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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.

Sarah Morris, Creative Artists Agency (Los Angeles) (2005). Power relationships rendered in abstraction-- the perfect representation of Hollywood and the film industry honouring its best in tonight's 90th Annual Academy Awards. 

Sarah Morris, Creative Artists Agency (Los Angeles) (2005). Power relationships rendered in abstraction-- the perfect representation of Hollywood and the film industry honouring its best in tonight's 90th Annual Academy Awards. 

Weekly Flipboard Links and Media Round Up

March 04, 2018

Tonight will be the 90th edition of the Academy Awards-- an event that was originally created by the Hollywood film moguls to honour each other and create legitimacy for a medium and an industry that was still very new and even suspect at the turn on the twentieth century. Indeed, one of the important themes that I explore with students in my film courses is the critical role that public relations and the vertical integration of the film industry played in reinforcing the perception of film as a kind of modern religion, complete with its screen Gods, ritualized ceremonies like the Oscars, and unquestioned practices related to film production, exhibition, and distribution.

My chosen artist this week, Sarah Morris, is a NY-based artist and filmmaker, and has made it part of her practice to examine the interrelated connections between the world of painting and the world of cinema. Her large scale abstract paintings reflect the networks of power in large-scale bureaucratic institutions, mirroring related structures in both the art world and the film industry. Her work Creative Artists Agency (Los Angeles) (2005) is described by MoMA in the following terms:  

"Glossy, bright, and geometric, this painting is part of a series by Morris that is inspired by the city of Los Angeles. Its title refers to the powerful Creative Artists Agency, a talent agency that is a key player in the invisible Hollywood network of actors, directors, and producers who are also the subjects of the artist's video Los Angeles (2004). The hexagonal structures are a visually complex interpretation of the web-like, convoluted power relationships that dominate the entertainment industry. Morris charts these connections to create a flashy, hard surface that reflects a culture of superficiality."

In recent years, pressures have grown once again within Hollywood, as in many other powerful institutions (including the art world), to examine and openly question the most damaging and exclusionary practices of the film industry. This process, which in earlier episodes of Hollywood history brought about the dismantling of the big studio monopolies, the freeing up of actors from stringent contracts, and the recognition and promotion of women and minorities to the upper ranks of the industry, is mirrored in the choices played out at the Oscars-- wins, losses, and yes, snubs. It is a fascinating event and one that I watch almost exclusively for the unstated tensions, and I know I will be rooting for many important and path-breaking films, actors, and creatives to be honoured tonight. Enjoy the links, and enjoy the Oscars if you will be tuning in.

"How Artwork Gets into Movies"
"How Artwork Gets into Movies"

artsy.net

"Art that Embraces the Incoherence of the Internet"
"Art that Embraces the Incoherence of the Internet"

hyperallergic.com

"Damien Hirst’s Latest Conceptual Feat? Painting the Canvases Himself"
"Damien Hirst’s Latest Conceptual Feat? Painting the Canvases Himself"

artsy.net

"So What If Art Selfies Are Narcissistic?"
"So What If Art Selfies Are Narcissistic?"

canadianart.ca

"Facebook censors 30,000 year-old Venus of Willendorf as 'pornographic'"
"Facebook censors 30,000 year-old Venus of Willendorf as 'pornographic'"

artnewspaper.com

"These Trump Paintings Are a Highlight of the ADAA Fair"
"These Trump Paintings Are a Highlight of the ADAA Fair"

vulture.com

"They Died Near the Border. Art Students Hope to Bring Them Back"
"They Died Near the Border. Art Students Hope to Bring Them Back"

nytimes.com

"Mindfulness exercises ‘help students stay focused in class’"
"Mindfulness exercises ‘help students stay focused in class’"

timeshighereducation.com

"In Five Words, Designer Sums Up Evolution of Leading Tech Logos"
"In Five Words, Designer Sums Up Evolution of Leading Tech Logos"

designtaxi.com

"Conserving Whaam!"
"Conserving Whaam!"

tate

"How Artwork Gets into Movies" "Art that Embraces the Incoherence of the Internet" "Damien Hirst’s Latest Conceptual Feat? Painting the Canvases Himself" "So What If Art Selfies Are Narcissistic?" "Facebook censors 30,000 year-old Venus of Willendorf as 'pornographic'" "These Trump Paintings Are a Highlight of the ADAA Fair" "They Died Near the Border. Art Students Hope to Bring Them Back" "Mindfulness exercises ‘help students stay focused in class’" "In Five Words, Designer Sums Up Evolution of Leading Tech Logos" "Conserving Whaam!"
  • How Artwork Gets into Movies
  • Art that Embraces the Incoherence of the Internet
  • Damien Hirst’s Latest Conceptual Feat? Painting the Canvases Himself
  • So What If Art Selfies Are Narcissistic?
  • Facebook censors 30,000 year-old Venus of Willendorf as 'pornographic'
  • These Trump Paintings Are a Highlight of the ADAA Fair
  • They Died Near the Border. Art Students Hope to Bring Them Back.
  • Mindfulness exercises ‘help students stay focused in class’
  • In Five Words, Designer Sums Up Evolution of Leading Tech Logos
  • Conserving Whaam! (VIDEO)
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© Dorothy Barenscott, 2010-2025