Prairie Arts Center receives sculpture for outdoor garden

Apr 27, 2023 By Admin in Sculpture

A grant from Mid Nebraska Community Foundation offered the Prairie Arts Center a chance to purchase a new sculpture for its outdoor sculpture garden.

Rare Nighttime Photography of Very Large Array Featured in Exhibition at Warehouse 1-10

Apr 27, 2023 By Admin in Photography

A new exhibition series celebrating New Mexico’s dark skies will include rare nighttime photography of the National Science Foundation’s Karl G. Jansky Very Large Array (VLA) by astrophotographer Bettymaya Foott. Dark Sky Land Exhibition Series No. 1 / DARK – The Astronomers, which features images from 20 photographers and artifacts from the Astronomical Lyceum Collection, opens on May 6th at Warehouse 1-10 in Magdalena.

Foott was hired by the National Radio Astronomy Observatory (NRAO) in early 2022 to capture the VLA under dark, pristine skies through multiple seasons—a sight few people ever see, and even fewer are able to photograph. To protect visitors, staff, the site, and the science—which, while not directly impacted by light pollution, is negatively impacted by radio frequency interference from high-tech devices like digital cameras—the VLA has strict protocols regarding photography at all times, and it isn’t open to the public at night. Foott’s sanctioned shoots further required months of planning and coordination with the VLA’s engineers and operators. This makes the image series borne of the shoot extremely rare.

Combined with uncertain and rapidly changing weather, capturing professional photography of the VLA— and particularly under dark skies—can be more difficult than it might appear, as Foott learned first-hand when she caught a lightning storm rolling up behind the VLA on the Plains of San Agustin during an approved shoot last year.

“I was thrilled to work with NRAO to capture the VLA as it is rarely seen, with a pristine night sky above,” said Foott. “I was a bit sad when I saw the clouds rolling in after driving six hours to capture the stars, but was happily surprised when the lightning storm started. It was at a safe distance away from our location, so we were safe to click away and capture the magic of that moment.”

Foott’s photo is presented alongside the work of 19 additional astrophotographers who have captured the wonder of the night sky in New Mexico. Also the title of a night sky environmental movement in New Mexico, the Dark Sky Land exhibit celebrates the community’s effort to protect a 100-mile astronomical corridor— which starts on HWY 60 at Magdalena Ridge Observatory and passes through the VLA on its way westward under one of the darkest skies remaining in North America—from the effects of light pollution on astronomy, human health, wildlife, and the environment. Foott, who also serves as the Director of Engagement for the International Dark-Sky Association, engages in similar efforts globally on a daily basis.

“Local dark sky efforts are incredibly important to connect people with the magic of a light pollution-free sky,” said Foott. “We have seen that local efforts to protect the night are the most effective and powerful way to reduce light pollution and build local coalitions of dark sky advocates. We are so grateful for the efforts of the Dark Sky Land team to raise awareness about the benefits of dark sky conservation.”

Presented in collaboration with Magnetic Laboratorium, Dark Sky Land is co-curated by Catherine De Maria and Marisela La Grave, and runs through June 17th. The exhibit is open for viewing May 6 through 7 from 11am to 4pm, or by appointment at 575-517-0669. A full list of featured photographers and additional information is available on the Warehouse 1-10 website at https://www.warehouse110.com. For more information about the Dark Sky Land movement, visit https://darkskylandfilm.com/.

Foott’s full series of photos, shot in collaboration with NRAO and VLA staff, is being released throughout 2023 at https://public.nrao.edu and on NRAO’s social media.

The National Radio Astronomy Observatory is a major facility of the National Science Foundation, operated under cooperative agreement by Associated Universities, Inc.

