Daechi-dong by Hosang Park

The New Museum led tours around LES galleries is back again this weekend with two more tours! It is this Sunday, October 4 with a group leaving at 12:30 and another at 3 p.m. Both groups meet in the New Museum Lobby and take off from there. Each tour is different so come to both!

Once again JB Gallery’s Associate Director, Jeffrey Teuton (me) will be around to talk about the exhibition, A Square, photographs by Hosang Park that is currently on view, as well as other Jen Bekman Projects, like the Hey, Hot Shot! competition and 20×200.

LES Gallery Tour Group One 12:30 PM @ The New Museum Lobby
DCKT Contemporary (I love the current show, LOVE), Jen Bekman Gallery, Thrust Projects, CANADA, James Fuentes LLC, Rental,Invisible-Exports, Lisa Cooley, Heist, Rachel Uffner, Number 35.

LES Gallery Tour Group Two 3 PM @ The New Museum Lobby
Sue Scott, Thierry Goldberg Projects (a great painting show is up), Eleven Rivington, KumuKumu, Nicelle Beauchene, LMAK Projects, Envoy, Small A Project, On Stellar Rays, Sloan Fine Art, Participant, and SUNDAY.

New Museum
235 Bowery
New York, NY 10002
212.219.1222
MAP

If you missed the last one there is no excuse to miss it again.

October seems like the perfect time for a visit to Memphis, especially when JBG artist Kate Bingaman-Burt and JBP team member Jane Mount will be there. Both talented and industrious ladies will be speaking at the 2009 AIGA Design Conference, Make/Think. The conference promises to “celebrate design excellence, reinforce friendships and connections and stimulate thinking about the critical issues that surround design practice”. No doubt that this will be achieved while attendees share and learn about new ideas in the creative community.

Learn more about the conference on the AIGA website.

Make/Think
2009 AIGA Design Conference
Memphis Cook Convention Center
October 8–11, 2009

Interested in attending?
Register here.

Dongbaek-dong by Hosang Park (detail)

Part of what makes the photographs work in Hosang Park’s A Square is the myriad of entry points into the photographs. In Dongbaek-dong, my eye moves like a snake through the images and between all the subtle details.

When I first unpacked the photographs, my favorite find was the two abandoned bicycles in the pond (above). In order to help show these details in the work, we have created four detail images of each photograph that is included in the show. Moving clockwise through each image, the detail shots help to bring this amazing work closer to those of you who cannot make it in to the gallery.

To check out all the detail shots head over to the gallery’s Flickr page.

Dongbaek-dong by Hosang Park (detail)

Dongbaek-dong by Hosang Park (detail)

Dongbaek-dong by Hosang Park (detail)

Need last minute Saturday plans? Head over to The Storefront for Art and Architecture for the launch of The BLDGBLOG Book TODAY, September 26, from 3 to 8 p.m. Author Geoff Manaugh will be joined by many of the “writers, thinkers, and practitioners whose work is featured in The BLDGBLOG Book, in a day-long event of back-to-back presentations.” The event is free and you can view the schedule of speakers here.

At 6:00 p.m. our very own Hey, Hot Shot! Associate Director Alan Rapp will be speaking. Alan is the editor of the book, which is published by Chronicle Books. Alan worked at Chronicle up until last year before coming to join us at Jen Bekman Projects.

This past Thursday, Peggy Roalf of AI+AP’s Design Arts Daily newsletter published her interview with Alan on how the blog became a book. You can read the full interview and view the newsletter here.

Catch up on the blog by visiting bldgblog.blogspot.com. A good place to start would be with Nicola Twilley’s article, Park’s Parks, discussing the work of 2008 HHS! Ultra Hosang Park. Hosang’s solo exhibition, A Square is currently on view at the gallery through November 7th.

The BLDGBLOG Book Launch
The Storefront for Art and Architecture
Saturday, September 26th, from 3:00 to 8:00 p.m.
97 Kenmare Street, New York, NY.
MAP

Plane Over Mini-Mall by Matt Nighswander

The above image is from 2006 Hot Shot Matt Nighswander’s site.

I guess the art world got jealous of the Oscars. The Guggenheim brings you Rob Pruitt Presents the First Annual Art Awards.

Need help picking a 20×200 print? Check out Hunch.com and viola! Instant art consultant.

