Latest news with #artexhibition
The Guardian
5 hours ago
- Entertainment
- The Guardian
‘A reflection of who she was': major Diane Arbus exhibition hits New York
Constellation, the enormous new show of photographer Diane Arbus's life work, aims to present the artist as no one has seen her before. Embracing randomness, this exhibition of a full set of 454 master prints from Arbus's only authorized printmaker, Neil Selkirk, tries its best to give audiences a completely unstructured presentation of the photos. 'I wanted to make sure that it was as mixed up as possible,' the show's curator, Matthieu Humery, told me. 'I didn't want to make any specific connections between images. I tried to keep out any kind of narratives so that visitors create their own narratives. There is this magic madness.' Constellation grew out of a 2011 acquisition made by the Luma Foundation of Arbus's prints, many of them unpublished and rarely viewed. With prices for individual Arbus prints ranging into the six figures, it was a blockbuster, and expensive, deal – such an acquisition demanded a bold show. While mulling the potential exhibition, Humery's thoughts went to the Met's major 2005 Arbus retrospective, Revelation, and he recognized that he didn't want to work the same ground. 'The question was how to present this group of images without doing a classic retrospective, since it had already happened,' he said. 'I thought it would be great to show everything at once. I was in the New York subway, looking at the map of the subway, and I saw that grid and thought, 'Maybe we could have this sort of grid and present all the images that way.'' The result of Humery's inspiration is a remarkable, scaffolding-like series of structures that allows him to hang the hundreds of photographs while removing any walls from the exhibition space. Audiences at once become both viewers of the art and voyeurs of each another – it is impossible to see the exhibition without also making observations of fellow show-goers. Seeing any sizable body of work in this way can be overwhelming, and even more so with Arbus. Her portraits seek out the ways in which humanity can be perplexing, illegible or even incongruous to our notions of human experience. Viewing an Arbus photo can evoke genuine feelings of dislocation and distress, at the same time also bringing forth empathy and connection. The opportunity to experience this without traditional handholds, such as chronology, context or interpretation, is to be doubly thrown into a body of work that has not lost its capacity to haunt our psyches, even after half a century. For his own part, Humery found it challenging to let go of all the typical accoutrements that would come along with a major show of a world-class photographer. His solution was to immerse himself within the photographs to incarnate his vision. 'It was kind of difficult in the beginning, just to have something in my mind, and to translate that into reality,' he said. 'I really wanted to do it myself and to experiment with the display myself, so it took me like two weeks. I was locked in there for two weeks.' If there is a concession to order that Humery made, it is in Arbus's portrait of artistic mentor and lifelong love interest Marvin Israel. The photo – a rather somber, full-body shot of Israel in a sweater and slacks, hands in pockets, looking lonely in the distance – is given pride of place, situated above all other shots. 'The way I placed him, he's the highest figure in the show, dominating everything,' Humery said. 'He was the one really who pushed Arbus a lot to give her the strength to do the pictures the way she wanted to do it. He was also the one who initiated the retrospective at the Moma when she died.' Humery's other concession to order was to create a 'secret room' within the show to exhibit Arbus's so-called box of 10. A project that Arbus worked on in the last years of her life, the box of 10 collects some of her most enduring photos – including her shot of identical twins made in Roselle, New Jersey, and a young man wearing curlers, shot in his home in New York City – into a plexiglass container, originally priced at $1,000. The box of 10 was a transformational piece, helping confer on Arbus the honor of being the first photographer to be featured in the influential art magazine Artforum, and it has come to be seen as part of a larger turning point when photography was at last taken seriously as art. Arbus only completed eight out of a projected run of 50 boxes, selling just four before her death – among the purchasers were photographer Richard Avedon and artist Jasper Johns. 'It's kind of like a secret room within Constellation,' Humery said. 'The box of 10 was really something very unique at the time, the idea of Arbus looking back at her own work and making a selection of 10 photographs to put into this plexiglass box. That's when things turn for her, because of this box of 10. All of these images together, they're so strong together, so that's the only moment in the show when I didn't want to spread it out.' During the show's run in in Arles, France, Constellation attracted the attention of German film-maker Wim Wenders, who was bemused at how the format let him take in people's reactions to Arbus's photos. 