Wearing Paint Instead of Clothes on the Streets of New York

Jul 25, 2023 By Admin in Native

Across from a Pret a Manger near Union Square Park, Nicolette Barischoff held still as an artist painted an open blue eye across her sternum on Sunday. It was around 88 degrees and a crowd had assembled around them. But the temperature and the audience did not faze Ms. Barischoff. Nor did the fact that she was naked.

“It’s a very Zen experience,” she said, as photographers snapped pictures from behind police barricades. “This is my fishing.”

Ms. Barischoff, 38, a writer in Los Angeles, was among the 60 people who had paid $100 to become mostly nude human canvases for 40 artists during NYC Bodypainting Day, a public art exhibition that has been staged annually since 2014. This year’s installment was the 10th — and the last, according to the event’s founder, Andy Golub, an artist. He said he was ending it to focus on other projects for his organization, Human Connection Arts.

Nije Durdeen, 31, came from Philadelphia to model after learning she might not get another chance. “You get to be nude in public and not get arrested,” she said while standing near a table holding bottles of Gatorade in shades almost as vibrant as the turquoise-colored paint covering the right side of her body.

Ms. Durdeen has been a body-paint model for about seven years. Though she has done some gigs at artists’ studios, she said she preferred to be painted in public so she could observe a broader spectrum of reactions. Some passers-by at this year’s Bodypainting Day blushed and sped past as artists decorated people of all shapes and sizes. Others leered or snapped photos.

“Art is supposed to be subjective,” Ms. Durdeen said. “Some people may be offended. Some people, this might be right up their alley.”

Mr. Golub, 57, began using bodies as canvases in 2007 after another artist introduced him to a body-painting model. He said that he found skin to be a canvas like no other, in part because it belonged to living, breathing people whose personalities would often influence artists’ final design.

A hand uses a paint brush to apply paint to the face of a man, seen from the shoulders up, with colorful paint covering his upper body and entire bald head. — David Pumo, a lawyer in Brooklyn, at this year’s Bodypainting Day.Amir Hamja/The New York Times

In 2011, he was arrested and charged with violating public-exposure laws for painting a nude model in Times Square. The charges were later dropped. Not long after, he said, other artists began to ask him how to body paint in public. Bodypainting Day, he added, has always been staged in coordination with the city, and is a way for artists to practice without fear of police interference.

“The final product is cool, but it’s the entire process that I really wanted people to see,” Mr. Golub said.

The event, perhaps not surprisingly, has had its critics. David Pumo, who has modeled at multiple installments, said that when Bodypainting Day was held at a park in Brooklyn, in 2019, some people showed up in protest arguing that nude bodies should not be painted in an area with children.

Mr. Pumo, 62, a lawyer in Brooklyn, said he thought such complaints blurred the distinction between nudity and sexualization. “This is not a sexual event,” he said as an artist painted his bald head during this year’s festivities. As he spoke, another model with delicate white flowers painted on her limbs ate from a Sweetgreen takeout bowl.

Body art is probably among the oldest art forms, said Bella Volen, an artist and gallery owner who teaches body-art history as part of a training program led by the World Bodypainting Association. Temporary paint has been used to commemorate rituals and rites of passage by the Kayapó tribe in Brazil, by Aboriginal people in Australia, by several tribes in Africa and by Native Americans.

Throughout the 20th century, body painting became more commercial as some began to use it as an expression of freedom or provocation. In the 1960s, the artist Yves Klein instructed women coated in blue paint to press themselves against canvases in front of a live audience. Women with painted bodies began appearing in the pages of magazines, including Playboy, Sports Illustrated and Vanity Fair, which featured Demi Moore with a suit painted over her nude body on a 1992 cover.

Paints used at the event came in saturated shades that looked like the colors of Gatorade.Amir Hamja/The New York Times

People paid $100 to have their bodies painted.Amir Hamja/The New York Times

Mr. Golub, who was introduced to body painting in 2007, said he liked the practice because of the extended conversations it could prompt between artist and model.Amir Hamja/The New York Times

The practice’s many adaptations — and its commercialization — can easily veer into the territory of being appropriative, said Fred Myers, a professor of anthropology at New York University who specializes in Indigenous groups in Western Australia. “You’re taking something on yourself as a kind of play which for other people are very serious parts of their identity,” he said.

Alex Barendregt, the director of the World Bodypainting Association, which has been holding its own festival in Austria since 1998, said that some of its members had criticized Bodypainting Day for treating body painting more as a spectacle than an art form.

The event in Austria, the World Bodypainting Festival, is organized as a competition: Artists submit portfolios and compete to win prizes in different categories. Bodypainting Day typically has not chosen artists based on their work, instead basing the decision on the reasons artists give for wanting to participate. (The artists at Bodypainting Day, unlike the models, were not charged to attend.)

Mr. Golub said he had been told many times that his event was a publicity stunt. But Bodypainting Day has always been more about creating a communal, artistic environment than showcasing work of the highest quality, he added.

Veronika Eber, 18, a first-time participant at this year’s event, said she had never painted a body before. She attended Bodypainting Day to broaden her skill-set before beginning her studies in art at Carnegie Mellon University this fall.

Veronica Eber, a first-time participant at this year’s event, joined in as a way to broaden her skill-set before starting her studies in art at college this fall.Amir Hamja/The New York Times

Ms. Eber said she enjoyed the challenges posed by an unfamiliar canvas: “It’s so much harder because you have to keep in mind the curvature of the human body,” she said

She used a narrow brush to trace triangles across the torso of Catherine Stein, 70, a first-time model at this year’s event. “I thought I would be more inhibited,” said Ms. Stein, who lives in New York and works at an arts organization. “It’s such a body-positive experience.”

