President Biden awards National Medal of Arts to Alex Katz
Alex Katz has been awarded the 2023 National Medal of Arts. Katz received the award from President Joseph Biden in a private ceremony at the White House.
For a good Canadian analogy- The National Medal of Arts is to art what the President’s Trophy is to NHL hockey teams- it is the highest award given to artists and arts patrons by the American federal government. It is awarded by the President of the United States to individuals or groups who are deserving of special recognition by reason of their outstanding contributions to the excellence, growth, support, and availability of the arts in the United States.
Red Hat (Renee), 2013
Oil on linen
84 x 60 inches
213.4 x 152.4 cm
Past recipients of the National Medal of Arts include Mark Bradford, Ken Burns, Spike Lee, Steven Spielberg, Carrie Mae Weems, and Ruth Asawa.
Alex Katz (American, b.1927) is one of the most recognized and widely-exhibited artists of his generation.
Coming of age between Abstract Expressionism and Pop Art, Katz began exhibiting his work in 1954, and since that time he has produced a celebrated body of work that includes paintings, drawings, sculpture, and prints. His earliest work took inspiration from various aspects of mid-century American culture and society, including television, film, and advertising, and over the past five and a half decades he has established himself as a preeminent painter of modern life, whose distinctive portraits and lyrical landscapes bear a flattened surface and consistent economy of line. Utilizing characteristically wide brushstrokes, large swathes of color, and refined compositions, Katz created what art historian Robert Storr called “a new and distinctive type of realism in American art which combines aspects of both abstraction and representation.”
Tracy, 2008 Oil on linen 48 x 66 inches 121.92 x 167.6 cm
Since the 1950s, Alex Katz’s work has been the subject of more than 200 solo exhibitions and nearly 500 group exhibitions around the world.
Katz early student work included a series of drawings made on his subway commute from Queen’s to his downtown art classes. These drawings were later painted and have been acclaimed as being proto proto pop art.
His work can be found in nearly 100 public collections worldwide, including the Art Institute of Chicago; the Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden at the Smithsonian Institution, Washington, DC; the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York; Centre Georges Pompidou, Paris; Museo Nacional Centro de Arte Reina Sofía, Madrid; the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston; the Museum of Modern Art, New York; the National Gallery of Art, Washington, DC; the National Museum of American Art, Smithsonian Institute, Washington, DC; the Philadelphia Museum of Art; The Tate Gallery, London; and the Whitney Museum of American Art, New York, among many others. This story courtesy of friends at the Richard Gray Gallery.
Boston, MA. JEANNIE MOTHERWELL Profoundly FunExistential Crisis, acrylic on cradeled panel, 40″ x 30″ x 2″
M Fine Arts Galerie presents PROFOUNDLY FUN, a solo show of new abstract paintings by artist Jeannie Motherwell. The artist, who trained at Bard College and the Art Students League in NYC, finds inspiration in landscapes—earthly or otherwise. A New York City native, Motherwell spent countless seasons on Cape Cod, a place that continues to maintain a special place in her heart and oeuvre. Just as relevant to her work as the waves, the light, and the bay, are stars, galaxies, and nebulae. Indeed, the act of looking at a Motherwell is to be transported out of the room—in this case, a window-lined gallery in Boston’s SoWa Art & Design district. Where you end up is anyone’s guess. Windward, acrylic on cradeled panel, 20″ x 60″ x 2″
“In exploring space, I try to make space. I am intrigued with complex and expansive space on a flat surface. The painting process I use creates the unexpected for me. By pouring and pushing paint, I can engage in the element of surprise, often using a bright and intense palette, or through my continued passion for black and white. In process, while editing, I employ undulating, bleeding, and layering, as my paintings are often inspired by the mysteries of outer space and what astronauts often refer to as “inner space” (the skies and the sea).” -Jeannie Motherwell PROFOUNDLY FUN features new works in acrylic and oil on clay boards, a fine porcelain surface upon which saturated hues spill, swirl, and seep, with rich contours feathering out into delicious white space. Be Known, acrylic on cradeled panel, 48″ x 36″ x 2″
For the Silo, Madison Maushart. PROFOUNDLY FUN runs until October 31 M Fine Arts Galerie 460 Harrison Ave C24 Boston, MA 02118
Kirsty Harris depicts the most iconic man-made event that might take place in a landscape: the detonation of the atom bomb.
Often working at scale, Harris confronts her audience with a vision of awe and beauty. Mushroom clouds hang over desolate expanses of the Nevada desert, provoking contemplation at the intersection of humanity, brutality, technology and nature.
Harris’s practice is steadfast; her paintings are informed by deep research, and this arduous process is echoed in depictions of a split-second event painted over a period of several months.
– Zavier Ellis for the Saatchi exhibition 2023
Buster Jangle, Easy, 50 x 60 inches, 2016
CBP: Your paintings reconstruct photographic documents of the atomic bomb tests, often in the Nevada desert, in a range of exhibition display formats. Can you introduce the core themes of your work?
KH: I am interested in the way these events from history disrupt and scar those barren landscapes. These swirling, bubbling apparitions are like curses or spells that we’ve cast on ourselves, so violent.
My work might feel confrontational, maybe abrupt at first, then hopefully unravelling into something more. I am also drawn in by the stories and myths that run alongside the scientific nature of the subject. We all know that beauty doesn’t have a moral duty to be inherently good. It’s something I think about, the push and pull of awe. The tests made in the desert are so fascinating, the photographs are very rich, colourful, and vivid, due to the way the light refracts and the type of film used. These practice runs at annihilation are so beautiful – it’s unreal. It’s dark.
Georg, oil on un-stretched linen, 59 x 79 inches, 2023
CBP: You talk about early memories and family history in attending CND rallies as a child. Can you discuss this influence on the subject of your painting today?
KH: As I was becoming more and more interested in landscape painting I noticed they all have something occurring, could be farmers, the sun setting, a stormy sky, a battle, a tiny stream. Alone at Tate Modern I was looking at a painting of a single cloud by Richter and then suddenly something clicked in my head. I was walking around, eyes wide with a slack jaw, thinking “oh wow this is what I must do. Paint mushroom clouds.”
