MoMa: Inventing Abstraction

In 1912 a new form of expression was revealed to the world in the form of abstract art. A handful of artists debuted their new and exciting artwork across several european cities. On December 23rd the exhibition Inventing Abstraction began at the MoMa, in New York City. Running until April 15th this is an in depth look at the beginning years of abstract art and the wildly important transitional years that follow. There are over 350 pieces of art on display, including illustrated books, sculpture, choreography, painting, stained glass, needlepoint, and film. The definition of abstract may seem elusive to some, but this is a collection that will shed a great light on the collective beginnings of the movement.

     

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The Restless

This Thursday please join us for the exciting kick off of Rush Zimmerman's photography exhibition, The Restless! From Thursday April 5th to Saturday May12th a collection of limited edition candids will be available to view by appointment only. We hope you have time to stop by, but in the meantime, here is a small sneak preview of what you can expect at the show!

*please email Rushzimmerman@gmail.com for an appointment  

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Cultural Delights

We always love to share the music, art and creative things that people are doing that we think are worth checking out, so here are a few that we a currently loving!

Steve Martin, Shakespeare in the Park

 

This Summer, Shakespeare's  "As You Like It" will be presented during Shakespeare in the Park at the Delacorte Theater from June 5th to June 30th. Why are we telling you this under a picture of Steve Martin playing a banjo you ask? Because this summer's show relocates As You Like It's heroine Rosalind and her Forest of Arden to America in the 1840's, where bluegrass and folk music perfectly define the time. Steve Martin, who is an accomplished banjo player and has recorded two albums with Steep Canyon Rangers, has composed all of the original music for the show, which will be played by a live bluegrass band during the performances! 

HAIM

This California based sisterly trio's love of music began at a very young age. Growing up with a singing and guitar playing mother, and a drumming father who started a family band when the girls were in middle school, playing local fairs and charity events. A love for classic rock and old school Americana has developed into an eclectic mix of nineties R&B, Old-school Rock, and nu-folk that is the girls' debut EP Forever. Which is available for a free download on their website.

Cindy Sherman

Recognized as one of the most important and influential artists in contemporary art, Cindy Sherman is a shape shifter in more ways than one. Not only has she donned hundreds of different personas over her 30 year career, she very often serves as her own photographer, model, makeup artist, hairdresser, stylist and wardrobe consultant. Right now at the MOMA a retrospective of her work is on display until June 11th. Showing over 170 photographs, the exhibition highlights Sherman's key series from the mid 70's to the present. Make sure to check it out if you are in NYC! 

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Miami Made Festival

If you are looking for something to do this weekend in South Florida, make sure to check out the Miami Made Festival, running from March 1st (that's tomorrow if you can believe it!) through Sunday the 4th. This is the festivals fourth year running, and this year's theme sounds particularly intriguing; When The Sun Goes Down is a look at the moves of Miami nightlife, as seen through each artists interpretation. The main focus of the event is to showcase new and up and coming artists from the Miami area. There will be live musical performances featuring some of Miami's best underground musicians, shows that will take you from being the spectator to directly being in the character's life, immersive dance theater, and photography.

The festival will be held at the Carnival Studio Theater, Adrienne Arsht Center for the Performing Arts at 1300 Biscayne Blvd; 305-949-6722 .Admission is free, but you can score a VIP pass which guarantees admission to each event for just 35 dollars and read more about each artist performing here! Tweet

This Will Have Been

From now until June 3rd the exhibition This Will Have Been: Art, Love & Politics in the 1980's will be at the Museum of Contemporary Art Chicago. A look back to the years between 1979 to 1992 when the world was drastically changing, the artists represented in the exhibit were directly influenced during these years by our dramatically changing world. The politics, music, television, major advances in technology and the changing ideas behind social equality in all areas of everyone's life define the artwork that challenged mass media and also asked the question "Where do the visual arts fit into the changing world of mass media images and advertising of Hollywood?" Be sure to check it out if you are in Chicago! 

DEMOCRACY:

Gran Fury

Kissing doesn't kill: Greed and indifference do, 1989

This section can be explained simply by the core ideals of democracy: equality, freedom for all citizens and protecting the rights of those we may disagree with. These artists explore public spaces, expressing their artwork as posters, graffiti and everyday language to convey important messages in a raw, and public forum other than in museums and on the television. 

GENDER TROUBLE:

Lorna Simpson

Necklines, 1989

Focusing on works that are directly influenced by the significance of the 1970's feminist movement. Understanding gender roles in the 1980's is wholly explored by looking at identity in it's entirety and how such roles should be equally influenced by race, sexuality, class and other distinct forms of difference. 

THE END IS NEAR:

Gerhard Richter

Said, 1983

The idea of "the end" rang true in many different ways throughout the 80's.  Many artists talked about "the end of painting" in the newly developing mass media world, the Berlin Wall coming down, and the rapid increase of AIDS. These 'ends' made way for the beginning of the term postmodernism, setting the stage for history to be looked at as a narrative for the future where traditional ideas were approached in non-traditional ways.   

