Cath Burke, deputy managing director of Little, Brown Book Group, has acquired world rights in Trees in Winter directly from printmaker Richard Shimell.
Trees in Winter goes to Little, Brown
Odia sand artist Manas Kumar Sahoo creates sculpture to spread awareness on World AIDS Day
Odisha: Internationally acclaimed Odia sand artist Manas Kumar Sahoo has created beautiful sand art on the Puri sea beach with the message of Let Communities Lead to mark World AIDS Day. A sand sculpture highlighting a red ribbon the universal symbol of global solidarity and shared responsibility in the fight against HIV. However World AIDS Day is observed on December 1 to fight against HIV and extend support for people to survive the disease. This day is observed to create awareness about the sexually transmitted disease which was observed in 1988 for the first time. The theme of this year is “Let Communities Lead” heres how communities especially those most affected by HIV have been demonstrating their resilience and upheaval to end HIV by 2030.
Keeping ancestry vibrant: IVDM features Indigenous artists at an art exhibition
OCOTILLO – From a deep reflection on Dia de los Muertos about her origins and background, Jessica Anguiano, who grew up in the Imperial Valley and had an Indigenous grandmother, wanted to dedicate time to honor her roots in her artwork.
Anguiano’s art piece to be placed at Imperial Valley Desert Museum, titled “In my Grandmother’s Skin,” emerged from the urge for ancestral connection and diving into her most profound origins.
The unique beauty of Indigenous art through its connection with nature, ancestral techniques and traditions will be reflected in the work of over 17 Indigenous artists from the Southern California and Northern Baja California area who will have their art displayed in a multidisciplinary art exhibition, which will feature Indigenous artists at the Imperial Valley Desert Museum in January 2024.
Although IVDM is an indigenous museum and its focus is to highlight and celebrate culture, IVDM Executive Director Kristin O’Lear said that what makes this exhibition unique is connecting with indigenous artists specifically and not just with the indigenous tribes, organizations and local reservations, which the museum has connected with in the past.
“While we do a really good job interpreting how ancient peoples of this region lived in antiquity, we don’t have as much as we should in terms of how they are continuing to live very vibrantly today and in modern times,” O’Lear said.
“As a way to bridge a small gap, it’s one step in the right direction to host the art exhibition and highlight how Indigenous artists and Indigenous peoples are currently moving to this space,” O’Lear said, “and how art aids them in that no matter what they see with their art, what they speak in their art, really highlights that the Indigenous peoples are still very much present and that they are vibrant.”
It’s an opportunity for Indigenous artists to showcase their traditional art pieces while rooting for ancestry techniques and adapting to modern audiences, O’Lear said.
“I’m always trying to touch my roots and trying to give meaning to my art,” Anguiano said of her pieces, which have deep ancestral meaning to her.
Matilde Pacheco Navejas, Anguiano’s grandmother and a native of Jalisco from the Sierra, was a “curandera” and a “partera” in the Mexican region. She passed away at the age of 86 when Anguiano was 6 years old.
Knowing that her grandmother was in touch with the healing process through natural medicine and techniques was essential for Anguiano’s artistic side, inspiring her to create an art piece totally dedicated to her grandmother.
“The little that she taught me got embedded in me,” Anguiano said, “so I try to base all my artwork on her.”
Anguiano also holds other Indigenous roots from her father’s side, who was of native Yaqui heritage, and was forced to hide it because of persecution. However, Anguiano has been a source of light to her family background through her artistic voice.
“I always felt I wasn’t part of something, like something was missing in my life,” Anguiano said. “Recently I started researching, talking to my dad and asking him questions about my origins. That’s what came up with my painting.”
Introducing the Imperial Valley to ongoing conversations about the Indigenous community in the Imperial Valley and surrounding areas while bringing a new sense and appreciation of where they live is one of the main takeaways the exhibition facilitators want the community to have, to “(bring awareness) of the space in which they move with having ties back to the tribal communities,” O’Lear said.