The anticipation of piling onto a coach and ending up somewhere waving my homemade banner and singing and chanting at CND protests are evocative memories from my childhood. In our doorway at home, visitors were welcomed by a massive poster of Thatcher & Reagan parodied in a Gone With The Wind movie-style poster, complete with a billowing mushroom cloud in the background. We collected protest badges and leaflets and the atmosphere was potent and thrilling, but I didn’t catch on to what we were shouting about until later. So it was always there in me. A weird relationship with the subject matter.
Plowshare, oil on linen, 80cm x 60cm, 2024
CBP: Many years ago I visited a small museum in the National Museum of Nuclear Science & History, Albuquerque, New Mexico near the atomic bomb test sites. The original photographs of the test bombs were shown alongside reportage photographs of the real bombs and their impact (I think). Also displayed was a fascinating comic book type narrative depicting the daily life of the factory workers who built the bomb and their families. I recall being quietly absorbed by the experience, though I questioned what it was I was looking at, in terms of archive material, as a museum display, and how it made me feel.
When you research and paint your subject, how do you negotiate what you feel about the source material and its transition into you what you are painting? Has it changed over time?
KH: It feels like science fiction.
Through the extensive documentation of nuclear detonations, I can view how these expansive entities change millisecond to millisecond, from the fireball to the pure white cloud left hanging at the end. In my publication, Completely er, unfolding itself (2019), I transcribed the first live official television broadcast of an atomic explosion – given the code name ‘Charlie’ – in 1942. The reporters struggle, grasping for the language to describe the mushroom cloud in front of them – and I get where they were coming from.
We are in such close proximity right now to digital versions of war. Scrolling through instagram you have temu trying to sell you some shitty plastic drawers and then 1 second later a mother holding her tiny dead child wrapped in tarpaulin, and worse. It’s so brutal.
I keep thinking how can we be doing that to ourselves, can they never see themselves in the faces of the people they kill and torture. Nothing is worth this brutality.
I guess my brain is always negotiating how much to watch in order to feel informed but not go reeling into despair, like all of us.
Blue Danube, Oil paint on lightbox tondo, 80cm x 80cm x 11cm, 2023
CBP: In 2007 Mark Wallinger created ‘State Britain’, for the Tate, a meticulous recreation of real-life antiwar demonstrator Brian Haw’s banned protest camp outside the Houses of Parliament. Rather than importing elements of the real camp as a readymade, Wallinger chose to painstakingly recreate it as a painted facsimile. This solitary studio activity would have given him time to reflect on its impact, the life sacrifice Brian Haw made, and what he as an artist was recreating.
How does time and the meticulous process of painting your subject impact on the meaning of the work for you?
KH: Like the women at Greenham Common, Brian Haw was the artwork, the awesome spectacle. Inconvenient clutter. The resilience is truly remarkable. Wallinger’s piece pays tribute to this but, a little like the fake Lascaux caves. Good if you can never see the real thing, but there’s no point looking up close. I found the political implications of it very interesting.
Large paintings take me such a long time, it’s ridiculous.
I have to continually change my vantage point. If it’s possible I turn the painting upside down, take photos of it and desaturate it. Stand up painting, sit down painting. Up the ladder, sat on the floor. I always imagine the next one will be more straightforward but in 25 years, that has never happened, so why would it now? But while there is much anxiety balled up in the action of painting, it is also a hypnotic and calming process. Studying a millisecond of time for so long. I don’t know if it matters to anyone else how long I’ve looked at the painting or the source material, but the act of looking is so important to me. Displaying a painting on your wall at home, you might not realise it but with so much flashing and moving imagery invading our lives (with invitation) a semi-permanent, static, image has a big impact. I love it when there are different layers of meaning to dive into, even if they are not explicit your subconscious will identify them. Looking at an artwork every day builds up a special relationship and enriches the way my mind moves.
Buster Dog,oil on glass, 25cm x 20cm x 4cm, 2021
CBP: Scale feels important both in terms of the impact of your subject for the viewer and your immersion into it when painting it. Can you talk about this aspect of the work?
KH: When you start a painting, there are near unlimited decisions to make. One I used to have trouble with was how big it should be. So I started to use data to construct systems that help me decide. In my paintings, often each square inch (or centimetre) of linen represents a certain number of tons of TNT. This in turn is the unit of measurement chosen, by the military, to denote the yield of the detonation.
These hidden codes might reward an inquisitive viewer.
Really, what I want to do is make paintings so vast that that’s all they see and think about for a moment.
Investigating ideas of scale in a different way: Since 2013 I have been adding to and updating an audio composition entitled How I Learned to Stop Worrying (1945-2024). It is a musical account of every officially recorded nuclear explosion detonated between 1945 and the present day: each different instrument represents a country that partook; each month in history lasts a second on the recording; each note played depicts a single bomb. Eight musicians contributed to the piece and it was quite an epic translation of data to plot out the notes.
Grapple, oil paint on glass, table, 75cm x 50cm x 60cm, 2023
CBP: Can you reveal some of the mark making techniques and tools you use in your painting.
KH: On my larger paintings I staple the linen flat to the wall and then prime it with clear primer. This enables me to really push on the canvas without worrying if I will hit the crossbar. I would love to be laying down decisive, thick, final brush marks, but what comes out is me dabbing layers and layers of thin oil paint, leaving it to evaporate and then repeating the process. My paintings are usually very matt which somehow feels right given that I’m painting dust clouds and sand half the time.
I painted a lot of small paintings on glass during lockdown.
There was something comforting about the contained nature of those pieces. It is quite a different process but still I am basically dabbing on paint until it gets thick enough to create some depth. In a development from these smaller pieces I created a much larger light box piece, Blue Danube, 2023. It plays with the notions of nuclear tourism, emitting its own light in a kind of perverse advert.
Nevada, oil on board, 30cm x 40cm, 2024
CBP: Your titles are short but ranging from factual to enigmatic, how do title your work?
KH: Hard to explain how some titles come to me. A lot of the detonations use people’s names for code names, a bit like cyclones.