'Wim Wenders looked at the show, and he said, 'You know what's very beautiful is to see people looking at pictures,'' Humery said. 'Most of the time in a museum show you see people from behind, but in this case you see people from every angle, and it's kind of beautiful to see people looking at the pictures. Wenders said that he would love to come back and take pictures of people looking at the pictures.' Humery sees his show, the most comprehensive exhibition of Arbus's photographs that has ever been staged, as both a tribute to Arbus herself and a way to better understand one of the medium's greatest practitioners. 'I wanted to create a show that was at her level, that's a reflection of who she was,' he said. 'For me, all these portraits together comprise the portrait of Diane Arbus. It's like her looking at herself in a mirror. It's like a way to make a portrait of her that you discover for yourself.' Diane Arbus: Constellation is on show at the Park Avenue Armory in New York from 5 June to 17 August
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Frida Kahlo photo exhibit brings rare personal images to Hagerstown
The Washington County Museum of Fine Arts is set to host a major exhibition featuring personal photographs of Mexican artist Frida Kahlo. The exhibition, titled "Frida Kahlo: Picturing an Icon," will run from June 14 to Oct. 5, according to a community announcement. It will showcase 115 images from a collection of 450 photographs and objects acquired in 2003 by Vicente Wolf, a Cuban-born interior designer based in New York City. Wolf is believed to own the largest known collection of personal and family photographs of Kahlo in private hands. "My intention was to focus on the most iconic and emotionally resonant images — those that best capture Frida's presence, her aura and the complexity of her personal life," Wolf said in the announcement. "I was especially drawn to those that offered an intimate glimpse into her world, particularly those taken by Diego (her husband, Mexican artist Diego Rivera), which feel charged with both affection and insight. My goal was to create a portrait of Frida that goes beyond the myth — to reveal the woman, the artist and the vulnerability behind the legend." The museum has created a specially designed space for the exhibition, using a color palette taken from a photograph of Kahlo for Vogue Magazine, according to Executive Director Sarah J. Hall. All interpretive materials for the exhibition will be presented in both Spanish and English, and the museum has planned complementary activities, including Latin classical music performances, diary-making workshops and summer camps. "We want our visitors to be inspired by Frida's spirit by tapping into lived experience to make art," Hall said in the announcement. Wolf said that he hopes visitors will gain a deeper understanding of Kahlo through the exhibition. "It's one thing to see her art; it's another to see the life that fueled it," he said in the announcement. The exhibition is organized by Vicente Wolf Associates from Wolf's collection. Major funding has been provided by Nora and Bruce Wilder and the Visit Hagerstown & Washington County Convention & Visitors Bureau. The Washington County Museum of Fine Arts is open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesday through Sunday and is closed on Mondays and major holidays. Admission and parking are free. For more information, go to or call 301-739-5727. This story was created by Janis Reeser, jreeser@ with the assistance of Artificial Intelligence (AI). Journalists were involved in every step of the information gathering, review, editing and publishing process. Learn more at or share your thoughts at with our News Automation and AI team. The Herald-Mail is growing its local news: Send your news to us This article originally appeared on The Herald-Mail: Frida Kahlo exhibition coming to Hagerstown museum
Japan Times
4 days ago
- Entertainment
- Japan Times
'Godzilla The Art Exhibition' reimagines film icon as monstrous muse for modern art
Even if you've never seen one of the 30-plus films starring Japan's most iconic kaijū, you can probably hum a few bars of Akira Ifukube's theme or recognize the beast's signature roar. In Japan, Godzilla has been a near-constant presence since its debut in 1954 with its eponymous film, and multiple generations of filmmakers have used the monster to reflect on issues from nuclear warfare and pollution to natural disasters. "Godzilla 70th Anniversary 'Godzilla The Art Exhibition,'" currently on display at The Mori Arts Center Gallery through June 29, takes Godzilla beyond the world of filmmaking and asks leading modern artists to interpret the beast from their own point of view. "Godzilla is now 70 years old, and 2025 marks 80 years since the end of World War II," says exhibition curator Qiuyu Jin. "We wanted to use the giant icon known as Godzilla