning to a website called InterAction.org. InterAction.org is an alliance of US-based international non-governmental aid organizations that has compiled a list of groups accepting private, corporate and group donations, along with some guidelines for the most appropriate ways to donate money, goods or services. If you, your company, or an organization you are affiliated with wants to help the Japanese people as they recover, visit http://www.interaction.org to learn more.  

To quote my friend’s blog posting (as…inelegant…as it may be) “I know budgets are tight. I know some of you guys are scratching for work right now. Life can be kinda’ sucky, I know. But, then again, here in sunny Florida the streets aren’t flooded, buildings aren’t collapsing, and we’re not taking iodine pills to prevent radiation sickness. Can’t say the same of Japan right now. So, if you have the means and the inclination, do what you can.”

Until next time,

Microloans in the News

2011-03-09T12:52:00.002-05:00

Dr. Muhammad Yunus

Late last week, Dr. Muhammad Yunus, the Bangladeshi economist and Nobel Peace Prize winner who largely pioneered microloans as a means of fighting poverty in his country, was forced from his position in the bank he helped found. The bank's government-appointed chairman is on record as saying Dr. Yunus had been removed because of a technical violation of the law that had originally created Grameen Bank...

Apparently, his appointment should have been approved by the central bank – it was not. So, he was relieved of his duties for “noncompliance.” Many see this as the latest effort by the government of Bangladesh to diminish the influence of the 70-year-old Yunus, within the country.

This all started late last year when a Norwegian documentary alleged that the bank had improperly transferred, to another non-profit affiliate of Grameen Bank, a $100-million donation by the government of Norway for housing loans. An impartial investigation confirmed the money had been improperly transferred, but found no money had been actually been stolen or misused, and that there was no illicit intent in the transfer.

Meanwhile, Bangladesh's prime minister, Sheik Hasina Wazed, has taken advantage of the accusations to attack Dr. Yunus, and in December accused him and other microlenders of "sucking blood from the poor in the name of poverty alleviation."

I bring attention to this story because of the close association that Zamaana has with Kiva, a microlending organization inspired by the work of Dr. Yunus.

According to a recent press release by the Microcredit Summit Campaign, more than 128 million of the world's poorest families received a microloan in 2009. Assuming an average of five persons per family, this means that loans to 128 million poorest clients affected some 641 million family members, which is greater than the combined population of the European Union and Russia. These microloans are used to help the lowest income individuals start farms or small businesses such as selling basic foodstuffs, producing handicrafts, and delivering cell phone services to remote villages.

The Bangladeshi politics surrounding Dr. Yunus (and microloans in general) is beginning to gain international attention, and will more than likely become a topic of discussion here in the United States. Without taking too heavy a stand on the topic (this is a blog about art and social change, after all), I will ask that you do some research for yourself on the whole concept of microloans and the kind of good they do in the world...especially Kiva.

Like I said in a post back in January, through a non-profit microlending organization like Kiva, we can do our part to make this world a happier and more prosperous place. It may not be the same as spending a year in the Peace Corps, but it’s definitely more personal than writing a check to a faceless charity and never knowing what becomes of the money.

Until next time,

Art Wanted…In India

2011-03-04T20:14:00.005-05:00

It seems like I’ve had a lot of stories on here lately about controversies surrounding some type of government funding of the arts here in the US. That’s why, when I came across a story about the India’s recent decision to exempt artwork for public display from customs duties, I felt compelled to share it with you.

In his most recently submitted budget, Indian Finance Minister, Pranab Mukherjee, has made art works and antiquities exempt from customs duties when imported for display in a public forum. Private art galleries and collectors can benefit from this policy, but the painting or sculpture imported must receive a full public viewing in the next year.

I know many of my readers are shaking their head and saying “and…” right now. So, let me explain quickly: This is an enormous change in policy for India. Curators and collectors all over India complain regularly that getting works of art in and out of the country involves massive amounts of red tape and knowing the right people in the right places. Understandable for a country so rich in valuable cultural artifacts and artwork, but frustrating for those that acquire and move artwork, as well as the country’s many celebrated contemporary artists.

