Ellsworth Kelly, Austin

Ellsworth Kelly, “Austin” 2015, 60 ft. x 73 ft. x 26 ft. 4 in., Blanton Museum of Art, The University of Texas at Austin, Gift of the artist, with funding generously provided by Jeanne and Michael Klein, Suzanne Deal Booth and David G. Booth, the Scurlock Foundation, Leslie and Jack S. Blanton, Jr., Elizabeth and Peter Wareing, and Kelli and Eddy S. Blanton, © 2015 Ellsworth Kelly

The 2,715-square-foot stone chapel is particularly special because it’s the only freestanding building that Kelly has ever designed. His characteristic shape-paintings will also find form in stained glass windows — the artist’s very first attempt to realize his aesthetic vision through light. These will fill three of the building’s four chancels, with the fourth housing a towering redwood totem. Fourteen black-and-white marble panels will also hang on the walls. Kelly explained that the structure’s Romanesque architecture was inspired by the years he spent in Paris after the war studying art on the G.I. Bill.

“Austin is part of a journey that began nearly 70 years ago,” he shared. “In Boston in 1947, as an art student at the School of the Museum of Fine Arts, I discovered a 12th-century fresco in the museum’s collection that made a tremendous impression on me. Later, when I was living and working in Paris, I would put my bike on a train and visit early architectural sites all over France. I was intrigued by Romanesque and Byzantine art and architecture.”

The $15 million project may stem from spiritual inspirations, but it’s meant more as a nonreligious public space to enjoy quiet contemplation. The Blanton has already raised $7 million for the project, and construction will begin as soon as the remaining funds are raised. It should take about a year to complete after that.

“Ellsworth Kelly has had a major presence in Texas for decades, with significant public installations and distinguished private collections of his art throughout the state,” said Richard Shiff, a Kelly scholar who holds the Effie Marie Cain Regents Chair in Art at The University of Texas at Austin. “The masterwork that Kelly has designed will become a jewel in his Texas crown, and an exciting addition to the Blanton Museum, which is one of the jewels of UT. More than the center of Kelly’s work in Texas, it will be the center of the Kelly globe.”

Interior rendering of Ellsworth Kelly’s “Austin”(2015)

Interior rendering of Ellsworth Kelly’s “Austin”(2015)

Interior rendering of Ellsworth Kelly’s “Austin”(2015)

Red (and Blue) Library- first eleven questions

(Going through Tom Friedman's questions with our collaboration/show in mind)

A) Object  Exchange, Dialogue, Two
1) knowledge  Feminism, Art, RnC
a) name and type of object  Exhibition, Installation, Mixed Media- The Red (&Blue) Library
b) function  Intro to Feminism in CZ context
Working with local women in Meaning Cleaning, Conscious Object, Patchwork US Flag
1) what does it do?  looks at the disenfranchised, entitles us and them
2) how is it used?  breaks cultural barriers through 7 year dialogue- women have similar issues, childcare, unpaid labor throughout the world
3) why is it used?  to display another perspective, (thinking about the CZ contemporary, David Cerny)
c) history his and her story, CZ and US, Communism and Democracy
1) where does it come from?  two
a) geographic location  Jesenik, Boston, Florence, New York, Prague, Cape Town
b) culture  post-communist CZ, post-capitalist US
1) object's history and relevance in this culture  Feminism is a dirty word at best in CZ, my dad feared the word, feared us having a class in it in college, the ending of a female's last name connotes paternal ownership
(We need to think about the specific objects we will use and answer this question with each object.)
2) where was it made?  online, through dialogue, neither here nor there, elements of both
3) who made and/or makes it? Angela and Tereza, in collaboration with women in CZ
4) is it part of a larger object?  yes, a compilation of objects, mixed media and videos
5) is assembly required beyond its place of construction?  Yes, installation will be as much part of the process as the artwork itself
6) is it handmade, machine-made or a combination?  Hand and digital
7) evolution of its present form?  7 year exchange, 20 year individual process
a) how?  continual study, workshops
b) why?  transformation (physical form including gender)
8) when was it made?  over the last 7 years, continuing
a) relevance being made at this time  around a new millennium, time of reflection, going deeper into the collaboration
9) what is it made out of?  oil, fabric, clay, soap, bronze, video, sound?, smell? temperature?
10) is it unique or are there many of them?  yes, unique to us and no, in relation to women's work that is invisible all the time
11) property  no ownership
a) who owns it?  two
b) why did they get it?  through RnC, motherhood, art practice
c) when did they get it?  last 7 years
d) value  infinite
1) monetary  and otherwise