to create a new kind of dialogue in a form outside of cinema." On display are pieces by nine artists putting their spin on Godzilla through a range of media, including collage, sculpture, video and diorama. The artists, who include Tadanori Yokoo, Miran Fukuda and O Jun, span a range of generations, from those born before Godzilla's debut to those in their 30s for whom Godzilla is a fact of life. "Having a wide age range was very important," Jin says. "Each generation has its own unique relationship with Godzilla, and by putting those different interpretations together, the hope was that something interesting would occur." The artists were given no specific direction other than to use their preferred media to share their own take on Godzilla. Some pieces, like Yokoo's vivid collage, feature head-on depictions of the monster, while others, like Kikuji Kawada's series of street photographs, leave only a vague, unnerving impression of its presence. Qiuyu Jin says prioritizing "the pure experience of visitors in encountering art" was key to curating "Godzilla The Art Exhibition." | Matt Schley / TM & © TOHO CO., LTD. "I was really surprised by what some of the artists came up with," says Jin. One of the most unexpected pieces is a massive wooden sculpture by Motohiko Odani depicting a humanoid Godzilla facing off against a tiny soldier, suggesting conflict not between monsters and humanity but between humans themselves, according to the artist. Meanwhile, Natsumi Aoyagi and Tomoko Sato, both born in 1990, use their generation's preferred medium, video, to create faux news reports about Godzilla's impending arrival. The exhibition also features several pieces previously featured in a series of "Godzilla The Art" installations at Gallery X by Parco in Shibuya. Included are playful takes on the monster, like Ryuichi Ohira's "Godzilla Hammer," a massive hammer with Godzilla as its head, and "Frenemy" by Stickymonger, which depicts Godzilla casually taking a break with other actors on set between takes. The exhibition is tied together by set design featuring collapsed walls and protruding wires, making it feel as if Godzilla has stomped through the space. This atmospheric element, produced by the creative team Cekai — as well as intricate dioramas by Stockholm-based modeler TokyoBuild and special effects company Toho Eizo Bijutsu — provide an almost theme park-like feel more reminiscent of past Godzilla-centric events than the modern art on display. At times the exhibition, with its various outlooks, can feel discordant. But as a collection of thoughts and feelings about a fictional creature whose reach spans multiple generations, that's sort of the point. One key for Jin as a curator was not to present Godzilla's history chronologically, but to prioritize "the pure experience of visitors in encountering art." Considering the huge critical and financial success of the most recent "Godzilla" films, one imagines Japan's iconic kaijū will keep stomping well beyond its seventh decade and inspire even more artists to think about what it means to them. "This exhibition itself is temporary, but there's something timeless about Godzilla," says Jin. 'Godzilla 70th Anniversary 'Godzilla The Art Exhibition'" is on display at The Mori Arts Center Gallery in Tokyo through June 29. For more information, visit
Arab News
5 days ago
- Lifestyle
- Arab News
Balad Al-Fann brings Saudi art to life
JEDDAH: The second edition of the Balad Al-Fann art program has opened in Jeddah Historic District and runs until June 15. The initiative this time presents a captivating series of art exhibitions, held under the theme 'Our Storied Walls,' which celebrate memory, culture and place. It boasts a renewed focus on local narratives with each exhibition looking at the tangible and human heritage of the city. Held at Nassif Boutique, the exhibition is a tribute to the late artist Hisham Binjabi, a foundational figure in Saudi Arabia's modern art movement. Curated by Ayman Yossri Daydban, a former student of Binjabi, the exhibition blends art and memories through archival materials, selected artworks, personal possessions and rare voice recordings. Arab News spoke to Daydban, who is one of the most prominent contemporary artists in Saudi Arabia, with his works featuring in major museums and biennials. He said: 'This is a personal exhibition. My journey with Hisham Binjabi began over 35 years ago when he discovered my work, admired it, and encouraged me. 'For a whole year his name echoed in my mind, until I held my first solo exhibition in 1991. It was his encouragement and appreciation of my boldness — he said I thought outside the box — that pushed me forward. I found myself naturally drawn to contemporary art.' Daydban's art is conceptual, and rooted in ideas and meaning. Binjabi, on the other hand, remained faithful to classical and realist styles. Daydban said: 'For years we observed each other's work from afar, and every time we met I felt like a student reuniting with his mentor. 