Author Archives: jolanta

The many faces of Cocteau Danielle O’Steen JeanCocteau (1889-1963), the multi-talented French poet, writer, critic, filmdirector, and artist, is also remembered as the ultimate Parisian socialiteconnected to the glamorous of early and mid-20th century Europe. ThePompidou Center of Paris is honoring this eclectic figure through January 5th with "Jean Cocteau, Spanning the Century", a retrospective […]

Dragan Ilic and the Five Hundred Pencils Nina Zivancevic and Leonard Abrams    Dragan Ilic’s recent exhibition of drawings is the radical controversial artist’s first solo show since 1985, and it presents a set of unique approaches to the very idea of draftmanship. One work is a large-scale, many-lined, abstract drawing, resembling a radical musical […]

Notes on Soho Richard Kostelanetz In my memoir SoHo: The Rise and Fall of anArtists’ Colony (Routledge), I conjectured that the South-Houston neighborhoodwould survive as an art-exhibition venue only if the artists remaining in SoHomade their own galleries, perhaps in their own lofts, much as they did beforethe professional gallerists invaded. The practical obstacle to […]

Big Themes for This Year’s Turner Sonia Rolak Fundamentalsubjects are in vogue in the contemporary arts; many artists worldwide areelaborating on and seem to be particularly fascinated with the most spectacularand final of them all: Death.   InLondon, for instance, four artists shortlisted for the yearly Turner Prize aretackling the "big" life subjects with a […]

Korean Hyper-Modernism in Moscow – Park Sung-Tae Selma Stern Spread over three floors at the Krokin Gallery in Moscow,Korean artist Park Sung-Tae’s latest installation reminds us of a high-techtower of Babylon or a modern version of Dante’s Inferno. The installationconsists of infants, grown-ups and animals made from aluminum grids. Thefigures are hung on walls, but […]

David Cotterrell’s Unlikely Endeavo NYARTS style=’font-size:8.0pt;font-family:Verdana’>The first book to chronicle thework of British artist David Cotterrell, The Impossible Projectstyle=’font-size:8.0pt;font-family:Verdana’> explores Cotterrell’s fascinationwith technology, politics and romance. Cotterrell’s work often pushes the parameters of art and scientific discovery:playing with an acknowledged tradition of eccentric invention, he customizesexisting technologies to assert new use-values. A practice divided between […]

Four Artists at the Williamsburg Art and Historical CenterJoel Simpson Having just closed an immense, exhilarating, exhausting show of "surrealist,fantastic and visionary art," that inspired almost as much denunciation asdelight (and that included costume ball, an over-the-top "fashionshow," and a film series), the Williamsburg Art and Historical Center isgiving itself a well-deserved breather. Its current […]

Breaking Wind Over Breaking News Aaron Zimmerman Mr."The Legendary" Joe Garden and Chad Nackers of TheOnion gave a hilarious presentation oN some of the mostpoignant political headlines the Onion has featuredin recent months. The Onion has agreat way of putting our nation’s leaders in stories thatreveal their petty, inane, and ludicrous personalitytraits. My favorite recent […]