Media Contact:

Amy C. Oliver
Public Information & News Manager
National Radio Astronomy Observatory
+1 434-242-9584
aoliver@nrao.edu

Hera’s Poetic Portraits of Childlike Scavengers Foster Therapeutic Interactions Between Artist and Self

Apr 27, 2023 By Admin in Art World News

“The Meek Shall Inherit the Earth,” acrylic paint, spray paint, charcoal on canvas, 39.4 x 39.4 inches. All images © Hera, courtesy of Corey Helford Gallery, shared with permission

German-Pakistani artist Jasmin Siddiqui, who works as Hera and was half of the street art duo known as Herakut, brings a new series of scavengers to Corey Helford Gallery this month in tHERApy room 2. The solo show extends a body of work Hera presented in 2021, similarly depicting a large-eyed young woman donning the heads of wildlife. Defined by the artist’s graffiti style with drips, splatters, and sweeping spray-painted marks, the portraits connect adolescent wonder, innocence, and naivety to the broader human condition. “Each note I write and share with the world is actually a message addressed to that inner child, the vulnerable part that needs that extra encouragement, that talk of hope, of magic, and a little bit of escapism,” she says.

Having first picked up a can of spray paint 23 years ago, Hera considers these works a reflection of her evolution as an artist and person, saying:

If you will, you could see each piece as a therapy session, where the therapist would be Hera wielding brush and spray paint, and the patient would be Jasmin, the woman underneath the animal metaphor hats and masks. Describing my artwork that way makes it seem as if I had never stopped working in a duo.

tHERApy room 2, which also contains the artist’s new superhero sculptures, is on view through May 27 in Los Angeles. You can find more on Instagram.

A large-eyed young woman looks at the viewer and wears an elephant headdress

“A Brain That Rarely Forgets Needs a Heart That Readily Forgives,” acrylic paint, spray paint, charcoal on canvas, 39.5 x 31.5 inches

A large-eyed young woman looks at the viewer and wears a crow headdress with rats climbing on her body

“There’s Great Kinship Among the Outcasts,” acrylic paint, spray paint, charcoal on canvas, 31.5 x 31.5 inches

A close up view of a large-eyed young woman who looks at the viewer and wears a deer headdress

Detail of “The Meek Shall Inherit the Earth,” acrylic paint, spray paint, charcoal on canvas, 39.4 x 39.4 inches

A large-eyed young woman looks at the viewer and wears a fox headdress, a book in her lap

“Reading Together Was Like Sharing an Imaginary Friend,” acrylic paint, spray paint, charcoal on canvas, 39.5 x 31.5 inches

Two images, on the left a painting of a woman wearing a deer headdress facing a man with a similar buck garment, who is cradling a raccoon baby. On the right is a woman facing the viewer wearing a green hat with several tiny deer on her head

Left: “Never Be King Just for Yourself,” acrylic paint, spray paint, charcoal on canvas, 47.2 x 31.5 inches. Right: “Thoughts Are Free,” acrylic paint, spray paint, charcoal on canvas, 63 x 47.25 inches

A large-eyed woman with wings balances on a pedestal facing two other creatures

“Year After Year Magic and Nature Conferred About the Uncertain Future of Humans and Always Ended Up Granting Them More Time,” acrylic paint, spray paint, charcoal on canvas, 39.25 x 39.25 inches

Do stories and artists like this matter to you? Become a Colossal Member today and support independent arts publishing for as little as $5 per month. The article Hera’s Poetic Portraits of Childlike Scavengers Foster Therapeutic Interactions Between Artist and Self appeared first on Colossal.

Photographer Takes a Person’s Portrait in all 50 States in a Single Day

Apr 27, 2023 By Admin in Photography

A person photographed in every state — Bre in Utah

A photographer has achieved the seemingly impossible task of photographing a person in all 50 American states in a single day.

British photographer Tim Dunk has never even set foot on American soil, let alone visited all 50 states in a day; so how did he do it?

“In a world-first, I remotely photographed one person in every U.S. state — in a single day,” he tells PetaPixel. “From the U.K., using the magic of the Shutter App.”

A portrait from every state — Jonathan in Alabama

Dunk tapped into technology that turns the subject’s smartphone into the photographer’s camera. Dunk used his computer in the U.K. to shoot photos on the sitter’s smartphone, instructing them how to pose and where to point the lens.

“Every participant was a friend of a friend or a friend of a friend of a friend,” Dunk explains.

