Harlem G 2011 ING G 2011 ING PR PR INTER/S INTER/S he Studio Museum in W W T
THE STUDIO MUSEUM IN HARLEM WINTER/SPRING 2011 WHERE BLACK ART
esidence R
E SSU I rtists in in rtists ION Burks hodes-Pitts A AT R S radford B VER owery Stokes Sims L CON nd more! HE HE T Featuring Perspectives from: Mark Stephen 2010-11 Dr. Dr. Sharifa A THE S T UDIO MUS E UM IN
HARLE The Studio Museum in Harlem M W IN TER/ SP R IN G 2011 WHERE BLACK ART
THE CONVERSATION ISSUE
Featuring Perspectives from: Mark Bradford Stephen Burks 2010-11 Artists in Residence Dr. Lowery Stokes Sims Sharifa Rhodes-Pitts And more!
WINTER/SPRING 2011 STUDIO MAGAZINE ON THE COVER
Editor-in-chief BOARD OF TRUSTEES This issue of Studio is underwritten, in Elizabeth Gwinn Chairman part, with support from Bloomberg Raymond J. McGuire Creative Director Thelma Golden Vice-Chair The Studio Museum in Harlem is Carol Sutton Lewis supported, in part, with public funds Managing Editor provided by the following government Treasurer agencies and elected representatives: Allison Channing Jones The New York City Department of Rodney M. Miller Cultural Affairs; Assemblyman Keith L. Associate Editor T. Wright, 70th A.D.; New York State Dominic Hackley Secretary Council on the Arts, a state agency; Teri Trotter Institute of Museum and Library Editor-at-Large Services; National Endowment for the Arts; The City of New York; Council Lea K. Green Jacqueline L. Bradley Member Inez E. Dickens, 9th C.D. and Valentino D. Carlotti Speaker Christine Quinn and the New Contributing Editors Kathryn C. Chenault York City Council. Lauren Haynes Joan Davidson Thomas J. Lax Gordon J. Davis The Studio Museum in Harlem is deeply grateful to the following Reginald E. Davis institutional donors for their Fiction Editor Susan Fales-Hill leadership support: Ginger Co!eld Dr. Henry Louis Gates, Jr. Bloomberg Sandra Grymes Deutsche Bank Copy Editors Joyce K. Haupt Doris Duke Charitable Foundation Ford Foundation Jessica Lott, Samir Patel Arthur J. Humphrey, Jr. The Horace W. Goldsmith Foundation George L. Knox The Leona M. & Harry B. Helmsley Editorial Intern Nancy L. Lane Charitable Trust Shahrazad A. Shareef Dr. Michael L. Lomax Robert Lehman Foundation Tracy Maitland Pierre and Tana Matisse Foundation Design Dr. Amelia Ogunlesi MetLife Foundation Nimoy Foundation Emily CM Anderson Corine Pettey Target for Project Projects Ann Tenenbaum Upper Manhattan Empowerment John T. Thompson Zone Development Corporation Printing Reginald Van Lee The Wachovia Wells Fargo Foundation Mirror NYC Joyce and George Wein Foundation The Winston Foundation mirrornyc.com 1 2 ex-offico Original Design Concept Hon. Kate D. Levin 2x4, Inc. ex-officio Studio is published two Karen A. Phillips times a year by The Studio Museum in Harlem, 144 W. 125th St., New York, NY 10027. IT TAKES TWO!