“We are acting only as a facilitator but the artists themselves are the ones raising awareness about issues they feel are important to them as part of this exhibition,” O’Lear said.
Art comes naturally for Olga Navarro, one of the Indigenous artists who will also have her art piece placed at the upcoming IVDM exhibition. Navarro has a rooted talent for artwork with “chaquira” – small plastic beads, traditionally from the “Cucapáh” Indigenous tribe which are used for handmade beadwork.
“It’s an Indigenous craftwork from many years ago from our ancestors,” Navarro said in Spanish about where her inspiration for her art came from. “This craftwork was previously made by sea shelves and then we developed to ‘chaquira,’” she said. “My parents taught me how to make these bracelets.”
Her art piece consists of three bracelets, each of which is embroidered with plastic beads braided to and by each of the bracelets. Each bracelet has a landscape related to her Indigenous tribe formed by the plastic beads.
“I want to promote the indigenous craftwork,” Navarro said. “I want people to get in touch with different frames, draws and ornamental pieces. I want people to spread our culture in the United States.”
Antonia Torres Gonzalez, Wendell Sakiestewa, Camaray Davalos, Thomas Ward, Gloria Crosthwaite, Yanet Salazar Carillo, Sandra Carmona, Stacy Garbani, Amy RedFeather, Angel Garcia, Josue Vasquez, Theresa Jackson, River Garza, Summer Herrera and Lanise Luna are other Indigenous artists that will showcase their work at the IVDM art exhibition.
“Being able to connect with the artistic community has been really exciting,” Ryan Pagett, the IVDM curatorial research fellow, said. “This is not going to be an exhibition but it’s hopefully going to be like a professional development opportunity for IVDM.”
“Even more importantly, for the artists themselves, it gives them the opportunity to get to show off their work to the surrounding community,” Pagett, who is originally from Georgia where there are any federally recognized tribes at the moment, said.
Celebrating Indigenous art and honoring their cultural heritage while making people connect with their pieces are some of the takeaways the participating artists want people to get from the exhibition.
“The best is the finishing touch,” Anguiano said, “and how it will reverberate on others and they will relate to it.”
Blavatnik Galleries review: how art is war’s ‘most truthful witness’
Since it was founded in 1917, London’s Imperial War Museum has quietly built up a vast collection of art created in response to conflict, said Simon Heffer in The Daily Telegraph. Its holdings include not only “some of the finest paintings of warfare in the nation’s possession”, but also hundreds of drawings, prints and sculptures, as well as some “12 million photographs, and 23,000 hours of film footage”. Where previously this “fine” trove of art and images was scattered throughout the museum, it now has a dedicated home courtesy of a purpose-built extension that at long last gives the public a chance to fully appreciate it. The new Blavatnik Art, Film and Photography Galleries contain all manner of materials, from wartime masterpieces by the likes of Eric Ravilious and Paul Nash to art created in response to recent conflicts in the Middle East, as well as ephemera including “propaganda posters”, “documentary footage of battle” and newsreel films. If there is one complaint about this “handsome” display, it is that it “could never hope to be big enough”.
In the context of today’s geopolitics, the new space feels “not just topical, but essential”, said Stuart Jeffries in The Guardian. The centrepiece of the gallery is John Singer Sargent’s epic “Gassed”, six metres wide, depicting “a procession of wounded men stumbling, blindfolded, towards a dressing station”. Other works range from the angry – Peter Kennard and Cat Phillipps’s 2007 photomontage of Tony Blair “holding his phone for a selfie against a background of burning oilfields” – to the reflective. Steve McQueen, appointed an official war artist in 2003, commemorated each of the 179 UK military personnel killed in Iraq with a postage stamp, juxtaposing images of the dead soldiers with “the silhouetted head of the Queen”. The stamps were deemed too controversial for Royal Mail to issue – almost, McQueen suggested, as if people were “ashamed” of the dead.
