Friday, January 31, 2014

Celebrate the Year of the Horse at the Asian Art Museum

It’s the Lunar New Year and the Chinese Year of the Horse. The horse is part of a 12-year-cycle of animals that make up the Chinese zodiac. These interact with the five elements: wood, metal, fire, water, earth. 2014 is the year of the wood horse, taking over from the year of the water snake.

With the Year of the Snake slithering into history, they say that the incoming Lunar New Year beginning on Friday is going to be the kind of horse that you shouldn't stand behind -- because it incorporates the volatile element of fire.

http://www.examiner.com/article/celebrate-the-year-of-the-horse-at-the-asian-art-museum

Tuesday, January 21, 2014

The week ahead: 'Neighbors' in the Tenderloin and more..

@ Troy Holden
"Neighbors" closes tomorrow but it's worth the trip to the hood to see the gritty, honest and tender portraits of our close neighbors. For "amateur" photographer Troy Holden, it took a year of canvassing just to get 50 willing subjects to form the exhibition "Neighbors." Holden who lives in Bernal Heights, discovered the Tenderloin on his first day in San Francisco in 1996. The photos range from tender to gritty but each is an honest, beautiful look at at those who live in a part of the city that we often hurry through with our eyes averted.

Troy Holden's website: http://troyholden.com/

"Neighbors:" Troy Holden's portraits of the Tenderloin, Through Wednesday. Lower Branch Gallery, 233 Eddy St., S.F. (415) 525-4626. www.lowerbranch.com.
Review: SF Gate: http://www.sfgate.com/art/article/Troy-Holden-snaps-people-of-the-Tenderloin-in-5159985.php

More at:  http://www.examiner.com/list/the-week-ahead-portraits-of-the-tenderloin-gallery-crawl-oakland-art-murmur?CID=examiner_alerts_article

Wednesday, January 15, 2014

Celebrate Martin Luther King's legacy at the Museum of the African Diaspora


The Museum of the African Diaspora will be celebrating Martin Luther King's birthday, life and legacy by hosting a full day of programs, exhibits, performances and art.

To honor the Nobel Peace Prize winner’s life and bring people together, MoAD is offering free admission to the museum and all of its exhibits, performances and programs for the entire day.

“This year, I am remembering the struggle to make Martin Luther King Jr.’s birthday a federal day of remembrance. I especially remember signing the mighty petition for Congress to pass the law,” said Linda Harrison, Executive Director of MoAD. MLK Day was first observed in 1986.

Normally, MoAD is closed on Monday and Tuesday. But this special Monday, the museum has put together a program that includes film, photography, poetry and musical performances that celebrate the lasting greatness of King.

 Jamie Treacy A Crystalline Hub For Potential Memory. http://jamietreacy.com/

MLK Day celebrations start on the sidewalk with Jamie Treacy’s chalk art from 1-3 p.m.

 At 11:30 a.m., Brooklyn’s Castle will be screened on the second floor. The movie tells the stories of five members of the chess team at a below-the-poverty-line inner city junior high school that has won more national championships than any other in the country. The film follows the challenges these kids face in their personal lives as well as on the chessboard, and is as much about the sting of their losses as it is about the anticipation of their victories.(film and discussion 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. )

The celebration then moves to spoken word and poetry performances by "Young, Gifted and Talented from Oakland," a youth cultural arts and education repertory group (2 - 3 p.m.). Freedom stories will be shared by the Bay Area Veterans of the Civil Rights Movement through poetry, photos and music from 3:30 - 4:30 p.m.
An art project and a scavenger hunt will be held for the younger set. Films about King, his life, struggle and successes, will be shown in the Wells Fargo Heritage Center from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.

About MoAD
Since 2005, the Museum of the African Diaspora showcases the history, art and cultural richness that resulted from the dispersal of Africans throughout the world, with innovative and engaging exhibitions, education and public programs. As a nonprofit organization, the museum’s operations and programs are supported by grants and contributions from public and private sources.”

Saturday, January 11, 2014

The week ahead. Asian Art Museum, Creativity Explored, Fouladi Projects, Mark Wolfe Gallery, ArtHaus


At the Asian: "In Grand Style" closes this Sunday (Jan 12). n 1795, King Jeongjo journeyed to his father's mausoleum in an elaborate mile-long procession of thousands of people. The king ordered court officials to meticulously document the occasion, resulting in the royal protocol––several volumes of books containing every detail. This is just one of the fascinating stories in the first major U.S. exhibition exploring the colorful celebrations of Korea's Joseon dynasty. The illustrious era is brought to life by 110 exquisite artworks from Korea, many of which are in the U.S. for the first time.

Through the art, “In Grand Style” explores four key themes: what it meant to be a king during the Joseon dynasty; royal processions and banquets; women at the royal court; and the lives and celebrations of the Joseon dynasty’s subjects.

The Joseon period has left a substantial legacy to modern Korea; much of modern Korean etiquette, cultural norms, societal attitudes towards current issues, and the modern Korean language and its dialects derive from the culture and traditions of Joseon. The exhibit is full of exquisite objects and gives the viewer a comprehensive look at the life lived by the elite

http://www.examiner.com/list/the-asian-art-museum-presents-grand-style-masterpieces-from-korea


Camille Holvoet at Creativity Explored: Camille Holvoet has worked at CE for 12 years making brightly-colored, desirous cakes, and cross-eyed smiling figures in oil pastels and other media. This past year, she created a series of astounding and provocative self-portraits. The background of these drawings include scrawled narrative text and blunt statements of the artist’s desires. While cheerful at first glance, these commanding graphic works also reveal Holvoet's experiences of living in mental institutions, frustrated sexuality, and vivid memories of childhood.

More at:  http://www.examiner.com/article/the-week-ahead-asian-art-museum-fouladi-mark-wolfe-gallery-arthaus

Friday, January 3, 2014

Weekend Picks for Jan 3 - 5


There are a lot of good shows this week - several are wrapping up next week. But I decided to go with art that speaks to my heart - the artists at Creativity Explored, the artists at Arc who have visualized aspects of women's reproductive rights and Beth Van Hoesen's portraits of the Castro's  drag queens, leather daddies, and  activists.
http://www.examiner.com/list/weekend-picks-for-january-3-5-outsider-art-choice-at-arc-and-more