thank you

for the song.
I was listening to it while looking at a painting by Michelle Prazak (from our show)
xo

by and by

(listen without the image.)

February 3 Mercury Retrograde

From Astrology.com:
"Anyone whose goal is 'something higher' must expect someday to suffer vertigo. What is vertigo? Fear of falling? No, vertigo is something other than fear of falling. It is the voice of the emptiness below us which tempts and lures us, it is the desire to fall, against which, terrified, we defend ourselves.”
-- Milan KunderaThe communication planet is going out of phase for the first time in 2015 from January 21 through February 11. Let the disgruntled conjecture begin! Yes, as always, it’s a good idea to back up your electronics, especially as this particular Mercury Retrograde is in a techy sign. Look to the area of your horoscope where Aquarius falls and expect to undergo some revision in that department for the next several weeks.
In general, this is a time for all of us to rethink our long-term goals, as in your 5-10-20-year plans. Aquarius rules the bigger wishes and dreams, plus the tribe and social networks that take us there. All of this is up for review now. If you don’t like where your life is heading, take time to reassess under this retrograde.

On the fun side, old friends and tribe members could suddenly reappear in your life after a long absence. If they do, they're probably returning to help you redefine your future mission statement. This is also a time when we're reflecting upon where we belong in the greater whole. If we don’t feel like we’ve found “our people” as in kindred souls with similar values and goals, this is a chance to really reflect on what’s out of alignment or what we need to do to find our crew.

Some friendships may be on the outs while other missing-in-action besties unexpectedly return to the scene. Aquarius loves to add the unexpected twist to any situation, so this is a great opportunity to think outside of the box. We’re also more likely to have a greater sense of detachment and objectivity under this influence, which can be immensely helpful for mental breakthroughs where we once felt way too emotionally attached. That said, communication on social networking could be disastrous during this retrograde due to quirky misunderstandings or status updates gone awry.