For example, a couple of years ago, one of the most high profile arts and antiquities collectors, Vijay Mallya (Chairman of UB Group, India’s biggest liquor empire), had been purposefully seeking out and collecting items belonging to Tipu Sultan, a Mysorean ruler who took up arms against the British East India Company back in the 18th century. One of the items – Tipu’s sword – was purchased at auction, but ran into serious complications regarding returning it to India. Mr Mallya had to write then finance minister, PC Chidambaram, asking for an ‘ad hoc’ exemption from customs duties.

More than five years on, a stroke of the pen has just given India’s art collectors a little more cut and thrust to bring home their treasures and trophies.

Sonia Gandhi, the president of the ruling Congress party, has expressed a keen interest in art, museums and art restoration as part of strengthening India culturally and economically. This feeling is shared by many of the country’s most influential business families like Nita Ambani, wife of billionaire industrialist Mukesh Ambani, and Kiran Nadar, wife of HCL’s Shiv Nadar.

Whether Mr Mukherjee shares this view, or if the move is pure politics is unknown (or, at least to anybody that isn’t immediately connected to Mr Mukherjee). It is pretty well known that Mr Mukherjee – one of the Congress party’s most senior politicians – is very deft at pleasing the voting masses with extra spending. But, it is possible that this move is part of an “art nationalism” and “exporting culture via art” movement – something that China, Brazil, Thailand, South Africa and Russia have also embarked upon in the last several years (completely to be expected from a rising power with growing personal fortunes).

Bits of Conversation with Ywei Elena Wang

2011-02-23T15:21:00.010-05:00

Emerging artist Ywei Elena Wang was born in Changhua, Taiwan in 1987. She was then raised by her grandparents south of Taiwan, in Kaohsiung, until the age of 3. Having a diplomat father, her family relocated to Ecuador, Mexico and Peru, where Ywei spent most of her life. After finishing an engineering degree from the University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia, she moved back to Taiwan, where she currently resides.

Ywei Elena Wang

C: Your background is really interesting. You’ve lived in so many places. Where did your interest in art begin?

Y: I think its a mixed blessing growing up in so many places. It hasn’t been easy growing up as a third culture kid with all the language barriers and clashes in values. I had to deal with racial discrimination at a really young age, so you learn to grow up really fast. But I would not trade it for anything in the world. As far as I can remember, I was always drawing something or imagining pictures in my head from simple things like socks laying in the house. When we were in Ecuador, my mom used to sign my sisters and I up for art classes. I think that’s where it all began. And my art teacher was really interesting. I remember that she knew how to cook alligator soup. I think every time I moved to a new place, I would have a completely different idea of what art was, and it made everything even more interesting.

C: Why did you study engineering? Actually, no, let me guess. Your parents were supportive of the arts as far as a hobby, but for a career, they wanted you to choose something more stable and “intelligent.” Engineering came naturally to you, so you decided that it wouldn’t hurt to get the degree and then have all the time to work on your art, knowing that your bases are covered. That’s it in a nutshell, right? I know it so well…that disconnect between the younger and older generations so prevalent in Asian/Indian families.

I’m glad that you continued with your art because I believe you poured your heart into the Encuentro series.

9 Meses - Ywei Elena Wang

Y: Absolutely. My parents were totally against me studying art since I was really young, I had good grades in high school so I think they wanted me to be more academically oriented and do something that’s more financially stable. Having said that, I think my math teacher in high school tricked me into studying engineering. He was a genius with like 4 crazy engineering degrees. But all this just made me want to pursue art even more. One day, in the summer during college, I completed a piece of art that took me 9 months to finish, and that’s when I decided that this is definitely what I want to do. I can’t imagine my life without it.

C: Tell me a little bit about Taiwan. I’m not very familiar with the art community there. What is it like for emerging artists?

