The Baroque World of Fernando Botero

Nevada Museum of Art
160 West Liberty Street
Reno

The Baroque World of Fernando Botero

'Alternately wry and deeply emotional, Colombian artist Fernando Botero blends beauty, violence, tradition, and modernity in his effort to convey the glories and miseries of contemporary life, particularly in Latin America. With 100 paintings, drawings, and sculptures drawn from the artist's private collection the exhibition examines Botero's indebtedness to European artists such as 19th century French painters Dominique Ingres and Eugene Delacroix and Italian Renaissance artists Paolo Uccello and Piero della Francesca. It also acknowledges his interest in Mexican artists Diego Rivera, Frida Kahlo, and José Clemente Orozco and the great Spanish painter Diego Velazquez. In his earlier works from the 1950s, Botero's struggle to define his own style is still evident, but eventually the artist's mature style in the form of enlarged volumes and distinctive, buoyant figures emerges. The Baroque World of Fernando Botero offers insight into the artist's many worlds: be it his role as a social critic, re-interpreter, cultural force, or product of the artists who preceded him."

Through July 25

[Text and graphic from museum website.]

“Shakes” Kungwane

Issac “Shakes” Kungwane lumbers down 11th avenue, pausing momentarily to light a menthol Cravin A. His thick fingers form a cup around the flame, shielding it from the winds of this bitter South African winter. Horns blare from taxi vans that careen through Alexandra’s frighteningly narrow streets. “Watch these cars,” Shakes warns. “In Alexandra they don’t stop, they just drive through you.” His body, short and squat, begins to shake in a fit of raspy, sardonic laughter. In his wake, throngs of children dribble soccer balls between passing cars, shouting and teasing one another in Zulu language. “This is what we did as kids in Alex [andra],” says the 40-year-old. “Everyone played soccer. In the street, in the stadium, everywhere.”

more

Part of a series of profiles that Nick Fitzhugh and Pete Muller did as part of a documentary series on soccer in Johannesburg’s Alexandra Township. The mini documentary series chronicles the role of soccer in the lives of five Alexandra residents.

[Posted in conjunction with the World Cup and "Goal 2010!" CCAI's exhibition of the FIFA Fine Art Poster Portfolio at the CCAI Courthouse Gallery. Photograph by Pete Muller. Click on image to enlarge. Thanks to AP in DC and Guadalajara for making the connection.]

New York Media Covers: The World Cup

Saturday saw the end of the United States team to move beyond the first game of the knock-out round of the World Cup, but the "Greatest Show on Earth" continues – as does Goal 2010!, CCAI's exhibition of the official World Cup fine art poster portfolio at the CCAI Courthouse Gallery.

[Graphic: back covers of The New York Post and Daily News.]

The Invention of Football

"Whoever invented football should be worshipped as a God."

-- Hugo Sanchez
Mexican soccer player and coach

[Graphic from "Goal 2010!" exhibition of the FIFA Fine Art Poster Portfolio at the Capital City Arts Initiative Courthouse Gallery. Caption: "Red Elephant." 2009 By German artist Isolde Krams. 3rd of 17 posts featuring the posters in the portfolio. Click on image to enlarge.]

CCAI is delighted to announce ...

CCAI is delighted to announce the electronic publication of “The Museum of Bitter Sorrows presents 'Life Is A Prison, Please Grant Me Release'”, an essay by arts and film writer Pam Grady commissioned in conjunction with Scott MacLeod’s exhibition by the same name at St. Mary's Art Center.

The exhibition continues through the end of the month. See link below for additional information and gallery hours.

CCAI extends congratulations and appreciations to Pam and Scott.

Essay

Exhibition

[Photo from exhibition album. Caption: "The Museum of Bitter Sorrows. Central hallway installation view.. St. Mary's Art Center. June 2010"]

National Youth Day in South Africa

On June 16 South Africa celebrates National Youth Day to commemorate the anniversary of the Soweto Uprising.

The World Cup affords an opportunity for nations across the globe to celebrate competition, athleticism and teamwork at its  best. It also provides an opportunity to spotlight national and global social issues.