Copyright © 2011 Studio Every issue of Studio is de"ned by other offers a look at some of the Magazine. All rights, including its cover image. Even within our quirky and innovative products translation into other office, we hardly ever refer to the designed by Stephen Burks (many languages, are reserved “Summer 2007” or “Fall/Winter of which will be in Man Made, by the publisher. Nothing in this publication may be 2008-09” issue— on view March 31—June 26, reproduced without the they are “David Adjaye” or “Barkley 2011). Whichever cover you hold permission of the publisher. Hendricks.” So it’s not surprising in your hands, we hope you’ll that one of the hardest parts about enjoy the Winter/Spring 2011 publishing Studio is deciding what issue and let us know what you 1 Stephen 2 Mark to put on the cover. As this issue think! Email comments, questions Burks Bradford spans our Fall/Winter 2010-11 and and suggestions to studio@ Prototypes & Untitled (A-Z), Material 2010 Spring 2011 seasons, we wanted to studiomuseum.org. Compositions Courtesy the feature exhibitions from both. So, (Pile Up) artist while the inside content is exactly Including Basket Lamps and the same, one cover reproduces Basket Low every letter from Mark Bradford: Tables, 2010 Alphabet (on view November 11, Photo: Daniel Hakansson 2010—March 13, 2011) while the MUSEUM FEATURE WHAT’S UP: EXHIBITION SCHEDULE 5 GLOBAL AFRICA: A CONVERSATION CATALOGUE EXCERPT: WITH DR. LOWERY STOKES SIMS 50 LYNETTE YIADOMBOAKYE 6 ABDI ON THE RISE 54 STEPHEN BURKS: MAN MADE 8 IN CONVERSATION: IN CONVERSATION: MARK BRADFORD 2010!11 ARTISTS IN RESIDENCE 58 AND THELMA GOLDEN 10 EXCERPT: HARLEM: BENJAMIN PATTERSON: BORN IN A CENTURY IN IMAGES 62 THE STATE OF FLUX/US: SCORES 12 EXCERPT: RE:COLLECTION 67 VIDEOSTUDIO: CHANGING SAME 14 THE PRODUCTION OF SPACE 16 COLLECTED. BLACK & WHITE 17 HARLEM, USA: THEN AND NOW 18 UNTITLED LEVEL: LESLIE HEWITT IN COLLABORATION WITH BRADFORD YOUNG 20
STUDIO FICTION: COME SUNDAY BY AMINA GAUTIER 68 FELLOW TO FELLOW 72 HARLEM POSTCARDS FALL/WINTER 201011 22 PUBLIC PROGRAM HIGHLIGHTS 74 STUDIOSOUND: MATANA ROBERTS 25
STUDIO JUNIOR! BEYOND DIY ART ACTIVITY: IMAGINARY PORTRAIT! 76 OFF/SITE: XAVIERA SIMMONS 29 COLORING PAGE BY ABDI FARAH 78 STUDIO LAB: INTRODUCTION 30 STUDIO UNFRAMED 31 FRIENDS THE JOYCE ALEXANDER WEIN ARTIST PRIZE 81 GALA 2010 82 SUPPORTERS 86 MEMBERS 89
ELSEWHERE: ART BEYOND THE STUDIO MUSEUM 32 IN THE STUDIO: VISITS WITH DINEO SESHEE BOPAPE, NARCISSISTER, PAMELA PHATSIMO SUNSTRUM 36 MEMBER SPOTLIGHT: KENNETH MONTAGUE 92 DANCE Q&A: TRAJAL HARRELL 40 JOIN US!/MEMBERSHIP FORM 94 REMEMBERING EVELYN CUNNINGHAM GENERAL INFO/MEMBER SHOPPING DAYS 96 AND MARGARET BURROUGHS 42 STUDIO BLOG SPOTLIGHT 44 BOOK PICKS 45 EXCERPT: HARLEM IS NOWHERE 46 2 STUDIO # W I NTER / SPRING
Harell, along with several artists and museum sta". We’re also making some exciting forays into the digital conversation, improving our on-site visitor experience with electronic signage and information kiosks, ramping up our social media e"orts (you can now !nd us on Twitter, Facebook, Foursquare and more!) and utilizing the new Studio During my tenure at the Studio Blog to communicate the latest Museum we’ve made several happenings in the world of art exciting forays into the !eld and culture. Even I’m blogging! of architecture, notably with Check it out at studiomuseum.org/ harlemworld: Metropolis as studio-blog. While our expanded Metaphor (2004) and David Adjaye: Thursday and Friday evening Making Public Buildings (2007). hours make it more convenient Architecture and art are deeply to visit the Museum on your own intertwined, and these projects schedule, the depth of information have been a wonderful addition on the web means you can access to our exhibition program. I am so Studio Museum programs 24/7. pleased that with Stephen Burks: These are just a few of the ways Man Made we are expanding into we are committed to making the the world of design as well. Museum an accessible, enjoyable While I am eagerly anticipating and educational space for all. what is sure to be a beautiful Whether at a family workshop on exhibition, Stephen Burks will be Target Free Sunday or at a Friday the !rst to tell you that design night tour, I look forward to seeing is not just about making good- you around, and de!nitely uptown! looking objects. Instead, design is a way to solve problems. Burks’s THELMA GOLDEN approach to problem solving DIRECTOR AND CHIEF CURATOR embraces not only the potential for an object to address a speci!c concern, but for design as a whole to have a role in positive social change. Much of his work involves sustainability, collaboration and economic development in countries ranging from Peru to Senegal. Speaking with artists about their work is one of my favorite parts of my job, and so I am thrilled that this issue of Studio features a number of conversations. I had the great pleasure of conversing with Mark Bradford about his Alphabet. You’ll also !nd interviews with Dr. Lowery Stokes Sims, dancer Trajal Thelma’s Photo: Timothy Green!eld- Sanders Studio Highlights Winter/Spring 2011
