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Dennis Oppenheim’s, Device to Root Out Evil, 1997 I just read something sad. An artist died. It was Dennis Oppenheim. Mr. Oppenheim went to the California College of the Arts (Oakland, CA) and received his MFA at Stanford. Then, like many artists, he moved to New York to pursue his art career and practice. His art work is grandiose and forces you to move in the environment differently than you normally would. I heard of him but never had the…
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At the beginning of the month, I posted a few photos I took at the Oakland Art Murmur. Jennie Ottinger’s show, Due By: Book show by Jennie Ottinger, at the Johansson Projects (JP) Art Gallery was my introduction to her work. Since JP is one of my favorite galleries in the Easy Bay, I usually prolong my visit and make multiple trips back to the space during the Art Murmur. Due By was one of those shows I couldn’t get enough…
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Per the suggestion of a fellow blogger and virtual friend, Mo, I decided to post drawings currently in the works. These drawings are part of a body of work dealing with standards of beauty. After reading Joanne Rondilla’s academic work on colorism and skin lightening amongst Filipina woman; examining and visually depicting two opposite ends of the spectrum, indigenous and super model Filipina women, came naturally. With Joanne’s research serving as the impetus, I embarked on a project that become…
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The Working in Series studio class with artist Pamela Lanza at the UC Berkeley Extension through the Art and Design program was one of the most wonderful experiences in 2010. It was a difficult year, to say the least. Yet, through the class, I learned so much about why I create art and why it is a huge part of my life. More to follow…
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Over the weekend, I went to Needles and Pens located in the Mission District of San Francisco, CA. It’s one of my favorite spots to get a an art pick-me-up. From doodles to zines, Needles and Pens reminds me that DIY is a wonderful and necessary art movement. It’s, certainly, an important one. There’s a lot of value in other people’s visual musings of this chaotic world. Sometimes, all I really need is something straight forward and inspires me to pick up my journal or…
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Yet, I had to write a little something about the next piece I’m working on – La Pocha Nostra. Yesterday, I attended the Corpo Illicito: The Post Human Society #69 performance piece at the SOMArts Cultural Center. There’s a lot of processing going on but I wanted to forewarn you of any photos I may post of the event (yes, it was one of those performance art pieces, photos will be for the extremely open-minded and for a more mature…
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On my way to work, I was thinking how I’ve been writing about artists that would, categorically, put themselves on opposite ends of the art spectrum. Craft and Technology. Both types of artists may feel marginalized from the main stream art world. Yet, both have certainly found their way into art museums and galleries by using craft or technology as a means of conveying ideas. For instance, take a look at Stephanie Syjuco’s, The Counterfeit Crochet Project, which examines globalization.…
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It’s the end of the weekend and it’s been over a week since I first took on the WordPress postaday2011 challenge. I’m finding myself gaining some major writing momentum and finding new content. Obviously, there will be days I post formal and analytical write ups and other days where I’ll just want to tell you, dear friend, something that’s been on my mind. Or, something that’s happened to me. Good and bad. I’m hoping more good than bad stories will…
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I’ll write a little something today but not very long due to yesterday’s post on my impressions of the current exhibition, It’s All a Blur, at the SomArts Cultural Center. THAT, my friends, was A LOT. Instead, I’ll recommend reading my dear friend, L.J. Roberts, interview with the Social Media Management for Contemporary Art organization. It’s a fantastic interview. LJ discusses her art practice, a ‘love affair’ with New York, and her thoughts regarding censorship in the arts (specifically the work of David Wojnarowicz being removed from the Smithsonian)! Great interview!!! Please click here to…
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It’s All a Blur is far from a blur when you consider the show’s theme does not really have much to do with temporality. Walking through the exhibition is nothing like walking through a flurry of sales at the mall or a bustling city block. The Blur artists take what is often fuzzy in our lives and sharpens our focus. Each experience finds its way into the crevices of our subconscious. Individually, each work reconfigures and re-contextualizes American history and Western culture. Although the pieces are seemingly…
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writer | artist | scholar
Dorothy R. Santos, Ph.D. 