Whitney Museum Announces 2010 Biennial Artists

NEW YORK — Every two years, the Whitney Museum of American Art hosts an exhibition featuring artists who reflect the latest trends in contemporary American art. On Friday, the Whitney released the names of the 55 artists who will be participating in the 2010 Whitney Biennial, which will run from February 25 through May 30, 2010. The artist list has been cut from past years (81 in 2008 and 100 in 2006), with each exhibitor limited to showing one work or series.

Video: Watch as curators Francesco Bonami and Gary Carrion-Murayari announce the artist list for 2010, the Whitney Biennial. Or read the full list below:

David Adamo Richard Aldrich Michael Asher Tauba Auerbach Nina Berman Huma Bhabha Josh Brand The Bruce High Quality Foundation James Casebere Edgar Cleijne and Ellen Gallagher Dawn Clements George Condo Sarah Crowner Verne Dawson Julia Fish Roland Flexner Suzan Frecon Theaster Gates Maureen Gallace

Kate Gilmore Hannah Greely Jesse Aron Green Robert Grosvenor Sharon Hayes Thomas Houseago Alex Hubbard Jessica Jackson Hutchins Jeffrey Inaba Martin Kersels Jim Lutes Babette Mangolte Curtis Mann Ari Marcopoulos Daniel McDonald Josephine Meckseper Rashaad Newsome Kelly Nipper Lorraine O’Grady

R.H. Quaytman Charles Ray Emily Roysdon Aki Sasamoto Aurel Schmidt Scott Short Stephanie Sinclair Ania Soliman Storm Tharp Tam Tran Kerry Tribe Piotr Uklański Lesley Vance Marianne Vitale Erika Vogt Pae White Robert Williams

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Whitney Museum Announces 2010 Biennial Artists

Right-Wing Flails Over Obamas' Return of Controversial Painting

WASHINGTON D.C. — In early October, the White House released a list of 45 works of art chosen to adorn the walls of 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue, but just when it seemed the Obamas' taste in fine art couldn't be any more scrutinized, the dissension continues. A certain painting on the list - originally slated to hang in the First Lady's Office in the East Wing - has since been returned to the Hirshhorn Museum. As to why it was returned, therein lies the controversy.

Alma Thomas' 1963 painting entitled Watusi (Hard Edge) looks remarkably similar to Henri Matisse's The Snail, painted ten years prior. Rotate The Snail [shown above right] 90 degrees counterlockwise, use a cooler color palette and - ta da! Watusi [shown above left] emerges.

Imitation is certainly nothing new in the art world, in fact, for centuries artists have perfected their craft by more or less copying the masters who came before. Similarly, musicians remix songs and filmmakers remake movies. In this case, the two works are so blatantly similar that it would be hard to argue Thomas was doing anything but paying homage to Matisse. Of course, that didn't stop certain conservative bloggers from flailing accusations, saying the Obamas were either ignorant as to the vagrant plagiarism, or excusing it because Expressionist painter Thomas was an African-American. But a simpler, more reasonable explanation came from Mrs. Obama's deputy press secretary, Semonti Stephens: “This piece just didn’t fit right in the room. There’s no other reason. It really has nothing to do with the work itself.”

Alma Thomas was the first African American woman to have a solo exhibit at the Whitney Museum. Her painting Sky Light (1973) continues to hang in the Obama family's private quarters.

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Read More - The Obamas Return a Painting | Time.com

[Photo: Left - Alma Thomas. Watusi (Hard Edge), 1963. | Right - Henri Matisse. The Snail, 1953.]

Right-Wing Flails Over Obamas' Return of Controversial Painting

Top ART News: Week in Review | Oct. 18 - 25, 2009

■ Conde Nast's #1: 21c Museum Hotel Offers Rooms and Art | More >

■ Nefertiti Remains in Berlin's Neues Museum, Despite Egyptian Demands | More >

■ Defining a Masterpiece at the Minneapolis Institute of Arts | More >

■ Stars Shine at Whitney Museum Gala Benefit for the Arts | More >

■ The Guggenheim Museum Celebrates 50 Years | More >

■ American Feminist Artist Nancy Spero (1926-2009) | More > 

■ Contemporary Art Rendez-Vous at the FIAC in Paris | More >

■ LAPD Chief Calls It a Cow Splat, But Is It Art? | More >

■ Green Day Rocks Fine Art | More >  

■ The Art of the Sun King Reigns in Versailles | More >

■ Emerging Artist Wins Big in Temple University Art Competition | More >   

Top ART News: Week in Review | Oct. 18 - 25, 2009

Emerging Artist Wins Big in Temple University Art Competition

PHILADELPHIA -- Doesn't this October seem to be the month of art competitions offering hefty cash rewards? First there was ArtPrize in Grand Rapids. And this week, the Tyler School of Art at Temple University in Pennsylvania, named a winner in the world's largest juried visual art prize granted by a university.

28-year-old painter/sculptor/filmmaker and Philadelphian, Ryan Trecartin, was awarded $150,000 cash in the first annual Wolgin International Competition in the Fine Arts. Trecartin won for his 50-minute video entitled Sibling Topics (Section A). "I'm completely honored. This is going to change my life and my practice," remarked Trecartin at Thursday night's award ceremony.