STEPHEN BURKS: MAN MADE 8
IN CONVERSATION: MARK BRADFORD AND THELMA GOLDEN 10
DAWOUD BEY’S HARLEM, USA: THEN AND NOW 18 4 STUDIO W I NTER / SPRING
RECENT ACQUISITION
Mequitta Ahuja World, 2010 Museum purchase with funds provided by the Acquisition Committee 10.17.4 MUSEUM 5
WHAT’S UP
EXHIBITION SCHEDULE NOVEMBER 11, 2010 MARCH 31, 2011 WINTER / SPRING 2011 MARCH 13, 2011 JUNE 26, 2011 LYNETTE YIADOM-BOAKYE: STEPHEN BURKS: Man Made Any Number of Preoccupations BENJAMIN PATTERSON: Check studiomuseum.org In the State of FLUX/us: Scores for the latest on our MARK BRADFORD: Alphabet VIDEOSTUDIO: Playback exhibitions and programs VIDEOSTUDIO: Changing Same SCULPTED, ETCHED AND CUT: THE PRODUCTION OF SPACE Metal Works from the Permanent Collection DAWOUD BEY’S HARLEM, USA COLLECTED. Vignettes UNTITLED (LEVEL) ALWAYS ON VIEW Benjamin COLLECTED. HARLEM POSTCARDS Patterson String Music, BLACK & WHITE GLENN LIGON: 1960 Give Us a Poem Collection ADAM PENDLETON: Getty Research Institute, Collected (Flamingo George) Los Angeles STUDIOSOUND 6 STUDIO W I NTER / SPRING
LYNETTE YIADOMBOAKYE: ANY NUMBER OF PREOCCUPATIONS / ON VIEW NOVEMBER 11, 2010 M ARCH 13, 2011
EXCERPT It is clear from the size and style departure has created a vacancy in Lynette of their country mansion that the Hecuba's bed which Carl is happy Yiadom-Boakye TREATMENT FOR Sympathies Bromley-Rutherfords are not short to occupy. Elsewhere, 2007 A LOWBUDGET of money. Old English money. Moreover, this is not the $rst Courtesy Elizabeth Witten TELEVISION The best kind, as it only ever runs time that Carl has married for out when the family is headed by money. And he is a seasoned HORROR WITH the blackest of sheep: a gambler, professional when it comes to THE WORKING whoremonger or lover of $nery charming future in-laws. This is and fast cars who squanders every what he must do tonight. And TITLE: “DINNER penny on bad investments and fast as he stands outside the country WITH JEFFREY” living. Thankfully this has mansion, he imagines that this will not yet happened. be an enjoyable evening. Carl is hoping to change He lifts and drops the large The following is an excerpt from all that. A hedonistic ne'er-do- lion-head doorknocker twice and a short story, “Treatment for a well, he has recently made the waits. Low-Budget Television Horror acquaintance of a Miss Hecuba A weary old butler opens the with the Working Title: ‘Dinner Bromley-Rutherford, daughter and door, smiles weakly and beckons with Jeffrey’,” written by Lynette only child of the Right Honourable him in. Yiadom-Boakye for the exhibition Jeremy Bromley-Rutherford, and The house is every bit catalogue Lynette Yiadom-Boakye: heiress to the Bromley-Rutherford as grand on the inside as it is on Any Number of Preoccupations. banking empire. She is in her the outside. Paintings, sculptures Although she is a visual artist, mid-twenties, clean and healthy and antique furniture spanning writing is an important part looking, although not as beautiful centuries line the entrance hall. of Yiadom-Boakye’s creative as the word “heiress” normally Carl begins to salivate. He adores practice. It allows for what Studio suggests. She has a robust and money. Museum Associate Curator (and muscular sort of face, handsome, The Right Honourable Jeremy the organizer of Any Number of with large white teeth—not unlike Bromley-Rutherford (something Preoccupations) Naomi Beckwith an Arabian thoroughbred horse. of an antique himself) is holding identi$es as Yiadom-Boakye’s Carl does not know a great deal court in the drawing room. He is “allegorical impulses and barbed about Hecuba but he knows about smoking a pipe. And he is dressed social criticism.” The selection her wealth. It is this knowledge for dinner… below is from the beginning that attracted him to her in the LYNETTE YIADOMBOAKYE of “Dinner with Jeffrey,” which $rst place. It is also what prompted recounts the story of a ruthless