Articles by Hrag Vartanian

New guest blogger: Meg Floryan

by Hrag Vartanian | Aug 16, 2010

New guest blogger: Meg Floryan

by Hrag Vartanian | Aug 16, 2010

Thanks to Steven Frost for giving us some amazing insights in fiber art, and extra bonus points for whipping up a fascinating post that combines Catwoman & patriarchy. Next up is …

Art21’s New Guest Editor

by Hrag Vartanian | Aug 9, 2010

Art21’s New Guest Editor

by Hrag Vartanian | Aug 9, 2010

Starting today, and running through to August 25, I will be filling in for Kelly Shindler as guest editor of the Art21 blog. Kelly, who has taken a much needed …

Flash Points

Chatting with #class Co-Curator Jennifer Dalton about Ethics

by Hrag Vartanian | Apr 1, 2010

Flash Points

Chatting with #class Co-Curator Jennifer Dalton about Ethics

by Hrag Vartanian | Apr 1, 2010

Last week, the #class exhibition at the Winkleman Gallery closed after a month of functioning as New York’s laboratory for art world gripes, think tank for new ideas, and classroom …

Florian Maier-Aichen Discusses “Myth-Making” at Apple Store Soho

by Hrag Vartanian | Oct 21, 2009

Florian Maier-Aichen Discusses “Myth-Making” at Apple Store Soho

by Hrag Vartanian | Oct 21, 2009

On October 9, over a hundred art fans arrived at the Apple Store Soho to gain insight into the work and life of German-American artist Florian Maier-Aichen. Organized by Art21, …

Flash Points

Some Thoughts on Art + Transformation in American’s Oldest Continuous Artist Colony

by Hrag Vartanian | Sep 4, 2009

Flash Points

Some Thoughts on Art + Transformation in American’s Oldest Continuous Artist Colony

by Hrag Vartanian | Sep 4, 2009

I admit to being surprised at the role the visual arts plays in Provincetown, Massachusetts. In college, I remember learning about Hans Hofmann’s famous school, which taught artists (Helen Frankenthaler, …

Flash Points

Some Thoughts on Art + Transformation + Pop Culture

by Hrag Vartanian | Sep 3, 2009

Flash Points

Some Thoughts on Art + Transformation + Pop Culture

by Hrag Vartanian | Sep 3, 2009

Our latest reflection on the theme of art + transformation comes from two popular Philadelphia-based art bloggers, Roberta Fallon & Libby Rosof. The founders of TheArtBlog.org, the pair shared some thoughts …

Flash Points

Some Thoughts on the Transformative Power of Walking + Art

by Hrag Vartanian | Sep 2, 2009

Flash Points

Some Thoughts on the Transformative Power of Walking + Art

by Hrag Vartanian | Sep 2, 2009

Austin Thomas is a New York-based artist, curator & sometimes salon host. When I asked her about art + transformation, she offered these thoughts about the transformative power of walking …

New Guest Blogger: Dehlia Hannah

by Hrag Vartanian | Sep 1, 2009

New Guest Blogger: Dehlia Hannah

by Hrag Vartanian | Sep 1, 2009

It has been a fun two weeks with Quinn Latimer as she offered us a window into her corner of the Swiss art world. We traveled to the “Holbein to …

Flash Points

Some Thoughts on Art + Transformation in Williamsburg

by Hrag Vartanian | Sep 1, 2009

Flash Points

Some Thoughts on Art + Transformation in Williamsburg

by Hrag Vartanian | Sep 1, 2009

Loren Munk–of the infamous DIY online video program James Kalm Report–is a walking encyclopedia of the history of Brooklyn’s Williamsburg art community. So when I asked him about his take …

Some Thoughts on China + Transformation

by Hrag Vartanian | Aug 31, 2009

Some Thoughts on China + Transformation

by Hrag Vartanian | Aug 31, 2009

In the final week of the Transformation series, I’ve asked a number of people with diverse points of view to offer their thoughts on the topic. To kick things off, …

MoMA Trumpets Amsterdam’s Role as Hub of Conceptual Art

by Hrag Vartanian | Aug 20, 2009

MoMA Trumpets Amsterdam’s Role as Hub of Conceptual Art

by Hrag Vartanian | Aug 20, 2009

While today Conceptual Art is utterly ubiquitous, MoMA’s current “In & Out of Amsterdam: Travels in Conceptual Art, 1960-1976” examines a period when only a few cities in the world …

Flash Points

New Flash Points Topic: Transformation

by Hrag Vartanian | Aug 19, 2009

Flash Points

New Flash Points Topic: Transformation

by Hrag Vartanian | Aug 19, 2009

Starting today (and while the Art21 Blog editor, Kelly Shindler is on vacation), I’ll be guest editing the Art21 Blog while Kelly gets some much needed R&R. To kick off …

