Howdy!
A (mostly) nicely done article - I'm not a fan of the lede, but everything else is top notch - by Susan Krashinsky about the current trend in largish Canadian cities of showing 'art' in unused advertising inventory.
Tuesday, August 31, 2010
"I nearly fainted. This is the place it’s supposed to be."
Howdy!
A feel good story about a mural by Umberto Bruni and Thor Hansen. And the Google street view of where it used to be...
A feel good story about a mural by Umberto Bruni and Thor Hansen. And the Google street view of where it used to be...
Brain Drain Alert (although is Cleveland really better than Ottawa?)
Howdy!
Last Friday David Franklin, the now ex-deputy director and chief curator at the National Gallery got named head honcho at the Cleveland Museum Art. While the Cleveland Museum Art is most definitely head, hands and shoulders above the National Gallery, I'm not so certain that I would say the same thing about Cleveland vs. Ottawa, although it truly is in my mind a battle for the bottom.
The Wall Street Journal's take, ArtInfo.com mentions the 2008 tempest in a teapot about some deleted emails, and the rest of the articles about the appointment via Google News.
Last Friday David Franklin, the now ex-deputy director and chief curator at the National Gallery got named head honcho at the Cleveland Museum Art. While the Cleveland Museum Art is most definitely head, hands and shoulders above the National Gallery, I'm not so certain that I would say the same thing about Cleveland vs. Ottawa, although it truly is in my mind a battle for the bottom.
The Wall Street Journal's take, ArtInfo.com mentions the 2008 tempest in a teapot about some deleted emails, and the rest of the articles about the appointment via Google News.
Monday, August 30, 2010
Episode 110: Ces artistes qui impriment - Un regard sur l'estampe au Québec depuis 1980 [Zeke's Alternate Art Rave]
Howdy!
Episode 110 [15:36]
Download: MP3 20MB / FLAC 147MB / Ogg Vorbis 11MB or Stream
Chris 'Zeke' Hand discussing the exhibit Ces artistes qui impriment - Un regard sur l'estampe au Québec depuis 1980 at the Bibliothèque et Archives nationales du Québec with Lisyan Pieries.
Listen
Originally broadcast on the Monday Morning After on CKUT 90.3 FM, Montreal.
Episode 110 [15:36]
Download: MP3 20MB / FLAC 147MB / Ogg Vorbis 11MB or Stream
Chris 'Zeke' Hand discussing the exhibit Ces artistes qui impriment - Un regard sur l'estampe au Québec depuis 1980 at the Bibliothèque et Archives nationales du Québec with Lisyan Pieries.
Listen
Originally broadcast on the Monday Morning After on CKUT 90.3 FM, Montreal.
Friday, August 27, 2010
Thursday, August 26, 2010
Nathalie Petrowski is wrong, wrong, and wrong
Howdy!
I'm just about caught up with my backlog, woo-hoo! It obviously was a slow news day on Tuesday, because Nathalie Petrowski wrote about a decision that Hydro-Quebec made, like, in May or something. basically they have decided to go anti-art and have stopped spending the approximately $200K/year that they used to on Quebecois art.
Ms. Petrowski parrots the party line of AGAC (and I would presume RAAV, and all the other arts organizations) and laments the fact that they have, quote, unquote, stopped buying art.
First of all, I would presume that Hydro-Quebec has stopped buying art as much as they have stopped buying desks and chairs. For tax purposes, here in Quebec (and Canada) art is considered to be like furniture, and I can't imagine that some newly minted associate vice-president of raping and pillaging virgin forest is going to accept a hand me down desk, nor do I think that said VP would accept someone else's aesthetic choices on the walls of their office. I could imagine that Hydro-Quebec has stopped buying art in the organized fashion that they used to, quite possibly because they either want to get rid of their curator, or he is retiring or some other internal political reason like that.
Secondly, if all they used to spend was a piddly $200,000, then in my eyes, they were bring Quebecois art down, and keeping it down. Yes, in the 60s, 70s, and 80s getting your work in the Hydro-Quebec art collection was quite the feather in your hat. But these days, $200K doesn't go as far as it used to. And I would go so far as to venture that Quebecois Art would be better served by being forced to find better buyers.
Sort of similar to that first time when you say to your mom, "I'd love to sell you this painting as well, but in actual fact there is someone else out there who likes it and is willing to pay three times what I would sell it to you for. Yes, I love you mom, but at some point the apron strings need to be broken."