him to ask her to marry him after For the rest of the story, pick up social climber, Carl, as he dines a two-month courtship. Hecuba a copy of Lynette Yiadom-Boakye: Any Number of Preoccupations with his latest $ancée and her has accepted his proposal. She at the Museum Store! family. Much to his surprise, the was quite vulnerable when they dinner met. Her previous lover, Jeffrey, does not turn out the way had simply disappeared without a Carl hopes. word of explanation, leaving her quite distraught. Carl had known Jeffrey well (they had worked at the same office for a time) and had been equally baffled by his disappearance. Although he was a complete bastard, Jeffrey had been the love of Hecuba's life. He was a handsome devil, much like Carl, with strong, sturdy rugby legs, bright black eyes and impeccable manners. Carl is sad that Jeffrey left without saying goodbye. But his MUSEUM 7
LYNETTE YIADOMBOAKYE: ANY NUMBER OF PREOCCUPATIONS / ON VIEW NOVEMBER 11, 2010MARCH 13, 2011 8 STUDIO W I NTER / SPRING
ON VIEW MARCH 31JUNE 26, 2011
STEPHEN BURKS: In the more than a decade that MAN MADE Stephen Burks has been creating objects, he has gathered an impressive roster of collaborators and clients from around the globe, including Aid to Artisans, 1Stephen Burks Cappellini, Estée Lauder, Prototypes & Missoni, Moroso, the Nature Material Compositions Conservancy and Swarovski. At (Pile Up)Including Burks’s aptly-named New York Basket Lamps studio, Readymade Projects, raw and Basket Low Tables, 2010 and recycled materials, found Photo: Daniel and repurposed objects, and Hakansson for artisanal and handmade crafts are 1 transformed into clever, functional products with seductive details, immediate forms and vibrant colors.
Burks’s ongoing project re(ects on the conditions that shape design in today’s world and reconsiders the status of the handmade object in an age of mass production and planned obsolescence. Burks is sensitive to the conditions of globalization—his works respond to how cultural traditions and craft technologies migrate from their birthplaces as artisans move around the world. These forces also bring more artisanal products to the marketplace, both in their original functions and as decorative objects.
As part of our spring 2011 season, the Studio Museum is pleased to present Stephen Burks: Man Made, a unique project that highlights Burks’s concrete talents and conceptual work as a design practitioner. Inspired by Burks’s collaboration with Senegalese basket weavers based in New York and Dakar, as well as projects with artisans in South Africa, Peru and India, Man Made starts with the traditional basket-weaving process as its core concept. During the exhibition, the Museum’s MUSEUM 9
ON VIEW MARCH 31 JUNE 26, 2011
museum exhibition in New York and will run concurrently with his curatorial project at the Museum of Arts and Design, Stephen Burks: Are You a Hybrid?. The Studio Museum exhibition will be accompanied by a new monograph designed by Burks with Studio Lin, which will follow several of his recent projects, including those for the Museum and private clients. Through the book and exhibition, audiences will come to understand Burks’s singular vision of making, a vision committed to the expansive notion of design as an authentic basis for the production of culture in a contemporary, global context. 2 Stephen Burks: Man Made is 3 generously supported by a grant from The Horace W. Goldsmith Foundation. galleries will be transformed, literally, into a workshop where New York-based weavers and artisans will create a series of functional and experimental objects and installations conceived by Burks and involving natural materials such as sweetgrass, cloth and paper, as well as industrial materials such as polyethylene, polypropylene and Tyvek®. In addition to the central workshop, the exhibition will also include photographic and video documentation of Burks’s travels, as well as his own drawings and prototypes, so that audiences can experience the entire design process—from inspiration to development to completion. On one hand, Man Made is an interactive design exhibition, 2Stephen Burks 3Stephen Burks and on the other, it is an active Wall Mounted Wall Mounted Basket Mirror Basket Mirror, platform for working with a with Daniel, 2010 2010 collective of West African artisans Photo: Daniel Photo: Daniel whose objects and presence have Hakansson Hakansson for Readymade for Readymade become a signi$cant part of the Projects Projects Harlem community.