The Wolgin Competition was endowed by Philadelphia real estate investor, Jack Wolgin. 20 competitors were chosen by an advisory board seeking to find "an emerging artist whose work transcends traditional boundaries and exemplifies the highest level of artistic excellence."

Trecartin, however, doesn't exactly personify an "emerging" artist, having exhibited at the 2006 Whitney Biennial, the J. Paul Getty Museum (Los Angeles), Saatchi Gallery (London) and the Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum (New York). The other two finalists, Sanford Biggers and Michael Rakowitz, have similarly impressive curricula vitae. Perhaps contest organizers should redefine their criteria/mission statement before next year's competition.

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[Read More - Philadelphia Artist Takes First Wolgin Prize | Philadelphia Inquirer]

Emerging Artist Wins Big in Temple University Art Competition

LAPD Chief Calls It a Cow Splat, But Is It Art?

LOS ANGELES -- Artist Peter Shelton has called his mammoth bronze sculpture "sixbeaststwomonkeys" and "animaline," but Los Angeles police chief William Bratton has another name for it - "some kind of cow splat." The $500,000 sculpture (not yet formally named) is installed outside the back of LAPD headquarters. Though the artist set out to create a "playful and provocative" work, his art is provoking negative responses from some of the staff inside, including the outspoken chief Bratton.

"An unwanted thing just suddenly landed here. I just don't get that, and we are stuck with it," Bratton said in an interview. Some critics don't understand what the massive structure is supposed to represent, others question whether this was money wasted in a time of economic crisis.

Shelton, who has exhibited at prominent art institutions, including New York's Whitney Museum and the Museum of Modern Art, is pleased with his work. After 10 years working on public art projects he looks forward to going back into the studio.

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[Read more - Bratton, Artist at Odds Over Sculpture at LAPD HQ | San Francisco Examiner]

LAPD Chief Calls It a Cow Splat, But Is It Art?

American Feminist Artist Nancy Spero (1926-2009)

"I have come to the conclusion that the art world has to join us, women artists, not we join it. When women are in leadership roles and gain rewards and recognition, then perhaps 'we' (women and men) can all work together in art world actions." ~Nancy Spero

NEW YORK — Figurative artist Nancy Spero died of respiratory complications on Sunday. She was 83. Originally from Cleveland, Ohio, Spero and her husband of 53 years, painter Leon Golub, lived together in New York City until his death in 2004. The couple met while studying at the Art Institute of Chicago.

An active feminist, Spero's focus was primarily the representation of women from various cultures throughout history. Her works combine drawing, painting, collage and printmaking techniques to reflect her strong ideals. The artist has exhibited at prominent institutions such as New York's Whitney Museum and the Museum of Modern Art, and a retrospective of her work is scheduled at the Centre Pompidou in Paris next year.

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[Read more - Nancy Spero, Artist of Feminism, Is Dead at 83 - Obituary | New York Times]

American Feminist Artist Nancy Spero (1926-2009)

Stars Shine at Whitney Museum Gala Benefit for the Arts

The stars were shining on Monday night at the 2009 Whitney Museum Gala in New York. The annual museum event raises funds to support museum exhibitions and educational programming. Sponsored by Versace, the museum's black-tie benefit was attended by the likes of actresses Lindsey Lohan and Mischa Barton, actors Gerard Butler and Patrick Dempsey, designer Charlotte Ronson, singers Shakira and Jennifer Hudson, and the list goes on.

“I draw, but only cartoon figures, so I would never make it into a museum like this,” said singer Jennifer Hudson, whose special musical performance elicited a standing ovation from the crowd. Other celebrities also discussed their artistic abilities (or lack thereof). “I have ‘paint parties.' I put up blank canvases on the wall and everyone comes over and paints on them," Mischa Barton said. “I make sculpture, I used to paint fried eggs—I was in a phase,” added Shakira.

NEW YORK /Sfilate.com/-- In addition to sponsoring the Gala, Donatella Versace collaborated with the Whitney’s Education Department to create Art Unites, a global initiative aimed at providing needy children in the United States  and China with the incomparable spirit, creativity, inspiration and solace that visual arts bestow. The program, officially launched on July 1st, benefits the Starlight Children’s Foundation, an organization dedicated to brightening the lives of seriously ill children and their families in the US, and the Versace One Foundation (founded by Jet Li)  in China, an organization committed to the long-term recovery of the areas devastated by last year’s earthquakes in the Sichuan province, funding and operating two Versace One Foundation children’s centers with schooling, psychological therapy, and post  trauma counseling for over 1200, through creative visual arts, an essential form of relief.

As part of the Art Unites program Versace provided canvas and art supplies to 500 children from Starlight and 900 children from the Versace One Foundation to create original drawings using the theme of “friendship”.  Each child’s work of art has been fashioned into a one-of-a-kind Versace canvas tote bag which are being sold worldwide now at Versace boutiques and the Gilt Groupe, a member’s only ecommerce site.  The bags retail for about 200 euro, and 100% percent of the proceeds from the sale of the bags will be donated equally to Starlight and to the Versace One Foundation.

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[Read more - Versace Sponsors 2009 Gala | Sfilate.com]

Stars Shine at Whitney Museum Gala Benefit for the Arts