“There is enough engrossing material on display here to keep you sobbing for a week,” said Waldemar Januszczak in . Doris Zinkeisen, the first official artist to enter Bergen-Belsen concentration camp, for instance, depicted its inmates as “grotesquely skeletal and white, thrown out of the death huts like discarded rubbish”. More subtly, Walter Sickert’s “Tipperary” (1914) sees a woman at a piano in one of his trademark “gloomy” interiors: “the mournful notes counting the miles to Tipperary are as audible as a party next door”. Meanwhile, documentary material including letters, timelines and photographs “keep us grounded in the facts”. If the Imperial War Museum once felt like a “spooky” institution without a clear role, the new galleries grant it “gravitas and sincerity”. The Blavatnik Galleries have “achieved extreme pertinence”, and confirm art as “war’s most truthful witness”.
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Imperial War Museum, London SE1 (020-7416 5000, iwm.org.uk). Now open (free entry)
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Winter visual and performing arts forecast
At the end of each semester, students in various visual and performing arts classes, ensembles and groups present their work to the campus community. This is the Orient’s guide to every event. Dec.
Opportunity to Apply for Appointment to the Citizens Coinage Advisory Committee as the Member Specially Qualified in Medallic Arts or Sculpture
Opportunity to Apply for Appointment to the Citizens Coinage Advisory Committee as the Member Specially Qualified in Medallic Arts or Sculpture
Concert band celebrates Native American Heritage Month with the Burnurwurbskek Singers
On Sunday, November 18, Studzinski Recital Hall’s Kanbar Auditorium and Smith Union’s Morrell Lounge came alive with percussion, brass, woodwinds and singing from the fall performance of the Bowdoin College Concert Band, followed by Maine’s own Burnurwurbskek Singers. The program was organized by Director of the Bowdoin Concert Band John P. Morneau in celebration of Native American Heritage Month.
The event featured pieces centered around moments in Native American history and a performance including both traditional and contemporary Native American songs by the Burnurwurbskek Singers, a Wabanaki group. This performance celebrating Indigenous heritage had been a long time in the making, according to Morneau.
“For years I’ve been wanting to do a program with [and] about Native Americans, and I just hadn’t found the right way to do it,” Morneau said.
After working with music publishers to identify various Native American composers and pieces, Morneau contacted the Maine Arts Commission, who put him in contact with the Burnurwurbskek Singers.
“I contacted [the Singers] and their leader Ronnie Bear, who is the principal person in the group, was very receptive to doing this kind of program,” Morneau said.
Morneau’s intention was to ensure that the performance faithfully conveyed Native stories. He shared readings with the band, familiarizing them with the histories surrounding the pieces that they played. The concert featured elements like the use of stones as percussion and the recitation of a poem upon which one of the pieces was based—all part of Morneau’s goal to convey emotion to the audience.
“One of the things that we discussed quite a bit in rehearsals is how are you going to tell the story without speaking?… [Telling the story] through an instrument is kind of like trying to do it with your hands tied behind your back because you can’t say anything,” Morneau said. “You have to tell the story musically because there’s a difference between playing and just performing with passion. And if you don’t perform with passion, the audience knows.”
Clarinetist Brady Nichols ’24 said that Morneau’s commitment added to the rehearsal process.
“We spent a lot of time in the rehearsal process talking about how to respectfully do the concert and how to tell the stories,” Nichols said. “John was very adamant in getting us to read the stories behind [the pieces] because he always said, ‘you can’t tell a story if you don’t know the story.’”
After the band’s performance ended, audience members migrated en masse into Smith Union for the second part of the concert featuring the Burnurwurbskek Singers. The group is made up of Ron Bear, his sons Nick Bear and Cree Neptune Bear, and Nyle Sockbeson. Later in their program they were accompanied by dancers, including Ron Bear’s daughter, Selena Neptune Bear.