Pronoia

Getting Closer to Waking Up (Excerpted from the revised and expanded edition ofPronoia Is the Antidote for Paranoia. To hear a podcast version of this text, go here.) DEFINITION: Pronoia is the antidote for paranoia. It's the understanding that the universe is fundamentally friendly. It's a mode of training your senses and intellect so you're able to perceive the fact that life always gives you exactly what you need, exactly when you need it. OBJECTIVE OF PRONOIA: To explore the secrets of becoming a wildly disciplined, fiercely tender, ironically sincere, scrupulously curious, aggressively sensitive, blasphemously reverent, lyrically logical, lustfully compassionate Master of Rowdy Bliss. HYPOTHESES: Evil is boring. Cynicism is idiotic. Fear is a bad habit. Despair is lazy. Joy is fascinating. Love is an act of heroic genius. Pleasure is your birthright. Receptivity is a superpower. PROCEDURE: Act as if the universe is a prodigious miracle created for your amusement and illumination. Assume that secret helpers are working behind the scenes to assist you in turning into the gorgeous masterpiece you were born to be. Join the conspiracy to shower all of creation with blessings. GUIDING QUESTION: "The secret of life," said sculptor Henry Moore to poet Donald Hall, "is to have a task, something you devote your entire life to, something you bring everything to, every minute of the day for your whole life. And the most important thing is -- it must be something you cannot possibly do." What is that task for you? UNDIGNIFIED MEDITATIONS TO KEEP YOU HONEST: Brag about what you can't do and don't have. Confess profound secrets to people who aren't particularly interested. Pray for the success of your enemies while you're making love. Change your name every day for a thousand days. MYTHIC ROLE MODELS: Prometheus and Pronoia. In Greek mythology, Pronoia was the consort of Prometheus, the divine rebel who pilfered a glowing coal from his fellow gods so that he could slip the gift of fire to humans. TOP-SECRET ALLIES: Sacred janitors, benevolent pranksters, apathy debunkers, lyrical logicians, ethical outlaws, aspiring masters of curiosity, homeless millionaires, humble megalomaniacs, hedonistic midwives, lunatic saints, sly optimists, mystical scientists, dissident bodhisattvas, macho feminists, and socialist libertarians who possess inside information about the big bang. DAILY PRACTICE: Push hard to get better, become smarter, grow your devotion to the truth, fuel your commitment to beauty, refine your emotional intelligence, hone your dreams, negotiate with your shadow, cure your ignorance, shed your pettiness, heighten your drive to look for the best in people, and soften your heart -- even as you always accept yourself for exactly who you are with all of your so-called imperfections. POSSIBLE REWARDS: You will be able to claim the rewards promised you at the beginning of time -- not just any old beauty, wisdom, goodness, love, freedom, and justice, but rather: exhilarating beauty that incites you to be true to yourself; crazy wisdom that immunizes you against the temptation to believe your ideals are ultimate truths; outrageous goodness that inspires you to experiment with irrepressible empathy; generous freedom that keeps you alert for opportunities to share your wealth; insurrectionary love that endlessly transforms you; and a lust for justice that's leavened with a knack for comedy, keeping you honest as you work humbly to liberate everyone in the world from ignorance and suffering. USAGE NOTE: We employ the adjectival form "pronoiac" rather than "pronoid." That way, it rhymes with "aphrodisiac" and resonates with "paradisiacal" instead of being conditioned by "paranoid." DISCLAIMER: Material in this book may be too intense and controversial for some readers. It contains graphic scenes of peace, love, joy, passion, reverence, splendor, and understanding. You will not find any references to harsh, buzzing fluorescent lights in a cheap hotel room where a heroin dealer plots to get revenge against the authorities at his old high school by releasing sarin gas into the teachers' lounge. There are no reports of Nazi skinheads obsessed with re-creating the 14th-century Tartars' war strategy of catapulting plague-ridden corpses into an enemy's citadel. Completely absent from these pages are any stories about a psychotic CEO of a Fortune 500 company who has intentionally disfigured his face to help him elude the CIA, which wants to arrest him for the treasonous sale of his company's nanotech weapons technology to the Chinese. You should therefore proceed with caution if you are a jaded hipster who is suspicious of feeling healthy and happy. Ask yourself: "Am I ready to stop equating cynicism with insight? Do I dare take the risk that exposing myself to uplifting entertainment might dull my intelligence?" If you doubt your ability to handle relaxing breakthroughs, you should stop reading now.

my best letter of recommendation

Applying for various positions I stumbled on the letter below:

Anitra Haendel, CAA

275 7^th AVE. 18^th fl

New York, NY 1001

212.691.3893 ext. 204

ahaendel@collegeart.org

March 22, 2010

Dear Mrs. Kidney,

Tereza Swanda is a superb candidate for the position of Faculty in Visual Art at Northern Essex Community College.

I know firsthand the joy teaching brings to Tereza. I have witnessed Tereza teach in the Bronx. I saw the attention and respect she earned from her students. She makes certain that her eyes are being met, and that her words are getting through. She says that students are her teachers, and that teaching is an exchange. At the same time, she works very hard at preparing syllabi, thinking about her students needs and gearing the lessons to them. She has complete respect for each student no matter what age or background. She believes that art is essential to every person’s life. Not only will she teach the students technical skills, she will impart values of self-determination that will carry over into other parts of their lives.

She has a very professional manner that makes her easy to work with. I have seen her interact with a wide variety of people from many different settings. When she and I studied together in South Africa, we met teachers, political activists, and artists. Tereza maintained a dignity throughout. She is not afraid to share her own experiences, which makes her able to connect with people from all walks of life. This ability also makes her an exceptional teacher, one able to interact professionally and personally with both students and colleagues.