'But Hisham was more than an artist — he was a social figure, a cultural activist who managed and promoted art within the community, bringing art into social and human contexts. 'His greatest influence was not just in his paintings, but in his presence, personality, and wisdom.' The exhibition does not merely display Binjabi's artworks — it narrates his life story through them. His wife played a part by telling their story through her lens and, for the first time, her works are featured in a dedicated section alongside audio recordings of her and their daughters, reflecting on their lives together as a creative family. An audio room on the upper floor features testimonials from contemporary artists who were his students or peers, and more recordings are added daily. The exhibition unfolds across three levels: a deeply emotional audiovisual experience, a debut showcase of his wife's personal works, and a collective sonic space for shared memory and reflection. Daydban added: 'Hisham was, above all, a socially engaged artist, and this exhibit is aimed primarily at the community of Al-Balad, where he lived and left his mark.' The program also honors the late Safeya Binzagr, one of the first female visual artists in the Kingdom. Curated by Effat Fadag, the exhibition weaves together the visual and literary in a journey filled with nostalgia, history and cultural memory. The exhibition presents rare paintings, handwritten letters, and personal belongings that reflect Binzagr's unique lens on Hejazi life. Her deeply human portrayals of women, homes, attire and rituals offer not only artistic beauty but also historic insight. Titled 'Revealing What Was Hidden,' the exhibition shows how Binzagr used her art to bring the past to life. Her work helps keep Saudi culture and history alive. The event honors her role as an artist and historian, and Fadag said: 'I asked myself: What can I say that hasn't already been said? I wanted to highlight aspects of her journey that aren't widely known.' Binzagr was the first woman to publicly showcase her family and community life, giving a voice to the private lives of Saudi women — a society that was largely hidden at the time. Fadag said: 'I tried to reflect this (voice) through the layout of the exhibition, using the historic Nassif House, starting from the main building to the external annex, with three symbolic doors that narrate her story.' This journey begins with Binzagr's birth and upbringing, moves through her education, the exhibitions she held, and finally her artistic projects on Saudi traditional attire, which are featured on the second floor. Fadag said: 'In the clothing room you see very personal images — she even modeled for her work so she could better understand and express the exact details she wanted to paint. She knew exactly how to translate her vision.' The final section focuses on giving back to the community, and how Binzagr impacted learning, the broader culture and society at large. The initiative also puts the spotlight on a curated selection of winning works from a national photography competition, while Balad Al-Fann also hosts a competition showcasing traditional calligraphy, ceramics, ornamentation, and engraving.
BBC News
24-05-2025
- Entertainment
- BBC News
Sculpture trail opens deep below ground in Forest of Dean caves
The works of more than 50 sculptors are being featured in a trail 100ft (30m) beneath the ground in caves this to the Cave – The Full Spectrum, opened at Clearwell Caves in the Forest of Dean in Gloucestershire on 23 modern and contemporary artworks, including pieces by Damien Hirst and Lynn Chadwick, are dotted along the 1800ft-long (500m) paint pigment has been mined from the natural cave system near Coleford for at least 5,000 years – providing inspiration to organisers to use it as a space for art. As visitors get deeper into the caves, the colours in the exhibition become more Reid from Stroud, a glass artist, created a bright red hoop that glows in the dark."I was so chuffed to see it but I'm pleased with the colour and the form in this setting, so that you can look through the piece and the cave goes on behind," he said. Rungwe Kingdon, a co-creator of the exhibition, said putting the art in the caves created "childlike wonder"."However well-known the art is, it makes it very accessible in the sense that it makes it into an adventure," he said. Patricia Volk, an artist from Bradford-on-Avon, said it was "a joy" for her work to be showcased."People are inclined to think of sculpture as just brown bronzes or stone and I think this brings a whole feeling of colour to sculpture itself," she said."I think certainly at the moment, when there seems to be a shortage of places to exhibit work... this is something that needs to be done in a lot more different places so people can appreciate it and get in contact with it." Clearwell Caves are part of a Natural England-designated Site of Special Scientific Interest and the Wye Valley Special Area of Conservation due to the large number of lesser horseshoe caves have been used as a filming location for TV shows including Doctor Who, The Winter King and Merlin.