Some of my favourites:
“The instrument is not the Music” is the title of a tapestry where the image is a female scientist inspecting and testing a metal instrument. A still from a British documentary it shows the intricate process in a factory where workers unknowingly fabricate the components that will eventually be assembled to create an atomic bomb. tbf my boyfriend came up with that one. He is great at titles if I get stuck.
“Blue Danube” I liked because it is a river (starting in the Black Forest and ending in the Black Sea) a piece of classical music and a bomb. All the Bs, the Beautiful Blue Danube.
Always noting potential titles down in my phone notes, I also dedicate time to skim reading when I need quite a few titles at once. They always come!
Installation shot at Saatchi Gallery 2023, Charlie, oil on un-stretched linen, 112 x 69 inches, 2017
CBP: Can you talk about your studio practice routine when carrying out archival research?
KH: There is the National Archives (UK) and Internet archives (USA) which I find very useful. I trawl through images via the normal channels and in addition watch out for vintage postcards on ebay, old photographs that people have sent me from their Uncle or Grandad’s collection. Declassified documents made into pdfs. We have a decent projector at home now so it’s great to watch documentaries on a large screen. Sometimes I take screenshots from military footage so the freeze-frame I choose may not have been studied widely. It’s interesting how in some images, due to the way the camera has responded, the sky looks black and the clouds are bright white. I have some exciting opportunities coming up, some top secret documents that someone is going to let me look through. And I’d like to work out ways to access small archives. There is one in particular in Germany that looks amazing.
At the moment I’m looking for glow.
Teapot HA, oil on un-stretched linen, 64cm x 51cm, 2019
CBP: What projects are you working on at the moment?
KH: I have time to settle into the studio right now and test out some things I have been thinking through. Last year was a busy one with a solo show at Studio KIND and a big group show at Saatchi Gallery. I am looking forward to a group show in London with some top painters (heroes) next year. Plus a possible group show in New York, just waiting to find out. I also have a soft focus vision of a show in the UK in a massive derelict space. It will be nice to hibernate like a little bear in my studio this winter and come back with new energies.
Sanctuary II, oil on un-stretched linen, 302cm x 217cm, 2018
Kirsty Harris b. 1978 Raised in Yorkshire, artist and curator based in east London.
Co-founder of Come Quick Disaster and on the steering committee for Mental Health Arts organisation – Broken Grey Wires.
Recent solo and 2 person shows include; 2023 THAT LETHAL CLOUD, StudioKIND, Braunton, Devon, UK., HEAVY WEATHER, Splice, Perseverance Works, London, UK. 2022 INTERVENTION, DIY performances during the 59th Venice Biennale, Venice, Italy.
Recent group exhibitions include; 2024 LATRINE’S HAUS OF ART, Vane Gallery, Gateshead, UK. SEX SELLS – BEYOND THE HISTORICAL MATRIX, Semjon Contemporary, Berlin, Germany, HOW LONG IS FOREVER, Galerie 37, Schöneberg, Berlin, Germany. BEYOND THE GAZE – RECLAIMING THE LANDSCAPE, Saatchi Gallery, London, UK. Curated by Zavier Ellis. 2023 A GENEROUS SPACE 3, Huddersfield Art Gallery, Yorkshire, UK. Invited by Karl Bielik, TWO PLUS TWO MAKES FOUR, Auxiliary Warehouse, Middlesbrough, UK. Curated by Broken Grey Wires, THE SUBVERSIVE LANDSCAPE, Tremenheere Gallery, Cornwall, UK. Curated by Hugh Mendes. X – Contemporary British Painting, Newcastle Contemporary Art, UK. Curated by Narbi Price. 2022 ROYAL ACADEMY SUMMER EXHIBITION, Royal Academy, London, UK.
Abetare Petrit Halilaj (born Kosovo, 1986) is known for immersive installations that express a desire to alter the course of personal and collective histories, creating complex artistic worlds that claim space for freedom, intimacy, and identity. Halilaj was inspired by children’s doodles, drawings, and scribblings found on desks at the school he attended in Runik, Kosovo.
For The Met commission, he expanded his research to other schools in Albania and countries from the former Yugoslavia, which are now undergoing significant cultural and sociopolitical change. Furtive drawings from kids’ desks have been enlarged into three-dimensional metal sculptures, each retaining the trace of the original. Together, they bring to public view the collective memory and imaginative power of generations of students whose lives were marked by traumatic conflicts and territorial divisions.
Kosovo experienced the last of a series of wars in the Balkan region in the 1990s, during which many children were denied access to education on ideological grounds. Abetare borrows its title from the book the artist and his peers used to learn the alphabet at school, each letter linked to a lesson in pictures and text. In Abetare, culturally specific references to different political ideologies, religions, and local heroes coexist with more universal symbols and playful nods to pop culture, art history, and sports.
Spread around The Iris and B. Gerald Cantor Roof Garden, the “drawings in space” merge with the surrounding architecture and landscape to create a multi vocal scenography with an open-ended narrative. A celebration of the shared impulse for personal expression and mark making, Abetare is an opportunity for discovery and an invitation to expand our capacity to imagine transformative futures. For the Silo, Alexandra Kozlakowski.
#CantorRoof #MetPetritHalilaj Exhibition Dates: running now until–October 27,2024 Exhibition Location: The Met Fifth Avenue The Iris and B. Gerald Cantor Roof Garden, Gallery 926
How Climate Change Could Transform Cities into a Dune-Like Landscape
Dune’s cinematic and literary success reflects our fascination with desert landscapes. But the vast deserts of Arrakis, the movie’s fictional planet, hold a deeper meaning. They serve as a cautionary tale for our own planet threatened by desertification.
A new study by our friends at Top10Casinos.ca reveals how Canadian and other global cities threatened by climate change would look in the Dune Universe as TikTok searches around Dune: Part Two and climate change spike 7,700% in just 30 days.
Dune: Part Two, is already reaching massive box office milestones surpassing $150 million usd/ $204 million cad, and TikTok searches for the ‘new dune movie’ have soared 4,606% in just 30 days. In the past month, searches around the movie’s desert-like filming locations have increased 141%, while queries related to ‘climate crisis 2024’ have spiked 3,100% in the social media platform.