Once all the models’ bodies had been painted, the colorful group walked to Washington Square Park, passing diners at outdoor tables and people waiting outside of a veterinary clinic along the way.

Many of the event’s models showed off their painted bodies at a photo shoot in Washington Square Park.Amir Hamja/The New York Times

After posing for a group photo in front of a statue of George Washington on horseback, several models climbed onto the top level of a double-decker bus bound for Brooklyn, their body art slightly smeared by hugs and hours of wear.

Among them was Ms. Barischoff, who by then had a pair of hands painted around her midsection, along with the eye on her chest. She, like many models, had attended past installments of Bodypainting Day, and she said that one of her favorite parts of the event was surprising people in a city where many think they’ve seen it all.

“That it’s the last one is still kind of shattering,” she said. “I love being somebody’s ‘only in New York’ moment.”

7 acts to see at the 2023 Newport Folk Festival

Jul 25, 2023 By Admin in Native

Three words, music lovers: Newport Folk Festival. It’s go time, baby. From Bob Dylan going electric in 1965 to Joni Mitchell’s triumphant resurrection in 2022 and countless moments in between, no music fest consistently delivers historic and/or magical moments like the fest by the sea. With dozens of artists on multiple stages over three days, it can feel overwhelming. So if you’re one of the lucky ones to have tickets to the sold-out Fort Adams event July 28-30, fear not: I’m here to help. Here are seven artists you can’t miss.

Know that Newport bills their schedule as “rolling” and notes it’s “subject to change.” For example, Massachusetts native Jonathan Richman just dropped out, so take note if you eyed that; meanwhile, M. Ward is a recent add-on, as of July 22. Another tip: You can now download a Newport Folk app for iPhone and Android, which will help you be certain to catch these acts.

Goose

What Phish is to Vermont, Goose is to Connecticut: homegrown cow-funk. The quintet’s star isn’t just rising — it’s skyrocketing, here to fill the Dead & Co.-shaped hole in your heart. The jam-groove band played Newport last year, but has matured so much since then, I have a feeling they’ll set the stage on fire. Goose (not to be confused with Brooklyn’s Geese) quietly hatched circa 2014 at the Berklee College of Music. It spread its wings around 2019 with a stellar set at the Georgia Peach Festival, and is suddenly soaring. Raw natural talent tightened into a well oiled, jam machine. Know that the crowd’s not booing, they’re chanting “Goooose,” similar to those “Bruuuuuce” chants at a Springsteen show.

Rick Mitarotonda, Peter Anspach, Trevor Weekz, Ben Atkind and Jeff Arevalo have solid originals, but it’s their ear for unexpected covers that ooze a Phish playfulness: Paul Simon’s “Me and Julio Down by the Schoolyard,” Spoon’s “Inside Out,” The Moody Blues’ “Nights in White Satin,” David Gray’s “Please Forgive Me.” I’m hoping they break out Fatboy Slim’s “Praise You.” Fire. July 29

The Harlem Gospel Travelers

If you watch HBO’s “The Righteous Gemstones” and gape in awe at the mastery of their soundtrack, The Harlem Gospel Travelers are the band for you. Note to executive producer Jody Hill: You need to use “God’s in Control,” “Keep On Praying” and “Oh Yes He Will” next season. Religion doesn’t matter when it comes to good gospel — you feel this music in your bones and soul. Get ready to jump, dance and sway those arms in the air. July 30

Billy Strings

Incendiary. The skater kid and flatpicking supernova is the new face of bluegrass. Equally adept at psychedelic space jamming, or channeling Doc Watson or Bill Monroe, equally at home jamming with Grateful Dead alum Bob Weir or Bill Kreutzmann, or covering Ralph Stanley. The Grammy winner’s guitar picking is second to none, but it’s his voice that slays me. It feels lifted from a 1930s bluegrass band. Pure “O Brother, Where Art Thou?” vibes. The 30-year-old hailed as a “Bluegrass icon” by NPR, he’s a tattooed jam-grass prodigy who will have you dancing, hollering and clapping like you’re at an old-school barn-burner. I could listen all day. July 30

Peter One

This is One’s Act 2.

The 67-year-old native of Côte d’Ivoire just released his solo debut album “Come Back To Me,” marking his triumphant return to music. He now makes his Newport Folk debut some 30 years after becoming a star in his home country. Listen to “Birds Go Die Out of Sight,” “Staring Into the Blues” or “Cherie Vico” for solid examples of his unique bilingual blend of Afropop/French chanson and American folk/blues.

Born Pierre-Evrard Tra, One grew up with a love for American folk, like Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young and Simon & Garfunkel, according to his website. He eventually played for stadium-sized crowds. With Jess Sah Bi, he released “The Garden Needs Its Flowers,” in 1985. The duo sang in French, English and Gouro touring Togo, Benin, Liberia and Burkina Faso. They played for presidents and first ladies; their “African Chant” was used by the BBC to soundtrack Nelson Mandela’s release from prison in 1990, according to his website. In the mid-’90s, due to an “uncertain political situation in Côte d’Ivoire,” One emigrated to the U.S., eventually landed in Nashville, and for years worked as a nurse. Then, in 2018, “Our Garden Needs Its Flowers” was rereleased, earning major buzz. He rocked SXSW and the Grand Ole Opry. July 28

