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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.

Blog

Making Sense of Art in the Age of Machine Learning—A Suggested Reading List

about a week ago

From the Archives | How (And Why) To Take Excellent Lecture Notes

about 11 months ago

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

about 2 years ago

Today, I visited Sicily’s contemporary art museum in Palazzo Riso, another converted baroque palace that was heavily bombed during WWII after local fascists made it their headquarters. I love thinking how much those people would have hated the kind of art that occupies this space and lives on its walls. This art does not celebrate beauty, nor does it tell audiences what to think, who to love, or what rules or political leaders to follow— it is art that deliberately creates questions, discomfort, and provocation while asking audiences to shape the final meaning. Even today, here in Palermo, I discovered through conversation with locals that there are many who criticize and attack the works (artworks by non-Italians, women, people of colour, gay people, and those who use unconventional materials and approaches to art-making) exhibited in the space. It appears the culture wars are again reshaping Italy as they did 80 years ago. History does not repeat itself, as the Mark Twain saying goes, but it does rhyme. Pay attention. Among the artists pictured here: Vanessa Beecroft, Regina Jose Galindo, Herman Nitsch Christian Boltanski, Cesare Viel, Sergio Zavattieri, Loredana Longo, Carla Accardi, Richard Long, William Kentridge . . . #contemporyart #arthistory #sicily #palermo #italy #artwork #artmuseum

How to describe the Palazzo Butera in Sicily? Take a baroque palace on the edge of the Mediterranean Sea, restore it with great care, and then fill it with your collection of contemporary art, antiquities, ephemera, and a sprinkle of modern and Renaissance works. Add a beautiful cafe with a terrace facing the sea and invite the public to admire it all. This is the best of what a private collection can be— bravo to the curators and anyone who had a hand in planning this space. It is breathtaking! A must visit if you come to Sicily. . . . #palermo #sicily #arthistory #contemporaryart #artcollection #palazzobutera #modernart #artmuseum

A stroll through Palermo capturing colour, light, and mood 💙 . . . #sicily #italy #palermo #urban #architecture #arthistory #flaneur

Buongiorno bella Sicilia! ✨I arrived in bustling Palermo after sunset last night just in time for a lovely al fresco dinner with my dynamic Urban Emotions research group, and awoke this morning to the beauty, light, and colour of Sicily, enjoying my coffee on my hotel’s rooftop terrace and strolling quiet streets as the city awoke. I will be here for the week participating in a round table discussion at the AISU Congress (Association of Italian Urban Historians) exploring the intersection of emotions, cities, and images with the wonderful individual researchers (from Italy, UK, Turkey, and the US) with whom I have been collaborating through online discussions and meetings for over a year. We first connected in Athens last summer at the EAHN European Architectural History Network Conference and have been working on a position paper that will be published later this year in the Architectural Histories journal expanding on our individual case studies to argue for the broader relevance of urban emotions as a multidisciplinary field of study. It is so wonderful to finally meet as a group and continue our conversations! . . . #urbanhistory #italy #palermo #sicily #arthistory #urbanemotions #contemporaryart

What are the books I would recommend to any artist, art historian, or curator if they wanted to get a critical handle on the state of art in the age of AI? I have some suggestions as I spent the past several months assembling a set of readings that will shape the core questions of a course I will be teaching on this topic come fall at @kwantlenu @kpuarts @kpufinearts . By request, I am sharing the reading list and core questions on my blog (check out top link in bio) in an effort to encourage the consideration of these ideas to a wider audience. I hope to report back at the end of the semester about what I learned teaching this course, and I will be on the lookout for others in my field taking on this topic as a much-needed addition to the art school curriculum in the years to come. IMAGE: Lev Manovich’s exploratory art work from 2013 is made up of 50,000 Instagram images shared in Tokyo that are visualized in his lab one year later. . . . #contemporaryart #machinelearning #ai #artificalintelligence #arthistory #newpost #avantguardianmusings

© 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.

The documentary Shadowman by director Oren Jacoby, an artist documentary on the life of Vancouver-born street artist Richard Hambleton, was one of the more memorable films I took in at the festival. Featured above is one of Hambleton's famous silhou… — The documentary *Shadowman* by director Oren Jacoby, an artist documentary on the life of Vancouver-born street artist Richard Hambleton, was one of the more memorable films I took in at the festival. Featured above is one of Hambleton's famous silhouettes that dotted the back streets of the Lower East Side of NYC in the 1980's.