Known for its amazing cinematography and striking desert visuals, Dune’s landscape is something that makes it instantly recognisable. But the movie’s vast deserts are more than just a stunning backdrop. They serve as a stark warning of a potential future for our own world impacted by climate change.
Do Canada’s iconic outdoor skating rinks face a frosty future? While bundling up for harsh winters is a national pastime, a worrying trend is emerging. Since 1950, winter temperatures have soared by over 3°C, outpacing global warming by a factor of three.
Toronto, Ontario
Toronto, once known for its predictable seasons, is grappling with the impacts of climate change. The city is experiencing a rise in average temperatures, leading to more frequent and intense heat waves that strain infrastructure and threaten public health. Winters are becoming shorter and less severe, with unpredictable precipitation patterns bringing both heavier downpours that overwhelm storm drains and periods of drought that stress green spaces and water resources.
Vancouver. British Columbia
Like many coastal, seaport cities, Vancouver is feeling the brunt of climate change. Rising temperatures are a key concern, with projections for hotter, drier summers and wetter winters. Sea levels are also on the rise, threatening coastal areas with flooding. The City of Vancouver itself is planning for up to a 1.4 meter rise by 2100, which would inundate parts of the city during major storms.
Montreal, Quebec
Montreal’s climate is expected to experience significant changes due to climate change. Average temperatures are projected to rise by 1.5-2.3°C by mid-century, leading to more frequent and intense heat waves. This can strain infrastructure, harm public health, and disrupt outdoor activities. The city is also likely to see increased precipitation extremes, with heavier rainfall events and the potential for more flooding.
Niagara Falls, Ontario
Studies suggest Lakes Erie and Ontario, feeding the Niagara River, could see water levels drop a meter by 2050 due to increased evaporation and less snowfall. This decline could impact the Falls’ power and beauty. Additionally, more extreme weather events like flooding could damage surrounding areas. While milder winters might extend tourism, climate change poses significant ecological and aesthetic challenges.
So if you are a relentless adventure junkie, which countries should be on your radar this year?
Our friends at BestCasinoSites.net evaluated factors including the number of roller coasters, casinos, rock climbing opportunities, mountain bike routes, hiking trails, and off-road trails in 61 countries, to compile a global index ranking the best countries to visit for thrill-seekers.
Canada among top 15 countries for adventure lovers
From biking the Gulf Islands to ziplining over Niagara Falls, Canada ranks 12th best country to get that adrenaline fix, earning a notable final score of 6.87/10. With 60,300 hiking trails and 5,980 mountain biking routes, Canada boasts a geographically diverse landscape and is home to North America’s second-highest peak, Mount Logan, topping out at 5,959 meters.
Mount Logan is a whopping 6KM in elevation and ranks sixth in the world for most prominent peak.
Adrenaline checklist in Canada: Experience Niagara Falls on a zipline, Rock or ice climb in the Rocky Mountains, Jump over the Cheakamus River with Whistler Bungee.
Whistler Bungee: offering a 160 foot jump over the glacially fed River below.
France reigns as the adventure capital of the world
According to the study, France is the world’s adventure capital, boasting an overall adrenaline score of 8.86/10. Prized for its stunning mountain ranges from the Pyrenees, Alps to Chamonix, the country offers over 720,000 hiking trails. Test your limits by conquering Europe’s highest peak, the Mont Blanc ranges, towering at 4,810 metres, or by jumping on one of France’s 227 thrilling roller coaster rides!
Adrenaline checklist in France:Cliff Jumping from the Calanques, Rock climbing overhanging limestone in Provence, Cycling on a glacier.
Trailing behind in second is Mexico, achieving a final score of 8.56/10. Your journey to this Latin American gem can be incredibly action-packed as you scale Mexico’s iconic snow-capped cone, Pico de Orizaba, with a peak of 5,636 metres above sea level; tackle one of the world’s biggest sport climbing areas at El Potrero Chico; or indulge in the thrill of games at any of the 364 casinos* Mexico boasts.
Adrenaline checklist in Mexico:Extreme urban downhill biking in Taxco; Bungee jumping at Los Cabos, Zip-lining in the Jungles of Yucatan.
The land of paella and sangria ranks as the third must-visit destination for adventurous souls, scoring 8.41/10. Spain offers an enticing array of outdoorsy pursuits, boasting the highest number of thrill-seeking trails – from rock climbing (10,600), mountain biking (6,430,000), to hiking (10,300,000) – among all cities studied. Spain’s pristine landscape appears tailor-made for adventure enthusiasts.
Adrenaline checklist in Spain:Rock climbing In Picos De Europa; Canyoning at Junta de los Rios; Andalucía, Walking the El Caminito del Rey.
Argentina takes fourth place, earning an impressive final score of 8.34/10. Home to the third highest peak (6,960 metres) in the study, The Aconcagua attracts over 3,000 mountaineers annually, despite being nicknamed the ‘Mountain of Death’. With a whopping 172 casinos*, including South America’s largest casino complex, the Trilenium, Argentina offers ample opportunities for both seasoned risk-takers and casual players alike.
Adrenaline checklist in Argentina: Mountain biking in Bariloche; Ice trek on top of Perito Moreno Glacier, Paragliding with Condors in Córdoba.
From kayaking down the Grand Canyon to cliff camping in Colorado, the United States rounds off the top five adrenaline hotspots, earning an impressive final score of 8.16/10. With the highest density of casinos in the study totalling 2,937 across the country, and over 900 roller coasters – including the world’s second-fastest roller coaster, Kingda Ka – America is a must-visit if you crave the rush of adrenaline.
Adrenaline checklist in the US: Rafting in the Grand Canyon, Mountain biking the Grand Staircase in Utah, Rock Climbing in Yosemite National Park.
For the Silo, Alasdair Lindsay.
Methodology
The experts at BestCasinoSites.net compiled a global index ranking the best countries for thrill-seekers by considering seven factors, including: (i) Number of casinos (ii) Number of roller coasters (iii) Number of rock climbing trails (iv) Number of mountain bike trails (v) Number of hiking trails (vi) Number of off road trails and (vii) Highest peak height in each country.
Note: Countries with more than two missing values were omitted, resulting in 61 countries in the final dataset.