Maggie Rogers

Rogers crushed Newport in 2019 — I especially loved her cover of John Prine’s “Angel From Montgomery” — and I can’t wait to see her back at Fort Adams. This being her first Newport since festival legend Prine died in 2020, I’m hoping for more Prine covers. Her own material, of course, is stellar. She might have the crowd dancing with songs like “Want Want” off her 2022 album “Surrender,” for example, or swaying in dream-haze with ethereal vocals on softer songs, like “Light On” or “Back in my Body.” Tip: if you’ve never seen her jump onstage with Dead & Co. for a rollicking “Friend of the Devil” and goosebump-inducing cover of The Band’s “The Weight,” watch now. I had to hit replay about four times. This is the kind of magic that Newport does so well — those spontaneous duets, singalongs and collaborations. I’m hoping she surprises us at Newport. July 28

Jason Isbell

Aside from being a fun Twitter follow, Isbell is a consistent fest standout. The four-time Grammy winner and five-time Grammy nominee is, of course, known for rocking with his band, The 400 Unit. But his Newport duets with unexpected artists always blow my mind — from rocking “Ohio” with the late great David Crosby and “Wooden Ships” with Croz and Amanda Shires (Isbell’s wife), to joining Lukas Nelson, Jonathan Wilson and Warren Haynes for powerful covers of Crosby, Stills & Nash’s “Find the Cost of Freedom” and Bob Dylan’s “Masters of War.”

Fun fact: he’ll play Bill Smith in Martin Scorsese’s upcoming star-studded adaptation of journalist David Grann’s bestseller “Killers of the Flower Moon,” and of course stars as himself in the new HBO documentary “Running With Our Eyes Closed.” Oh, right. He’s also one helluva songwriter. NPR called his 2023 album, “Weathervanes,” “a masterclass in character study and storytelling.” July 29

Tommy Prine

Prine’s a hidden gem on the festival’s website, not listed on the main schedule page, so I want to highlight him here. The son of the late legend and Newport Folk favorite John Prine, Tommy is Newport royalty. He made a stunning fest debut in 2021 — before his first album was even out. He’s since married his childhood sweetheart Savannah, and a few weeks ago, released a stellar debut album with “This Far South.” He’s got his own distinct sound and voice, but with his dad’s sensibilities to the bone. Must-listen: “Reach the Sun.” His camp tells me he’ll play the Foundation Stage. July 30

And a few more:

Welp, I said I’d give you seven, and I’ll keep my word, but if I could round out a dozen…

Jon Batiste: A Newport Jazz and Folk Fest fave, “The Late Show with Stephen Colbert” bandleader always puts on one heck of set. July 29
Lana Del Rey: A major pop name, there will be Lana fans who go to the fest just for her. July 30
Black Opry Revue: What started as a website is also a touring movement. Founded by Holly G in 2021, according to BlackOpry.com: “Country and roots music have been made and loved by Black people since their conception. For just as long, we have been overlooked and disregarded in the genre. Black Opry is changing that.” When they hit the road, they’re called Black Opry Revue. Listen to an NPR interview here. July 30
My Morning Jacket: Led by Newport regular Jim James who never disappoints. July 28
John Oates: Yes, that Oates, sans Hall, with Guthrie Trapp. July 29

Winning artists honored at ASC exhibition reception

Jul 25, 2023 By Admin in Native

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Vincent Marie’s mixed-media piece “I’m Tired” won Best in Show and “Hold On, Let Go” by Lisa Krannichfeld won first place in the “2023 Irene Rosenzweig Biennial Juried Exhibition.”

The awards were announced during the opening reception at the Arts & Science Center for Southeast Arkansas (ASC) on July 20, according to a news release.

Juror Rachel Trusty, visiting assistant professor at Bucknell University and an Arkansas native, presented the six awards:

Best In Show ($1,000) — “I’m Tired” by Vincent Marie of Breaux Bridge, Louisiana; mixed media, oil on canvas, mylar, and repurposed clothes; 36 inches by 48 inches; 2022.

“Marie uses layers of fabric to make public a series of private moments in the daily life of a transgender or a nonbinary person,” Trusty said in the release. “The artist puts these quiet moments under deeper scrutiny, reminiscent of the current political zeitgeist of hyper surveillance. Soft, flowing layers of fabric pieced together offer an allegory of the handcrafting of a body in process, putting the power to reflect and the power to build back into the hands of the artist/maker.”

First Place ($500) — “Hold On, Let Go” by Lisa Krannichfeld of Little Rock; ink, watercolor, concrete, acrylic, and resin, on multilayered shaped panels; 32 inches by 34 inches by 3 inches; 2023.

“‘Hold On, Let Go’ is a mixed-media piece about tension — tension between materials, shadows, and figures. Strong, monochrome concrete hands hold back the form of a colorful toddler in motion,” Trusty said. “The foreground bleeds together with background, demonstrating that the child and parent are still one – if just for this moment.”

Second Place ($200) — “Norepinephrine” by Jason Bly of Wichita Falls, Texas; oil on panel, 14 inches by 11 inches; 2021.

“Bly’s trompe-l’oeil shadow box painting ‘Norepinephrine’ mixes classical referents, including a Greek sculpture with atomic-bomb preparation materials from the ’50s to address current anxieties,” Trusty said. “A painted, hyper-realistic string connects each section, suggesting these tense feelings will continue from the past, far into the future.”

Merit Award ($100) — “Cowboy in Solitude” by Paige Ellens of Memphis, Tenn.; acrylic on canvas, 70 inches by 36 inches, 2023.