New Guest Blogger: Quinn Latimer

by Hrag Vartanian | Aug 18, 2009

New Guest Blogger: Quinn Latimer

by Hrag Vartanian | Aug 18, 2009

As we say goodbye (but never farewell) to Daniel Fuller for his extensive posts on museums living beyond their means, art hopping in Athens & Venice, a love letter to …

Flash Points

Art & Compassion at “New York’s Cathedral”

by Hrag Vartanian | Jul 28, 2009

Flash Points

Art & Compassion at “New York’s Cathedral”

by Hrag Vartanian | Jul 28, 2009

Rev. Tom Miller is the Canon for Liturgy and the Arts at New York’s Cathedral of St. John the Divine, affectionately known as “New York’s Cathedral,” even though it is …

Flash Points

Flash Points: Art+Economics, Looking Back & Moving Forward

by Hrag Vartanian | Jul 13, 2009

Flash Points

Flash Points: Art+Economics, Looking Back & Moving Forward

by Hrag Vartanian | Jul 13, 2009

Money is on everyone’s mind but particularly for those in the art world, which faces one of the most difficult economic climates in ages. The last few months on this …

Flash Points

Arts Stimulus Funding & the Art Economy Part 2: Talking to the House Arts Caucus Co-Chairs

by Hrag Vartanian | Jul 9, 2009

Flash Points

Arts Stimulus Funding & the Art Economy Part 2: Talking to the House Arts Caucus Co-Chairs

by Hrag Vartanian | Jul 9, 2009

A few months ago, I went to the Bronx for a studio visit with an accomplished artist, John Fekner, whose personal brand of street graphics helped define a tumultuous era …

Flash Points

Arts Stimulus Funding & the Art Economy Part 1: By the Numbers

by Hrag Vartanian | Jul 8, 2009

Flash Points

Arts Stimulus Funding & the Art Economy Part 1: By the Numbers

by Hrag Vartanian | Jul 8, 2009

Talking about federal arts funding in America can be very confusing because of the many facts and figures. So, in an effort to understand the current and historic levels of …

Flash Points

Economic Sur-realities: A Conversation with Bjøernstjerne Christiansen of SUPERFLEX

by Hrag Vartanian | Jun 2, 2009

Flash Points

Economic Sur-realities: A Conversation with Bjøernstjerne Christiansen of SUPERFLEX

by Hrag Vartanian | Jun 2, 2009

Danish art group SUPERFLEX has been exacerbating the art world for over a decade with its irreverent style of questioning, which hits hard at the foundations of the West’s economic …

Flash Points

An Interview with EnjoyBanking, New York’s $treet Artist$

by Hrag Vartanian | May 6, 2009

Flash Points

An Interview with EnjoyBanking, New York’s $treet Artist$

by Hrag Vartanian | May 6, 2009

For months, I’ve been spotting countless friendly and ironic stickers popping up across the city’s art-friendly zones. These cutesy bubble-lettered slogans scream “Enjoy Subprime Lending,” “Enjoy Credit Crunch,” “Enjoy Bailout …

Flash Points

Flash Points: Art+Politics, Looking Back & Moving Forward

by Hrag Vartanian | Apr 1, 2009

Flash Points

Flash Points: Art+Politics, Looking Back & Moving Forward

by Hrag Vartanian | Apr 1, 2009

These last two months have proved to be full of lively posts about the sometimes clear and often nebulous intersection of Art+Politics. Art21’s own Marc Mayer kicked things off when …

Art21 Extended Play

Jenny Holzer talks about her Whitney show

by Hrag Vartanian | Mar 13, 2009

Art21 Extended Play

Jenny Holzer talks about her Whitney show

by Hrag Vartanian | Mar 13, 2009

Paddy Johnson interviewed Jenny Holzer for New York Press about her new show at the Whitney Museum of American Art in New York City (it opened yesterday, March 12). Titled …

Flash Points

“Imperfect Moments: Mapplethorpe & Censorship Twenty Years Later” at ICA in Philadelphia

by Hrag Vartanian | Feb 18, 2009

Flash Points

“Imperfect Moments: Mapplethorpe & Censorship Twenty Years Later” at ICA in Philadelphia

by Hrag Vartanian | Feb 18, 2009

Last week, people from far and wide gathered for a special conference titled “Imperfect Moments: Mapplethorpe and Censorship Twenty Years Later,” which was co-presented by the Institute of Contemporary Art …

Touring Prospect.1 (Part 5), the Warehouse District

by Hrag Vartanian | Jan 16, 2009

Touring Prospect.1 (Part 5), the Warehouse District

by Hrag Vartanian | Jan 16, 2009

Roughly located between New Orleans’ Business and Garden Districts, the Warehouse Arts District was a major concentrations for Prospect.1 displays. Dominated by warehouses and old industrial spaces, there is little …