The Wabanaki artists performed both traditional and modern songs, inviting audience participation during many numbers. They welcomed audience questions between songs and emphasized their group’s educational mission. Audience members jumped in with various questions about their traditions, practices, instruments and history.
The Burnurwurbskek Singers sat around their central drum, which Ron Bear said was acquired in the 1970s. The members played rhythms with decorated “beaters” and sang songs ranging from ancient pieces honoring their veterans, to the American Indian Movement (AIM) intertribal song, a product of the 70s.
They ended their performance with a circle dance, inviting everyone in the crowd to participate. They taught participants the steps and danced together in a ring in Morrell Lounge.
Audience member Ben Weintraub ’26 enjoyed the two-part program and how they played off of each other.
“I feel like they were complementary. The Concert Band provided a more ensemble-based approach to storytelling. You have so many different instruments providing a lot of different harmonic and melodic elements, whereas with [The Burnurwurbskek Singers], it’s very focused on the drums and on the voice,” he said.
Attendee Jodee Ristich said the themes that both Morneau and Bear discussed resonated deeply with her.
“Performances like this one are really nice for the community because it teaches and is so powerful,” Ristich said. “Information like this is so important to share because it bridges between people, and right now in this country we are very much not bridged.”
Harmony in hues
The UAE has long been known for its rapid economic growth and impressive infrastructures. In recent years, the nation has set its sights on fostering sustainability across various sectors, including the art industry. The intersection of art and sustainability is a burgeoning concept gaining traction within the UAE’s vibrant cultural landscape. The local art sector is striving to embrace sustainability and is set firmly on its journey towards a more environmentally conscious and socially responsible future.
Embracing sustainable practices
The art sector in the UAE has historically been synonymous with opulence and grandeur, showcasing larger-than-life shows and architectural marvels. However, the paradigm is shifting as stakeholders recognise the need to integrate sustainable practices into the art ecosystem. Institutions, galleries, and artists are increasingly embracing eco-friendly approaches to their operations and creations.
Art Jameel, a major art institution in Dubai that partners with international players such as the Metropolitan Museum of Art and the Victoria and Albert Museum, is at the forefront of the movement.
“Culture plays a key role in communicating the complexities of the climate crisis to a broad audience and drawing them in as active participants that can then engage in sustainable practices. At Art Jameel, we’re engaged in new research, looking at how the arts can resist and adapt to climate change from the perspective of the Global South and harnessing the power of the arts to address the climate crisis,” says Antonia Carver, Director, Art Jameel.
“We’ve also been doing carbon footprint studies for a few years now and adapting our own practices and buildings, including Jameel Arts Centre, Dubai’s contemporary hub for arts and ideas, in Jaddaf Waterfront,” she says, adding, “I don’t believe the art market is so involved in environmental awareness, but the not-for-profit and museum sectors are becoming ever more invested and involved.”
Dubai-based Firetti Contemporary is one of the art galleries that has embraced eco-friendly practices as part of its ethos. “Sustainability in the art world transcends canvas and sculptures; it’s a commitment to reflecting and addressing the crucial issues of our time,” says Celine Azam, Gallery Director.
“Contemporary art, as the purest expression of our contemporary world’s feelings and situations, becomes a powerful vehicle for raising awareness on urgent matters like climate change. Artists, as societal mirrors, play a vital role in sensitising the public. The art market becomes a catalyst, amplifying their voices and fostering a collective responsibility towards a sustainable future. At Firetti Contemporary, we believe in the transformative power of art to inspire change and contribute to a more environmentally conscious society.”
Artists’ perspective
Apart from institutions and galleries, there are artists like Anja Bamberg who work mainly with recycled material as a matter of principle.
“Creativity and sustainability are closely linked in my art,” says Bamberg. “As an artist, I have the unique opportunity to use my creative skills to convey messages of sustainability and raise awareness of environmental and social issues. Furthermore, my art is sustainable in that I use eco-friendly materials and techniques. I do this by working mainly with recycled paper.”