“Ellens’s bold work, ‘Cowboy in Solitude,’ reads at first like a pop art futuristic landscape,” Trusty said. “Upon further scrutiny, a tiny vignette of a lonesome cowboy in the center offers a meditation on isolation or perhaps chosen solitude.”

Merit Award ($100) — “Onyx” by Kelsey Duncan of Nashville, Tenn.; stoneware, slip, underglaze, glaze, metal, and luster; 18 inches by 16 inches by 10 inches; 2020.

“‘Onyx’ by Kelsey Duncan offers a pensive, bold bust,” Trusty said. “The pattern of reflective droplet shapes on the head, the metallic earrings, and the dark fabric neckpiece contrast the highly textured skin of the piece, making the skin palpably warm. The face, concerned but steadfast, meditates with eyes closed.”

Merit Award ($100) — “Memory Dance” by Jennifer Barnett of Little Rock; photograph, 11 inches by 14 inches; 2022.

“‘Memory Dance’ by Jennifer Barnett is a study of positive and negative space, foreground and background, focus and blur,” Trusty said. “This unconventional landscape seems to include an everyday house in an everyday yard, but the colors and composition create a deeply nostalgic mood of a memory captured on film.”

The Rosenzweig exhibition exhibition is supported in part by the Arts & Science Center Endowment Fund and the Irene Rosenzweig Endowment Fund. The reception was sponsored by the Pine Bluff Art League and M.K. Distributors.

The biennial exhibition began with a gift from the Irene Rosenzweig Foundation in 1992. Born in Pine Bluff in 1903, Rosenzweig was a noted scholar and teacher. She earned a doctoral degree from Bryn Mawr College, studied in Rome, and was fluent in six languages. Rosenzweig tutored President Franklin D. Roosevelt’s family members during their time in the White House. She died in 1997.

The exhibition is on view in the William H. Kennedy Jr. Gallery at ASC’s home building, 701 S. Main St., through Oct. 14. Admission to ASC’s galleries is free.

For more information about the exhibition and to see more of the artwork in this year’s show, visit asc701.org/rosenzweig.

Lisa Krannichfeld (left) and Jennifer Barnett (right), both of Little Rock, were among the artists honored at a reception July 20 for the “2023 Irene Rosenzweig Biennial Juried Exhibition” at the Arts & Science Center for Southeast Arkansas. Juror Rachel Trusty (second from left) announced the awards. ASCs Curator of Collections and Exhibitions Kevin Haynie (third from left) was also on hand to give remarks. (Special to The Commercial/Arts & Science Center for Southeast Arkansas)

Centennial art exhibit reveals the true colors of tourism in a snapshot

Jul 25, 2023 By Admin in Native

In a black and white photo, a Native Hawaiian woman placed a long strand of lei onto a visitor. A group of women lay on the grass crafting dozens of lei in another picture. Aloha Tower stands prominently in the background.

A photo of Native Hawaiian women handing out lei to visitors is one of many photographs taken by Kate Kelly.

The woman behind the camera was Kate Kelly. She and her husband, John, were longtime artists in Hawaiʻi documenting Native Hawaiian culture through art.

Cha Smith, a manager of the John and Kate Kelly Estate Collection, said the photographs were taken at a critical time, exemplifying the impacts of the tourism industry in the 1930s.

“Part of this story is the fact that Hawaiian people were forced into this industry because they had lost so much land,” Smith said.

“This was a bittersweet thing because it was gorgeous they were doing all of this work, but at the time, they were having to sell to tourists, who were here to visit and don’t have any idea what was going on with these families who were forced to sell lei for a living,” Smith continued.

The photographs are never-before-seen images taken by Kate Kelly. They will be displayed as part of a larger exhibit celebrating the 100th anniversary of art created by John and Kate Kelly.

The Kelly’s were artists from San Francisco, California who moved to Hawaiʻi in 1923. John died in 1962 and Kate in 1964.

Cha Smith is the manager of the John and Kate Kelly Estate Collection.

John Kelly was an etcher and graphic artist who worked at the San Francisco Examiner and then the Star-Bulletin. Kate Kelly was a sculptor and a photographer.

Smith said when John quit his job at the newspaper to pursue his art, Kate had to provide for the family. She created and sold bronze sculptures molded into surfers, people fishing and lei makers.

Meanwhile, she would also arrange gallery showings at her Kahala home and secured two exhibits in New York, according to Smith.

She even entered John’s etching in the national Printmaking Association competitions in California and the Midwest — winning nearly every entry.

“As a family, they were trying to keep their act together and feed the family,” Smith said. “Her focus was trying to generate income.”

Smith said Kate would find artists who go to hotels and famous people to invite to the house in order to showcase her and her husband’s art.

The Kelly’s lived on an outcrop of lava, an expanded fishing village. Their two-story shingle home overlooked the ocean.

It’s the same home Smith lives in with her partner, Colleen, who is a relative of the Kelly’s, along with their 4-year-old dog Pixie.

Smith's dog Pixie sits by the art of John and Kate Kelly. — Smith’s dog Pixie sits by the art of John and Kate Kelly.

Smith found envelopes of Kate’s photographs along with other artwork by John.

“She had an amazing eye,” Smith said.

Smith said she’s working on digitizing the artwork to preserve them for future generations.

The last exhibit was in 2021 with a focus on hula. But the upcoming exhibit has a broader theme, displaying over 40 images and sculptures.

“It really focuses on premiere — art that has not been seen before,” Smith said. “There’s an oil painting that has never been seen, two watercolors that are brand new to the world and all of Kate’s photos.”

