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Avant-Guardian Musings

  • Spring 2025
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“Art is an outlet toward regions which are not ruled by time and space”
— Marcel Duchamp

Avant-Guardian Musings is a curated space of ideas and information, resources, reviews and readings for undergraduate and graduate students studying modern and contemporary art history and visual art theory, film and photography studies, and the expanding field of visual culture and screen studies. For students currently enrolled in my courses or the field school, the blog and associated social media links also serve as a place of reflection and an extension of the ideas and visual material raised in lecture and seminar discussion.

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Blog
From the Archives | How (And Why) To Take Excellent Lecture Notes
From the Archives | How (And Why) To Take Excellent Lecture Notes
about 10 months ago
Weekly Musings + Round Up... And A Few More Things
Weekly Musings + Round Up... And A Few More Things
about 2 years ago
Weekly Musings + Round Up... And A Few More Things
about 2 years ago
Weekly Musings + Round Up... And A Few More Things
Weekly Musings + Round Up... And A Few More Things
about 2 years ago
Top 10 Modern and Contemporary Art Exhibitions Worth Visiting In 2023
Top 10 Modern and Contemporary Art Exhibitions Worth Visiting In 2023
about 2 years ago

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Delighted to find these iconic Tom Ford Whitney’s deep in my closet over the weekend ✨☀️🕶️Anyone else remember these sunglasses from back in the day? I want to say these are well over 15 years old and they were a very big splurge, but I loved
Delighted to find these iconic Tom Ford Whitney’s deep in my closet over the weekend ✨☀️🕶️Anyone else remember these sunglasses from back in the day? I want to say these are well over 15 years old and they were a very big splurge, but I loved rediscovering and wearing them today. Great design is timeless. Invest in things you love— your future self will thank you✨ . . . #tomford #sunglasses #tomfordwhitney #whatiwore #shamelessselfie
If Seoul was a colour, it would be neon and bright, and if it was a shape, it would be curved and post-structural.
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#artanddesign #odetoacity #urban #seoul #korea #design #contemporaryart #architecture
If Seoul was a colour, it would be neon and bright, and if it was a shape, it would be curved and post-structural. . . . #artanddesign #odetoacity #urban #seoul #korea #design #contemporaryart #architecture
Visited the stunning Leeum Museum of Art today and took in the spatial delights of Korean architecture married to modern art. What I love most is how the familiar European and American “masters” (i.e. Rodin, Giacometti, Rauschenberg, Hess
Visited the stunning Leeum Museum of Art today and took in the spatial delights of Korean architecture married to modern art. What I love most is how the familiar European and American “masters” (i.e. Rodin, Giacometti, Rauschenberg, Hesse, Flavin, Rothko, Andre, Lewitt, Stella, etc…) are curated both in dialogue with Korean modern artists such as Lee Ufan and Kim Chong-yung, but also in juxtaposition to the beautiful natural setting that is showcased through large windows throughout the complex. A must see gallery if you visit Seoul. . . . #seoul #korea #modernart #contemporaryart #koreanart #arthistory
Flaneur for the day in Seoul ✨🇰🇷 A global city of high contrast, beauty, and living history around every corner.
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#seoul #korea #flaneur #daytripping #streetart #contemporaryart #modernart #urbanart #arthistory #urban #globalcity
Flaneur for the day in Seoul ✨🇰🇷 A global city of high contrast, beauty, and living history around every corner. . . . #seoul #korea #flaneur #daytripping #streetart #contemporaryart #modernart #urbanart #arthistory #urban #globalcity
Hello Seoul! 🇰🇷🛬✨안녕하세요 서울 Lucky me, I am incredibly excited to have arrived in South Korea today and staying smack dab in the middle of the stylish Gangnam District at the COEX Conference Centre. It is my first time in this beautiful city and I ca
Hello Seoul! 🇰🇷🛬✨안녕하세요 서울 Lucky me, I am incredibly excited to have arrived in South Korea today and staying smack dab in the middle of the stylish Gangnam District at the COEX Conference Centre. It is my first time in this beautiful city and I cannot wait to begin exploring, especially the contemporary art and design scene. I am here to attend and give a paper at the #IPSA2025 International Political Science Association World Congress, the largest global gathering of researchers and academics working on all things political and international relations oriented. IPSA as an academic association was founded under the auspices of UNESCO in 1949 and is devoted to the advancement of political science in all parts of the world and promotes collaboration between scholars in both established and emerging democracies. The 2025 Conference theme is “Resisting Autocratization in Polarized Societies” and I was invited to present a paper on my ongoing work on Trumpism, the neo avante-garde, and visual culture on a panel examining the role of cultural actors during periods of democratic backsliding. I only had a few hours after I arrived to my hotel to check out COEX, but I had to see the world famous library housed inside the shopping complex. It was a very cool sight for a book nerd like me 🤓 . . . #seoul #korea #southkorea #politicalscience #arthistory #academiclife #conference @kpuarts @kwantlenu

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© Dorothy Barenscott, Avant-Guardian Musings, and dorothybarenscott.com, 2010-2023. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from this blog’s author is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to Dorothy Barenscott, Avant-Guardian Musings, and dorothybarenscott.com with appropriate and specific direction to the original content.

