The Battle for Babylon is an article written by art critic Jerry Saltz. While his article focuses on the art scene in New York, his critique is applicable almost universally. He takes the position that “more artists, gallerists, and curators are taking matters into their own hands” in an effort to circumvent the current arrangement that “reduces art to its…
The International Center of Photography in New York is hosting an exhibition of wartime photographs titled: El Salvador: Work of Thirty Photographers. This important exhibit details the bloody US backed counterinsurgency war that ravaged the Central American nation, with the photos documenting the period from 1979 to 1983. Organized more than twenty years ago by photographers Susan Meiselas and Henry Mattison,…
In London a coalition of over 100 artists, writers, musicians, academics, and members of parliament signed a letter expressing their opposition to the war in Iraq. On September 15th, musician Brian Eno and film star Julie Christie hand delivered to the official residence of Tony Blair, the letter calling for the withdrawal of British troops. At a press conference held…
The Tate Britain website allowed users to “create” and name their own art collections from among the online art works the museum has on display. Users are invited to compile their own personalized collections, which are then displayed on the Tate website. Some clever Stuckist saboteur made proper use of this invite by uploading a sarcastic critique at the Tate’s…
With all the madness swirling around driving everybody insane, you’d think more artists would have something to say about our present situation. While I wait for them to catch up, I’ll be creating my own riotous responses on canvas. In the meantime, here’s a quote to whet your appetites: “The heaviest burden of all is the pressure of the war…
On Sept. 2, 2005, NBC television broadcast a special one hour telethon designed to raise money for the victims of Hurricane Katrina, but the scripted telecast went awry when rapper Kanye West condemned George W. Bush for racism. I watched A Concert for Hurricane Relief as it was broadcast for the west coast, edited and censored, which was something I…
I could write about the catastrophic loss the nation has suffered with the destruction of historic architecture in Louisiana and Mississippi, or of the damage done to museums and cultural institutions. But for me, the one story that so far sums up the appalling cultural losses suffered by the nation (and the world), comes from a cultural task force set…
I have praised the Getty Museum as one of the greatest in America, and I’ve applauded the venerable institution for its policy of free admission to all exhibits – but no organization or individual is beyond reproach. The Getty has been wracked with controversy lately due to Barry Munitz, the power drunk gadfly president of the Getty Trust. On August…