The experts collected the data from the below sources:
Note: In countries where gambling is illegal, the average number of casinos of all countries was taken (excluding US because of being a huge outlier) to ensure fairness and avoid penalising any specific country.
(New York, December, 2023)—The Metropolitan Museum of Art has announced the acquisition of a monumental Tiffany three-part window, Garden Landscape. The window—over ten feet wide and nearly seven feet tall—was designed by Agnes Northrop in the studios of Louis Comfort Tiffany, the attribution of which is based on a signed design drawing for the center panel that resides in The Met collection.
As part of the Museum’s American Wing 100th anniversary, the window will be installed in the Charles Engelhard Court in November 2024. The window will be dramatically framed by the columns from Laurelton Hall, Tiffany’s Long Island country estate.
The acquisition is made possible by Alan Gerry Gift; 2023 Benefit Fund; Louis V. Bell, Harris Brisbane Dick, Fletcher, and Rogers Funds and Joseph Pulitzer Bequest; funds and gifts from various donors, by exchange; Ronald S. Kane Bequest, in memory of Berry B. Tracy; Lila Acheson Wallace, several members of The Chairman’s Council, The Erving and Joyce Wolf Foundation, Martha J. Fleischman, Elizabeth J. and Paul De Rosa, Women and the Critical Eye, Mr. and Mrs. Richard Lockwood Chilton Jr., Cheryl and Blair Effron, The Felicia Fund, Julie and James Alexandre, Elizabeth and Richard Miller, Anonymous, John and Margaret Ruttenberg, and The Gerald H. Ruttenberg Foundation Gifts.
Max Hollein, The Met’s Marina Kellen French Director and CEO, said: “This stunning work of art is an extraordinary example of the transformational creativity of Agnes Northrop and Tiffany Studios. Magnificent in concept and execution and more than grand in size, it deepens the American Wing’s Tiffany holdings and will enhance the already stunning Engelhard Court with a powerful, immersive viewing experience.”
Sylvia Yount, Lawrence A. Fleischman Curator in Charge of the American Wing at The Met, said: “Northrop’s remarkable environmental work further strengthens our representation of women artists in the American Wing and allows us to share broader stories of early-20th-century culture with our visitors.”
The window was originally commissioned by Sarah Cochran, Pittsburgh businesswoman and philanthropist, for Linden Hall, the grand Tudor-Revival estate she had built in 1912 in Dawson, Pennsylvania. She personally requested the subject of the window, which represents a lush landscape and garden suggestive of her own at the estate. Placed on the stair landing of the house, the window enticed the viewer up marble steps and offered a long vista through tall, majestic pines flanking a central fountain amidst profuse flowers—pink and blue hydrangeas, poppies, and nasturtiums. The two side panels depict, on the left, foxglove and peonies, and on the right, hollyhocks, exquisitely rendered in glass. These were subjects favored by Northrop and American Impressionist painters.
Northrop was one of the most important designers in Tiffany’s employ and his preeminent woman designer. In a field dominated by men, Northrop established herself as one of the leading designers of windows, and was recognized for her work by winning a prestigious award at the Exposition Universelle in Paris in 1900. She helps shed light on the critical and often unrecognized role played by women in the art of Louis Comfort Tiffany. Northrop and Tiffany pioneered new landscape and garden subject matter for stained glass, and the window reveals Northrop’s careful observations of nature and her gift for translating it into glass.
Alice Cooney Frelinghuysen, Anthony W. and Lulu C. Wang Curator of American Decorative Arts, said: “This extraordinary evocation of a garden landscape is Northrop’s masterpiece. Made during the height of Louis Tiffany’s career, it was conceived, commissioned, and crafted by women. Featuring flowers in bloom from spring through summer, seen in the enigmatic light of approaching twilight, the window presents a luxuriant garden perennially in bloom.”
Tiffany’s opalescent glass shares a zeitgeist with American Impressionism, merging imagery with chromatic light. Northrop exploited the varied textures, lush colors, and light effects that were only possible with Tiffany’s special Favrile glass made at his furnaces in Corona, Queens, utilizing especially innovative and unusual techniques, some unique in a stained-glass window. The ingenious selection of the glass as well as the cutting of the glass into often thousands of pieces of almost impossible shapes was done by Tiffany’s skilled artisans, who were also largely women. Tiffany deemed the Linden Hall window of such note that he put it on public view in his New York showroom before shipping it to Cochran’s Pennsylvania home. Featured image: Image: Three-part Garden Landscape window for Linden Hall, Designed by Agnes F. Northrop (1857–1953), Tiffany Studios (1902–32), New York, 1912. Leaded Favrile glass. 124 × 82 inches; 88 3/4 × 81 5/8 inches; 88 3/4 × 81 5/8 inches; center panel: 124 × 82 in. (315 × 208.3 cm); side panels: 88 3/4 × 81 5/8 in. (225.4 × 207.3 cm)
According to many musical fans and our friends at toptenrealestatedeals.com, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart is often considered the greatest musical genius to have ever lived. With over 800 works including operas, symphonies, and concertos, he defined the classical period and inspired later composers including Beethoven and Tchaikovsky.
Historic rooms abound.
His music continues to be performed all over the world to this day.
A child prodigy, Mozart composed his first pieces at age five and his first symphony at eight. With his family, he toured Europe performing for royalty. At only 13 years old, he was appointed court concertmaster in Salzburg in 1769 and would go on to work for various royal patrons including Emperor Joseph II before striking out on his own as an independent. In 1791, at just 35 years old, Mozart fell ill while conducting the premiere of his opera, La Clemenza di Tito, and died. His final year was a productive one, responsible for some of his best-loved works, including the opera The Magic Flute and his Requiem, which he was unable to finish before his passing.
Mozart’s final work was commissioned by Count Franz von Walsegg of Schloss Stuppach in Salzburg, present-day Austria.
This historic castle, one of the few in lower Austria still in private hands, will be auctioned at Sotheby’s Concierge Auctions in New York, with bidding open to December 14. The palace was previously listed for 12 million euros. Known as “Mozart’s Last Castle” the property currently serves as a world-class performance space, including several independent businesses. The experience theatre, club salon, concert program, and castle shop are included in the property purchase.