Touring Prospect.1 (Part 4), French District & Marigny

by Hrag Vartanian | Jan 15, 2009

Touring Prospect.1 (Part 4), French District & Marigny

by Hrag Vartanian | Jan 15, 2009

I was surprised that Prospect.1 shied away from New Orleans’ infamous French District as much as it did. The epicenter of New Orleans’ global brand, and one of the world’s …

Touring Prospect.1 (Part 3), the Lower Ninth Ward

by Hrag Vartanian | Jan 14, 2009

Touring Prospect.1 (Part 3), the Lower Ninth Ward

by Hrag Vartanian | Jan 14, 2009

If the impact of Katrina now seems minimal in the rest of New Orleans, in the Lower Ninth Ward it was obviously devastating. My guide, who has since become a …

Touring Prospect.1 in Photos (Part 2)

by Hrag Vartanian | Jan 13, 2009

Touring Prospect.1 in Photos (Part 2)

by Hrag Vartanian | Jan 13, 2009

As promised, here is a small visual taste of the sights and sounds of New Orleans’ Prospect.1 biennial. More detailed posts about the art in the Lower Ninth Ward, the …

Touring Prospect.1, Talking to Curator Dan Cameron (Part 1)

by Hrag Vartanian | Jan 12, 2009

Touring Prospect.1, Talking to Curator Dan Cameron (Part 1)

by Hrag Vartanian | Jan 12, 2009

I arrived in New Orleans in December on an auspicious occasion—it was the first snow fall since 2004 and one of only a few that has touched down in this …

Rare Charles Atlas screening this Saturday in NYC

by Hrag Vartanian | Dec 18, 2008

Rare Charles Atlas screening this Saturday in NYC

by Hrag Vartanian | Dec 18, 2008

In the late 1990s, Art21 artist Charles Atlas created a series of video collages for Martha@Mother at the infamous and now defunct downtown New York nightclub Mother. The non-advertised but …

Raymond Pettibon at Regen Projects (Part II)

by Hrag Vartanian | Dec 10, 2008

Raymond Pettibon at Regen Projects (Part II)

by Hrag Vartanian | Dec 10, 2008

Los Angeles’ Regen Projects II will be hosting a new exhibition by artist Raymond Pettibon (Season 2) from December 13, 2008 to January 24, 2009. Entitled Cutting-Room Floor Show, Pettibon’s …

Inspired to Dance by Kara Walker: An Interview with Kyle Abraham

by Hrag Vartanian | Dec 4, 2008

Inspired to Dance by Kara Walker: An Interview with Kyle Abraham

by Hrag Vartanian | Dec 4, 2008

Emerging choreographer Kyle Abraham is performing two pieces this week at the Dance Theatre Workshop in New York (Dec. 3-6 at 7:30pm). One of the works, a solo piece entitled Brick, …

Pettibon’s “I thought California would be different…” in Hollywood

by Hrag Vartanian | Dec 4, 2008

Pettibon’s “I thought California would be different…” in Hollywood

by Hrag Vartanian | Dec 4, 2008

While we posted about the 2008 California Biennial back in May, I discovered this image via the SuperTouch blog about Raymond Pettibon‘s (Season 2) contribution: Legendary punk artist/Black Flag branding …

Laylah Ali talks to the Massachusetts Review about art & books

by Hrag Vartanian | Dec 1, 2008

Laylah Ali talks to the Massachusetts Review about art & books

by Hrag Vartanian | Dec 1, 2008

Recently, I was catching up on my reading and discovered a wonderful interview with Art21 artist Laylah Ali (Season 3) by Allan Isaac in the Spring/Summer 2008 edition of the …

Darwin & Art in Edinburgh

by Hrag Vartanian | Nov 11, 2008

Darwin & Art in Edinburgh

by Hrag Vartanian | Nov 11, 2008

Ellen Gallagher, Watery Ecstatic (2005). Courtesy The Species of Origin The intersection of art and science isn’t commonly discussed in the art world. But one British art school, the Edinburgh …

Roanoke’s Taubman Museum of Art Opens This Weekend

by Hrag Vartanian | Nov 7, 2008

Roanoke’s Taubman Museum of Art Opens This Weekend

by Hrag Vartanian | Nov 7, 2008

I had the good fortune of being in Roanoke, Virginia and seeing the impressive new Taubman Museum of Art (formerly the Art Museum of Western Virginia). A welcome addition to …

For the Matthew Barney Fan Who Has Everything

by Hrag Vartanian | Oct 28, 2008

For the Matthew Barney Fan Who Has Everything

by Hrag Vartanian | Oct 28, 2008

  Fansites may be more common for music fans or even authors but artists don’t seem to inspire the same level of adoration (or is it obsession?) that other creative …

Looking at “Art in Odd Places”

by Hrag Vartanian | Oct 21, 2008

Looking at “Art in Odd Places”

by Hrag Vartanian | Oct 21, 2008

Since the days of 19th-century French poet and critic Charles Baudelaire, the flâneur has played a prominent role in our evolving notion of modern art. The flâneur, according to Baudelaire, …