Edit [9h]: Never mind, everything is ok.
I'm just about caught up with my backlog, woo-hoo! It obviously was a slow news day on Tuesday, because Nathalie Petrowski wrote about a decision that Hydro-Quebec made, like, in May or something. basically they have decided to go anti-art and have stopped spending the approximately $200K/year that they used to on Quebecois art.
Ms. Petrowski parrots the party line of AGAC (and I would presume RAAV, and all the other arts organizations) and laments the fact that they have, quote, unquote, stopped buying art.
First of all, I would presume that Hydro-Quebec has stopped buying art as much as they have stopped buying desks and chairs. For tax purposes, here in Quebec (and Canada) art is considered to be like furniture, and I can't imagine that some newly minted associate vice-president of raping and pillaging virgin forest is going to accept a hand me down desk, nor do I think that said VP would accept someone else's aesthetic choices on the walls of their office. I could imagine that Hydro-Quebec has stopped buying art in the organized fashion that they used to, quite possibly because they either want to get rid of their curator, or he is retiring or some other internal political reason like that.
Secondly, if all they used to spend was a piddly $200,000, then in my eyes, they were bring Quebecois art down, and keeping it down. Yes, in the 60s, 70s, and 80s getting your work in the Hydro-Quebec art collection was quite the feather in your hat. But these days, $200K doesn't go as far as it used to. And I would go so far as to venture that Quebecois Art would be better served by being forced to find better buyers.
Sort of similar to that first time when you say to your mom, "I'd love to sell you this painting as well, but in actual fact there is someone else out there who likes it and is willing to pay three times what I would sell it to you for. Yes, I love you mom, but at some point the apron strings need to be broken."
Edit [9h]: Never mind, everything is ok.
Wednesday, August 25, 2010
The Bernier-Thibault Residence gets written up in Art You Know
Howdy!
Except it was a case of Art I Did Not Know (scroll down beyond the pictures to read about it). So I did some digging...
Paul Bernier's website, which feature the house prominently. And the Google Street view that put it all in context for me.
Except it was a case of Art I Did Not Know (scroll down beyond the pictures to read about it). So I did some digging...
Paul Bernier's website, which feature the house prominently. And the Google Street view that put it all in context for me.
Phyllis Lambert makes it into the Wall Street Journal
Howdy!
I'm not entirely clear on what made her newsworthy last week, but I kind of got a kick out of the line, "...says Ms. Lambert, who will rarely agree with a statement if she can contradict it instead."
I'm not entirely clear on what made her newsworthy last week, but I kind of got a kick out of the line, "...says Ms. Lambert, who will rarely agree with a statement if she can contradict it instead."
I gotta go find the Babcock & Wilcox boiler factory...
Howdy!
Ken Kaminsky finds some really cool places here in Montreal and then photographs them. Dramatically.
And as an added bonus, he knows how to write about his pictures very effectively as well.
Ken Kaminsky finds some really cool places here in Montreal and then photographs them. Dramatically.
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| Click through to see it in all its glory |
And as an added bonus, he knows how to write about his pictures very effectively as well.
 |
| Ditto |
Tuesday, August 24, 2010
CTV Montreal goes to the Laurentians for the first time
Howdy!
Maya Johnson doesn't do much research. While it is all fine and dandy (actually really good) to cover the Route des Arts on TV, and she probably made an awful lot of people very happy, her first sentence (the lede) is A unique open-air exhibit is giving art lovers a chance to tour the Laurentians, while some artists display their work in makeshift galleries in their own rural backyards.
Ummm, (Memphrémagog, Saint-Plantaire) unique my eye.
Maya Johnson doesn't do much research. While it is all fine and dandy (actually really good) to cover the Route des Arts on TV, and she probably made an awful lot of people very happy, her first sentence (the lede) is A unique open-air exhibit is giving art lovers a chance to tour the Laurentians, while some artists display their work in makeshift galleries in their own rural backyards.
Ummm, (Memphrémagog, Saint-Plantaire) unique my eye.
Attendance Figures at Québec Museums in 2009
Howdy!
Earlier this month the Institut de la statistique du Québec and the Observatoire de la culture et des communications du Québec came out with Attendance Figures at Québec Museums in 2009. Back in April, The Art Newspaper came out with Exhibition and museum attendance figures 2009 [pdf alert].