Y: I’m not that familiar, either. I moved here not long ago. I was pretty disconnected from the language and people here at first because the last time I was here, I was only 12. But from what I know from the people I’ve talked to, it’s hard for emerging artists to be full-time artists because the market is geared toward big names. It’s a small circle here with a definite focus on international artists. In Shanghai, Hong Kong, and Beijing, things are different. They’re huge hubs for the visual arts. Taipei is still not quite there. It reminds me of something that happened a couple of months back. There was a Van Gogh exhibition that came here, and at the same time, there was an exhibition of the Grand Masters of Chinese painting, Chang Dai-chien, Qi Baishi, and many others. The Van Gogh exhibition was so full; you could hardly walk around with the crowd. And the other one was literally empty. I think it was just me, my cousin, and two other people.

C: I hear that from artists all over the world. For the most part, the crowds still tend to follow the big names, and the highest ranking artists to date happen to be from Europe or America. I do believe that is rapidly changing, as the art world itself is evolving. The economy, technology, and globalization all are giving way to new perspectives and communication. It’s only a matter of time before artists from other countries start competing in terms of influence and price.

Y: The fact that there even is an art world, somehow, makes me feel that it is a little bit disconnected from the actual world. It would be cool when those boundaries are less obvious. I think art is for everyone, not just limited to certain groups of people. Everyone has the potential to enjoy and participate in the creative process; but sometimes, access is limited – for both the artist to expose their work and for the people to encounter the art that they like.

It would be great if there could be a new way of sharing art that breaks the boundaries that separate the art world from the everyday world. It’s amazing what internet communities are doing for art these days…but we also don't want to see art existing only in jpegs, you know?

C: Yes, absolutely. I think that the internet offers an amazing potential to expand the art community and disseminate information. But, it won’t ever be able to recreate the energy or the experience of real life events. Still, I think everyone would agree that it’s a great resource. It helps artists find much needed support.

Y: Speaking of, I wish there could be more support, in general, for artists. They should be respected as much as any profession. The creative industry has as much potential as any other. It’s unfortunate that most artists should have to struggle doing art as a side thing until by any luck they become "discovered.” And I think its also a dangerous thing that funding for art and culture is the first thing that is being cut in government budget.

C: I agree that resources are already running low, as is. With governments taking away funding – now, due to the global recession – the future landscape of the art world may be drastically different from today. If you could visualize the art world in a decade, what changes would have taken place by then?

Y: It’s funny because I think, right now, we are in the middle of a fusion craze. Globalization has triggered a trend where "new" art is produced when you marry something with something else - like combining biology and art…or technology and art...or mixing different techniques and creating a new one…or combining things from different cultures, etc, etc. I think in a decade or two, there might be a trend looking to find the natural origins – finding the simplest element in art that is closest to its natural essence.

C: Before I let you go, I had one last question. In your opinion, who is the most powerful artist…or what is the most powerful artwork you've come across?

Y: I don't think you have to paint or have a certain talent to be an artist. Most artists that I really admire are people in our everyday lives – people who somehow touch you in some way in the most genuine sense. It could be just somebody giving you a helping hand in a time when you most need it. Or the way a mother raises a child from pure natural love. Wow. I think mothers really make some of the most powerful artists in this world.

Good artwork can be seen in a meal cooked with a genuine heart. It can be everywhere. It’s easy to paint a flower and make it look like one. But painting a flower from your most genuine spirit...I think that’s why Van Gogh's Sunflowers are so powerful.

The Fate of Mural

2011-02-22T12:07:00.010-05:00

Mural - Jackson Pollock

Some of you may have heard that the Iowa legislature wants to sell a 20-foot long Jackson Pollock painting named “Mural” that was valued at $150-million back in 2008. Some want the money to go to art scholarships, some want it to go into medical research, and some want to use it to eliminate state debt. Any way it goes, the proposal has infuriated art supporters, museum officials and the University of Iowa, who officially owns the work.

The sale was proposed by Rep. Scott Raecker (R) and approved last week by the Iowa House of Representatives. It still must pass the Iowa senate before any action occurs. But, the debate has begun, and it already appears to be getting ugly.

