Born in Iran and raised in England, Sina Najafi has made a name for himself in the international art world with a variety of innovative curatorial and publishing projects. Among the many exhibitions he has curated are Philosophical Toys at Apexart, Odd Lots: Revisiting Gordon Matta-Clarke’s Fake Estates at White Columns and the Queens Museum of Art, and the acclaimed touring Paper Sculpture Show presented by Independent Curators International.
Cabinet magazine, perhaps Najafi’s most recognized endeavor, is an award-winning arts and culture magazine with readership around 10,000. Art critic Jerry Saltz hit the mark (in my opinion) when he described Cabinet as “the best secret art magazine.” Each issue feels like a discovery in itself.
Voted ‘Best New Magazine’ in 2000 by the American Library Association’s Library Journal and ‘Best Art Magazine’ in 2001 and 2003 by the New York Press, Cabinet presents wide-ranging, multi-disciplinary content in each issue through the varied formats of regular columns, essays, interviews, and special artist projects.
DETAILS
FREE Public Lecture by Sina Najafi
March 11 | 7:00 pm *House opens at 6:30 Boyd Vance Theatre
George Washington Carver Museum and Cultural Center
This weekend, Young Artists participated in a installation workshop with Austin-area artist, Faith Gay using Perler beads. Each Young Artist created an individual piece out of the beads which were finally installed all together to create a large wall piece. Pictures are below.
Additionally, Advanced Young Artists met this weekend for the first quarter student/mentor check-ins. Everyone is really excited about their pairings and working hard on the end of year projects that will be the culmination of the program. Below are some images of student work. Pen drawings by Veronica Romero, photography Cesar Morales, and marker drawings by Ashley Love. Enjoy!
Click here to learn more about Arthouse’s teen programs and how to apply.
While the political debate over global warming rages on, the scientific community has held, and for some time, far more than a senatorial “super majority” when it comes to opinions about the reality of our demise. Sea levels are rising (cynics report to David McCandless at the Guardiandata blog for proof) and MoMA, with the aide of a comprehensive report by Princeton’s Latrobe Team of structural engineers, have taken this on in a serious way.
The first architectural exhibition commissioned by MoMA in decades, Rising Currents: Projects for New York’s Waterfront investigates speculative solutions for New York’s maritime future via new commissions of five teams, housed consecutively at P.S.1 over the past year. Participants include Architecture Research Office (ARO) with dlandstudio, LTL Architects, Matthew Baird Architects, nARCHITECTS, and SCAPE/LANDSCAPE ARCHITECTURE PLLC. The culminating exhibition opens March 24 and will center around the physical models and digital representations produced to articulate the concepts put forth.
Arthouse congratulates LTL Architects (concept featured above) on their participation in this significant endeavor. Of note: the exhibition itself inaugurates a new series of Architecture and Design exhibitions at MoMA called Issues in Contemporary Architecture, which will focus on timely topics in contemporary architecture with an emphasis on the urban dimension, with the vision of increasing public dialogue around seminal issues.
These two exterior shots of Arthouse were taken this morning:
As you can see, work on Arthouse has been progressing at a rapid pace. The roof is taking shape, with foundation for the ipe wood deck completed. The second floor slab is dry, and electric and plumbing work is proceeding. On the ground floor, ductwork, sheetrock and framing is going up all over the place. And the slab at the very front should be poured and dry by the end of the week.
The slab at the front of the ground floor will be poured this week. Here you see the area being readied.
These pipes on the second floor are ready for construction of restrooms.
The distinctive second floor corner window on Congress and Seventh is taking shape. This will be a key architectural element in the look of the new Arthouse.
There is true artistry in construction. These electric conduits are precisely fashioned and installed to be ready to carry power to all the second floor lighting.
These “trolley beams” will play a key role when the second floor gallery is finished. They will enable a 60 foot long motorized gallery wall to move north and south for a variety of exhibitions and installations.
Here is the latest shot of the roof. Foundation for the decking is complete and has been covered.
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A tribute is in order.
The first-ever I Heart Arthouse campaign saw generous contributions from donors in 18 states; newfound ambassadors, and old friends rooting for the cause. We couldn’t have done it without your help and encouragement.
A token of our appreciation.
To our donors: take a second to find your name on our virtual donor wall! The breadth of your generosity inspires all of us at Arthouse to keep bringing you the best in contemporary art.
The valentine-themed February maelstrom is officially over! Up next: Sina Najafi gives a FREE public lecture on March 11 at the Carver.
Tomorrow, Saturday February 27th, 2010, Domy Books will be hosting a book signing and artist lecture for Rama Tiru. Tiru will be presenting her book, Austin East of I-35, a photo-essay on the vibrant community of east Austin. The event will be going on from 7-9pm and admission is free!
If you can’t make it or buy a book, you can check out some of Tiru’s photography of Austin, Tibet, India, and more here.
Carlos Motta, Bury Them and Keep Quiet, 2004, 3 floor projections
Who remembers Hou Hanru? Last month, Arthouse’s Visiting Lecture Series brought curator Hou Hanru to Austin to talk about the organization and ideas behind the 10th International Istanbul Biennial (2007) and the 2009 Biennale de Lyon. The key question that Hanru raised in his lecture is whether the non-western world can still reinvent effective models of modernization to the face the challenges of globalization. His latest effort, Geography of Transterritories, for the San Francisco Art Institute opens February 25. Hanru touches on globalization again with this exhibition, addressing the issues of trans-border conflict that are profoundly changing global modes of production, communication, and space/time organization.
For those of you in the SF area, check out the show!
Societe Realiste, EU Green Card Lottery, 2009, installation at MARCO
While researching the artists, I came across a particular project that I found interesting. The collective Societe Realiste have created a project titled EU Green Card Lottery. Upon first examining the project website, I imagined it to be a sort of interactive-satire on post-colonialism and the American Green Card Lottery system. After exploring the site a bit more, it is clear that there is not really a EU Green Card Lottery(the disclaimer also helped). Societe Realiste created this project as a way to examine global immigration management through mimicking a parasite- a website meant to exploit aspiring migrant workers hoping to apply for the American Green Card Lottery system. The French collective are currently exhibiting their project EU Green Card Lottery at the 2009 Biennale de Lyon, and have previously shown it at MARCO, Vigo, Spain.
Crews are working to get the first floor ready for final slab pouring. This task should be done by the end of the week.
Here is the shot which shows how the corner window on the second floor is coming together. This process requires careful, step-by-step framing and extension of the roof. In the foreground of this shot, you see the framework around the grand staircase opening.
Here you see the elevator shaft protruding through to the roof from the second floor.
Wood has been delivered to the rooftop and a second crane will be installed this weekend to hoist more material.
Enjoying the Series?
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Arthouse is a place of scholarship, energy, and progress. As Arthouse’s first ever micro-giving campaign comes to a close, Arthouse takes the time to recall where it’s been, and what lies ahead.
Take a peek at this week’s video – the grand finale of Arthouse’s disgustingly cute February escapades – and remember one thing: it is only the beginning.
With only 6 days left, now is the time to make that first gift. Our donors are among you, and – as evidenced by the last three weeks – every $5 really does make a difference.