I have a couple of questions: 1. What does the Québec government do that requires an extra four months? 2. Why didn't the Musée d'art contemporain de Montréal tell the government that in fact the Robert Polidori exhibit was Polidori along with Christine Davis and Spring Hurlbut as they did to the Art Newspaper? And 3. Why doesn't the Musée de la civilisation report to the Art Newspaper as well? (If Egypt: the Great Civilisation can make the Top 30, then I would imagine that Fascinantes Momies d’Égypte should be on the list as well.)
Earlier this month the Institut de la statistique du Québec and the Observatoire de la culture et des communications du Québec came out with Attendance Figures at Québec Museums in 2009. Back in April, The Art Newspaper came out with Exhibition and museum attendance figures 2009 [pdf alert].
I have a couple of questions: 1. What does the Québec government do that requires an extra four months? 2. Why didn't the Musée d'art contemporain de Montréal tell the government that in fact the Robert Polidori exhibit was Polidori along with Christine Davis and Spring Hurlbut as they did to the Art Newspaper? And 3. Why doesn't the Musée de la civilisation report to the Art Newspaper as well? (If Egypt: the Great Civilisation can make the Top 30, then I would imagine that Fascinantes Momies d’Égypte should be on the list as well.)
Monastiraki Robbed
Howdy!
This one can be classified under really sucky news. I just found out that after the last vernissage, Monastiraki was robbed. Why I had to learn about it from an Ottawa blog, I have no clue.
This one can be classified under really sucky news. I just found out that after the last vernissage, Monastiraki was robbed. Why I had to learn about it from an Ottawa blog, I have no clue.
Monday, August 23, 2010
Episode 109: Extra Lives: Why Video Games Matter by Tom Bissell [Zeke's Alternate Book Ramble]
Howdy!
Episode 109 [16:24]
Download: MP3 21MB / FLAC 70MB / Ogg Vorbis 11MB or Stream
Chris 'Zeke' Hand discussing the book Extra Lives: Why Video Games Matter
by Tom Bissell with Lisyan Pieries
Listen
Originally broadcast on the Monday Morning After on CKUT 90.3 FM, Montreal.
Episode 109 [16:24]
Download: MP3 21MB / FLAC 70MB / Ogg Vorbis 11MB or Stream
Chris 'Zeke' Hand discussing the book Extra Lives: Why Video Games Matter
by Tom Bissell with Lisyan PieriesListen
Originally broadcast on the Monday Morning After on CKUT 90.3 FM, Montreal.
Tuesday, August 17, 2010
Jumping in front of paintings
Howdy!
There's this blog called Jumping in Art Museums, and last month some visitors from Baltimore got a snapshot of their leap while they were in the basement of the Musée des beaux-arts de Montréal.
There's this blog called Jumping in Art Museums, and last month some visitors from Baltimore got a snapshot of their leap while they were in the basement of the Musée des beaux-arts de Montréal.
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| Click to see large |
Better art reporting in Dolbeau-Mistassini than in Montreal
Howdy!
I've long since stopped reading Voir for their art reporting. But now it has officially becomeridiculous downright horrifying. Two articles; one in Voir on the Femmes artistes, la conquête d'un espace, 1900-1965 exhibit at the Musée d'art de Joliette is 295 words long - or barely enough for the title, the name of the museum, curator and some of the artists. The second article is on an exhibit of the 40 most recent paintings by Harold Savard in Dolbeau-Mistassini, it is 87% longer.
I've long since stopped reading Voir for their art reporting. But now it has officially become
A National Art School in Haiti
Howdy!
I recently changed my radio listening habits, and the way that Radio-Canada deals with things is a breath of fresh air in comparison to what I used to listen to. Which is a short preamble to the reporting from Haiti that Stéphanie Lapointe did every week on AM. A couple of weeks ago she spoke about art in, during and for the reconstruction of Haiti (I'm still playing catch up with things). It doesn't quite get as much airtime as dance does on AM, but then again Ms. Lapointe did have a regular gig every week.. If you'd like to hear all 9:22 of it, click here.