Weekly Flipboard Links and Media Round Up

October 15, 2017

Having finished out the final days of the Vancouver Film Festival this past week, I have been thinking a great deal about artist documentaries and bio-pics-- those made about other artists, and projects that artists have made about their own work or the work of fellow creatives. It seems that there are many more of these kinds of films being made today, and this speaks not only to the important megaphone artists have to bring attention to critical issues (such as Ai Weiwei's searing documentary Human Flow), but also to the many conflicting aspects of the art world and the art market that come into collision when artists attempt to manifest their visions on their own terms. The result is an important mirror reflecting the larger world of social, political, and economic relations as objects and projects considered "art" begin to raise uncomfortable questions around relations of capital expansion, individual autonomy and freedom, together with the role of the media in carrying and shaping messages to the masses. As I look at the links I am sharing this week, I see so much of this being played out in the kinds of art stories that seem to be shaping the art world landscape-- tales of abuse of power, shifting influence, exposing difficult subject matter, and the spectacle of celebrity and taste-making via art influencers. The culture wars appear more real and relevant than ever.

"Wim Wenders on his Polaroids – and why photography is now over"

artnet.com

"Artists deal with abuse in our work — so why do we struggle to confront it in our communities?"

cbc.ca

"Who Are the Most Influential Artists of the Last Century? 26 Industry Leaders Weigh In"

artnet.com

"A College Decided That This Anti-Racist Art Show Was Too ‘Provocative’ for the Public"

artnet.com

"Last Leonardo Painting in Private Hands Is Going to Auction for $100M+"

hyperallergic.com

"Professors Behaving Badly"

nytimes.com

"It’s The End Of CanCon As We Know It (And I Feel Fine) (PODCAST)"

canadaland.com

"How to see vintage Levi's 501s | FASHION AS DESIGN (VIDEO)"

moma.com

"The Fearless Chris Ofili Enters His Own Personal Paradise Lost"

vulture.com

"Why Twitter Silenced One of Harvey Weinstein’s Accusers"

vanityfair.com

Andy Warhol, Turkey Noodle Soup (1962) — Andy Warhol, *Turkey Noodle Soup* (1962)

Weekly Flipboard Links and Media Round Up

October 08, 2017

There is so much to be thankful for this year. I don't even know where to begin. But if pressed, what immediately comes to mind is all of the traveling and moments spent with fantastic colleagues and students the past twelve months. If I could offer any advice, I would say TRAVEL, whenever, wherever, and as often as possible. Nothing comes close to the satisfaction, life-long memories, and personal growth that comes from going to and seeing other parts of the world. Regardless of all of the fear generated by the terror, environmental, and other tragic events that fill our news, I strongly encourage everyone to make a point of pushing themselves beyond their immediate surroundings and discover another part of the world. As I type this, I am also feeling tremendous gratitude for my health, and that of my family members. This was a year of multiple medical crises on the home front, and this has perhaps posed the biggest personal challenge of all. Thankfully, I am learning along with them the importance of not taking a healthy mind and body for granted. l I hope you too can take the precious time to reflect and share with family and friends this Thanksgiving. Enjoy the links!

"A modern art playground for adults has taken over the Tate Modern"

mashable.com

"What's the biggest question facing artists today?"

theguardian.com

"Culinary Schools Want to Teach Their Students Instagram"

food52.com

"See How a Crazy Jumpsuit Got Made for MoMA"

thecut.com

"Using laptops in class harms academic performance, study warns"

timeshighereducation.com

"How ‘Condo King’ Bob Rennie Became the Most Controversial Man in Canada’s Art World"

artnet.com

"Noam Chomsky Diagnoses the Trump Era"

thenation.com

"Fallen Princesses: When The Happily-Ever-After Doesn’t Happen"

artfido.com

"Marina Abramović is Selling Macarons That Taste Like Her"

vice.com

Frieze Art Fair London 2017 (VIDEO)

Vernissage TV

It is half-way through VIFF, and if you haven't yet attended a screening, it is not too late!

Vancouver International Film Festival 2017: Twenty VIFF Films to Watch (PART TWO)

October 06, 2017

SO many films, and finally lots of time! I have been blissfully attending VIFF since last week and have seen some of the best screenings I can recall at the festival. With Canadian Thanksgiving approaching this weekend, there are many great films left to check out. Part Two of my two-part post covering twenty VIFF film recommendations continues below, while Part One can be found here. Happy VIFFing!!

GREGOIRE directed by Cody Brown

Fort McMurray is a fascinating place—a nexus of small town Canada and major international capital. This film caught my eye both for its setting in the Alberta city, but also for its storyline following twentysomethings who must make important life choices about their futures.

LUK’LUK’L directed by Wayne Wapeemukwa

Set against the backdrop of the 2010 Vancouver Olympics, this is a film that focuses its attention on urban dramas unfolding in the Downtown Eastside as the local community lives out the tensions and realities on the ground in sharp contrast to the picture perfect city of Vancouver sold to the world.

