Queens International 4 Closing Party!

Bring your bike and meet me at the Queens Museum of Art this Sunday from 12-6pm. Come celebrate, enjoy the gorgeous weather and get a last look at this amazing biennial of Queens artists!

Spotlight: Lars Fisk, Queens International 4

Its easy to miss Lars Fisk's The Triumph of Styrofoam, a marble sculpture made to look like a discarded coffee cup ( Look for it on the floor to the left of my work, Guayabera Series). This "finely carved marble sculpture asks us to take a second look at the garbage we usually ignore. As facsimiles of real objects, these decoys emit an effortless sense of life, asking us to confront our relationship to consumption and waste. 

Fisk employs traditional sculptural materials in unexpected ways."

Queens International 4 is on view at the Queens Museum of  Art until April 26th, 2009.

SUrreal

Crashed Laura Heyman's Grad Critique Seminar, work by Colin Todd

                                                          Studio visit with Chris Gianunzio
Went up to Syracuse University last week to give a lecture and do studio visits. It was my first time back since i graduated in 2000.  I kept having so many weird flashbacks of my undergrad days. It was a surreal experience to be lecturing there and remembering all of the visiting artist's that I heard speak as a young art student and the profound effect it had on my development. I was really honored to be able to come back to campus in this capacity and meet with the students and talk about their work. I met so many talented and intelligent individuals whose work and process is a reflection of the quality of the photography department and program at Syracuse. It was great to catch up with my old professor Doug Dubois and spend some time getting to know Yasser Aggour, both of whom are an inspiration both artistically and for their dedicated teaching style.  Also got a chance to spend some time with my old friend Eirik Johnson, who was by chance, also doing studio visits and crits with Laura Heyman's class.

 

"To teach is to learn again" - H.J. Brown

Big thanks to Doug, Yasser and Syracuse University for giving me this opportunity!

Individual Artist Initiative

Jung In Kim "being special", 23x30 inch, acrylic & pencil drawing on watercolor paper,Feb.09

The Individual Artist Initiative is intended to invigorate the professional careers of artists. The IAI is awarded annually by the Queens Council on the Arts to ten emerging Queens artists in any discipline (performing arts, media arts, literary arts or visual arts) as a fully-financed consultancy with an established professional development specialist. Recipients complete a specific professional development goal with the guidance of the consultant. Participants also receive mentoring through the community of previous IAI recipients, as well as access to intimate professional development workshops coordinated by Queens Council on the Arts.

This year i was one of the lucky recipients of this unique opportunity. I feel honored to be included in such a talented group of artists: Jung In Kim, Michelle Provenzano, ST Woolf, Monica Velez, Janell O'Rourke, Norma Greenwood and Vivian Fung.

Art for Life

My work is currently up for auction at Art for Life Miami Beach, benefitting Rush Philanthropic Arts Foundation. Founded in 1995 by brothers Russell, Danny and Joseph "Rev. Run" Simmons, Rush Philanthropic Arts Foundation is dedicated to providing disadvantaged urban youth with significant exposure and access to the arts, as well as providing exhibition opportunities to under-represented artists and artists of color. A 501(C)3 organization, Rush Philanthropic fulfills its mission through three core programs: grants, exhibitions and mentoring. 

To all those who missed the live event there is an online auction until March 24, 2009. Click here to nab this print for a fraction of the price and support a great organization!

Spotlight: Las Hermanas Iglesias, Queens International 4

Everyone Likes to Dance, 2009

Hanging under these disco balls is a floor diagram and audio lesson that instructs you on a new dance that marries traditional Merengue and Norwegian polka. Las Hermanas Iglesias is the collaboration of two sisters, Janelle and Lisa Iglesias. Born and raised in Hollis, Queens to a Dominican father and Norwegian mother, their collaborative work explores a range of bi-cultural experiences often bridging dissimilar materials and practices. 

See and experience Everyone Likes to Dance until April 26th at the Queens Museum.

CPW Residency Application Deadline: 4/3/09

The Center for Photography at Woodstock is now accepting applications for its 2009 residency program. I was an artist in residence in September of 2008 and would highly recommend this program. I got an incredible amount of work done in such an amazing environment and got to work with an extremely talented and dedicated staff.
I began working on my still life series there. I shot over 100 sheets of film, including working with the 8x10 camera. CPW's facilities are well maintained and well stocked. They have both a Sinar 4x5 and 8x10, B&W darkroom, as well as a full digital lab and digital cameras at your disposal. In adition CPW provides housing, a food stipend and an honorarium! Wow! This is too good to be true, Apply Now!