An overhead image captured of the royal wedding couple, Prince Harry and Meghan Markle, was one of millions circulating on social media this past Saturday.

Weekly Flipboard Links and Media Round Up

May 21, 2018

Watching the royal wedding this past Saturday, with the other two billion people tuning in, I couldn't help marvelling at how picture perfect and near flawless the wedding was in nearly every aspect. From the sun shining at the correct and best angles as Meghan climbed the stairs of St. George's Chapel at Windsor Castle and walked down to aisle, to the careful proportions of the crowds as they filled the street, to the precisely timed ceremony and countless dreamy moments worthy of cinema (that Jaguar ride with the beautiful couple was everything we wanted!), the photo ops were endless and abundant but also calculated and replete with visual meaning. In the hours and days following the wedding, the hundreds of visual cues created around the event were quickly unpacked and assessed by all of us-- from the meaning and symbolism of Meghan's dress, to the colours worn by the Queen and the royal family, to the gestures and narrative created through the traditional and non-traditional elements of the ceremony, right down to the shape and placement of the wedding cake. We all unpacked the wedding-- its form, content, and context-- like a well constructed painting. This of course is fully intentional, and part of the representational power of royal weddings and their special significance as moments marked out in art history.

Centuries earlier, the prospect of a royal wedding had its own set of visual representation challenges that were mostly calculated for final effect in painted form. Every detail, every gesture, every colour and beam of light, carefully chosen for a particular meaning. Without the pressure of the ever-present camera, however, the control over representation was largely negotiated between the artist and the crown, and of course limited to one or two official works of art. Today, that power has transformed to a more democratized and shared form of meaning making via the millions of photographic and moving images, amateur and professional, circulating around social media. Indeed, the most interesting and beautiful still images are certainly not the official ones that have just been released by the royal family. Take for example the photograph I chose for my lead image this week-- an overhead image of the couple from an impossible vantage point-- at once abstract and visually provocative and compelling. One hundred years from now, when art historians look back at this event, it is intriguing to me which set of images will end up marking this historic day. It is also something to keep in mind as we all mark special milestone moments in our life-- events that are mostly out of our representational control. Enjoy the remainder of the long weekend (for those in Canada), and enjoy the links!

"Thoroughly Modern Meghan"

theatlantic.com

"New Database Highlights Overlooked European Avant-Garde Artists"

hyperallergic.com

"1968: Year of Counter-Revolution"

nybooks.com

"Hong Kong’s Youth Culture, Captured in Disturbing Animations"

nytimes.com

"The Gray Market: Why Portia de Rossi’s Art-Tech Startup Has a Hard Road Ahead"

artnet.com

"12 Crucial Takeaways From Last Week’s $1.9 Billion New York Auction Cycle"

artnet.com

"Exploring the Art Market’s Best (and Worst) Practices (PODCAST)"

artsy.net

A New Vision for Ancient Art at the Getty Villa (VIDEO)

thegetty

"Interview Magazine, founded by Andy Warhol, folds after nearly 50 years"

theartnewspaper.com

"Does Performance Art Need to be Experienced Live? (VIDEO)"

tatemodern

"Now the whole party is melted like Dali." Lyrics by Kanye West from "Mercy"; Crucifixion (Corpus Hypercubus)" by Salvador Dalí (1954), Collage art by @artlexachung — "Now the whole party is melted like Dali." Lyrics by Kanye West from "Mercy"; *Crucifixion (Corpus Hypercubus)*" by Salvador Dalí (1954), Collage art by @artlexachung

Weekly Flipboard Links and Media Round Up

May 06, 2018

I've sat down a few times this week to compose something coherent to react to the Kanye West fiasco unfolding across every register of social media in response to a recent string of interviews, Twitter rants, and release of new music. I've decided to wait and see until I commit more than a few thoughts in this week's round up, but suffice to say I am watching closely along with the rest of his fan base. Last night on SNL, a fantastic skit "A Kanye Place" summarized the polarized response, capturing the contradiction, fascination, spectacle, and complete frustration that so many of us who have defended Kanye are feeling.