Modern entertainment via a home cinema.
The castle’s rich history dates to at least 1130, with partial redesigns in the 15th and 17th centuries. In 1945, the Nazis ordered the castle blown up to prevent it from falling into Soviet hands, but the officer in charge refused and the castle survived. Its architecture reflects the different periods of its construction, with elements of medieval, Renaissance and Baroque styles.
The gorgeous four-story residence is surrounded by a landscaped park with elaborate gardens and ancient trees.
The requiem chapel dates back to the Renaissance.
Inside, the historic home is appointed with priceless antiques. The castle’s 50 rooms include numerous entertainment spaces such as a cinema, two halls, formal dining rooms, and a library. The estate also includes the Renaissance-era Requiem chapel and a dungeon. Besides Mozart, other famous visitors to the castle include Napoleon Bonaparte, Franz Schubert, Pope Pius VI, Princess Isabelle von Bourbon-Parma, and Emperor Franz Stephan von Lothringen.
Simple, modern bedroom furnishings exist today.
Schloss Stuppach is located in the small mountain town of Gloggnitz, Austria. The area offers numerous Gothic and Baroque buildings and lots of history. Conveniently placed, it is only about an hour by train or car from Vienna. Known as the “City of Music”, Vienna has a long and storied history of opera, theatre, and classical music. Mozart himself spent much of his career in the city, was married at its St. Stephen’s Cathedral, and lies buried at its Cemetery of St. Marx. His preserved apartment, a museum, and numerous monuments attest to the composer’s deep connection with Austria’s vibrant capital.
Yes there is a dungeon!
The auction will be held by Sotheby’s Concierge Auctions. Photos: Thomas Meyer Photography provided by Concierge Auctions.
[CHICAGO – August, 2023] – Alex Katz: Autumn is the artist’s tenth solo exhibition at GRAY and the first exhibition of large-scale landscapes since 2018. The exhibition follows his lauded career retrospective, Gathering, which opened at the Guggenheim Museum in New York in the fall of 2022. As Guggenheim curator Katherine Brinson described: “[One] might be surprised by the unbound rapture of the landscape paintings that have consumed much of the artist’s still-considerable energy in recent years. But [these works] are in fact the culmination of a lifelong artistic project that aspires to compress everything into ‘a single burst of energy… to paint it wide open.'”
Alex Katz has painted figures and landscapes in equal measure throughout his career. Expressed at great scale and in vivid color, the paintings exhibited in Autumn present enveloping compositions measuring as wide as fourteen feet. “I started to think about the environmental landscapes [as] being really an environment that wraps around you,” as Katz notes, “There is no narrative. You’re dealing with perception.”
Wedding Dress by Katz shows how much of a departure his new landscape paintings are.
Across eleven monumental canvases, Katz depicts the vibrant foliage, sweeping fields, and windblown trees of the changing season. Created between 2022 and 2023, Katz’s Autumn series relies on a bright fall palette, while other paintings in the exhibition, from the related series Field’s End and Tree Top, present quieter responses to the landscape in muted greens, yellows, and grays. The paintings are exhibited alongside a series of sixteen new portraits on paper. Each drawing possesses an economy of line and is titled after its sitter – Vivien, Niki, Levi, Isaac, Vincent, and others– in reference to the friends, family members, poets, dancers, and artists most central to the artist’s life.
Alex Katz: Autumn opens at GRAY Chicago (2044 West Carroll Avenue) with a public reception on Friday, September 8, from 5-7 PM CT, and will be on view through October 28, 2023. The exhibition will be accompanied by a fully illustrated catalogue featuring a new poem by Vincent Katz.
A behind the scene look of the conceptual artist’s solo show SHADOWLAND
It is the first Saturday of Upstate Art Weekend and I am standing in a chemistry classroom of a former public school looking at inverted works, listening to Gregorian chants meets Jimmy Hendrix inspired music, and feeling that I am falling into a trance. In reality, I am meeting the artist Margaret Innerhofer for the first time at her solo show SHADOWLAND, at Ethan Cohen Gallery at The Kube Art Center in Beacon, NY. The renowned gallery describes her exhibition as: “Photo-based prints and framed canvases that explore the transitional spaces between spiritual and psychological borderlands. Each of the large-scale meditative compositions printed in color has a jarring and surreal black and white reflection that invites the viewer into an alternate psychological and temporal dimension.” So, what is behind these works laden with heavy and deep symbolism of awake versus sleep? I sat down with the elegant and stylish Margaret to understand how a dreamy child from the Tyrolean mountains became a philosophical artist in Beacon, NY. It turns out that we are all in a trance.
SHADOWLAND at Ethan Cohen Gallery at The Kube Art Center in Beacon
Let’s begin with your upbringing. Where were you born and raised?
I was born, and raised in the Tyrolean Alps, Italy, immersed in the idyllic beauty of its nature and harmonious sounds. My childhood was filled with long mountain climbs, horseback riding, yodeling, playing the guitar and drums, and singing Gregorian chants in a strict convent boarding school. I found fascination in Western movies and the Apache Indian lifestyle, particularly their deep connection with nature and the imagery of wild horses roaming freely in vast deserts, accompanied by their rhythmic chants and drum circles. These early experiences forged a profound bond with the natural world, which continues to be a driving force behind my visual and sonic artistic expression.
SHADOWLAND at Ethan Cohen Gallery at The Kube Art Center in Beacon
What was your first introduction to art, and how did you start evolving as an artist?
During my Architectural and Fine Art studies, I relocated to Milan, a city that would leave a lasting impact on my artistic path. Dating an artist during that time exposed me to a bohemian lifestyle and immersed me in Milan’s dynamic art, architecture, and design scene. The conceptual and minimalist concepts of the Arte Povera Movement captivated me, drawing me deeper into the contemporary art world. Socially engaging with fellow artists and actively attending art shows in galleries and museums across Italy and Europe, I was inspired by the diverse expressions of creativity. My early fascination with photography, particularly the works of conceptual artists from the Dada and Surrealist Movements, like Man Ray and Andre Breton, further fueled my artistic interests. This multifaceted exposure played a pivotal role in shaping me as an artist. It broadened my horizons, offered fresh perspectives, and allowed me to find my own artistic voice.