The exhibit will be open to the public at the Downtown Art Center from Aug.1 – 13. The opening reception will be held on Aug. 4 from 5:30 p.m. to 8 p.m.

Click here for more information.

Strategies for tackling the world’s largest Indian Market

Jul 24, 2023 By Admin in Native

Newcomers (and even veterans) at the Santa Fe Indian Market can easily be overwhelmed by the hundreds of booths choking the plaza and surrounding streets with a staggering (and exhausting) array of Native American traditional and contemporary arts.

This year’s market features almost 1,000 artists from more than 200 American Indian tribes and nations displaying their work in 706 booths (up 56 this year, thanks to additional space at Cathedral Park.) Jurors will select winning works in 10 general categories (basketry, pottery, jewelry, for example), each with tens of sub-categories and sub-sub categories.

At a market this size, there is truly something for everyone.

Local artist brightens up Helena: Painting the Centennial Trail tunnel

Jul 24, 2023 By Admin in Native

Words of encouragement and praise echo throughout the Centennial Trail tunnel as Elise Perpignano paints a story of Helena on its walls.

While painting the north side, a child shouted, “It’s so pretty, you’re so pretty,” while passing through the tunnel with her day camp.

Elise Perpignano paints a mural on the walls of the Centennial Trail tunnel.

BRIDGET PACK, Independent Record

In May, the Helena City Commission and Helena Public Art Committee hired Perpignano, a local artist, to paint a new mural inside a Centennial Trail tunnel. Hers was selected from 13 submissions, and officials approved spending $15,000 from HPAC’s fiscal year 2023 capital expense budget to fund the project.

She stated in the letter her source of inspiration for the design is Winold Reiss, a portrait artist who worked for the Great Northern Railroad in the early- to mid-1900s.

“My mural design takes the viewer on a journey. It features a collage of Helena Railroad history, historical architecture, Blackfeet patterns, local flora and fauna, and ephemera,” she wrote.

Perpignano says the mural project helps foster community spirit, as she receives frequent visitors.

“Most people just want to be a part of it and offer to help,” Perpignano said.

Elise Perpignano paints Montana’s state bird on the wall of the Centennial Trail tunnel.

BRIDGET PACK, Independent Record

Ron Schumacher is one of those people.

“The mural definitely enhances the city’s appearance. And it’s going to be here for a long time. I recall when they did a similar one downtown,” Schumacher said. “That must have been around 40 years ago. I’m amazed that it’s still standing.”

He regularly walks through the tunnel, frequently visits Perpignano, and offers to help where possible. He volunteered to apply an anti-graffiti coating to the south side of the tunnel in preparation for her upcoming work there next week.

Schumacher said that when he read about Perpignano’s project in the newspaper, he felt compelled to help. Although he may not possess artistic skills, he can help with primer without overthinking it.

The north side of the tunnel showcases Helena’s historical buildings, the iconic Old Great Northern depot, Native history, the state bird, a bison, and a mountain goat. The design is intertwined with flora and fauna throughout.

“The mural takes you on a journey through time, encompassing the town,” Perpignano said.

The Old Great Northern Depot painted under the tunnel.

BRIDGET PACK, Independent Record

During the research process for the mural, Perpignano stumbled upon some historical advertisements at the library that became the source of inspiration for the theme and design while incorporating the railroad into it.

Perpignano highlighted the importance of Native representation in the mural. She admired the contribution made by Eddie Barbeau, an Ojibway tribe elder known for his efforts to unite the Native community.

Perpignano replicated a tipi on the northside that Barbeau designed during a past festival in Helena. According to Anne D. Grant of the Blackfoot tribe, the bottom represents earth mother, and the top represents the night sky, ‘above-beings’. With in the teepee are white circles that represent puffballs called dusty or smoking stars.

Both sides of the tunnel will come together as the train enters a circular tunnel on the north end, leading the train out to the south side.

The northside of the Centennial Trail tunnel where the train will enter a ‘tunnel’ to exit the southside of the tunnel.

BRIDGET PACK, Independent Record

The south side will depict the Broadwater Natatorium; according to Lifestyles Montana, the Broadwater Hotel and Natatorium stood as a symbol of Helena’s wealth and Montana’s progressiveness. Perpignano said Charles Broadwater was also an advocate for the passenger trains, inspiring her for the design.

As Perpignano proceeds with the south side, she plans to involve teenagers associated with the Holter Museum in painting bigger areas. Her mother, Lisa Perpignano, is one of her helpers who assists in filling in any unpainted spots.

“It’s been fun, she is so artistic, and I’m so excited for her,” Lisa said. “This mural will be here forever, so that’s pretty cool.”

Elise Perpignano paints a bison on the walls of the Centennial Trail tunnel.

BRIDGET PACK, Independent Record

Perpignano’s biggest fan is her partner, Ryan Merkley, a Helena florist. While he is there for moral support, he often helps when he can, taping sections and working on the background elements. Merkley also assisted with putting the bid together.

“I love seeing my partner’s artistic vision come to life for everyone to see, as I’ve seen every day at home,” Merkley said.

Elise Perpignano paints a mural in the Centennial Trail tunnel.

BRIDGET PACK, Independent Record

Perpignano said she has been painting ever since she could hold a paintbrush. She moved to the Flathead area after completing her bachelor of fine arts in graphic design and studio art. She said she lived as a ‘ski bum’ and spent most of her time backpacking.

Elise Perpignano paints a mural on the tunnel wall.