On the one hand, I cannot help making the comparison between Kanye's apparent nod towards authoritarian politics (read Trump) with Salvador Dali's attraction to Hitler in the latter phases of his career. For Dali, the increasing obsession with fascism lead not only to his excommunication from the Surrealist movement, but also to accusations that Dali had abandoned his earlier principles and idealism for fame, money, and popular attention (sound familiar?). On the other hand, Kanye has continued his earlier practice of speaking through comparison, leaving a trail of breadcrumb clues via his Twitter. For example, he raises, very intriguingly, the performative art practice of Joseph Bueys in several instances-- a conceptual artist who bridged performance with social critique through landmark performance works like I Like America, and America Likes Me (1974). To be sure, it is impossible to know right now if what Kanye is doing will ever be coherent as art or constitute a broader plan of political attack (recall he said he would run for president in 2020), but it is very clear that his recent controversial statements (especially around slavery and American history) have landed in a very different way than ever before. He may indeed have jumped the shark this time around, and if so, he may end up like Dali with no road back to his earlier successes.

"When Contemporary Art Feels Too Inaccessible"

hyperallergic.com

"Stunning ‘Paintings’ Developed Entirely With HTML & CSS Left The Internet In Awe"

designtaxi.com

"Blockbuster Shows Are Ruining Art Museums"

slate.com

"Virtual Reality Asserts Itself as an Art Form in Its Own Right"

nytimes.com

"Where Art Forgeries Meet Their Match"

nytimes.com

"Trailer: Season 9 of "Art in the Twenty-First Century" (VIDEO)"

art21

"How One Artist Transformed Old Master Paintings Into a Beguiling Capsule Collection for Gucci"

artnet.com

"Martin Scorsese still hates Rotten Tomatoes"

artsy.net

"Joseph Beuys Built His Legacy on Anti-Capitalist Work. It’s Now Worth More Than $20 Million"

vulture.com

Yves Klein, Table Bleu Klein (1963/2014), International Klein Blue pigment, glass, plexiglass, wood, and steel. If alive today, Klein would be celebrating his 90th birthday. From Artsy: "This iconic table is from an edition begun in 1963 under … — Yves Klein, *Table Bleu Klein (*1963/2014), International Klein Blue pigment, glass, plexiglass, wood, and steel. If alive today, Klein would be celebrating his 90th birthday. From Artsy: "This iconic table is from an edition begun in 1963 under the supervision of Yves Klein’s widow, Rotraut Klein-Moquay, based on a model he designed in 1961. The artist died in 1962 and other than the two models owned by his estate there are no vintage tables in this edition. From 1963 to the present, the Yves Klein Estate in Paris, France has overseen the production of this coffee table edition."

Weekly Flipboard Links and Media Round Up

April 29, 2018

Winding down April and heading into the late spring and summer, I find myself two thirds of the way through my sabbatical and very much assessing where I am and what I have left to accomplish before the fall. Last September, when first faced with so much unstructured time, I quickly learned that I would have to establish a schedule and set of daily habits to make sure I stayed on track to accomplish a list of professional and personal goals. Working with weekly, monthly, and quarterly tasks, I wanted to make sure not to squander the opportunity to research, write, and spend time deeply engaged in my own projects before going back to my teaching and administrative duties. And while I have indeed deviated from my initial roadmap as the course of life, together with unexpected events, obstacles, and new opportunities have kept me on my toes, I have come to value a set of "minimums" that I look to do weekly and have managed to check many tasks off my list.

I was thinking of this as I struck up a conversation with a newly graduated art student who recently realized for the first time that they will have to replicate something of the structure that art school provided them when establishing an art practice away from university. It is certainly not easy, and with the multitude of digital distractions and draws on individual's time today (not to mention, the call of summer!), the challenge is very real. One resource that I recommended to them, and have found especially helpful this past year, is Cal Newport's book Deep Work: Rules For Focused Success in a Distracted World. Newport distinguishes his approach by discussing strategies that are not only geared to finding the time to accomplish goals and build routine and structure into one's life, but also focused on helping harness the mental state of deep focus, concentration, and flow, that drives creativity and productivity. In fact, one of the most important things I learned from Deep Work is the importance of boredom and open reflection in accessing focus and the ability to generate new ideas. I hope some of you find the book helpful and wish you every success in meeting your summer (and long term) goals. Enjoy the links!