Youth Day reminds us of the history of South Africa and the struggle against apartheid.

From Wikipedia entry for Soweto uprising:
"On the morning of June 16, 1976, thousands of black students walked from their schools to Orlando Stadium for a rally to protest against having to learn through Afrikaans in school. Many students who later participated in the protest arrived at school that morning without prior knowledge of the protest, yet agreed to become involved. The protest was intended to be peaceful and had been carefully planned by the Soweto Students’ Representative Council’s (SSRC) Action Committee, with support from the wider Black Consciousness Movement. Teachers in Soweto also supported the march after the Action Committee emphasized good discipline and peaceful action."

The uprising was a key moment in the struggle by South Africans to defeat the regime and its policy of apartheid.

[Post in conjunction with Goal 2010!, CCAI's exhibition of the FIFA World Cup fine art poster portfolio. Graphic from google image search for 'Soweto uprising.' Caption: "Soweto June 1976. Mbuyisa Makhubu carries the body of Hector Pieterson, shot by police during the student protest against Afrikaans as the school language medium. (Photograph by Sam Nzima)"]

In the Desert

Nevada Museum of Art
160 West Liberty Street
Reno

June 26, 2010 - September 26

Lewis Baltz: In the Desert

"... featuring 28 photographs by the internationally-renowned photographer recognized as an icon of contemporary photography due to the pivotal role he played in the New Topographics photography movement that emerged in the mid-1970s.

Two series of photographs "Nevada" and "Near Reno" will be included in the exhibition. These series consist of black-and-white photographs that Baltz took of construction sites and abandoned areas in the northern Nevada desert region between 1977 and 1986.

Many of the images in the exhibition are those for which the artist became best known. The Nevada portfolio was completed while Baltz worked as an artist-in-residence at the University of Nevada, Reno under the Nevada Arts Council Artist-in Residence Program. Nevada includes images of stark desert terrain and the discarded objects and relics often found in the desert.

Near Reno is a suite of photographs Baltz made when he returned to northern Nevada in June of 1986. The series examines various construction sites and documents evidence of human influence on the surrounding landscape. Both series prove that the American West was a source of continual inspiration for Baltz, and that he returned time and again to the region, even though he had already achieved national and international success as an artist.

The works in this exhibition are from the Nevada Museum of Art's signature Altered Landscape photography collection, which includes over 700 photographs addressing issues such as suburban development, the mining industry, military installations, and the nuclear legacy in the American West."

[Text and graphic from museum website: Caption: "Lewis Baltz, Night Construction, Reno, from the Nevada portfolio, 1977. Gelatin silver print, 8 x 10 inches. Collection of the Nevada Museum of Art, The Altered Landscape, Carol Franc Buck Collection." Click on image to enlarge.]

"Soccer .. "

"In soccer everything is complicated by 
the presence of the opposite team."

-- Jean Paul Sartre

[Graphic from "Goal 2010!" exhibition of the FIFA Fine Art Poster Portfolio at the Capital City Arts Initiative Courthouse Gallery. Caption: "The Battle."2008. By South African artist Cameron Platter. 2nd of 17 posts featuring the posters in the portfolio. Click on image to enlarge.]

Ready for Showtime!

Early today the World Cup Tournament began in Johannesburg. After months of preparation it's now time for CCAI to join in the festivities with the opening tonight at the Courthouse Gallery from 5 to 7 pm of "Goal 2010!," an exhibition of the official FIFA World Cup Fine Art Portfolio. We hope to see you there!

Details

[CCAI Press Photo|Caption: "Almost in place and ready for Showtime! CCAI President Cyndy Brenneman carefully positions one of the seventeen works in "Goal 2010!," CCAI's Courthouse Gallery exhibition of World Cup fine art posters.]

Goal 2010 in the News!

CCAI's upcoming exhibition of fine art soccer posters is featured in today's edition of the Nevada Appeal. [See link below.] Our thanks to the Appeal, and to Features Editor Sally Taylor Roberts for their coverage of arts and culture in northern Nevada.