BRIDGET PACK, Independent Record

Her goal was to visit glaciers as much as possible, backpacking all over. While exploring Glacier, Perpignano was inspired to start an ongoing project. She handed out disposable cameras to park visitors and asked them to be mailed back to her, with the goal of creating a photo book.

“I wanted to capture the park through diverse eyes,” Perpignano said.

Perpignano plans to revisit that project, as she plans to involve the Blackfeet tribe. For now, Perpignano divides her time between working at Blackfoot Brewery and painting the mural.

A friend told Perpignano, “You are adding color to a town that needed it.”

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From Pioneering Women Artists in Greenwich Village to Preservation Battles and More: New Programs for August 2023

Jul 24, 2023 By Admin in Native

Did you know that Village Preservation members receive advance notice of our public programs? Our tours and other programs sometimes offer limited seating or spaces. By becoming a member of Village Preservation, you can take advantage of that advanced notice and register before the general public. Find out how to become a member here.

For videos, details, and other media from our past programs, click here.

On This Spot NYC: Stories of Pioneering Women Artists in Greenwich Village

Thursday, August 10, 2023
6:00pm
Zoom Webinar

Pre-Registration is Required.
Free

Did you know that only 11% of all major museum art acquisitions in the last decade were works by women artists?

On This Spot NYC is a nonprofit digital mapping project that aims to tell the stories of a diverse group of women artists through short-form documentary videos. It explores the places where they lived and worked, their favorite spots to eat and drink, their dreams and laughter, and the places where they danced and found inspiration and community to create their art. Through these videos, On This Spot NYC shines a light on the numerous boundary-breaking women artists, both known and unknown, who have been at the forefront of the New York art scene.

The project covers various decades, starting from the 1950s and extending to the end of the 20th century. It has begun in the West Village and East Village, and will be expanding to SoHo, the Lower East Side, Chelsea, TriBeCa, Midtown, Upper East Side, Upper West Side, and Harlem.

On This Spot NYC aims to play a pivotal role in addressing the gender imbalance in our museums, galleries, and textbooks. Its objective is to inspire a new generation of women artists. Learn more about this amazing new project and the light it shines on trailblazing women of our neighborhoods and beyond.

This program will consist of a screening of On This Spot NYC short-form videos and conversation from the Co-creator and Executive Director Loretta Howard. She’ll explore the origins and future of the project and the extraordinary role Greenwich Village women played in advancing 20th century art.

The 2nd Birthplace Tour (Hip-Hop at 50 Tour)

Friday, August 11, 2023
Afternoon Tour – 3:00pm – 5:00pm
Evening Tour – 6:00pm – 8:00pm

Outdoor Walking Tour
Pre-Registration is Required. Spaces are limited.
Free

Meeting Place: Washington Square Park

Did you know that the first place in NYC where all four Hip Hop elements were presented together for the first time outside of the Bronx was at a club/concert hall in the East Village?

Did you know that rappers like Mos Def and Biggie got their start at an open mic show in the West Village?

The 2nd Birthplace Tour (Hip-Hop at 50 Tour) is a two-hour walking tour (10 stops) that honors the artists and entrepreneurs, and explores spaces and sites in the Village that were pivotal in introducing Hip-Hop cultural elements (B-Boying, DJ-ing, Graffiti, Fashion and Emceeing) to the world. During a pivotal 20 year period in Hip-Hop history (1979-1999), nightlife venues, art galleries, walls and parks throughout the Village functioned as a secondary incubator and stage for B-Boys, Graffiti artists, Emcees, DJs and designers creating what we now call Hip-Hop Culture. It’s part of a year-long celebration of the 50th anniversary of the birth of hip-hop, which began in The Bronx, but which grew and developed substantially in our neighborhoods.

Leading the tour is Tara Crichlow, aka “big tara,” a native of the Lower East Side. As a pioneering B-girl, MC, cultural ambassador, performer, and curator, she is dedicated to accurately representing New York’s underground music and dance culture. She has been featured in books such as Vibe Hip Hop Divas, We Bgirlz, Girls Got Kicks and God Save the Queens.

Wrecking Ball: A Conversation with Adrian Untermyer About How Government Has Shaped New York’s Defining Preservation Battles, with Village Preservation Executive Director Andrew Berman

Wednesday, August 16
6:00pm
In-Person
Pre-registration required
Free

Location: Jefferson Market Library

Preservation battles are fought in all sorts of places — the streets, corporate boardrooms, and the court of public opinion. Sometimes they are fought in the actual courts, as well as in the halls of government, and those legal battles have profoundly shaped how preservation works and has taken root in New York City and State. The intersection between historic preservation, the law, and the great City and State of New York is an often misunderstood and rarely discussed space, but it has a bigger impact upon what is preserved as historic and what is destroyed as expendable than perhaps any other factor.

Attorney, urbanist, and historian Adrian Untermyer aims to lift that veil, and reveal the inner workings of the three branches of government and how they have shaped and affected the preservation movement — its successes and the challenges it still faces — in our city and state. He’s launched a new podcast called “Wrecking Ball” in association with the Historical Society of the New York Courts to do just that, in which he brings in legal and preservation scholars to discuss some of these defining preservation battles, such as those to save Castle Clinton, Penn Station, and Washington Square Park. It’s only appropriate that this conversation, with Village Preservation Executive Director Andrew Berman, take place at Jefferson Market Library — subject of one of the great preservation battles of the 20th century, and itself formerly a New York Courthouse. Come hear more about these battles, about the new podcast Illuminating them, and about Adrian’s fascinating ongoing work.