"Dirty Words: Emerging"

canadianart.com

"https://www.theatlantic.com/entertainment/archive/2018/04/kanye-west-maga-hat-media/558962/"

theatlantic.com

"Feeling Anxious? You’re Not the Only One"

chronicle.com

"Losing Myself in the Paintings of Facebook-Educated Matthew Wong"

vulture.com

"Whirling Mechanical Precisionism"

nybooks.com

"“Avengers: Infinity War” and “Let the Sunshine In”"

newyorker.com

"'The dirty truth': Wim Wenders will defend 3D to the end"

nationalpost.com

"Inside the Handmade Sketchbooks of a Well-Traveled Artist"

mymodernmet.com

"Answering The Art History Questions You Never Thought to Ask (PODCAST)"

artsypodcast

"The light of democracy — examining the Statue of Liberty (VIDEO)"

smarthistory

As I am still in the afterglow of my Asia trip, the Van Gogh and Japan exhibition in Amsterdam caught my eye. Image: Vincent Van Gogh, Courtesan (After Eisen) (1887) — As I am still in the afterglow of my Asia trip, the *Van Gogh and Japan* exhibition in Amsterdam caught my eye. Image: Vincent Van Gogh, *Courtesan (After Eisen)* (1887)

Top 10 Modern and Contemporary Exhibitions Worth Visiting in Spring/Summer 2018

April 20, 2018

As spring slowly begins to make its appearance on the west coast, my attention has finally turned towards summer and the many fantastic art exhibitions that are opening in art cities around the world. As in past art seasons compiling my top ten list, I research exhibitions with my own location, travel plans, and geography in mind, but then make sure to consider shows that examine artists and topics that are of particular interest and/or especially significant to my research and current teaching directions. This summer, I am struck by how many shows are mirroring the anxiety and search for meaning in the escalating global tensions all of us are experiencing. Themes around violence, protest, and social transformation intermingle with themes around creative exchange, public performance, and interdisciplinary experimentation. For those of you wanting to research further and set up both real and fantasy travel itineraries, I recommend both a subscription to ArtForum and their artguide app for quick access to hundreds of art cities around the world and the dates and places where one can see fantastic art shows. I present these exhibitions not in ranking order, but working from Vancouver outwards. Enjoy :)

Bombhead

Vancouver Art Gallery, Vancouver: Currently—June 17, 2018

Starting in my own backyard, I am especially happy to recommend a timely and globally significant exhibition organized and curated by one of my academic mentors and dissertation supervisors from my grad school days, Dr. John O’Brian, Professor Emeritus in Canadian and Modern Art History at UBC. Bombhead is described as "a look at the emergence and impact of the nuclear age as represented by artists and their art" and the exhibition brings together a diverse set of art works, along with raising critical questions about nuclear risk. As a child of the 1980s who lived through bomb drills and the ever-present threat of nuclear war with the Soviet Union, I was witness to the nuclear disarmament following the fall of the Berlin wall in 1989 that seemed to signal a new era. But as we have seen in the past few years, and as this exhibition helps situate, rising global tensions (with North Korea and Russia, along with emerging nuclear powers in the Middle East), raises fears for the planet as nuclear war is once again a very real possibility.

Bruce Conner, Bombhead (1989/2002) — Bruce Conner, *Bombhead* (1989/2002)

Victorian Radicals: From the Pre-Raphaelited to the Arts and Crafts Movement

Seattle Art Museum, Seattle: June 13—September 8, 2019

We do not often associate the word "Victorian" with "radical" in our perception of the historical moment associated with nineteenth century England, but it is true that some of the most challenging and transgressive subjects for a new art emerged there as artists looked to the effects of industrialization, urbanization, and the reality of everyday social and political conditions. Focusing on the Pre-Raphaelite movement, this exhibition looks especially comprehensive as it will feature a diverse cross section of art forms (paintings, drawings, books, sculpture, textiles, and decorative arts—many never before exhibited outside of the UK).

Dante Gabriel Rossetti, La Donna della Finestra (1881) — Dante Gabriel Rossetti, *La Donna della Finestra* (1881)

Plato in L.A.: Contemporary Artists’ Visions

J. Paul Getty Museum Getty Villa, Los Angeles: Currently—September 3, 2018

With the recent focus on John Paul Getty in movies and television (as I also touched on last week), many people do not realize that the Getty Villa in Malibu has been undergoing extension renovations and updates to reinstall the permanent collection. Located in Los Angeles, the Villa was built by Getty in the 1950s as an attempt to reimagine the most luxurious building of the ancient world-- the Villa of the Papyri-- and to house his collection of Greek, Roman, and Etruscan antiquities. As it reopens this spring, one of the more unusual temporary exhibitions at the Villa features contemporary artists in conversation with the Greek philosopher Plato. Plato is foundational in art history for his influential thinking and philosophies concerning beauty, imitation, and inspiration. I am beyond intrigued by how artists such as Mike Kelley, Jeff Koons, Joseph Kosuth, and Adrian Piper will be arranged around this theme, and to see how the Getty may use their permanent collection to produce this show.