I recently changed my radio listening habits, and the way that Radio-Canada deals with things is a breath of fresh air in comparison to what I used to listen to. Which is a short preamble to the reporting from Haiti that Stéphanie Lapointe did every week on AM. A couple of weeks ago she spoke about art in, during and for the reconstruction of Haiti (I'm still playing catch up with things). It doesn't quite get as much airtime as dance does on AM, but then again Ms. Lapointe did have a regular gig every week.. If you'd like to hear all 9:22 of it, click here.
Monday, August 16, 2010
Episode 108: Smoked Meat Pete's [Zeke's Alternate Smoked Meat Rave]
Howdy!
Episode 108 [10:24]
Download: MP3 13MB / FLAC 104MB / Ogg Vorbis 7MB or Stream
Chris 'Zeke' Hand discussing the Smoked Meat at Smoked Meat Pete's with Lisyan Pieries
Listen
Originally broadcast on the Monday Morning After on CKUT 90.3 FM, Montreal.
Episode 108 [10:24]
Download: MP3 13MB / FLAC 104MB / Ogg Vorbis 7MB or Stream
Chris 'Zeke' Hand discussing the Smoked Meat at Smoked Meat Pete's with Lisyan Pieries
Listen
Originally broadcast on the Monday Morning After on CKUT 90.3 FM, Montreal.
Thursday, August 12, 2010
Wednesday, August 11, 2010
The Real Montreal vs. The Montreal Michel Rabagliati drew
Howdy!
I copped this one from the Drawn & Quarterly blog, but it was too good to just keep to myself.
Michel Rabagliati (the cartoonist behind Paul en appartement, Paul à la pêche, etc.) gets the grand treatment from L'actualité. Christian Blais takes a bunch (15 pages!) of photographs of the places that Rabagliati drew, even better than before and after pix!! Plus there is commentary by Rabagliati as well.
I copped this one from the Drawn & Quarterly blog, but it was too good to just keep to myself.
Michel Rabagliati (the cartoonist behind Paul en appartement, Paul à la pêche, etc.) gets the grand treatment from L'actualité. Christian Blais takes a bunch (15 pages!) of photographs of the places that Rabagliati drew, even better than before and after pix!! Plus there is commentary by Rabagliati as well.
Monday, August 9, 2010
Episode 107: Heritage Montreal's Architectours [Zeke's Alternate Walking Tour Ramble]
Howdy!
Episode 107 [9:27]
Download: MP3 9MB / FLAC 32MB / Ogg Vorbis 6MB or Stream
Chris 'Zeke' Hand in discussion with Lisyan Pieries about Heritage Montreal's Architectours.
Listen
Originally broadcast on the Monday Morning After on CKUT 90.3 FM, Montreal.
Episode 107 [9:27]
Download: MP3 9MB / FLAC 32MB / Ogg Vorbis 6MB or Stream
Chris 'Zeke' Hand in discussion with Lisyan Pieries about Heritage Montreal's Architectours.
Listen
Originally broadcast on the Monday Morning After on CKUT 90.3 FM, Montreal.
Thursday, August 5, 2010
Some murals in Sherbrooke
Howdy!
Since I already pointed out some murals in Trois-Rivieres, it only seems fair to do the same for Sherbrooke.
Since I already pointed out some murals in Trois-Rivieres, it only seems fair to do the same for Sherbrooke.
Martine Birobent 'donates' some sculptures to the city of Montréal
Howdy!
She's got a blog, a flickr account and a video on vimeo about the whole process. But ultimately it comes down to her statement, that she had no more storage space and she thought that the city didn't have enough art...
She's got a blog, a flickr account and a video on vimeo about the whole process. But ultimately it comes down to her statement, that she had no more storage space and she thought that the city didn't have enough art...
If you're going to do something, let people know about it, ok?
Howdy!
Is it me, or did no one else know that the Musée d'art contemporain de Montréal had their own YouTube Channel?
Is it me, or did no one else know that the Musée d'art contemporain de Montréal had their own YouTube Channel?
Wednesday, August 4, 2010
Plugging Good Stuff: The Montreal Artists Legal Clinic
Howdy!
If you have any question about art and the law, bring them on down to The Montreal Artists Legal Clinic next Monday, August 9 from 7:30-9:30 pm at the offices of Le Conseil des arts de Montréal (1210 Sherbrooke Est).