Native New Yorkers Walking Tour with Evan Pritchard

Thursday, August 17, 2023
5:00pm – 7:00pm
Outdoor Walking Tour

Pre-Registration is Required.
Sold out. Waitlist only.
Free

The meeting place will be shared one week before the event.

One might assume that New York’s streets are as old as Dutch settlement, but many of the thoroughfares we use today actually began long before that. Early Dutch and English immigrants adopted many pathways that were originally carved by truly native New Yorkers, and these routes were incorporated into the more formal city plan as development spread across the island. On this extended tour, Evan Pritchard, author of Native New Yorkers: The Legacy of the Algonquin People of New York, will take you on a journey through the history of New York’s streets from west to east. Starting in the Meatpacking District, you’ll traverse the island through Greenwich Village before ending at the St. Mark’s in-the-Bowery graveyard in the East Village where Peter Stuyvesant is interred. Along the way, you’ll see the streets and plazas through Native American eyes and explore how New York’s indigenous history influences our modern streetscapes and public spaces. Drawing upon archaeology, linguistics, and oral and written histories, this walk will link the legacy of the Lenape with Abraham Lincoln, modern luxury, and more.

This tour is free. Please select the $20 option to purchase a signed copy of Evan Pritchard’s book, Native New Yorkers: The Legacy of the Algonquin People of New York.

Book Talk: Swimming to Jerusalem with Author Seth Borenstein

Tuesday, August 22, 2023
In-Person
6:00pm

Pre-registration required
Free
Location: Hudson Park Library

Swimming to Jerusalem is a new novel by Seth Borenstein, inspired in part by his many years living in the West Village, which he’ll discuss along with other inspirations for and stories behind his new literary outing. The novel follows Bram beginning in 1980, when he was the coolest, most confident, and self-assured guy in the world – or so he thought. After his discharge from the Israel Defense Forces and finding himself in Paris three years later he is anything but. Aimless and disillusioned, he has no idea what comes next. Busking on the Boulevard Saint-Germain he meets Liz. Following her back to New York, he moves into her apartment on Grove Street.

Thirty-two years later the “next” has happened. Despite any grand plan, Bram’s life took its course. Liz did have a grand plan – and he goes along for the ride. Alternating between past and present, Swimming to Jerusalem is the story of that journey. This includes the family he never imagined, a career he fell into, and memories that are like rogue waves, strong and unexpected.

Everything can change in a heartbeat. But the past never does. We know that memory should be a reference, not a residence – though sometimes that just isn’t possible.

Kirkus Reviews called Swimming to Jerusalem, “A great novel of New York in the Trump era and a tender look at the way the progression of time makes immigrants of us all.”

About the author:

Seth Bornstein has written plays, short stories, and essays. Swimming to Jerusalem is his first novel. Born in Brooklyn, New York, he attended Parsons School of Design and has had a career in urban economic development with positions in the public, private, and academic sectors. He is an avid though very slow swimmer and has participated in winter swimming competitions around the globe. A consummate city guy, he prides himself on never needing a GPS and can usually find a parking space anywhere. He resides in New York City with his wife, Diane Loughran.

Chickasaw Nation, FAM awarded grant to develop education resource

Jul 24, 2023 By Admin in Native

Jay Pharoah announces foundation supporting Chesapeake art students

Jul 24, 2023 By Admin in Native

The Pharoah Phamily Phoundation is aiming to narrow the gap between arts and STEM education to help creatives get equal academic footing and opportunities.

CHESAPEAKE, Va. — After 10 years of supporting local art students, comedian and Chesapeake native Jay Pharoah and his family are announcing the launch of their latest mission: the Pharoah Phamily Phoundation.

The “phoundation” plans to narrow the gap between arts and STEM education to ensure art-focused students have equal academic footing and opportunities.

The Saturday Night Live alum started the Jay Pharoah Fine Arts Scholarship 10 years ago. It awarded graduating Indian River High School seniors pursuing careers in the arts.

Pharoah himself graduated from Indian River High School. He has given scholarships to graduating seniors since 2014.

In a news release, Pharoah’s mom said he credits IRHS’ drama department for “helping him find his ‘place’ and further developing his love for the stage.”

The family wants to expand the scholarship to all Chesapeake high schools, and eventually produce arts camps and opportunities throughout the year.

According to the release, Pharoah believes supporting creative students earlier in life with programs to “enhance their artistic genius” will help their confidence and level the psychological playing field with their STEM counterparts.

The annual scholarship and establishment of programs and training camps prompted the start of the Pharoah Phamily Phoundation.

The family is celebrating the launch and achievements on Aug. 5 at Luce Secondo. From 11 a.m. until 2 p.m., attendees will enjoy a meal with Pharoah and hear from past scholarship winners. Singer Jon Bibbs is expected to perform at the event, too. Tickets are available on the organization’s website.

The organization is looking for others to partner with to lift up young creatives across Hampton Roads. People looking to help out can donate or get involved through different sponsorship levels.

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What I Buy and Why: Croatian Collector Neda Young Supports Women Artists and Buys Artworks in the Back Rooms of Galleries

Jul 24, 2023 By Admin in Native

Almost exactly 50 years ago, while still a teenager, Neda Young left Croatia for the United States. She quickly found success in business (marketing), started several companies, and raised three children—who’ve given the proud matriarch eight grandchildren.

Through it all, Young has not lost sight of her native Croatia. When it was engulfed in conflict during the Yugoslav Wars of the 1990s, Young established relief efforts for Croatians in need. She also donated funds to help ensure children’s hospitals were sufficiently stocked, and she personally provided for the restoration of historical monuments like Trogir Cathedral, St. Duje Church, and the ancient Roman site of Diocletian’s Palace.