DESIRE AND LONGING:

Jeff Koons

Rabbit, 1986

Artists of the 1980's were very influenced by the strength of the images that were being saturated throughout mass media, these images that are always encouraging the need for more- more belongings, a better lifestyle, money, fame and conformity. Hoping to disprove the strength of these images, artists explored various techniques which included re-photographing the works of others, using everyday objects and mass media images within their works, which ironically brought out the fact that Hollywood-style fame, luxury goods, and things of the like, however they are assembled, are hard to resist. 

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LoveArtDeco

On march 9th one of the most exciting fashion exhibitions to date will be opening at Les Art Decoratifs in Paris. Louis Vuitton-Marc Jacobs. Not much else needs to be said after that, but celebrating the original founder, and creative director of 15 years, is definitely something worth talking about. Fashion author  Pamela Golbin is curating the event, and she has also written the accompanying exhibition book, which will no doubt be a must have. The show runs until September 16th, so you have plenty of time to plan that trip to Paris to check it out! In the meantime, be sure and visit the Tumblr site that Louis Vuitton has started called Love Art Deco. Below the down to the second countdown they are posting pictures and videos every few days to give us all a sneak peak of what we can expect at the show! 

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Cabinet de Curiosités

Have you ever wanted to visit a place where you could see a map table that once belonged to Napoleon, large scale insects made entirely of discarded tools and objects, paintings by the late Claudio Bravo, and sculptured heads by Manolo Valdés? If you answered yes to any of the above, then you are in luck! Cabinet de Curiosités is a curated collection of all of these things and more on display in Tribeca until January 31st. The "cabinet" is a dreamworld filled with treasures, surprises and details around every corner that is sure to leave you feeling as though you were transported into another time. 

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Captured Movement

As lovers of all forms of art, we had to share this double artistic feature from yesterday's New York Times column,  Lens. Featuring the below photographs of Andrea Mohin, hand picked by Andrea as some of her personal favorites, they are somewhat a year in review. What makes them even more exceptional is the skillful art that goes into photographing dance. Capturing the perfect moment, the feeling and the motion, are the small details that Mohin executes perfectly. She describes it best when she explains it as "Being in touch with what the music is telling you. That's what the dancers are doing, so if you are too, then you are on the same page." 

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Rene Gruau

One of our most loved forms of creative expression here at HOL is the fashion illustration. When we think of this wonderful art form, the first name that comes to mind is the late, great Rene Gruau. Since the 1930's he has been illustrating for high fashion magazines such as Femina, Marie Claire, and  L'Officiel. In 1947, his friend Christian Dior commissioned him to draw the Miss Dior advertisement, and the famous Bar dress. In 1948 he made the move to the United States where he worked for Harper's Bazaar and Vogue, before dedicating his art solely to advertising in 1949. From 1950 until the 90's he continued to work for some of the post prestigious fashion houses and magazines around the world. With a career that has spanned the decades, his pieces have become collectable and iconic, and will surely continue to inspire future stylish generations!

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Basel, Miami

Art Basel is just two days away! We have collected just a few of the many, many things that we cannot wait to check out. Here is a tiny preview- or a guide, if you will, of some of the great things that are happening around Miami Beach this week. Make sure not to miss all of the excitement if you are lucky enough to be in South Florida this weekend!

Art Public: 

The Bass Museum of Art has transformed Collins Park into a space that will feature artwork and performances by both renowned and newly emerging artists.

Silver Factory Surfer:

A 1968 unreleased Andy Warhol film that will debut at the Standard Hotel on Thursday night

A Shaded View On Fashion Film:

Thursday night at the Delano will be home to dinner and screenings of Diane Pernet's films, featuring the likes of Drew Barrymore, Daphne Guinness, and Vivienne Westwood.

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Uncursed. Yoko Ono's Vision.

On Friday, Yoko Ono's exhibition "Uncursed" opened in New York City. Her vision of 'uncursing' ourselves as a nation, being universally connected and move on is beautifully translated through doors. Nine doors total, that Yoko explains as "The doors that are opened and closed as we go through life. There are many doors that have blocked us in life, but we've opened them and went through. This is the journey to uncurse yourself"

Yoko has achieved great recognition throughout the art world, even receiving the Golden Lion award for lifetime achievement in 2009. This is her second solo exhibition on the Galerie Lelong. Tweet

Yesterday And Today: Through Photos

Last week the exhibit "More American Photographs" Opened at the CCA Wattis Institute for Contemporary Arts in San Francisco. During the great depression, the Farm Security Administration commissioned photographers to document American life during the years of 1935-1944. The result is beautiful and captivating photos of one of America's most difficult times. Fast forward to present day, where America is coming out of our most difficult time since the years of the great depression. Twelve new photographers are being commissioned to take an entirely new set of photos that capture the hardships that many have endured throughout our country since 2008. The photographs will be displayed side by side at the Wattis Institute until December 17, 2011 and will then travel to Denver and Columbus. (We are keeping our fingers crossed for an East Coast location!) If you can't make it to any of the locations though, there will be catalog available in January.

Photos of the 30's and 40's:

Photos of today: 

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