Monthly Archives: May 2011

Focus: East Asia – China (Hong Kong)

Posted on May 30, 2011 by M-KOS| Leave a comment

South Ho Siu Nam “Into Light XIV” (2011) Courtesy of the artist and Blindspot Gallery

Art Hong Kong 2011 has succeeded its extravaganza and now closed triumphantly, as the world anticipated. The fair demonstrated an increase in achievements beyond the mercantile with special events to engage and reflect on the Asian region. Asia One for instance provided a platform for emerging talents of the widely diverse Asian terrain. Many talks and discussions were also programmed such as the ‘Backroom Conversations” by Asia Arts Archive, ‘Guerrilla Talk’ by ArtAsiaPacific and ‘New Media Archaeology’ by Videotage, in order to disseminate art from Asia to a wider audience.

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Interview: Montreal Biennale Artistic Director Claude Gosselin

Posted on May 27, 2011 by M-KOS| 1 Comment

Since founding the Centre International d’Art Contemporain, Claude Gosselin has been a commanding figure for Montreal’s art scene. Hosting events such as Les Cents Jours d’Art Contemporain, and more recently, The Montreal Biennale, he often acted as the middle-man between international and local artists, by putting them on equal platforms. M-KOS interviews Claude Gosselin, perhaps now at a decisive moment in his career.

M-KOS: Claude Gosselin thank you for granting us this interview, here we are already drawing near the end of this year’s Biennale and its exhibition period, can you share with us some of your impressions, are you happy with the results so far?

Claude Gosselin: Yes indeed reactions from the public and even the critics have been very good, in fact we have seen a 30% increase in visitor attendance from our previous edition, and also increases in attendance at our educational and cultural activities. We had different components of the Biennale this year, we had creative workshops, also a cinema program and an electronic arts program. Then for the satisfaction of the general audience we had a mixture of artists, half coming from Canada, half from abroad, also they were of many different generations. So there was an array of works responding to different audiences, and this is probably what caused the Biennale to be so well attended.
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Last Chance To See Montreal Biennale This Weekend

Posted on May 26, 2011 by M-KOS| Leave a comment

Ian Wallace (pictures), “Les Pages répandues” (2011), Acrylic and photolaminate on canvas, variable dimensions, Courtesy of Yvon Lambert New York, Photo Credit: the artist / David Armstrong Six (sculptures) “L’Esprit de l’escalier” (partial view), 2011, wood, steal, bronze, paint, plaster and glass, Variable dimensions, Courtesy of Parisian Laundry, Photo: Ludovic Beillard / BNL MTL 2011

The seventh edition of the Montreal Biennale concludes this week from a month-long program of exhibitions, screenings, workshops and more, themed this year by quoting Stéphane Mallarmé’s “Un coup de dé jamais n’abolira le hazard” (A throw of dice never will abolish chance), first published in a collection of poems from 1897. Historically, this “coup” went on to instigate several artistic revolutions, such as the schools of Dada, Surrealism and Futurism. Not only playing a pivotal role in the history of modern art after The Great War, chance also represents a central element in Fluxus as in the quieter revolution of Quebecois Art, like 1950’s Automatism. The Biennale’s affiliation to such movements is reiterated upon visiting the Guido Molinari Foundation, a satellite venue of the Biennale, within which hangs a series of paintings by the same artist, produced in 1951 whilst blind-folded. Artistic director Claude Gosselin, co-curator David Liss and electronic arts curator Paule Mackrous put into perspective the enduring prominence of chance in contemporary art, with a comprehensive exhibition acknowledging both national and international talents.
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Focus: East Asia – China (Beijing/Shanghai/Guangzhou) [Updated!]

Posted on May 25, 2011 by M-KOS| Leave a comment

Shao Yinong and Mu Chen “Spring and Autumn – 1990 100 Chinese Note (Four leaders)” (2004-2010) Silk, silk thread. Courtesy of the artists and 10 Chancery Lane Gallery, Hong Kong. Photo: Singapore Art Museum

Chinese contemporary art is rising in quality and quantity, becoming a protagonist on the international artistic stage, according to Italian art critic Achille Bonito Oliva. China made a remarkable transformation during the past three decades, with changes expressed most strongly and dramatically in visual arts.
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Focus: East Asia

Posted on May 23, 2011 by M-KOS| Leave a comment

Are individual freedom and free market part of the same equation?