Uprisings

Contemporary Art University Museum, Mexico City: Currently—July 29, 2018

This is an exhibition that came onto my radar while researching emerging theories around the avant-garde. Uprisings is one of those excellent under-the-radar shows that so many university galleries produce all over the world. Curated by French art historian Georges Didi Huberman, the exhibition examines the collective emotion generated around political events, and how those events are shaped through visual and artistic representation. As the translated text from the website explains: "The figure of the uprising is presented through more than 250 works including manuscripts, documents, paintings, drawings, prints, photographs and films, to show how artists have addressed these issues at different historical moments. The exhibition route follows a sensitive and intuitive path in which the view can be focused on concrete examples across five areas: Elements (unchained); Gestures (intense); Words (exclaimed); Conflicts (lit); and Desires (indestructible)."

Gilles Caron's Catcher demonstrators, Battle of the Bogside, Derry, Northern Ireland, August 1969 (1969) — Gilles Caron's *Catcher demonstrators, Battle of the Bogside, Derry, Northern Ireland, August 1969* (1969)

Adrian Piper: A Synthesis of Intuitions, 1965-2016

Museum of Modern Art, New York: Currently—July 22, 2018

Following the events of September 11, 2001, one of the most powerful art projects to emerge in New York was conceptual artist Adrian Piper's series Everything Will Be Taken Away. At the heart of the project was a public performance where Piper enlisted volunteers to have the words "Everything will be taken away" henna tattooed on their foreheads and set out into the city. Working and going about their everyday lives, the participants kept journals of their interactions with the New Yorkers who would read the sentence from their foreheads in moments of transit and encounters with family, friends, and strangers. Over the years, Piper would exhibit parts of this project around the world (in 2017, our Paris/Documenta field school was able to see her work in Kassel) and it has continued to resonate in ways that move well beyond the 9/11 moment. In my own courses, Piper's work has found an important place, especially as issues concerning gender, racism, violence, and social activism continue to animate our shared discourse. The Museum of Modern Art has finally given Piper a long overdue retrospective, and it is at the top of my list of must-see shows this summer!

Adrian Piper, from the Everything Will Be Taken Away series (2003) — Adrian Piper, from the *Everything Will Be Taken Away* series (2003)

Giacometti

Guggenheim Museum, New York: June 8—September 12, 2018

Alberto Giacometti is an artist that I introduce to describe how European artists dealt with the aftermath and unspeakable violence of WWII. His works have continually sparked some of the most incredible discussions and questions in my classroom, and every year I have at least one art student who declares Giacometti as their new influence or muse. As one of the most important sculptors of the twentieth century, the Swiss-born artist became famous for his figurative compositions examining the human condition, suffering, and the surrealist influence of exploring desires and impulses just under the radar of human consciousness. His works can be found in museums and art collections around the world, and the Guggenheim Museum has planned a sprawling exhibition set to bring together over 175 of Giacometti's art works. It will no doubt be a stunning show.

Alberto Giacometti, Nose (Le nez) (1947) — Alberto Giacometti, *Nose* (*Le nez*) (1947)

An Incomplete History of Protest

Whitney Museum of American Art, New York: Currently—August 27, 2018

This past December when I visited New York, I was also witness to one of the worst snow storms in the city's history (a BOMB cyclone!). While there, we were unable to visit this top-of-my-list show as the Whitney had to be closed to deal with the wintery aftermath. Luckily, An Incomplete History of Protest is still on exhibition at the beautiful Whitney Museum of American Art, and the show's themes concerning artist activism, collective action, and social engagement are even more relevant and pressing now as the age of renewed political movements takes hold globally. As the catalogue underscores: "At the root of the exhibition is the belief that artists play a profound role in transforming their time and shaping the future."

