Christina Stahr In Prague : LABYRINTH [91]

Christina Stahr, a New York based artist with Czech and German roots and a major supporter in the A Book About Death project, exhibits L A B Y R I N T H, a solo exhibition at the Brooks Gallery, Naplavni 3 Prague 2, Czech Republic.

RAY JOHNSON & A BOOK ABOUT DEATH: CW POST EXHIBITION [90]

 An Open Call to Artists to Contribute to RAY JOHNSON & A BOOK ABOUT DEATH (ABAD)
This new ABAD show will open in the SAL Art Gallery at the CW Post Campus of Long Island University in Brookville, NY, and run October 31 to November 4, 2010. Submit one 4"x 6" artwork in any media on the theme of death/life. 

Please include the words “A BOOK ABOUT DEATH” on the front and your name and your e-mail address/website URL on the back. The work may be sent in an envelope for protection or mailed as a postcard. All submitted work will become part of a permanent Ray Johnson ABAD Archive. It will not be returned.

You must submit both a physical work and a virtual one to be part of the project. Every submitted piece will be posted to theexhibition blog.

Submission Deadline: October 15, 2010

Mail 4" x 6" artwork/card to:
Prof. Joan Harrison
Art Department
C.W. Post Campus, LIU
720 Northern Boulevard
Brookville, NY 11548
United States of America

Submit a 4x6 jpg of the image with your name and e-mail and or web URL to: LuAnn Palazzo at DesignDivaNY@gmail.com

“A BOOK ABOUT DEATH” (ABAD) is an unbound, un-paginated book produced by artists worldwide. The original project was conceived by Matthew Rose who invited artists to contribute 500 identical postcards on any aspect of the theme of death. That show took place at the Emily Harvey Foundation Gallery in NYC in September 2009. The exhibition was a tremendous success, attracting hundreds of visitors to the Soho gallery.

Since then, the ABAD project has taken on a remarkable life. It continues to travel the world, appearing in museums and galleries across the US and in Brazil, Belgium, Croatia, Italy, Sarajevo, and the United Kingdom. A set of cards is also in the permanent collections of the Museum of Modern Art in NYC, the MoMA Wales and the Los Angeles County Museum of Art. 

The project includes work from artists as famous as Yoko Ono as well as lesser known talents. The pages are of every kind of design imaginable, from personal and metaphysical to conceptual and abstract. The ABAD project has forged many new friendships among artists across the globe and has even spawned a handmade artists' magazine named Abalcabal.

WHAT IS DIFFERENT ABOUT THIS SHOW?
“RAY JOHNSON AND A BOOK ABOUT DEATH” is a new exhibition that will, for the first time, feature a copy of the original 1955 ABAD project by American artist Ray Johnson (1927-1995)–the inspiration for this entire series of exhibitions. It will set the stage for all 480 cards from the original Emily Harvey Gallery exhibit together with new submissions created especially for this show.

Ray Johnson’s unbound book of the same title was mailed to his New York Correspondence School students and included pages in his idiosyncratic style that were funny, sad and ironic “one-page essays” on death.

WHY IS THIS EXHIBIT HAPPENING AT C.W. POST CAMPUS of LIU?
Ray Johnson lived nearby in Locust Valley and was a frequent visitor to Hillwood Art Museum. He was a good friend of many artists who teach and work here and did several performance works on campus.

Several art alumni of Long Island University were contributors to the original New York ABAD project and would like other artists to become part of the rich worldwide art community that has grown up around the project.

RAY JOHNSON & A BOOK ABOUT DEATH: CW POST EXHIBITION ARTIST CALL.

Sigmar Polke 1941-2010 [89]

Sigmar Polke (February 13, 1941 – June 10, 2010).  CLICK TO VIEW NYT Slide Show.

PHOTO : Angelika Platen

Sigmar Polke (mitten in der Luft), Düsseldorf, 1971
Silbergelatineabzug auf Barytpapier auf Aluminium aufgezogen
Rückseitig signiert, datiert beschriftet und nummeriert
120 x 80cm  Exemplar 1/5  Galerie Haasag.

Anki King: Figment, Governor's Island [88]

Anki King, ABAD artist, exhibits at Figment at Governors Island, New York, June 11-13, 2010. Pictured here is her piece, Cradle of War, (H 55" x L 36" x W 30"). 

Cradle of War will be located in Nolan Galleries, Building 10b, 1st floor.  See the map of all FIGMENT events.

FIGMENT is an explosion of creative energy. It’s a free, annual celebration of participatory art and culture where everything is possible. For one weekend each summer, it transforms Governors Island into a large-scale collaborative artwork… and then it’s gone.

Details & Directions

The closest subway stations to the Battery Maritime Building (next to Staten Island Ferry) are as follows:
1 to South Ferry Station
4/5 to Bowling Green Station
W to (weekdays only) Whitehall St. Station; R to Whitehall St. Station

Ferry Schedule to Governors Island: Friday
From Manhattan: First ferry at 10 AM, hourly until 3 PM
From GI: First ferry at 10:30 AM, hourly until 5:30 PM

Saturday/Sunday : From Manhattan: First ferry at 10 AM, every half hour until 5:30 PM
From GI: First ferry at 10:30 AM, hourly until 7:00 PM

Ferry from Pier 6 in Brooklyn Bridge Park
Saturday/Sunday:  From Brooklyn: First ferry at 11 AM, runs continously until 5:20 PM
From GI: First ferry at 11:10 AM, runs continously until 7:00 PM

Website for Figment

The Hankie Project [87]

Six months ago artist and art dealer Julie Barratt invited artists to submit a work on a handkerchief that responded in some way to death and grief.  This soon became known as The Hankie Project, a kind of sister project to A Book About Death.  More than 100 works were submitted from over a dozen countries.  Each work is an actual handkerchief, and often a text travels alongside the submitted piece.  The exhibition opens at Barratt Galleries in Alstonville Australia on June 18.

Many artists who submitted works to A Book About Death (and its subsequent exhibitions), also contributed to Barratt's project. (The project's web site links ABAD's exhibitions).

Katka Adams, a local Australian artist, says about the project, "Grief can often be a very private lonely place, but by  inviting every one in to share their stories and experiences, a common art work is produced; and a healing community is created. I have often felt that our culture and society is now missing a process or way of dealing with our grief. Every one is sort of left to do what ever they feel is right for them, but this can be confusing and difficult. Other cultures have strong traditions and customs which people follow and they feel they have dealt with the death of a loved one honorably and in the right way."

The cover work for the invitation features the work of the youngest participant – four-year old Olli Shearman. (Top image).

To view the online catalog of works as well as accompanying texts, please visit the exhibition blog: http://objectsofthedead.blogspot.com/