She adds: “My favourite material is paper bags. Since there are restrictions on using plastic bags, they are now often replaced by paper bags. In my opinion, this doesn’t make much sense in principle because they are usually only used once before they end up in the trash. Many people are not even aware that a tree had to be felled for this. For more than a year, I have been using almost exclusively recycled paper for my art, mostly in the form of paper bags.
“I asked friends, neighbours, and artist friends to keep them for me, and I gathered a good pool of different colours and shapes of paper bags. My intention was, is and will be to explore the beauty of the water through the use of waste paper, expressing the spirit of sustainability while counteracting the throwaway culture entrenched in today’s society.”
Azam sees the art world channelling its energies towards creating awareness of the situation. “The relationship between creativity and sustainability is deeply intertwined in most of our art. Artists, as societal mirrors, possess a profound ability to articulate the concerns and pain of the society they inhabit. In the face of the significant impact of climate change, many artists within our gallery community are channelling their creativity to express profound concerns about the beauty of nature that we are unfortunately losing. It’s a powerful intersection where art becomes a poignant medium to raise awareness and evoke a sense of responsibility towards the environment.”
Challenges and solutions
Short-term events such as art fairs produce thousands of tonnes of carbon emissions and generate waste in the form of plastic wrapping, discarded crates, and temporary building materials, all for a few days of art marketing and sales. In light of these issues, how can the art market’s responsibility towards sustainability be fulfilled?
“Traditionally, the art market has faced ecological challenges, notably in shipping and packaging. The carbon footprint associated with transporting artworks globally and the waste generated from traditional packaging have been significant issues. The industry must actively adopt sustainable practices. Many in our community are increasingly embracing virtual experiences, reducing the need for physical transportation. We prioritise sustainable packaging approaches and promote recycling initiatives. To ensure a better future for our planet, the art market must continue to shift towards virtual engagement, invest in sustainable packaging alternatives, and advocate for responsible shipping practices,” Azam says.
Carver highlights an important initiative Art Jameel is helming. “We have teamed up with the British Council to launch a grants programme for artists and institutions in the Arab world, inviting artists to create projects that raise awareness and institutions to apply to purchase hardware to reduce their waste and carbon footprints. Grants worth a total of GBP 250,000 are available and the deadline for submission is January 15,” she says.
“Art Jameel has also teamed up with Dubai Culture on a scheme, Research and Practice Platform 2023-24, specifically to encourage UAE-based artists and creatives to address climate change in their work. This also includes grants and additional programmes, in association with Al Quoz Creative Zone. From a museum perspective, there is an increasing awareness of the environment and a sharing of ways that we can collectively address this, for example, through shipping by sea rather than air; through recreating works onsite rather than shipping; through reducing use of water and power,” Carver adds.
Art to the rescue?
It is said that it’s through art that we can envision potential alternatives for sustainability. But does the art world have the power to tackle climate change, and does it have the potential to take a leadership role in building a sustainable future?
Carver believes it can. She says: “At Art Jameel, we’ve staged several exhibitions over the years looking at ideas around the future of food and on water as a precious resource. These exhibitions included original research by artists, writers, and others on how we can address the climate crisis from the perspective of the Global South. Most often, the debate and standards around, for instance, temperature and humidity control in museums and art collections are set by the Global North – by powerful museums in Europe and America.
However, the vast majority of the world lives in different climates and circumstances; we’re discussing with colleagues across Asia how we can build realistic new ways of working that relate to our own environmental conditions and experiences and that help combat climate change. We’ve also recently launched a special fellowship, the first such in the world, inviting researchers to come work with us and our art collection to develop original thinking out of the Gulf on how caring for and displaying art could and should adapt for the age of climate crisis.”
Azam is on the same page. she says the art world possesses immense power to envision and inspire potential alternatives for sustainability.