“In a gloriously frantic 13-hour period, I connected with these people, spent three to 10 minutes with them, and recorded our connection with a photograph,” he says.

A portrait in every state — Abby in Texas

“As someone who’s never set foot on American soil, I’m completely in awe of the fact I was able to spend time with someone in every single state in a day, and I’m so very grateful to all the wonderful people who gave me a few minutes of their Sunday.”

Dunk’s photos are beautifully crafted utilizing light in creative and aesthetically-pleasing ways, the fact he wasn’t physically present makes it all the more impressive.

“I wish I’d had more time with each person and time to make notes on them all, but it was real seat-of-the-pants stuff just trying to get every state booked in while also remotely photographing 53 people,” he says.

“Special thanks have to go to Hannah in Maine who stepped in as zero-notice cover for the one person who wasn’t contactable at the time of their session,” he continues.

“Also Zachary in New Hampshire, which was the one place I just couldn’t seem to find anyone for, all through the day until 23:30, when he popped into my inbox agreeing to take part.”

Dunk says that it was a great exercise in demonstrating the power and possibilities of remote photography.

“What an absolute ride it all was,” he adds. “Not in a hurry to do anything similar again, the logistics side of things was more than a little stressful!”

Dunk is offering personal virtual sessions here. More of his work can be found on his website and Facebook.

Image credits: All photos by Tim Dunk.

Council’s ‘Madonna bra’ sculpture leaves locals baffled

Apr 27, 2023 By Admin in Sculpture

Farnham residents joked that the conical artwork also resembles a ‘Dalek scrapyard’ but the money could have been spent on potholes instead

Tom of Finland exhibit celebrates Nordic country’s gay icon

Apr 27, 2023 By Admin in Native

HELSINKI — A new exhibition showing the works of Touko Laaksonen, better known by his pseudonym Tom of Finland, adds a personal touch to the late Finnish artist whose homoerotic drawings of muscular men gained a following in the gay community from the 1950s.

“Tom of Finland — Bold Journey,” which opens Friday at the Museum of Contemporary Art Kiasma in Helsinki, features Laaksonen’s drawings, archive material, personal clothing items as well as memorabilia, letters, publications, magazines and films.

Laaksonen’s cheerful, sexually explicit works made an impact in the art world at a time when homosexuality was illegal or classified as a disease in countries around the world, including his native Finland. The Nordic country has since embraced the artist, who died in 1991, as a national icon.

“Tom is one of our national heroes who deserves to be seen as one of the most well-known Finnish artists of the 20th century,” said Kiasma museum director Leevi Haapala.

He said Tom of Finland had emerged as one of the country’s best known pop culture brands, along with the Moomins, the comic strip characters created by Finnish writer and illustrator Tove Jansson.

“His art has been liberating and empowering for countless gay men and sexual minorities for decades,” the museum said in a statement.

The chiseled male characters depicted by Laaksonen, including lumberjacks, bikers, sailors, soldiers and policemen, “exude vitality, joy and pride,” Kiasma said.

The retrospective of Laaksonen’s works is compiled by the Tom of Finland Foundation in Los Angeles and the Kiasma museum, which is part of the Finnish National Gallery. It is the largest exhibit of his works ever shown in his native country.

“There are sort of two different men; Touko had his own biography and Tom had his own biography, and they sort of paralleled,” said Durk Dehner, the president and co-founder of the Tom of Finland Foundation.

Haapala said Laaksonen’s works had directly influenced several well-known artists like Robert Mapplethorpe, Bruce Weber and David Hockney, and may have even inspired music acts like the Village People.

In Finland, his art is now embraced far beyond the gay community.

“In this polarized time, I think we need iconic figures like Tom to remind us of tolerance,” he said.

The exhibition runs through Oct. 29.

Tom of Finland exhibit celebrates Nordic country’s gay icon

Apr 27, 2023 By Admin in Native

HELSINKI (AP) — A new exhibition showing the works of Touko Laaksonen, better known by his pseudonym Tom of Finland, adds a personal touch to the late Finnish artist whose homoerotic drawings of muscular men gained a following in the gay community from the 1950s.