Columns & Features

Letter from London

Letter from London: Attempts on Her Life

Letter from London: Attempts on Her Life

by Ben Street | May 18, 2009

You go into a room full of paintings and every single one is identical, floor to ceiling. They’re packed in about an inch apart, each no more than the size …

Flash Points

What Goes Down Must Come Up: Talking with Arnold Lehman of the Brooklyn Museum

by Nicole J. Caruth | May 14, 2009

What Goes Down Must Come Up: Talking with Arnold Lehman of the Brooklyn Museum

by Nicole J. Caruth | May 14, 2009

As the recession continues, reports of shrunken endowments, budget cuts, salary reductions, and layoffs pierce the headlines of museum news. The Brooklyn Museum is one of the most recent institutions …

Flash Points

The Fire’s Good for the Forest: An Interview with David A. Ross

by Kelly Huang | May 13, 2009

Flash Points

The Fire’s Good for the Forest: An Interview with David A. Ross

by Kelly Huang | May 13, 2009

David A. Ross, best known for his directorships at the Whitney Museum of American Art and SFMOMA, has taken on a variety of leadership positions in the art world. Besides …

Teaching with Contemporary Art

Make Less Art

by Joe Fusaro | May 13, 2009

Teaching with Contemporary Art

Make Less Art

by Joe Fusaro | May 13, 2009

At one point in my panel conversation with Olivia Gude, Mark Bradford, and William Crow at the National Art Education Association’s annual conference in Minneapolis, the discussion got around to …

Flash Points

Free & Clear: Exhibition and the Free Store

by Kemi Ilesanmi | May 12, 2009

Flash Points

Free & Clear: Exhibition and the Free Store

by Kemi Ilesanmi | May 12, 2009

Is free sometimes the best value for art? Well, it certainly can be when artists and curators turn an inquisitive and critically-engaged eye towards the nature of exchange, regeneration, and …

Flash Points

What a Way to Make a Living: New Artist Economies and the Role of the Arts Administrator

by Tracy Candido | May 7, 2009

Flash Points

What a Way to Make a Living: New Artist Economies and the Role of the Arts Administrator

by Tracy Candido | May 7, 2009

I am an arts administrator, which is arguably the second invisible position in line behind the artist. The administrator’s cultural discount is not only applied when independently presenting an exhibition …

Flash Points

The Power of Now: Adrian Piper’s Indexical Present

by Julia Steinmetz | May 7, 2009

Flash Points

The Power of Now: Adrian Piper’s Indexical Present

by Julia Steinmetz | May 7, 2009

Everyone has heard about the value of “being in the moment,” letting thoughts of the past and worries about the future drip away while focusing on the here and now. …

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 …

Teaching with Contemporary Art

Authoritarian?

by Joe Fusaro | May 6, 2009

Teaching with Contemporary Art

Authoritarian?

by Joe Fusaro | May 6, 2009

As I mentioned last week, the Teaching with Contemporary Art column over the next few weeks will focus on questions generated at the recent NAEA conference in Minneapolis. This week’s …

Letter from London

Letter from London: Turner Round, Bright Eyes!

by Ben Street | May 4, 2009

Letter from London

Letter from London: Turner Round, Bright Eyes!

by Ben Street | May 4, 2009

I don’t know: maybe there will be a time when the announcement of the Turner Prize nominees won’t be greeted with a tiresome trotting-out of hoary old journalistic cliches (yes, …

Flash Points

The Simpsons Family (Art) Values

by Julia Steinmetz | May 1, 2009

Flash Points

The Simpsons Family (Art) Values

by Julia Steinmetz | May 1, 2009

It seems The Simpsons has something to say about everything, including the value of art. In “Mom and Pop Art,” a treasure of an episode from 1999, Homer is discovered …

Flash Points

W.A.G.E. LIVE!

by Marc Mayer | Apr 30, 2009

Flash Points

W.A.G.E. LIVE!

by Marc Mayer | Apr 30, 2009

After reading Trong Gia Nyugen’s great interview with activist group Working Artists and the Greater Economy (W.A.G.E.), I become really interested in their work. I started to poke around the …