Then, a funny thing happened. As her children went off to college, Young herself decided to go back to school in art history. “[It] sparked my love of art collecting,” she told Artnet News. She focuses on women artists, starting with her first purchase, a canvas by the American painter Joan Snyder. Nowadays her collection includes Agnes Martin, Cecily Brown, Nan Goldin, Cindy Sherman, Shirin Neshat, Barbara Kruger, Kara Walker, Elizabeth Peyton, Tracey Emin, and Ghada Amer.

Currently, Young is on the advisory board, acquisitions committee, or international council of several museums, ranging from MoMA in New York to institutions in Paris, Los Angeles, and of course Croatia. She often loans out her pieces, most recently lending works to Southampton Arts Center for “Change Agents: Women Collectors Shaping the Art World,” an exhibition of 60 works by 59 artists from the collection of 14 women (on view through September 30). The aim of the show is to give voice to the pioneering women shaping the discourse around contemporary art.

We caught up with Neda Young—who splits her time between Croatia and Sag Harbor in the Hamptons—on what goes into her collection.

Joan Snyder, Then and Now (1974). Courtesy of Neda Young.

What was your first purchase?

My first purchase was an abstract painting by Joan Snyder titled Then and Now (1974). I acquired it fairly soon after she painted it, so in the early 1970s.

A work by Stanley Whitney. Courtesy of Neda Young.

What was your most recent purchase?

My most recent purchases are by Pacita Abad, a Filipino artist; work by Maysha Mohamedi, an artist based in California; and February James’s work.

A work by Pacita Abad. Courtesy of Neda Young.

Tell us about a favorite work in your collection.

I have often said my art is like my children; so it is impossible to pick a favorite one. Every piece is meaningful because it brings back memories of that point in time in my life. I purchase art impulsively and the memory always sticks with me.

A work by Alex Katz (left). Courtesy of Neda Young.

Which works or artists are you hoping to add to your collection this year?

I do not keep a running list of artists to acquire, since I tend to purchase based on impulse and emotion. In my fifty years of collecting, I have never come into a gallery or fair with a set purchase in mind. Many of my artist friends do not even believe I am a collector!

The Privilege of Placement (2017).” width=”744″ height=”1000″ srcset=”https://www.mecreates.com/story/news/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/neda-Toyin-Ojih-Odutola-The-Privilege-of-Placement-2017.jpg 744w, https://news.artnet.com/app/news-upload/2023/07/neda-Toyin-Ojih-Odutola-The-Privilege-of-Placement-2017-223×300.jpg 223w, https://news.artnet.com/app/news-upload/2023/07/neda-Toyin-Ojih-Odutola-The-Privilege-of-Placement-2017-37×50.jpg 37w” sizes=”(max-width: 744px) 100vw, 744px”>

Toyin Ojih Odutola, The Privilege of Placement (2017).

What is the most valuable work of art that you own?

I detest mentioning art and monetary value together. My collection means so much more to me than its monetary value.

Where do you buy art most frequently?

I find myself buying art in the back rooms of galleries before exhibitions open. Usually I spend time with the works and create an emotional connection.

Untitled (2008).” width=”1024″ height=”701″ srcset=”https://www.mecreates.com/story/news/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/neda-kerry-james-marshall-1024×701.jpg 1024w, https://news.artnet.com/app/news-upload/2023/07/neda-kerry-james-marshall-300×205.jpg 300w, https://news.artnet.com/app/news-upload/2023/07/neda-kerry-james-marshall-50×34.jpg 50w, https://news.artnet.com/app/news-upload/2023/07/neda-kerry-james-marshall.jpg 1250w” sizes=”(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px”>

Kerry James Marshall,Untitled (2008).

Is there a work you regret purchasing?

There is absolutely not a work of art I regret purchasing.

What work do you have hanging above your sofa? What about in your bathroom?

My very first purchase, the above-mentioned Joan Snyder painting, still hangs above the sofa in my office, and Francesco Clemente watercolors in one of my bathrooms. They work well there somehow!

A work by Francesco Clemente. Courtesy of Neda Young.

What is the most impractical work of art you own?

My most impractical purchase was a necklace sculpture of a woman’s breasts made out of glass by Jean-Michel Othoniel. I loved it, but it was incredibly heavy and very difficult to hang in my home!

What work do you wish you had bought when you had the chance?

I do not feel like I have missed out on any purchases.

Untitled #576 (2016). ” width=”870″ height=”1024″ srcset=”https://www.mecreates.com/story/news/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/neda-cindy-sherman-870×1024.jpg 870w, https://news.artnet.com/app/news-upload/2023/07/neda-cindy-sherman-255×300.jpg 255w, https://news.artnet.com/app/news-upload/2023/07/neda-cindy-sherman-42×50.jpg 42w, https://news.artnet.com/app/news-upload/2023/07/neda-cindy-sherman.jpg 940w” sizes=”(max-width: 870px) 100vw, 870px”>

Cindy Sherman, Untitled #576 (2016).

If you could steal one work of art without getting caught, what would it be?

I love this question and have thought about it for a long time. You know what comes to mind? Edvard Munch’s The Scream (1893). There is something about that painting that I could just look at all day. We all scream! It is so universal. It’s not just something visual with that painting, it’s something more than that. I remember raising my children and sometimes just feeling like I needed to scream. We all feel that way sometimes!

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