Without getting into serious details about who said what (I don’t want to justify some of the remarks I read online) but there seem to be three trains of thought. The first track: Mural is a cultural treasure that the University of Iowa is lucky to have in their possession and that enriches the state in general by its intrinsic value. The second: it can’t hurt the state of Iowa to sell Mural because culture is better served by circulating things of value, and that money will be used for the greater good. The third: it is the state if Iowa’s imperative to sell any and all of its holdings at its whim, and that only a small sliver of Iowans actually took value from Mural in the first place.

So, is this an attack on the arts by the right wing political machine? Is it a practical move designed to ensure the arts continue to see funding in a world of tightening budgets? Or, is it what needs to be done to control out-of-control government?

As much as it pains me to say it, this blog is not a place for that argument.

So, why bring it up, you ask?

Because, it strikes at one of the things I’m trying to do with Zamaana - to motivate people to have a conversation about art. The fact that there’s an argument going on about the intrinsic worth of a work of art; about its cultural value; about its ability to inspire and enrich lives. That’s why I bring it up. Regardless of who is “right” or “wrong” in this discussion, it’s a good thing that the discussion is happening.

The fate of Mural is yet to be decided, and it’s possible that the debate will be over tomorrow, or run on into the next election. Regardless, I’m happy to see people talking about art so passionately, and I can only hope that continues well into the future (preferably without all the angry online comments).

**Update** - Perhaps it was a premonition. One day after writing this post, the debate is over. The Des Moines Register explains, "The idea to force the University of Iowa to sell its $150 million Jackson Pollock painting has officially died in the legislature. The reason: The issue has become so cumbersomely emotional that reaching consensus is unlikely, the legislator pushing for the sale said today." So, I guess that closes that debate for now, but for many of us, it still doesn't answer the most important questions. I'm left pondering - What is the ultimate purpose of art? Is it a symbol of culture to be appreciated and collected as an object? Or should it not be "kept" at all? Is there inherently a responsibility and purpose of its own that reaches past conventional ideas?

Miscellaneous Debris

2011-02-09T17:59:00.005-05:00

You know the old expression, life finds a way? I looked it up, and there is actually more to it. The rest goes: life finds a way to get you so incredibly busy that you’re completely oblivious to the fact that Monday has passed you by and you’re late in posting your blog for this week.

Please don’t ask where I found the rest of that expression, just trust me on this.

First, I would like to thank my friend, Bryce, for volunteering to be the first guest contributor to ArtSpill. When he first approached me about contributing, I was a bit hesitant because the last thing of his that I had read was a one-man skit that involved the Incredible Hulk making a call to (How do I best put this?) an “adult entertainment hotline.” But, clearly he has grown a bit in the last few years, and I think he put together an intelligent and entertaining bit about the importance of humor in art.

Next, I want to talk for a quick moment about recent events in Egypt. What we are seeing is nothing shy of incredible, and long overdue in my opinion. But, I’m not really interested in discussing the politics involved (or, at least not right now). Instead, I want to shine a spotlight on a certain news story I heard on the BBC last week about a group of young Egyptians that banded together to form a human fence around the Egyptian Museum. Even though the museum was heavily vandalized on the outside, and despite gunfire being exchanged in the streets, these young men and women sacrificed their time and safety to keep several invaluable cultural and artistic treasures, including the death mask of Tutankhamun, safe from looters and damage. It’s an inspiring story, to say the least, and a testament to the value of art to people of all cultures.

Finally, I want to invite all my readers to send press releases, event invitations, and just about anything else you might want to see posted on here to zamaanamedia@gmail.com. Why? Because it’s my belief that ArtSpill is as much a forum for you and your creative endeavors as it is for me and Zamaana. Also, if any of you would like to contribute a blog article (much like Bryce did last week), please contact me with a basic overview of what you would like to write. At this point, we can’t pay anybody to write guest blogs, but I think it brings something truly beautiful to the conversation when multiple voices, viewpoints, and opinions can be represented in one place.