If you have any question about art and the law, bring them on down to The Montreal Artists Legal Clinic next Monday, August 9 from 7:30-9:30 pm at the offices of Le Conseil des arts de Montréal (1210 Sherbrooke Est).
Claude Simard another example of why Quebecois Art ain't going nowhere
Howdy!
Now this one has been done to death. In La Presse, Radio-Canada, and the CBC among others.
From my perspective until the Quebecois Art world cleans up its act (Claude Simard is something like thegazillionth third example of fraud in the art world here that I have heard of in the past five years or so) it ain't going anywhere on the international stage.
Now this one has been done to death. In La Presse, Radio-Canada, and the CBC among others.
From my perspective until the Quebecois Art world cleans up its act (Claude Simard is something like the
Belated Congrats to Benjamin Klein
Howdy!
I still haven't caught up with all the backlog of things here... But I would be extremely remiss if I didn't in someway acknowledge that Ben Klein got shortlisted for the RBC Canadian Painting Competition.
Woo-Hoo! When do they announce the jury? And when do they announce the winners?
I still haven't caught up with all the backlog of things here... But I would be extremely remiss if I didn't in someway acknowledge that Ben Klein got shortlisted for the RBC Canadian Painting Competition.
Woo-Hoo! When do they announce the jury? And when do they announce the winners?
Stanley Péan doin' some PR work for Radio-Canada
Howdy!
I can't call it conflict of interest, because M. Péan points it out all over the place that he works for Radio-Canada, but there is still something that makes me uneasy about him calling attention to the We Want Miles show at the Musée des Beaux-Arts de Montréal and the audio tour produced by Radio-Canada in parallel with the exhibit.
I think it has to do with him not adding anything of significance. Basically all he says is that 15 listeners joined him on a tour of the exhibition (how's that as a statement on the power of Radio-Canada) and ain't it cool that there is this audio guide.
But then again, I could just be in a lousy mood and looking for someone to pick on...
I can't call it conflict of interest, because M. Péan points it out all over the place that he works for Radio-Canada, but there is still something that makes me uneasy about him calling attention to the We Want Miles show at the Musée des Beaux-Arts de Montréal and the audio tour produced by Radio-Canada in parallel with the exhibit.
I think it has to do with him not adding anything of significance. Basically all he says is that 15 listeners joined him on a tour of the exhibition (how's that as a statement on the power of Radio-Canada) and ain't it cool that there is this audio guide.
But then again, I could just be in a lousy mood and looking for someone to pick on...
Tuesday, August 3, 2010
Julie Andrée T. doin' good in France
Howdy!
A nice short article promoting Julie Andrée T.'s performances last month (can't you tell I'm still playing catch up) in Avignon.
A nice short article promoting Julie Andrée T.'s performances last month (can't you tell I'm still playing catch up) in Avignon.
Les Impatients looking to shake things up
Howdy!
I missed it the first time around, but back in July, Les Impatients were successful in convincing Pierre Théberge to join their board of directors. I can only hope that they use his connections wisely.
I missed it the first time around, but back in July, Les Impatients were successful in convincing Pierre Théberge to join their board of directors. I can only hope that they use his connections wisely.
Alex Colville talking to Helen Hutchinson in 1973
Howdy!
Listen to it here. (thanks to A Portrait of the Visual Arts in Canada for suggesting I browse the CBC archives)
Listen to it here. (thanks to A Portrait of the Visual Arts in Canada for suggesting I browse the CBC archives)
Monday, August 2, 2010
Episode 106: The Anna & Joe Mendel Collection of Studio Glass [Zeke's Alternate Art Ramble]
Howdy!
Episode 106 [12:07]
Download: MP3 16MB / FLAC 58MB / Ogg Vorbis 9MB or Stream
Chris 'Zeke' Hand in discussion with Lisyan Pieries about the Anna and Joe Mendel Collection of Studio Glass at the Musée des beaux-arts de Montréal.
Listen
Originally broadcast on the Monday Morning After on CKUT 90.3 FM, Montreal.
Episode 106 [12:07]
Download: MP3 16MB / FLAC 58MB / Ogg Vorbis 9MB or Stream
Chris 'Zeke' Hand in discussion with Lisyan Pieries about the Anna and Joe Mendel Collection of Studio Glass at the Musée des beaux-arts de Montréal.
Listen
Originally broadcast on the Monday Morning After on CKUT 90.3 FM, Montreal.
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