BORG VS. MCENROE directed by Janus Metz

I love a good docu-drama, and this one promises to be pretty cool. The 1980 Wimbledon Men’s Final between Bjorn Borg and John McEnroe is brought to life in this film. If nothing else, Shia LeBeouf as McEnroe has me more than intrigued!

HAPPY END directed by Michael Haneke

Any film starring the incomparable Isabelle Huppert (see Elle immediately if you have not done so already) goes on my must-see list! With Michael Haneke directing, this film set in Calais and following one wealthy French family’s personal dramas, promises to be anything but ordinary.

THE KILLING OF A SACRED DEER directed by Yorgos Lanthimos

I am not normally drawn to revenge thrillers, but this one has had so much buzz since Cannes (and starring Nicole Kidman and Colin Farrel) that it made my list.

THAT TRIP WE TOOK WITH DAD directed by Anca Miruna Lazarescu

This pick is purely nostalgic and tied to my own personal history as a child of Hungarian immigrants. Set in 1968, the comedy tracks a Romanian family as they make a road trip to Germany via Czechoslovakia for an operation for their sick father. Anyone who knows the history of the Eastern Bloc will already see this set-up as ripe for fantastic political commentary and observation.

THE YOUNG KARL MARX directed by Raoul Peck

Related to the reasons for the previous pick, here is a historical period drama tracing the friendship between Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels as they create the Communist Manifesto in 19th century London and Paris. For anyone who has, or has family, affected by communist politics, a must-see film.

TRAGEDY GIRLS directed by Tyler MacIntyre

Heathers (1988), an American black comedy starring Winona Ryder and Christian Slater, is one of my favourite childhood films, and this one appears to have a similar vibe, but with an updated twist adding social media to the mix. Yes please!

HOUSEWIFE directed by Can Evrenol

Who can resist a gory psychological thriller playing at 11:00pm on the final day of VIFF on Friday the 13th? This one appears to have all of the makings of a scary ride.

Fantastic new street artwork Drag and Drop posted on Instagram this week by I Heart Vancouver — Fantastic new street artwork *Drag and Drop* posted on Instagram this week by I Heart Vancouver

Weekly Flipboard Links and Media Round Up

October 01, 2017

This past week has been filled with multiple visits and catch-ups with colleagues, friends, and students. Hearing of other people's accomplishments and sharing my own plans (and plotting some new ones) for the coming year has been incredibly inspiring and energizing. There are so many creative and and incredibly ambitious people in my circle-- I feel such gratitude! Those meetings, along with the attending the beginning of VIFF, have kept my schedule very very full. With one eye on my media feed this week, the news has reflected the chaotic response to all of the recent natural disasters in the US, Caribbean, and Mexico. Not surprisingly, the subject of artist protest, symbols of resistance, and the reevaluation of global response to political rhetoric have been highlighted. Enjoy my chosen links and take the time this week to meet with someone you haven't connected with in a while. You will most likely find yourself newly inspired!

"How Helen Frankenthaler Pioneered a New Form of Abstract Expressionism"

arsty.net

"Protest Art, and Institutional Support of It, Is More Vital Than Ever"

hyperallergic.com

"Olivier Rousteing on the Importance of Breaking the Rules"

nytimes.com

"Museum image fees - a call to arms"

arthistorynews.com

"Academics’ top tips for publishing success"

timeshighereducation.com

"Twitter users respond to 280-character limit – mostly in 140 characters"

theguardian.com

"Alper Dostal melts masterpieces to imagine art without air conditioning"

designboom.com

"SMARTHISTORY: Manet, A Bar at the Folies-Bergère (VIDEO)"

smarthistory

"A New European Narrative?"

nybooks.com

"The Kaepernick Protest Comes to SNL"

theatlantic.com

Pablo Picasso, Woman Reading (1935) — Pablo Picasso, *Woman Reading* (1935)

Weekly Flipboard Links and Media Round Up

September 24, 2017

Looking at my media feeds this week, I am excited to start seeing all of the arts previews and many new fall reviews of exhibitions, festivals, and other global cultural events that signal the arrival of the new arts season. Interestingly, there appears to be more focus and commentary this year on the financial and economic impacts that many of these big events/exhibitions have had on cities in the past year-- an important and often overlooked aspect of the art world that has shaped my own research interests of late. I have included a few of these articles along with an excellent piece from The Atlantic tracking the symbolism and "culture wars" connotations that have shaped the #takeaknee peaceful protests unfolding in the NFL this weekend. Enjoy the links!