ArtPourri

Anniversary Celebrated – New York City’s “Art in the Parks” program is celebrating 40 years of art with 40 art installations at parks throughout the five boroughs.  Exhibitions, most of which will be on display through December, are free and open to the public in this “outdoor gallery.”  Visit http://www.nycgovparks.org/sub_things_to_do/attractions/public_art/public_art.html for information and a map.

Painting Record Set – State University campus and local community members at New Paltz, NY, have helped the Student Art Alliance to create the world’s largest finger painting with mosaic-style tiles that total more than 20,000 square feet. This was also an exercise in environmental conservation, as both the materials used for the project and “remains” of the event were recycled.

Fellows Announced – The John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation has named 24 new MacArthur Fellows for 2007.  Among those recipients that will receive $500,000 in “no strings attached” support over the next five years are Whitfield Lovell, a painter/installation artist from New York, NY, and Joan Snyder, a painter from Brooklyn, NY.

Solo Debut Made – An image of 900-year-old Jedi Master Yoda has been dedicated as a sheet of 20 stamps by the USPS.  Yoda was voted favorite character from the Star Wars saga.  And the 400 mail collection boxes across the country that have been temporarily “dressed” as the beloved R2-D2 will soon be moved to busy military bases overseas.

Museum Expands – The Philadelphia Museum of Art has opened the newly renovated and expanded Ruth and Raymond G. Perelman Building, the first phase of a major plan to dramatically enhance and modernize the Museum.  Visitors can now experience the Museum’s collections in these new gallery spaces as well as enjoy state-of-the-art visitor amenities, study centers and educational resources.

Holiday Stamps Issued – This year the U.S. Postal Service will warm up the holidays with “Holiday Knits,” four stamps featuring classic winter-time imagery designed and machine knitted by renowned illustrator Nancy Stahl.  Included are a dignified stag, a snow-dappled evergreen tree, a perky snowman sporting a top hat and a whimsical teddy bear.

Exhibitions:

New York, NY – The Metropolitan Museum of Art – The Age of Rembrandt:  Dutch Paintings in The Metropolitan Museum of Art presents for the first time all of the Museum’s 228 Dutch paintings. Dating mostly from the 1600’s, the exhibit takes place in 12 galleries and is presented in approximate order of acquisition.  Through Jan. 6.

Hamilton, Bermuda – Bermuda National Gallery – Living with Art: Modern & Contemporary African-American Art from the Collection of Alitash Kebede includes a variety of 74 paintings, sculpture, works on paper and mixed media by 37 of the most important modern and contemporary African American artists including Romare Bearden, Jacob Lawrence, Lois Mailou Jones and Betye Saar, among others.  Through Jan. 3.

Philadelphia, PA – Philadelphia Museum of Art – Renoir Landscapes is the first exhibition to explore the importance of Renoir’s landscape painting, and this is the only U.S. venue.  Included are 61 works by this French Impressionist that demonstrate the deep sources of his inspiration in nature and his total immersion in plein-air effects of daylight. Through Jan. 6.

Copyright ARTtalk Vol. 18 No. 1 — November 2007