Check out the GENESIS BREYER P-ORRIDGE show over at Invisible Exports. First know the fascinating back story. Adam Marelli’s DOUBT at the Morris Museum—in collaboration with Invisible-Exports—is also pretty swell.

I still do not understand why you would steal a portrait of someone else, like the one of Richard Weisman included in the heist of Weisman’s private Warhol collection.

Since it is now officially fall, get your summer on with Marilyn Monroe’s Heat Wave number from the movie There’s No Business Like Show Business.

Be in the know for all the shows worldwide at Art Paper Invitations. It is like getting a mailbox full of invites but without the guilt of using all that paper.

Carl Jung’s Red Book—The Holy Grail of the Unconscious, so sayeth The New York Times—has been unveiled.

I know how much Ms. Bekman loves the birds, so this is for her and all you other avian-obsessed folks. Caw, caw.

Artists Mark Bradford, Rackstraw Downes and Camille Utterback are included in this year’s MacArthur Genius Awards. That is a $100,000 grant a year for five years, no strings attached. Makes me think I need a Lotto revival—or need to become a genius—I so wanted to spell that wrong.

Printed Matter is to publish a Gaylord Phoenix book by artist Edie Fake (he won one of their book grants). I cannot wait.

Lastly, don’t forget that we are having an opening THIS Friday, September 25th, from 6 to 8 p.m. On view is the U.S. solo debut of 2008 HHS! Ultra Hosang Park’s series, A Square.

Image of Jen Bekman’s apartment by Youngna Park

Every week design*sponge invites our collective desire for voyeurism to come out and feast on images posted in their sneak peeks column. Sneak peeks lets us into the homes of talented folks, and just yesterday Ms. Jen Bekman had the spotlight turned in her direction. It should not shock you to know that Jen’s space is overflowing with art as colorful as a box of macarons from Ladurée. She is a lady who lives by her word: LIVE WITH ART, IT’S GOOD FOR YOU.

See more of Jen’s home photographed by JBG artist Youngna Park here.

Speedboat and Hearse, Maine by Chris Hoare

I give you another pairing of work to contemplate today, maybe slightly macabre, on the idea of departure—from what, I’m not sure. In looking at Hey, Hot Shot! contender Chris Hoare’s photograph, Speedboat and Hearse, Maine, the juxtaposition between the two subjects suggests to me two different means of departure.

Untitled by Kent Rogowski

The photo, paired with Kent Rogowski’s Untitled neon sign, reading “Someday it will happen”—from our past Summer Reading show—lends an ambiguous, ominous tone to Hoare’s photograph, making you consider “the end”, but I also like this pairing for its subtle humor, to me at least.

The giant speedboat plays well with Rogowski’s neon sign; both reference some vein of consumerism—possibly advertising that “someday” you too could have this life, your own speedboat in the driveway. But, of course, we return to the solemn idea that even in this same dream, it will all end. There, I said it. Everyone will die someday. But, in the meantime, go get your speedboat and ride on the water and enjoy your life!

Dongbaek-dong by Hosang Park

For his upcoming exhibition, A Square, photographs of man-made Korean parks surrounding luxury high-rise buildings, Hosang is looking at areas that are created to bring people out of their homes and bring them together. However, he says of his photographs:

I find that showing the parks in this way reflects the characteristics of the Korean metropolis where I live. While a park might be associated with rest and play, these areas are increasingly used commercially as a means to boost property values. It would, after all, be hard to have discussions or take rest in such places. Likewise, for people in contemporary Korea, days are compressed in terms of time and space and taking a rest in a small downtown area doesn’t seem to have any meaning at all.

Have Park’s parks lost out to video games such as Second Life perhaps? James Deavin’s work from his 2006 solo show, Photographs From The New World explores where perhaps the people have gone. Deavin says:

Second Life is a place where people can live out their dreams. Some people’s dreams are to have a bigger version of what they already have. Others’ fondest wish is to be a talking elephant from Mars. Second Life is not a ‘game’ – there is no “next level,” no “level boss,” there is no winning or losing. Rather, characters enter into complex relationships, build things, earn and spend money. In fact, the world turns over ten million dollars a month. This money is spent in the market place and certain consumer products have become ubiquitous: grand pianos, waterfalls, boats, Japanese gardens. If money were no object, is this how real life would look?