Flash Points

For the Love of God: The Artist as Capitalist

by Julia Steinmetz | Apr 29, 2009

Flash Points

For the Love of God: The Artist as Capitalist

by Julia Steinmetz | Apr 29, 2009

In 2007, artist Damien Hirst exhibited a work at the White Cube gallery in London which is reputed to be the most expensive contemporary artwork ever made. Entitled For the …

Teaching with Contemporary Art

Getting Beyond

by Joe Fusaro | Apr 29, 2009

Teaching with Contemporary Art

Getting Beyond

by Joe Fusaro | Apr 29, 2009

Last week I promised to begin addressing some of the questions that came up at the recent National Art Education Association conference in Minneapolis. One of our first questions comes …

Flash Points

W.A.G.E. Against the Machine

by Trong Gia Nguyen | Apr 27, 2009

Flash Points

W.A.G.E. Against the Machine

by Trong Gia Nguyen | Apr 27, 2009

Last September, as part of Creative Time’s Democracy in America: The National Campaign event at the Park Avenue Armory, activist group Working Artists and the Greater Economy (W.A.G.E.) stumped for …

Letter from London

Letter from London: Golden Graham

by Ben Street | Apr 27, 2009

Letter from London

Letter from London: Golden Graham

by Ben Street | Apr 27, 2009

I’m sure (as in: I’m not sure) that there is a film in which Laurel or Hardy or Buster or Harpo rides a horse backwards, isn’t there, maybe after being …

BOMB in the Building

BOMB is (back) in the building

by BOMB Magazine | Apr 24, 2009

BOMB in the Building

BOMB is (back) in the building

by BOMB Magazine | Apr 24, 2009

After a hiatus, we (the folks from BOMB Magazine) are back to resume our fun and educational guest blogging. We’ll be chiming in once a month with some cool stuff …

Flash Points

Experimental Economies: Talking with Chicago’s InCUBATE

by Beth Capper | Apr 22, 2009

Flash Points

Experimental Economies: Talking with Chicago’s InCUBATE

by Beth Capper | Apr 22, 2009

In the current state of financial precariousness, artists and arts administrators need to build mutually beneficial trust economies and supportive networks to rally for funding. And with arts institutions and …

Teaching with Contemporary Art

Burn Baby Burn

by Joe Fusaro | Apr 22, 2009

Teaching with Contemporary Art

Burn Baby Burn

by Joe Fusaro | Apr 22, 2009

As I was thinking about Art21’s recent visit to the National Art Education Association’s annual conference in Minneapolis, I came across this quote from Season 4 artist, Mark Bradford: Once …

Flash Points

Letter from London

Letter from London: Guernica Revisited

by Ben Street | Apr 20, 2009

Flash Points

Letter from London

Letter from London: Guernica Revisited

by Ben Street | Apr 20, 2009

It seems impossible now that an institution like the Museum of Modern Art would lend, say, Les Demoiselles d’Avignon or The Red Studio at all, let alone to a small …

Teaching with Contemporary Art

A Live Feed: Art21 Tweets Mark Bradford

by Marc Mayer | Apr 18, 2009

Teaching with Contemporary Art

A Live Feed: Art21 Tweets Mark Bradford

by Marc Mayer | Apr 18, 2009

Art21 is presenting at the National Art Education Association’s convention in Minneapolis. We are working with Mark Bradford at this year’s convention on a couple presentations as well as shooting …

Flash Points

Feeling the pinch: museums and the recession

by Kelly Shindler | Apr 16, 2009

Flash Points

Feeling the pinch: museums and the recession

by Kelly Shindler | Apr 16, 2009

I could preface this post with all sorts of opining about the responsibilities of museums to their constituents and staffs in the face of the ethics crises many are confronting …

Flash Points

My fellow Americans, let’s roll.

by Daniel Fuller | Apr 16, 2009

Flash Points

My fellow Americans, let’s roll.