“Artists, with their unique perspectives, can effectively communicate the urgency of addressing climate change. We firmly believe that the art world should play a leadership role in building a sustainable future. Through thought-provoking exhibitions and advocacy for sustainable practices, the art community can contribute to shaping a collective consciousness that fosters positive environmental action. Art has the potential to ignite change, and it is our responsibility to harness this power for the betterment of our planet.”
Institutional effort
Several initiatives and organisations are leading the way in steering the art and cultural sectors towards a sustainable future, says Azam.
“Some notable examples include Julie’s Bicycle, based in the UK, which works with the creative community to integrate sustainability into their work. They provide resources, tools, and certification programmes to help cultural organisations reduce their environmental impact. Likewise, the Green Art Lab Alliance brings together artists, curators, and institutions to explore and promote environmentally sustainable practices in the arts. So also Art to Acres, an initiative by artists and galleries that contribute a percentage of their sales to land conservation projects, linking art sales directly to environmental protection.”
Azam adds, “Locally, I can mention the National Bank of Fujairah’s support for artists focusing on sustainable art is commendable. Initiatives like these play a crucial role in fostering creativity while promoting environmental consciousness. It’s inspiring to see local organisations taking an active part in the intersection of art and sustainability, contributing to a more vibrant and responsible cultural landscape.
“These organisations are fostering sustainability in the art world through various means, such as promoting eco-friendly practices, raising awareness, supporting environmentally focused art projects, and encouraging responsible consumption within the cultural sector. Their efforts contribute to a more sustainable future for the arts and culture.”
Bamberg sounds a note of caution. ”I think the art world can undoubtedly have a significant impact on society, including the way we approach climate change. Art can help us make emotional connections and present complex issues such as sustainability and environmental awareness in a creative way. But, it is important to recognise that art alone cannot solve climate change. Tackling climate change requires a comprehensive commitment from governments, businesses, civil society, and individuals. However, the art world can certainly make a valuable contribution to raising awareness, promoting dialogue, and highlighting alternative paths to sustainability,” she says.
Neighbors: SHI launches contest for Celebration 2024 art design
Sealaska Heritage Institute (SHI) is holding a contest to solicit a design for next year’s Celebration, a biennial dance and culture festival that celebrates Tlingit, Haida and Tsimshian cultures.
SHI is seeking a Northwest Coast art design that depicts the theme: “Together We Live in Balance,” which incorporates two significant concepts.
“Southeast Alaska Natives have learned that social and spiritual ‘balance’ is essential to maintain a healthy society and our relationships to past and future generations,” said SHI President Rosita Worl. “We also recognize that this same concept of ‘balance’ applies to living in our environment and to maintaining balance among the animals and fish populations on which we depend.
“The reference to ‘together’ is an acknowledgement of the importance of unity among our peoples and communities to ensure that the strength of our society is maintained.”
SHI is requesting sketches of proposed Celebration art, as opposed to finished pieces. The process is similar to a request for proposals. The sketches must be clear enough that reviewers can understand and interpret the concept.
The winning artist will receive $1,000 and the design will appear on materials, including t-shirts and a program, associated with the event, which is one of the largest Native gatherings in the state, drawing thousands of people to Juneau every even year. SHI will also publish an article about the artist in the Celebration program.
The institute may also purchase additional entries for other uses, such as illustrating programs.
The deadline to apply is Jan. 12, 2024. Celebration 2024 is scheduled for June 5-8. The application link is https://sealaskaheritage.wufoo.com/forms/r4xzdsv1s2qz7w.
Caption: Dakhká Khwáan Dancers, who were named lead dance group for Celebration 2024. Photo by Nobu Koch, courtesy of Sealaska Heritage Institute. Note: Media outlets are permitted to publish this photo for coverage of this story.
Lecture: Seen and Unseen—Japan’s Postwar Women Printmakers | The Art Institute of Chicago
Jeannie Kenmotsu, curator of Asian Art at the Portland Art Museum, discusses the resurgence of printmaking in postwar Japan and the women artists who rose with it.