DECONSTR-ACTIVIST II, 2023
You now have a solo show called SHADOWLAND at Ethan Cohen Gallery at The Kube Art Center in Beacon, NY. What is the main inspiration for the three different series: Sandmen, Heavy Metal, and Deconstr-Activist?
In my latest exhibition, I delve into the intricate realms of the subconscious, guided by profound philosophical and scientific readings. Carl Jung’s exploration of collective consciousness has deeply fascinated me, leading me to explore how our subconscious influences our waking decisions and movements. Through my artwork, I seek to unravel the enigma of our subconscious control, drawing inspiration from scientific research, which reveals that a significant 80% of human behavior is governed by our subconscious, heavily influenced by experiences from our formative years, particularly ages 0 to 10. This revelation sheds light on why logical arguments may often be overshadowed by emotional reactions rooted in the gut. Another crucial thread in my exhibition revolves around the environment. I have been an environmental activist well before it became a trend, and I’ve actively co-produced environmental films and fought against practices like fracking. In SHADOWLAND, the subjects in my works interact with nature, and, in many instances, nature appears to reclaim them. This theme highlights the fragile bond between humanity and the natural world, provoking contemplation on our relationship with the environment.
Is it this exploration into the subconscious why the artworks are designed to be inverted? That they can be hung in either vertical orientation?
As I present my art to viewers, I give them the unique opportunity to evoke different visual and emotional responses by allowing them to choose how to hang each piece. They can opt for the color side up, revealing a figurative and realistic view of the artwork. Alternatively, they can explore the more conceptual, surreal, abstract, and volumetric perspective of the black-and-white ‘Shadow image’ when it faces upward. What’s intriguing is that showing the ‘Shadow image’ facing up, actually, represents a more realistic worldview, one that most people might be unaware of. It’s a perspective that delves into the subconscious, which I believe rules humanity and ‘runs the show.’ It’s a fascinating paradox: while the color side portrays the conscious perception of the world—what’s readily visible—the ‘Shadow image’ uncovers the hidden depths and complexities that shape our lives. By offering this choice of orientation, I invite viewers to question their own understanding of reality and delve into the intricacies of their subconscious minds. This art goes beyond mere aesthetics; it prompts introspection and contemplation, creating a multi-layered experience that challenges us to consider the complexities of human perception.
DECONSTR – ACTIVIST III, 2023Signature on the back. Archival Pigment Print on Hahnemühle Cotton Canvas,109.2 x 109.2 cm, 43 x 43 in, Edition of 3
Looking specifically at the three different subjects, can you first tell us more about Deconstr-Activist?
My Deconstr-Activist series draws inspiration from the ‘Deconstructivism’ architectural movement, challenging the rationality of modernism and embracing and revealing chaos and complexity. I delve into the intriguing world of shadows, volumes, negative versus positive space, and the interplay between light and darkness. This exploration stems from my background in architecture, which ignited my fascination with these artistic elements. Throughout the series, I endeavor to capture neglected structures that are gradually being reclaimed by nature. By doing so, I aim to shed light on the physical structures we create to accommodate our fragmented psyches. The juxtaposition of abandoned structures being overtaken by nature serves as a compelling visual metaphor for the inherent fragility and impermanence of human constructs.
HEAVY METAL – VOLKS WAGEN, 2023Signature on the back. Archival Pigment Print on Hahnemühle Cotton Canvas,109.2 x 109.2 cm, 43 x 43 in, Edition of 3
What about Heavy Metal?
In my “Heavy Metal” series, the transition from the pristine mountain range to the Hudson Valley exposed me to a striking contrast—defunct cars replacing the beauty of flowers in many backyards. This encounter sparked an obsession, leading me to spend years capturing these scenes with vintage analog Leica cameras, which I acquired from flea markets, embracing the slight imperfections in their lenses as a welcomed artistic element. In this body of work, I explore my fascination with American vintage cars left abandoned and outdated, captured within the passage of time and the encroachment of nature. Each photograph alludes to the poignant collision between the past and the future, symbolizing our own embodiment within these vehicles that are increasingly outdated, yet perpetually trapped in the present. In “Heavy Metal,” I seek to evoke a sense of nostalgia while urging reflection on the transient nature of our material possessions and the fleeting nature of human creations. The juxtaposition of these forgotten vehicles with the ever-encroaching embrace of nature serves as a poignant reminder of the impermanence of all things, urging us to ponder our place in the grand tapestry of time and the inescapable passage into the unknown future.
SANDMEN III, 2023Signature on the back. Archival Pigment Print on Hahnemühle Cotton Canvas,152.4 x 152.4 cm, 60 x 60 in, Edition of 3
And finally, what can you tell us about Sandmen?
Within each frame, beachgoers blissfully inhabit the horizon, seemingly unaware of their inverted doppelgängers lurking just below the surface. This juxtaposition of colors and reflections becomes a visual metaphor for the duality of human existence—the conscious experience of the moment above the surface and the hidden depths of the subconscious below. Drawing inspiration from Carl Jung’s concept of the Shadow persona and Quantum Physics, I explore how these profound elements influence human actions and behaviors. The dreamy beachscapes serve as a canvas for contemplating the interplay between our conscious and unconscious selves, the tangible and the intangible aspects of our existence. In this series, I invite viewers to immerse themselves in the enigmatic world of “Sandmen,” where time seems to stand still, and the boundaries between reality and imagination blur. The photographs become a gateway to introspection, inviting you to reflect on the transient nature of human experiences and the profound complexities that shape our perceptions and actions.
What is your favorite piece in the show and why?
As an artist, it’s challenging for me to pick a favorite, each image represents a moment of inspiration, creativity, and a reflection of my inner world. Each image carries a distinct essence, resonating with different viewers in various ways. Together with the sound piece ‘Shadowland’ that I have composed, performed, and recorded specifically for this show, the fusion and synergy between my visual art and sound adds a multi-dimensional layer to the overall experience. The fusion of visual and auditory expressions allows each piece to resonate on a deeper level, connecting with viewers in unique and profound ways.