Annette Lemieux Black Mass (1991) — Annette Lemieux *Black Mass* (1991)

Van Gogh and Japan

Van Gogh Museum, Amsterdam: Currently—June 24, 2018

Ever since returning home from Japan, I have been thinking about the trip I took to the Hiroshige Museum of Art in Shizuoka City (that I blogged about last week) where I was able to get a closer look at the Ukiyo-e prints that inspired many of the most important modern artists of Paris. Van Gogh's work, in particular, was a central focus at the museum and his avant-garde vision for new forms and content owes a huge debt to the Japanese. Coincidentally, Amsterdam's Van Gogh Museum is featuring an exhibition this spring looking at the artist's interest and fascination in the popular visual culture represented in these particular prints. There is a wonderful website accompanying the show where you can access fantastic resources (for example, this video) looking at how Van Gogh began to see with a Japanese eye. If you find yourself in Amsterdam this summer, go check this out!

Vincent Van Gogh, Courtesan (After Eisen) (1887) — Vincent Van Gogh, *Courtesan (After Eisen)* (1887)

Frida Kahlo: Making Her Self Up

Victoria and Albert Museum, London: June 16—November 4, 2018

As I gear up (pun intended) to teach a special topics course on Art and Fashion this fall, I have paid close attention to all of the fashion influenced exhibitions that have very much formed a trend in art museums around the world over the past several years. This show featuring legendary surrealist artist Frida Kahlo at the V&A Museum in London looks to be an outstanding addition to the recent interest in examining the role fashion plays in the lives and art practice of artists. Featuring personal artifacts and pieces of clothing from Kahlo's life, this exhibition focuses on connecting Kahlo's art practice to her love of self-fashioning and everyday performance of the self. This is another exhibition at the top of my list for the summer!

Nickolas Muray, Frida Kahlo in blue satin blouse, 1939 (1939) — Nickolas Muray, *Frida Kahlo in blue satin blouse, 1939* (1939)

Eugène Delacroix (1798–1863)

Louvre Museum, Paris: Currently—July 23, 2018

Last but not least, a summer art journey would not be complete without a trip to Paris. This summer, the Louvre is presenting another timely exhibition looking at French painter Eugène Delacroix, one of the most important painters in all of art history. Working during a time of heightened political turmoil in early to mid-19th century Paris, the painter is now credited with paving the road for modernist interventions and influence that transformed the direction and role artists would play in the public and political life of nation, along with reframing representations of social conflict and resolution. This is an important must-see show coming at a pivotal moment in France's history.

Eugène Delacroix, Liberty Leading the People (1830) — Eugène Delacroix, *Liberty Leading the People* (1830)

Da Vinci was born on this day, April 15th, in 1452. Detail from Andy Warhol, Colored Mona Lisa (1963), celebrating the cult of celebrity around Leonardo da Vinci when the Mona Lisa famously toured the US in 1963. — Da Vinci was born on this day, April 15th, in 1452. Detail from Andy Warhol, *Colored Mona Lisa* (1963), celebrating the cult of celebrity around Leonardo da Vinci when the *Mona Lisa* famously toured the US in 1963.

Weekly Flipboard Links and Media Round Up

April 15, 2018

Fighting jet lag (still!) and trying to get back into a home routine, I spent the past week catching up with life at home and glued to late night cable news trying to make sense of the escalating craziness in the US and the evolving situation in Syria. It is times like these when the happenings of the art world seem to fade from significance, but I was cheered up Friday night when attending the graduating show of the BFA Fine Arts students from my department (at Kwantlen Polytechnic University). Exhibiting projects making up the culmination of a year's hard work, the artists touched upon many themes that brought conversation and critical reflection to the tumultuous moment we are living through. Whether it be the experience of immigration and living between different traditions and cultural expectations, attention to the body and the kinetics of experience, challenging ideas about gender norms and representation, or bringing attention to the destructive nature of abstracted knowledge and "fake news," the individuals in this show, as in many similar graduating shows around North America, are continuing the role of contemporary artists globally to bring visibility to the marginalized and speak truth to power. I urge you to support local art schools and attend the graduating shows that you will see begin to pop up at local colleges and universities over the next several weeks. I can promise it will not only renew your belief in the potential of young creative talent, but also in the power of art to bridge the social, political, and cultural divide that appears all too often to keep us isolated from one another. Enjoy this week's links!