For Tereza, art and education are inseparable. As her résumé will show, she has extensively studied and practiced them both. Yet her research is ongoing, her perspective is always broadening. She is constantly looking to improve herself, her teaching, and her art. Even while currently away from an institutional position, she is teaching painting and drawing to adults from her neighborhood, as well as organizing exhibitions for them. She has helped these students establish goals and made them excited about their work.

Along with an expertise in more traditional art techniques, Tereza is savvy with computers, and can teach Photoshop and other visual applications. Her background is in the fine arts of oil painting, sculpture in clay, stone and wax, and charcoal figure drawing, which we studied together in Florence, Italy. I then shared an art studio with Tereza for three years in Brooklyn, and I have seen how she develops her artistic skills through practice and exercise, as well as how she experiments and plays with different mediums and methods.

As an employee at the College Art Association who interacts on a daily basis with art instructors and practitioners, I can attest that Tereza is someone who works according to the highest professional and ethical standards. Her knowledge, passion, generosity, and friendliness will be enormous assets to your program. I recommend her wholeheartedly.

Sincerely,

Anitra Haendel

specificity

When is there enough information in a work when one can "read" it?
What is the minimal amount of information needed to achieve that understanding?
Questions for today - thinking about my crit with R & C...

Changing one thing

Grandmother's tools

Pradelna Bohelnice, show OTEC (FATHER)

The gallery is on the grounds of a mental institution in Prague. Hospitals themselves are very disturbing, I can't imagine a mental facility, (thinking of Anitra and her suffering while I was in Prague.)

The space is large, cold with very high and unpolished walls. (You can see the state of the building here: https://www.facebook.com/pradelnabohnice. Video translates well, as do smaller pieces perhaps in the nooks of particular alcoves. Paintings would also do well, if we could hover them perhaps off the wall. Lighting is ominous.

Here was a letter I was going to submit to a group show at this gallery. The idea was to write a letter to one's father. (I believe it was tied to unresolved problems with the so-called "father" figure.) The show never happened and was canceled due to the curator's illness.

I wrote to my grandfather:

To a father (once removed)

Dear Grandfather,

The ragged, stern brutality of your youth has all but faded.  The angle of your jaw loose, your fingers, soft and light. Your strength once upheld the pillars that constructed your home, the imperialistic architecture of Vienna. How I dreaded visiting the place. The short cut phrases of unfamiliar German, the continuous cloud looming over the already gray buildings, a place that tucks away its mistakes.  Those swept - away - under - the - carpet particles that none -the - less permeate one, whether we choose to accept them or not. So much of you accepted and even more, identified with, the Austrian facade.

All of that faded last November. The outer shell melted as you faced inhumanity in a hospital. You consciously fought to reclaim some sense of dignity while defecating into a portable toilet instead of the given diaper. To me, what was most amazing was your utter release; your release of hard edges, your release of proscribed manhood, your softening. Your whole self, altered.

No longer were there remnants of “father” proclaiming himself law by corporal punishment. No longer was there the strength of deceit that made you tower over those of smaller stature.  

There was just you, without a filter; you, the frailty that was your dying body; you, with your empathy for the struggle of life.  I was so privileged to be in that with you, to have been your witness, to have seen a side to you that so many missed.

As you let go and in your dying lay limp, the hours passed without notice. Your skin was so delicate. There was stillness and a pause.

The last conscious moment we spent together, you humored me with a logistics puzzle; one of the same ones you amazed yourself with when I was a young child. This time I did not feel foolish at my mathematical incomprehension, but marveled at your brilliant mind writing and solving the problem in midair.

My respect and love for you quadrupled that last month. I am honored to have known an emasculated, soft and gentle man like you.

Sincerely,

Your granddaughter

insomnia also

Last night I was up from 2AM - 8AM. Awake, but not really present.
Today was somewhat of a bust because of it, with some moments of clarity.
I'm beginning to see what needs to be done in studio. I swept the floor in there today, and took out the ashes.
Sorry to hear you were awake as well.