This week M-Kos welcomes the opening of Art Hong Kong 2011 (AHK2011) and takes this opportunity to focus on a series of articles about contemporary art in East Asia, introducing museums, galleries and artists in Hong Kong, Beijing, Shanghai and Guangzhou.

Ai Weiwei “Fairytale” (2007) Courtesy of Galerie Urs Meile, Beijing-Lucerne, Erlenmeyer Stiftung Switzerland, Leister Foundation Switzerland

Art Hong Kong 2011 kicks off from Thursday 26 May until Sunday 29 May, amid protest over detention of Ai Weiwei by the Chinese authorities. The world, and especially the cultural sphere, prompted spontaneous petitions, sit-ins, rallys, as well as many exhibitions in his defense, held since his arrest on 3rd April. The Tate Modern has put up the words “Release Ai Weiwei” on top of its museum facade. Ai’s work “Circle of Animals/Zodiac Heads” were displayed both in New York City and Somerset House in London. In Berlin, Neugerriemschneider gallery is currently exhibiting his works entitled “Rock” (2011) and “Tree”(2011). The gallery front of Neugerriemschneider adorns a huge banner created by the artist Rirkrit Tiravanija, calling out “WHERE IS AI WEIWEI ?” Lisson Gallery, which represents him in London, also put up a huge ‘Free Ai Weiwei’ campaign banner for the opening of his exhibition on 11 May. In Paris, the artist Anish Kapoor dedicated his latest work “Leviathan” (2011) for Monumenta 2011 at the Grand Palais to Ai. In Hong Kong, which has its own separate legal system, dozens of supporters carried chairs to Victoria park to form the Chinese character “囚”（Prison), a gesture inspired by Ai’s installation “Fairytale” (2007). Dozens of people gathered for “1,001 Chairs for Ai Weiwei” held both in New York and Toronto. The Museum of Contemporary Art San Diego organized a 24-hour sit-in inspired by Ai’s work “Marble Chair” (2010), two of which to be acquired by the museum. Countless more tales of worldwide support for him can be found.

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Interview: Gwenaël Bélanger

Posted on May 17, 2011 by M-KOS| 1 Comment

A series of “Comic Strip (orange)” (2011) inkjet print. Image courtesy of the artist and Galerie Graff. © 2011 Gwenaël Bélanger

Canadian artist Gwenaël Bélanger works in close, critical observation of phenomena which lie at the limit of perception for the naked eye, but are enhanced using mainly photographic and other lens-based processes. In creating tension between what audiences see and expect to see, Bélanger finds his creative arena, where perceptive deceptions, constructions and manipulations flourish.

M-KOS interviewed Bélanger in occurrence with “Broyer du Noir + Color Break”, his latest solo exhibition at Galerie Graff in Montréal, which featured some of his latest experiments in photography, glass and colour, plus a few surprises.

M-KOS: Can you tell us if any specific event triggered you to produce this new series of works?

Gwenaël Bélanger: This is the first solo show I organized since being awarded the Pierre Ayot Prize. There’s no direct connection with the works I entered for that submission, but a specific sum in that prize was dedicated to the promotion a forthcoming exhibition, which is this one.

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What’s on this week: 16.05–22.05.2011

Posted on May 16, 2011 by M-KOS| Leave a comment

This week’s pick ‘n’ mix from Montreal, Toronto, Banff, New York, London, Paris, Rotterdam, Amsterdam and Berlin

Montréal

BNL MTL 2011: The 7th Montréal Biennnale
at the former École des beaux-arts at Montréal,
through 31 May 2011
 
 
 
 

A.P.O. – Ateriers Portes Ouvertes (3e édition) /
Open Studio (The 3rd edition) in Mile End area
on 20 – 22 May 2011.
PDF Guide is available from Centre Clark‘s website.
 
 
 

Euan Macdonald: 9,000 Pieces
at Silverflag, 21 May– 18 June 2011
(Opening on Saturday 21 May 2011, 3–7pm)
 
 

Image courtesy of the artist and Silverflag
 
 

Monobandes II at Les Territoires, 19 May – 4 June 2011 (Opening on Friday 20 May 2011, 6pm)

Artists: Amie Leeking (US), Audra Brant (US), Aurélie Garon (FR), Baden Pailthorpe (AU) Celia Perrin Sidarous (CA), Hoping Chen (UK), Isabelle Leduc (CA), Jacinthe Robillard (CA), Janick Burn (CA), Jérôme Nadeau (CA), Kandis Friesen (CA), Kevin Bentram (CA), Maciek Stepinski (PL), Matt Sabourin (CA), Michael Mersereau (US), Natalyia Petkova (BG), Patryk Stasieczek (CA), Rachel Dawson (US), Sanam Ghods (IR), Simon Belleau (CA), Terryll Loffler (CA), Vivian Lee (US). Curators: Anne-Renée Hotte & Marie-Josée Parent