Untitled (interior) by James Deavin

Are the parks in Park’s photos just as much a fabrication of an ideal as what Deavin found in Second Life? Is one more real than the other, just because it physically exists? Is the online world winning out against our real lives?

Though the Hey, Hot Shot! 2009 First Edition Exhibition is only up at JB Gallery for a few more days, on Tuesday, September 29th, you’ll have another opportunity to mingle with Hot Shots. Team JBP is hosting the first-ever Hey, Hot Shot! Confab + Print Trade at White Rabbit from 6:00 to 8:30 p.m. Come mingle with past and former Hot Shots, esteemed panelists, contenders and fellow artists.

Space is limited, so please RSVP to RSVP@heyhotshot.com.

We’ll also be having a Print Trade! To participate, bring an 8.5” x 11” (or smaller) photographic print of your own and leave the party with another artist’s work! When you RSVP, please send a jpeg (800 pixels wide, 72 dpi) of the print you plan to bring to RSVP@heyhotshot.com.

We’ll also have drink specials, giveaways from our generous sponsors at Arlo/Artists and Crumpler—with a few surprises from JBP as well—and ample opportunities to meet fellow photographers and artists in the JBP community.

If you’re interested in applying to Hey, Hot Shot! and want to know more about the competition, more information is available on the site. Or, come by the confab and ask us about it in-person.

Aqueduct and Waterslide by Beth Dow

This October 17th and 18th, The Center for Alternative Photography will be offering a two day course in platinum and palladium printing with photographer Carl Weese—who in 1998 wrote the book The New Platinum Print). If you have ever admired Beth Dow’s beautiful prints, now you can learn more about the process and try it hands on. All skill levels are welcome, and at under $400, it’s a good deal—you won’t have to worry about following the metals market to order your supplies (I am not making that up. Platinum and palladium do not just drop out of the sky you know). Why not spend a weekend making art? Maybe you can create some work just in time to submit to Hey, Hot Shot!

Platinum & Palladium Printing with Carl Weese
The Center for Alternative Photography
Date: Saturday & Sunday, October 17 & 18
Time: 10:00am – 6:00pm (1 hour lunch)
Location: 36 East 30 Street NY, NY 10016
Price: $395
MAP

I came home this afternoon delighted to see in my mailbox Jorge Colombo’s second iPhone sketch for the cover of The New Yorker since May! Two covers in less than six months is really extraordinary, but unsurprising given Jorge’s mastery of the iPhone application, Brushes. Incidentally, Jorge’s success has made it to the top of Brushes website, and The New York Times reports that Jorge’s talents have increased sales for the application since his first New Yorker cover.

I have it on good authority that the folks over at 20×200 are planning an upcoming announcement regarding Jorge, so be sure to sign up for the 20×200 newsletter to be in the know!

Yesterday, the New Island Festival commenced on Governors Island for the 400th anniversary of Henry Hudson’s first voyage from the Netherlands to what is now New York City. A collaboration between NY400 and over 150 Dutch artists, the festival not only celebrates this historical journey, but the “free spirit, openness, entrepreneurship and tolerance of those Dutch-American pioneers, and their continued relevance today and beyond.”

There are various site-specific installations and performances taking place throughout the 172-acre island, including a 400 ft long table that also serves as a stage and runway, the sprawling Wind Nomads installation by Floris Leeuwenberg and “ a joyous dance party where all the participants wear headphones.” The only downside, unfortunately, is that a pass costs $35, but you can also buy single admission tickets at $5 per event. But with over 150 artists, I’d say $35 dollars is a pretty great deal. 

Weather permitting, the festival takes place this weekend and the following, 11am-11pm. See you there.

Faering, 2007 by Michelle Arcila

Why don’t you join the New Museum as they lead two groups of tours around LES galleries! It is this Sunday, September 13 with a group leaving at noon and another at 3 p.m. Both groups meet in the New Museum Lobby and take off from there. Each tour is different so come to both!

The JB Gallery’s Associate Director, Jeffrey Teuton (me) will be around to talk about the current Hey, Hot Shot! 2009 First Edition Exhibition that is currently on view, as well as other Jen Bekman Projects, like the Hey, Hot Shot! competition itself and 20×200. The show looks great so I suggest you take advantage and get here before it comes down on September 19!