Ed Ruscha, Pay Nothing Until April (2003). Ruscha celebrated his birthday this week, and the Tate Modern (where this holiday-themed work is housed) describes the painting as expressing "a cool, detached world-view in keeping with Ruscha’s conce…

Ed Ruscha, Pay Nothing Until April (2003). Ruscha celebrated his birthday this week, and the Tate Modern (where this holiday-themed work is housed) describes the painting as expressing "a cool, detached world-view in keeping with Ruscha’s conceptual works such as his photo-book (Every Building On) The Sunset Strip 1966. Roughly the size of a poster that might be displayed in a shop window, the picture’s alpine setting and eye-grabbing lettering call to mind an advertisement for a bargain ski holiday."

Weekly Flipboard Links and Media Round Up

December 17, 2017

As end-of-the-year reflections, inventories, and other assorted lists begin to circulate, along with end-of-semester sighs of relief and a turn to planning for 2018 take hold, I have had several conversations with students (past and present) this week about the value of the intensity and accompanying release that characterizes the end of the term. For academics, the natural cycle of our work life mirrors that of our earlier life as students-- three to four months of highly structured and planned lectures, assignments, exams, deadlines, and grading, followed by two to three weeks of rest and recovery. Rinse and repeat for spring with a longer period of research and individual projects through the summer.

For students, this intensive schedule can feel especially onerous and stressful while in the midst of a term, but what many come to realize is the sweet and satisfying feeling of accomplishment that comes at the end of the semester. I am convinced the pursuit of that feeling is why many of my colleagues choose to stay in the game and essentially build their professional lives around the academic calendar. That feeling is also the one that instills confidence and is hard-won after much sacrifice and perseverance, not only contributing to personal growth, but in many ways necessary for happiness and self-actualization. Unfortunately, however, many students will depart university never fully valuing that fact, and will later find themselves wishing they had learned to appreciate and embrace the hardest aspects of their educational journey. So for those of you slowly recovering from the slog of another semester and clearing the decks for another one on the horizon-- congratulations!-- take a moment to seriously reflect on all of the work and effort you put into your term, and remember that opportunities to push yourself in this way are precious and incredibly important. Enjoy the links, and have a restful week of celebration!

"Feminist Art Icon Judy Chicago Isn’t Done Fighting"
"Feminist Art Icon Judy Chicago Isn’t Done Fighting"

interviewmagazine.com

"24 Holiday Gifts for Every Personality in Your (Art) World, From Fashionistas to Design Aficionados"
"24 Holiday Gifts for Every Personality in Your (Art) World, From Fashionistas to Design Aficionados"

artnet.com

"Making Art in Communist Romania: An Interview With My Avant-garde Grandfather"
"Making Art in Communist Romania: An Interview With My Avant-garde Grandfather"

theparisreview.org

"Net Neutrality: Why Artists and Activists Can’t Afford to Lose It"
"Net Neutrality: Why Artists and Activists Can’t Afford to Lose It"

nytimes.com

"Exams: it is not just the students who get stressed out"
"Exams: it is not just the students who get stressed out"

universityaffairs.ca

"Why Robert Rauschenberg Erased a de Kooning (PODCAST)"
"Why Robert Rauschenberg Erased a de Kooning (PODCAST)"

artsy.net

"‘Darkness Is Comforting’: The Japanese Artists Subverting Kawaii Culture"
"‘Darkness Is Comforting’: The Japanese Artists Subverting Kawaii Culture"

broadly.vice.com

"The Disaster Artist: An Oral History"
"The Disaster Artist: An Oral History"

vulture.com

"What Art History Tells Us about Ultra Violet, Pantone’s Color of the Year"
"What Art History Tells Us about Ultra Violet, Pantone’s Color of the Year"

artsy.net

"A race against time: manuscripts and digital preservation (VIDEO)"
"A race against time: manuscripts and digital preservation (VIDEO)"

smarthistory

"Feminist Art Icon Judy Chicago Isn’t Done Fighting" "24 Holiday Gifts for Every Personality in Your (Art) World, From Fashionistas to Design Aficionados" "Making Art in Communist Romania: An Interview With My Avant-garde Grandfather" "Net Neutrality: Why Artists and Activists Can’t Afford to Lose It" "Exams: it is not just the students who get stressed out" "Why Robert Rauschenberg Erased a de Kooning (PODCAST)" "‘Darkness Is Comforting’: The Japanese Artists Subverting Kawaii Culture" "The Disaster Artist: An Oral History" "What Art History Tells Us about Ultra Violet, Pantone’s Color of the Year" "A race against time: manuscripts and digital preservation (VIDEO)"
  • 24 Holiday Gifts for Every Personality in Your (Art) World, From Fashionistas to Design Aficionados
  • Making Art in Communist Romania: An Interview With My Avant-garde Grandfather
  • Feminist Art Icon Judy Chicago Isn’t Done Fighting
  • Net Neutrality: Why Artists and Activists Can’t Afford to Lose It
  • Exams: it is not just the students who get stressed out
  • Why Robert Rauschenberg Erased a de Kooning (PODCAST)
  • ‘Darkness Is Comforting’: The Japanese Artists Subverting Kawaii Culture
  • The Disaster Artist: An Oral History
  • What Art History Tells Us about Ultra Violet, Pantone’s Color of the Year
  • A race against time: manuscripts and digital preservation (VIDEO)
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© Dorothy Barenscott, 2010-2025