by Daniel Fuller | Apr 16, 2009

On March 28th, Philadelphia hosted a day-long marathon dialogue on the intersections of art and the possibility of social/political change. The day’s events included a symposium on Curating and Activism …

Flash Points

Curating and Activism at Moore College of Art & Design

by Daniel Fuller | Apr 15, 2009

Flash Points

Curating and Activism at Moore College of Art & Design

by Daniel Fuller | Apr 15, 2009

Daniel Fuller, Senior Program Specialist at the Philadelphia Exhibitions Initiative, recently helped organize the Curating and Activism symposium at Moore College of Art & Design. The following is a recap …

Teaching with Contemporary Art

The Hope Hippos Head to NAEA

by Joe Fusaro | Apr 15, 2009

Teaching with Contemporary Art

The Hope Hippos Head to NAEA

by Joe Fusaro | Apr 15, 2009

Beginning this Friday morning, I will be joined by my equally energetic and optimistic colleagues, Jessica Hamlin and Marc Mayer, as we descend on the National Art Education Association’s Annual …

Flash Points

The value of supporting artists

by Lila Kanner | Apr 11, 2009

Flash Points

The value of supporting artists

by Lila Kanner | Apr 11, 2009

Taking stock of the value of art is integrally tied to the value of artists. Artists’ work as educators, mentors and citizens of our communities is vital to a healthy …

Teaching with Contemporary Art

Art21 Educators 2009-2010 – Apply Now!

by Marc Mayer | Apr 9, 2009

Teaching with Contemporary Art

Art21 Educators 2009-2010 – Apply Now!

by Marc Mayer | Apr 9, 2009

Art21 Educators: Contemporary Art in Contemporary Classrooms 2009-2010 Are you interested in contemporary art? Are you a K-12 art and/or media teacher? Do you teach in Los Angeles, Chicago, or …

Teaching with Contemporary Art

Vacation, Just in Order to See

by Joe Fusaro | Apr 8, 2009

Teaching with Contemporary Art

Vacation, Just in Order to See

by Joe Fusaro | Apr 8, 2009

Around this time of year, many teachers take a vacation of some kind. Some people go to the warm sunshine, some people go to Minnesota, and some go to the …

Teaching with Contemporary Art

Art21 at NAEA 2009

by Marc Mayer | Apr 6, 2009

Teaching with Contemporary Art

Art21 at NAEA 2009

by Marc Mayer | Apr 6, 2009

Art21 @ NAEA Convention, Minneapolis April 18 & 19, 2009 Once again Art21 is bringing contemporary art to this year’s National Art Education Association Annual Convention. Season Four artist Mark …

Flash Points

Letter from London

Letter from London: Face Value

by Ben Street | Apr 6, 2009

Flash Points

Letter from London

Letter from London: Face Value

by Ben Street | Apr 6, 2009

You can’t have a job in museum education without being asked, at some point, “What’s that worth?” Depending on the questioner, how well the tour went, and how loyal you’re feeling, …

Flash Points

Flash Points #3: What is the Value of Art?

by Beth Allen | Apr 2, 2009

Flash Points

Flash Points #3: What is the Value of Art?

by Beth Allen | Apr 2, 2009

In the late-1990s I took a graduate seminar on “museums and institutional critique” that focused on artistic and curatorial practices in the 1980s and 90s, and included a series of …

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 …

Teaching with Contemporary Art

Teaching with Film, Teaching with Objects

by Joe Fusaro | Apr 1, 2009

Teaching with Contemporary Art

Teaching with Film, Teaching with Objects

by Joe Fusaro | Apr 1, 2009

Last week, it was my pleasure to begin working with the CCS Bard Hessel Museum at Bard College to initiate a three-part workshop series for teachers titled, Teaching and Learning …

Letter from London

Letter from London: The Eighties Revival

by Ben Street | Mar 30, 2009

Letter from London

Letter from London: The Eighties Revival

by Ben Street | Mar 30, 2009

The new thing at Tate Modern, three rooms of mainly huge paintings from the 1980s, is timelier than it knows. These works are taken from the UBS collection, the investment …