nb, visual art noticeboard [alternatives to friezing…]

Dirk Stewen untitled [bronx monkey II]

Dirk Stewen untitled [Bronx Monkey II] at Maureen Paley

I’ve been enjoying quite a few shows recently which are likely to be blown out of the water by the imminent frieze fair and so with mighty respect to the latter I thought I’d flag them up as alternatives…

Future Movements Jerusalem at Liverpool Biennial [18 Sept-28 Nov 2010] is an essential exhibition of work from and about Palestine. I posted on Raouf Haj Yihya’s Meter Square here, the New Statesman bravely ran a rather muted piece here and my own review will run at Babelmed shortly. Surprise yourself if you can get to it, or wait for it to travel south as I know it is scheduled to do. But be sure to see it.

Otherwise, Liverpool is a far better Biennial than scarce notice of it by lazy old journos suggests; everyone rightly notes the almost painfully compelling acid-Warhol-mashup-vids of Ryan Trecartin’s but there’s much else, including NS Harsha’s very nice installation [right] at 52 Renshaw Street and not least at Tate Liverpool -where a dubiously conceived but actually nicely put together show called The Sculpture of Language by Carol Anne Duffy exhibits some great and rarely aired works.

Dirk Stewen at Maureen Paley [08 October — 14 November 2010] is the most winning new work in town for me. If you do make it to the frieze jamboree then add this show to your bottom-line schedule otherwise you’ll have failed yourself and London. If you’re not friezing it then take advantage and spend some time in a show spread over two floors, beautifully arranged/hung works combining utopian gesture with extraordinary concentration, tentativeness and beauty. The work seems hardly there at all and yet surprises/delights with a precision that makes for indelibility. It’s Stewen’s first show in London, I’d never seen the work before and this exhibition made me happy to be alive; don’t miss it! Continue reading “nb, visual art noticeboard [alternatives to friezing…]”

agnes martin writings; to the jetty

Agnes Martin

Writings/Schriften


Edited by Dieter Schwarz

German, English

2005. 176 pp.

15,00 x 24,00 cm

€ 25.00

out of print

ISBN 978-3-7757-1611-6

Hatje Cantz Verlag
Zeppelinstrasse 32
73760 Ostfildern
Germany
Tel. +49 711 4405-200
Fax +49 711 4405-220

contact@hatjecantz.de

Amid oceans of mainstream mindlessness, memorabilia and millennial archivism there is a small archipelago where books of this special kind wash up and a mysterious tribe of singular genius make perfect copies of them which they relaunch from a jetty linked to all the islands.

Islanders have always adapted to the difficulty of their shores with mindfulness and without illusion, leaving the oceans to the satiated, including those occasionally fretful about the survival of the kinds of singularity/books that they never actually detain/ed themselves with.

Agnes Martin’s Writings is one of these buoyant survivors of oceanic inanity, treasured by a singular tribe and consistently popular according to its original publisher above. Islanders are willing, the jetty is clear, palms held open…

Whoever it is that owns the rights to this book might welcome reminders that the world and its archipelago are thirsting for Agnes Martin’s words.

Her New York gallery -which manages the rights- is here

Research & Archives is Jon Mason jmason@thepacegallery.com

Her London gallery -which has a show April 21 – May 21 2010- is contactable here

or mail@timothytaylorgallery.com

or publications@timothytaylorgallery.com

An Artist Room of her work will also open at Kettle’s Yard May 15 – July 10 2010 here

or mail@kettlesyard.cam.ac.uk

Douglas Hyde Gallery is showing Works on Paper  May 28 – July 7 2010 here