Here's what I'm thinking about, in relation to your list
Exchange: Red Library
Proposal - for our No Is Yes New Mexico show, and also for Prague. A little bird told me that location is really important for the Apex Art grant, which is great coincidence for us and the gallery in Prague. It seems strongest to focus on the Feminist aspects of the proposal in relation to the location - the history of Feminism in the Czech Republic, the silencing of women's voices, etc. They only want a written proposal at this point - no images. So let's craft a winner!

Videos: -A Not So Sure Aristotle and the Ocean
 -"Good" Bar from Wholefoods, Soap cheese grating and melting, in relation to cooking, soap as cookie dough, soap as Parmesan and the wooden spoon
(research artists making soap locally, buy their soap)
- Washing Hands- Paint and wash hands daily with the Nickle, Thomas Jefferson bar until it is used up.
- Washing Hands, Grandmother washes with portraits of family, as they fade in and out of memory with Alzheimer's.

I'm just beginning to see what needs to be done - with the painting I zip-stripped, and the other one I erased. There are charcoal drawings in my tomorrow, perspective shifting slightly. Oddly (and perhaps embarrassingly), I am inspired by those FB "post 3 artworks in 5 days" posts by other workshoppers. 

Produce box of soaps: Capital Cleanse, Antioch University, and throughout the town of Swampscott
- Press Release in the Swampscott Reporter
-research how to 'kindly' leave soaps in museums/spaces that do not "accept unsolicited artist submissions."
-research soap and things made with the purpose of disintegration

Projects related to the above that have been on my mind for a while:
- Awakening- Clay busts from a mold of my face- eyes closed to opening (looking at Anitra coming out of the sand in SA after her burial.)
-Install this project at the banks of Walden along with drawings ink and pencil
-Install Classical busts, hollow shells, pit fired, on the beach to roll in the tide. (Rolling Classics?)


I don't have anything so formally focused, but rather am trying to understand the connections between all the threads of my work. It's happening slowly, but it is happening. xo

Parallel worlds

Parallel worlds exist and interact with our world, say physicists

New theory explains many of the bizarre observations made in quantum mechanics.

By: Bryan Nelson

Thu, Nov 06, 2014 at 07:32 PM

60.3kFacebook808Twitter42Pinterest377Google+

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Do parallel worlds ever cross paths? (Photo: Martin Brigden/flickr)

Quantum mechanics, though firmly tested, is so weird and anti-intuitive that famed physicist Richard Feynman once remarked, "I think I can safely say that nobody understands quantum mechanics." Attempts to explain some of the bizarre consequences of quantum theory have led to some mind-bending ideas, such as the Copenhagen interpretationand the many-worlds interpretation. 

Now there's a new theory on the block, called the "many interacting worlds" hypothesis (MIW), and the idea is just as profound as it sounds. The theory suggests not only that parallel worlds exist, but that they interact with our world on the quantum level and are thus detectable. Though still speculative, the theory may help to finally explain some of the bizarre consequences inherent in quantum mechanics, reports RT.com.

The theory is a spin-off of the many-worlds interpretation in quantum mechanics — an idea that posits that all possible alternative histories and futures are real, each representing an actual, though parallel, world. One problem with the many-worlds interpretation, however, has been that it is fundamentally untestable, since observations can only be made in our world. Happenings in these proposed "parallel" worlds can thus only be imagined.

MIW, however, says otherwise. It suggests that parallel worlds can interact on the quantum level, and in fact that they do.

"The idea of parallel universes in quantum mechanics has been around since 1957," explained Howard Wiseman, a physicist at Griffith University in Brisbane, Australia, and one of the physicists to come up with MIW. "In the well-known ‘Many-Worlds Interpretation’, each universe branches into a bunch of new universes every time a quantum measurement is made. All possibilities are therefore realised – in some universes the dinosaur-killing asteroid missed Earth. In others, Australia was colonised by the Portuguese."

"But critics question the reality of these other universes, since they do not influence our universe at all," he added. "On this score, our "Many Interacting Worlds" approach is completely different, as its name implies."

Wiseman and colleagues have proposed that there exists "a universal force of repulsion between ‘nearby’ (i.e. similar) worlds, which tends to make them more dissimilar." Quantum effects can be explained by factoring in this force, they propose.