LES Gallery Tour Group One 12 PM @ The New Museum Lobby
DCKT Contemporary (I love the current show, LOVE), Jen Bekman Gallery, CANADA, James Fuentes LLC, Rental,Invisible-Exports, Lisa Cooley, Rachel Uffner, Number 35.

LES Gallery Tour Group Two 3 PM @ The New Museum Lobby
Sue Scott, Thierry Goldberg Projects (a great painting show is up), Eleven Rivington, KumuKumu, Nicelle Beauchene, LMAK Projects, Small A Project, On Stellar Rays, Sloan Fine Art, SUNDAY.

New Museum
235 Bowery
New York, NY 10002
212.219.1222
MAP

Be there or be boring and sleep all day.

Artforum by Parsley Steinweiss

Hey, Hot Shot! 2009 First Edition Exhibition
Opening Reception | Wednesday, September 9, 2009 | 6–8 p.m.
images | statements | press release

Please join us THIS Wednesday, September 9, from 6 to 8 p.m., at the opening reception for the Hey, Hot Shot! 2009 First Edition Exhibition, featuring eighteen works from five photographers: Michelle Arcila, Daniel Cheek, Mike Sinclair, Parsley Steinweiss, and Kurt Tong.

See you soon at 6 Spring Street, (btwn. Elizabeth + Bowery) New York, NY!

The exhibition will be on view Thursday, September 10th through Saturday, September 19th, 2009.

Psst! Also:
HHS! 2009 Second Edition Competition is now open for submissions.
Entries will be accepted until Friday, October 23rd, 2009 at 8:00 p.m. EDT.
See what the competition is all about, then enter your work!

If I Had a Voice I Would Sing, 2009 by Michelle Arcila

So it seems, summer is over. It’s the first week of September and already the weather is cooling off; the city is once again flooded with people returning from their vacations, new students are arriving to begin college, no more concerts in the Park, no more beach trips… and I’m not ready. Everyone is back to the grind, and with all the rain we had this summer, I’m not wiling to surrender to September just yet. Here are some ways I’m trying to keep the relaxing days of summer with me as long as I can. Please, come with me!

Take one last—or first, if you were tragically stranded in the city—summer retreat with this animated video by New York Times contributor Jeff Scher, titled Summer Retreat. It’s a relaxing, beautiful short that manages to make you feel like it’s July at the beach in only one and a half minutes.

I keep going back to Hot Shot Michelle Arcila’s photographs; her work never ceases to amaze. I especially love her set In August from her Flickr Photostream, which Jeffrey linked to in an earlier post, also about the end of summer. The set contains some beautifully serene photographs, including staple summer scenes like lake-swimming and a blanket blowing in the wind of the woods.

For an away-from-the-computer-and-outside activity, I’m looking forward to checking out Dome Colony X at the San Gabriels created by Fritz Haeg at x-initiative on 22nd Street between 10th and 11th Ave. The show space contains, “a shifting encampment or colony of four geodesic dome tents for occupations, gatherings, regular meetings, and intimate organized activities,” all set within a mural of LA’s own San Gabriel mountains. As a native Los Angeleno myself, I’m very interested in seeing this 8000 square foot “Mountain Colony.” Find out more on their website or just go! It’s running until October 24, Wed.-Sat. 11am-6pm.

Am I the only one who hasn’t been to the High Line? I’m going this weekend. Also, just watched this video on Governors Island— perfect summer activity, seven minute ferry ride away and it’s open year-round. It’s still warm enough and I don’t have a pile of work on my desk just yet, so I’m going to get on it before the leaves change and the wind picks up and the snow starts to fall…

Laundromat by Colleen Plumb

If you are in Fort Collins, CO you can start off your Labor Day weekend by going to the opening reception of JBG, 20×200 artist, AND Hey, Hot Shot! 2008 Ne Plus Ultra Colleen Plumb’s Animals Are Outside Today at the Center for Fine Art Photography, this Friday, September 4th.

If you can’t make it, check out Colleen’s available 20×200 prints. Don’t forget about free shipping on orders over $50 (before shipping + handling + taxes!) through Monday, September 7 @ midnight EST.

Center for Fine Art Photography
Friday, September 4, 2009

400 North College Avenue
(in the Poudre River Arts Center)
Fort Collins, CO 80524
MAP

The exhibition will be on view through September 26, 2009.

i have found what you are like by Amy Ross