We hope to see all CCAI Blog! readers at Friday night's 5-7 pm pening at the CCAI Courthouse Gallery!

"Art and soccer intersect at CCAI's Goal 2010! exhibit"
by Sally Taylor Roberts

[Graphic: 'above the fold' screen grab from today's Nevada Appeal online edition. Click on image to enlarge. Click here to view full article.]

Mimi Patrick | New Work

Saint Mary's Art Center
55 N. "R" Street
Virginia City 89440

Mimi Patrick

Gallery hours: 11am - 4 pm F-Su

[One of a number of exhibitions at the Art Center this month. See earlier post. Graphic from Art Center mailing.]

June Exhibitions at St. Mary's

Saint Mary's Art Center
55 N. "R" Street
Virginia City 89440

Gallery hours: 11am - 4 pm F-Su

[Graphic from Art Center mailing. Click on image to enlarge.]

Goal 2010! Public Reception This Friday!

June 11 marks the start of the long awaited 2010 FIFA World Cup in South Africa. Closer to home, CCAI is presenting a portfolio of FIFA fine arts posters commemorating the tournament. Please join us this Friday for a festive reception for the exhibition. Note that matches earlier in the day, South Africa - Mexico [7 a.m. PDT] and Uruguay - France [11:30 a.m. PDT] will have concluded.



[Graphic: Electronic version of CCAI Exhibition flier. Special thanks to Simpson Creative. Click on image to enlarge.]

ShowBiz Kids!

[graphic from CVAC website. Click on image to enlarge.]

Futbol Day in Los Angeles

[CCAI extends best wishes to Outpost for Contemporary Art and its brilliant director Julie Deamer, 2004 Nevada Neighbors alum - "Nevada Neighbors V: "Los Angeles Arts on the Global Stage" - on its World Cup project.]

Outpost for Contemporary Art
1268 N. Ave 50
Los Angeles, CA

Outpost Cup

ON June 6, 2010, Outpost will host the Outpost Cup to launch its new South American initiative and to bring the community together for a day full of soccer, art, music, food and fun.

Taking place one week prior to the World Cup, the Outpost Cup soccer tournament will encourage local artists, art fans, families, college students and soccer players to bring their creative and athletic talents to the field.

Tournament Structure
* 8 players vs. 8 players.
* Games will be played on both halves of the field, simultaneously.
* Games will be 30 minutes long with no halves.
* Teams will be scheduled to play 3 games each during the day
* The day will end with a championship game in the “competitive division.”
* The Outpost Cup Championship Trophy will be a one-of-a-kind artist-made masterpiece!

South American Artist Residency Cycle
Devoted to building bridges between our local community and the larger global landscape, Outpost’s next residency cycle will bring six South American artists and artist teams to Los Angeles over a period of two years to produce City-based projects fueled by the artists’ extended presence in our community.

[Text and graphic from Outpost.]

FWAC! On the Road to ...

FWAC!
First Wednesday Arts Coffee

Wednesday June 2
4:30-6 pm



Stor & Lock [map]
3000 Hwy 50 east
Carson City
775.883-0862

This special edition of FWAC! On the Road! will convene at the studio of artist Galen Brown, who kindly provided the directions below:

Use the driveway next to Obi's Used Cars.
Look for a gray self storage buildings Behind Valley Appliance, about 100 yards west of Airport Rd. on the north side of the road.

[Click on 'map' above for a bird's eye cartographic view!]

All invited for coffee, conversation and a studio tour.

Special thanks to our host!

[Graphic from Google image search for 'coffee to go .' Click on image to enlarge.]

Reign of Glass

"Erin Stellmon's work has always been particularly relevant within the context of Las Vegas, as it emerges directly from our culture of neon signage, suburban landscapes, the history of the atomic test-site, implosions of classic landmark casinos and her most recent explorations into CityCenter. However, the iconography of her work carries not only historical weight, but also becomes symbolic of the broader psychic landscape, exploring American value systems and our notions of home, security and community."

Wendy Kveck CAC Director

[Graphic and text from CAC press mailing. Click on image to enlarge.]