Whether or not the math holds true will be the ultimate test for this theory. Does it or does it not properly predict quantum effects mathematically? But the theory is certain to provide plenty of fodder for the imagination.

For instance, when asked about whether their theory might entail the possibility that humans could someday interact with other worlds, Wiseman said: "It's not part of our theory. But the idea of [human] interactions with other universes is no longer pure fantasy."

What might your life look like if you made different choices? Maybe one day you'll be able to look into one of these alternative worlds and find out.

Read more: http://www.mnn.com/green-tech/research-innovations/stories/parallel-worlds-exist-and-interact-with-our-world-say#ixzz3Q4WQezDp

Extremists

After Goya's little ink drawings of nursing women, one titled something like "She seems like a good mother," and the other was of a bearded lady.

(This last one was the one I spoke of on the phone, where the brushstroke was forced and 'off'. It still makes me uncomfortable. Sanding it brought in more of that feeling.)

calm, before the storm

It's the peaceful baby sleeping, that can cry out at any moment. The sky is a moving gray. I hope to stand still and video whatever natural phenomenon comes. The anxiety is in the air.

But there is work to be done: (I hope to get to some time even as we have another weekend where everyone is home under three feet of snow.)

Here is the list from last night's insomnia:

Projects I have right here, right now:

Exchange: Red Library

Videos: -A Not So Sure Aristotle and the Ocean
 -"Good" Bar from Wholefoods, Soap cheese grating and melting, in relation to cooking, soap as cookie dough, soap as Parmesan and the wooden spoon
(research artists making soap locally, buy their soap)
- Washing Hands- Paint and wash hands daily with the Nickle, Thomas Jefferson bar until it is used up.
- Washing Hands, Grandmother washes with portraits of family, as they fade in and out of memory with Alzheimer's.

Produce box of soaps: Capital Cleanse, Antioch University, and throughout the town of Swampscott
- Press Release in the Swampscott Reporter
-research how to 'kindly' leave soaps in museums/spaces that do not "accept unsolicited artist submissions."
-research soap and things made with the purpose of disintegration

Projects related to the above that have been on my mind for a while:
- Awakening- Clay busts from a mold of my face- eyes closed to opening (looking at Anitra coming out of the sand in SA after her burial.)
-Install this project at the banks of Walden along with drawings ink and pencil
-Install Classical busts, hollow shells, pit fired, on the beach to roll in the tide. (Rolling Classics?)

Snowmaggeden

Impending snowstorm today and tomorrow
I have my first Drawing class tonight at 6pm- wondering if it will be cancelled?
Feeling a little anxious about the whole thing
xo
A

WSW August

Here is another something I just saw online. I have some ideas about it. Thoughts?

au·gust art festival is envisioned as a visual arts extravaganza with presentations by video artists, sculptors, performance artists, and/or installation artists. Throughout the month of August, artists will be presenting their work along the WVLT Rail Trail from WSW to the trestle, on Main Street, and/or in town parks. au·gust art festival is designed to present exciting contemporary work and to highlight the economic impact artists have in our community. Throughout the festival, there will be opportunities for conversation and dialog about the work.

All installations are temporary and must withstand natural elements for the period of the festival. The artwork must not, in any way, interfere with the daily use of the Rail Trail.

The festival will take place August 7–28.

Installation Dates: August 1–7, 2015
De-installation Dates: August 28–September 4, 2015

While WSW will be able to provide some assistance, artists will be responsible for installing and de-installing their work.

Selected artists will receive $500 – $750 honorarium. Additional funding will be available for artists interested in proposing a project-specific interaction with the community during the festival (i.e. workshop, performance, etc.).

TO APPLY

Proposal Deadline: March 2, 2015

Application Checklist

• A 300 word or less description that include the media, scale, and possible site location
• Resume
• Up to 10 images of recent work with an image script, which should include title, medium, dimension, and date. Check our FAQ sheet for digital specifications.
• Video samples should be uploaded to Vimeo or YouTube, and the URL included on the application form.