SANDMEN II, 2023On the back. Archival Pigment Print on Hahnemühle Cotton Canvas,152.4 x 152.4 cm, 60 x 60 in, Edition of 3
What is next on the horizon?
A beach vacation in Italy, is on the immediate horizon!
California’s San Francisco Bay area is the United States’ most expensive real estate market, with a median home-sale price of USD$1.3 million (CAD$1.7 million). Toronto and the GTA (Greater Toronto Area) is Canada’s most expensive real estate market, with a median home-sale price of CAD$1.3 million (USD just under $1 million).
Unlike its southern neighbor Los Angeles, the pricey San Francisco mansions belong not to movie and TV stars but to the movers and shakers of the technology industry. The Bay Area boasts the country’s highest concentration of tech companies and tech jobs, earning the region the nickname “Silicon Valley” after the material used to make computer chips.
A home in San Francisco’s Pacific Heights neighborhood sold for USD$43.5 million (CAD$55.8 million) in 2021, which is the current record for the area’s biggest sticker price, but a new listing in the ultra-exclusive town of Woodside aims to shatter that record. Styled like an Italian villa, the spectacular compound has been listed for USD$110 million (CAD$141 million).
65 foot pool.
Sitting on over three acres of some of the most sought-after real estate in the world, the grounds feature a 65-foot pool with spa, an entertainment zone with an outdoor kitchen and fire pit, landscaped gardens that include fountains, a vineyard with more than forty olive trees and a rose garden with over one hundred roses as well as a private hiking trail. Nestled behind high-tech gates, the compound offers a 14,000-square-foot main home as well as a separate executive office and conference center, a fitness center/massage/hair salon building, and a two-bedroom guesthouse.
Golf simulator? Check.
Retractable glass walls, French oak floors, and hand plastering on every surface complement rare Italian marbles inside the luxurious mansion. Crystal chandeliers and marble fireplaces feature throughout. The enormous main kitchen features two waterfall-wrapped islands, marble counters, top-of-the-line Wolf and Sub-Zero appliances, and custom-built-steel-and-glass cabinetry, while a separate chef’s kitchen offers extensive storage space plus a BlueStar range with two ovens.
Master suite.
The primary suite is a work of art featuring a barrel-vaulted foyer with leather-front and glass-display cabinets that conceal a refrigerator and Miele laundry and a cathedral-beamed ceiling with chandelier. The sectionalized wardrobe room is couture-worthy. A two-sided Davinci fireplace is shared with the bathroom, which also has heated limestone floors and a marble bath for two. Each additional bedroom includes a customized walk-in closet, outside entrance, and en-suite marble bath.
Designed for the high-tech lifestyle, the home is controlled by state-of-the-art automated systems that take care of every need for comfort, convenience, and security from behind the scenes. The home’s fantastic amenities include an Atmos Dolby screening room, a golf simulator, indoor-and-outdoor lounges, and an epic wine salon for 6,000 bottles.
Woodside is a small town with only 5,000 residents and a median home price above USD$5 million (CAD$6.4 million). Most residents are tech investors and innovators. Larry Ellison, founder of Oracle Corporation and the world’s tenth-richest man, lives down the street from the villa in a 23-acre, Japanese-themed estate.
Known as an equestrian community, Woodside retains a rural residential character despite being only a short commute to Silicon Valley and Stanford University.
The town is ringed with nature preserves, including the Purisima Open Space and Skaggs Point. Options for entertainment include the Michelin-starred Village Pub and Bucks of Woodside, a famed hotspot for Silicon Valley’s most powerful, where many important venture capital deals have been signed. The real estate listing is held by Scott Danser of Compass. For the Silo, Genelle Brown/Top Ten Real Estate Deals dot com.
All Alcohol Paintings shown in this post by the Author- Dawn Bank
While searching for ways to expand “the oil painting experience” I came across tiny bottles of Alcohol Inks in all the basic colours, with an extender (strictly rubbing alcohol at 99%) as well as some clean-up solution.
Painting with oils has always been my favorite medium but on occasion I find it kind of rigid- you do this…then that and poof you have a beautiful tree. That’s why using alcohol inks as my new medium has become a new addiction. While doing so, I feel like I am being controlled without the ability to stop working. I have probably used up 3 sets so far.
I had never used inks before and I found myself in uncharted territory. Using inks changed everything. I discovered that they created many outcomes and endless possibilities which then opened up new means of expression to me.
Taking advantage of the translucent qualities of Alcohol Ink- lit (L) & unlit (R) candle holder by the Author
When I begin to ink, I sit down at my table the same way I would when using oils. I Toss little droplets of colour and rotate the tile. Next, I spray rubbing alcohol for a spatter effect and I add a sponging technique that forms a multitude of tiny blotches. I pick out a brush and paint with the alcohol itself paying attention to watching the delicate lines that form as the brush hits the nearly-dry ink. It’s a gentle process and I enjoy the thinning of colour effect from the alcohol spray . For more fun I sometimes go out and buy a can of compressed air. I blow the ink and watch as it begins to layer itself. This is almost magical. It’s so amazing how it all comes together. I think the greatest addiction with this technique is the fact that the results are unpredictable and will never be the same. This whole process takes about half an hour but to me it seems like mere seconds.
Even though the finished ink works are fully dry within a matter of minutes, extra time is required if you choose to work in more detailed designs.
Another view of the Author’s candle holder
Speaking of time….I am amazed that while I work with the inks I completely lose all track of time. I am in a completely different space. My house could be burning down and I’m not sure that I would notice because using this medium makes me extremely focused and relaxed. Peacefulness has added to my life and that is just amazing. I have become so “in tune” with the way that the inks move without totally blending together. It’s an exciting time. I have discovered a new way to express and share my world with the whole world. For The Silo, Dawn Bank of One Lady’s Art. To view more alcohol ink work please visit me at https://www.facebook.com/groups/OneLadysArt/.
Boston, MA. JEANNIE MOTHERWELL Profoundly Fun 
Existential Crisis, acrylic on cradeled panel, 40″ x 30″ x 2″ 
Windward, acrylic on cradeled panel, 20″ x 60″ x 2″ 