Allison Schulnik: Performance at Galerie Division, through 18 June 2011
 
 

“Desert Tree” (2010) oil on canvas. Image courtesy of the artist and Galerie Division
 

Lynne Cohen at Art45, through 11 June 2011
 
 
 
 

“Untitled” (2011) C-print. Image courtesy of the artist and Art45
 
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Review: The Ha-Ha Crystal at Maria Stenfors, London

Posted on May 13, 2011 by M-KOS| Leave a comment

The Ha-Ha Crystal
Maria Stenfors, London
Artists: Allen Grubesic, Colin Guillemet, Niamh O’Malley, Jason Rohrer and David Lynch
Curated by Chris Fite-Wassilak
 

Allen Grubesic “The Last Laugh” (2007) India ink in Langton Aq 300gr. Image courtesy of the artist and Maria Stenfors

Maria Stenfors gallery’s group show “The Ha-Ha Crystal” originally refers to Robert Smithson’s analytical model for defining different types of laughter, according to what he calls The Six Main Crystal Systems, as an attempt to find answers on how to visualize the dimensions beyond our usual three:

“[R. Buckminster] Fuller was told by certain scientists that the fourth dimension was ‘ha-ha’, in other words, that it is laughter…Laughter is in a sense a kind of entropic ‘verbalisation.’ How could artists translate this verbal entropy, that is ‘ha-ha’, into solid models?” *

Here the four artists in The Ha-Ha Crystal exhibition endeavor to suggest possible responses to this rhetorical question. With Allen Grubesic’s “The Last Laugh” (2007) three identical white prints literally spell out “HA HA HA” in thick black typo, which don’t quite stand as words rather than a straightforward phonetic illustration. This quasi-iconic code crystallizes with Grubesic’s use of a generic typeface, to directly tap into our collective memory of laughter. Read more »

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What’s on this week: 09.05–15.05 2011

Posted on May 10, 2011 by M-KOS| Leave a comment

This week’s pick ‘n’ mix from Montréal, Sherbrooke, Toronto, London, Brussels, New York and LA

Montréal

BNL MTL 2011: The 7th Montréal Biennnale
at the former École des beaux-arts at Montréal,
through 31 May 2011
 
 
 
 
 

Gwenaël Bélanger: Broyer du noir + Colour Break
at Galerie Graff, 12 May – 18 June 2011
(Opening on Thursday 12 May 5pm)
 
 

“De La Série Comic Strip (Vert)” (2011) impression jet d’encre. Image courtesy of the artist and Galerie Graff
 

Kent Monkman: The Atelier
at Pierre-François Ouellette Art Contemporain,
14 May – 25 June 2011
(Opening on Saturday 14 May 2011 2.30-5pm)

Image courtesy of the artist and Pierre-Francois Ouellete Art Contemporain
 

Question de principe / Matter of Principle
at Art Mür, 14 May – 18 June 2011
(Opening on Saturday 14 May 2011 3–5pm)

Artists: Erich Bollmann (USA), Claudia Djabbari (Germany/UK), Merike Estna (Estonia/UK), Patricia Fernandez (Spain/USA), James Ferris (UK), Gandt (UK), Ian Hokin (USA), Pierre Julien (Canada), Steve Kado (Canada/Denmark/USA), Trevor Kiernander (Canada/UK), Jenny Moore (Canada/UK), Alise Spinella (USA). Curated by Nicolas Grenier & Annie Hémond Hotte.

Claudia Djabbari “Volkswagen” (2011) mixed media. Image courtesy of the artist and Art Mür
 
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Review: Janice Kerbel “Kill the Workers!”

Posted on May 6, 2011 by M-KOS| 1 Comment

Currently on view: London
Janice Kerbel “Kill The Workers!”
at Chisenhale Gallery, through 15 May 2011

Janice Kerbel’s new installation “Kill The Workers!” commissioned by Chisenhale Gallery sets up four stands of multiple light fixtures facing each other to suggest a central ‘stage’ area. The theatre lights follow a series of cue scripts written by Kerbel to condense a 24-hour day-to-night period into 24 minutes. The otherwise empty gallery this way undergoes a succession of narratives and progressive plots, played out solely by the different settings of theatrical lights.

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