Man Made is Burks’s $rst solo 10 STUDIO W I NTER / SPRING
MARK BRADFORD: ALPHABET / ON VIEW NOVEMBER 11, 2010 M ARCH 13, 2011
IN your sense of how this body of just use it in a very determined and CONVERSATION work came to be. printmaking way. I don’t use it as MARK BRADFORD: I think one of an aesthetic component. I use it MARK BRADFORD the foundations of my work is the as a structure, a support. I did use AND THELMA use of language. Being an abstract paint on these but I rolled it on. painter, I’m very much attracted GOLDEN to the notion of abstraction TG: Why did you use paint? theoretically. My work is not MB: Because I wanted On the occasion of the exhibition text-based but I really respond to to actually see what it did. Mark Bradford: Alphabet, Director text both on a formal level and a I was experimenting. and Chief Curator Thelma Golden linguistic level. I can look at text and Exhibition Coordinator and almost as an abstraction. I can look THOMAS J. LAX: The works have Program Associate Thomas J. Lax at it formally, and as an abstract a scourged, tinged sensibility to sat down with the artist to discuss painting, so I’ve always really liked them. I’m interested in questions his major new body of work, his text and language. of embodiment, site-speci$city ongoing inspirations and his future and the history and legacy of plans. For the exhibition, Bradford TG: Tell me how you made this violence in Los Angeles. Is there created twenty-six individual series. any relationship, formally, between works on paper, each depicting a MB: I found a particular script that your work and that social history? single letter. As in his “Merchant I was attracted to, and I stenciled MB: My work is mining both Posters” series, Bradford uses it. I wanted to make sure that the social agendas and the history of advertisements he $nds in his text didn’t sit comfortably within abstraction. I am very comfortable South Los Angeles neighborhood, the space. I wanted to make the in places that have had revolutions repurposing them to comment on size a little bit compressed so the or violence or protest or things the needs and desires of his local language felt a little bit awkward. like that. Los Angeles had two community and the greater social I used latex, and I used some [riots]. I’m very interested in the world it participates in. paint… maybe I have billboard way in which the land holds these paper on it… detritus from the memories. I’m always attracted to THELMA GOLDEN: I’m thrilled to urban environment. This is actually things that remind us of unrest be here with you at the Studio one of the few works where I and the possibility of unrest. The Museum and to be able to talk used paint. Not using paint is impulse to be an abstract painter to you about your exhibition not a mantra of mine. I haven’t was because I needed some Alphabet, now on view here. I’m essentialized “I don’t use paint” privateness, some distancing, but wondering if you could describe because actually, I do use paint. I now I understand that the impulse MUSEUM 11
MARK BRADFORD: ALPHABET / ON VIEW NOVEMBER 11, 2010MARCH 13, 2011
Selected works to use detritus and non-painting this and I’m going to give you your Pinnochio Is On Fire (2010) that from Mark tools came from the desire to want chance to do your thing.” was really interesting. I might Bradford to talk about social conditions. make that into a movie or I might Untitled (A-Z), 2010 If I had just used paint the TG: I think what was clear to me expand it to explore the notion of Courtesy the conversation couldn’t have gotten is that when I went to your studio abstraction and the male body. artist where I needed for it to go. Art that day and saw the paintings history is $ne, I get that, but don’t that ended up being the paintings think that I’m just talking about that we borrowed that were in the history of abstraction. I’m also Freestyle was that you had a fully talking about a social condition, formed aesthetic at that point. and the paper gave me access to It was not work that was at all that. trying to $gure itself out. It was all there and you were ready. I said TJL: Can the two of you talk about something like, “Can I borrow this when you met one another? one and that one?” and you said TG: I met Mark because I was “You can have them all.” You were working on the exhibition that so ready to begin presenting. The became Freestyle. It didn’t have a exhibition would be just a starting name at that point but I wanted point to get to know your work so it to be a survey of artists around that’s why I’ve been thrilled that the country and I went to LA we can continue to have and a colleague, Christian Haye, a relationship with your work at and Daniel Martinez, an artist the Museum in our collection and whose work had been completely in our exhibitions. transformative to me, said to me that when I went to LA, I had to see TG: What’s next? Mark Bradford so I called Mark and MB: I’m most interested right now he gave me his address. in education. I want to work a lot MB: She pulled up and she got more with kids, 6th through 12th out and I was a little nervous. I grade. I’ve been working a lot could see the way she was looking with that group and I’ll probably at me… She was like, “There’s do a textbook for them. I also something here. You’re different, want to make a movie. I did a but I think you have a place in all of [multimedia installation] called 12 STUDIO W I NTER / SPRING
ON VIEW MARCH 31JUNE 26, 2011
BENJAMIN PATTERSON State of FLUX/us: Scores also artists, it is Patterson who explores BORN IN THE STATE includes video from recent the connection between action performances, documentation and music, creating compositions OF FLUX/US: SCORES and ephemera from twenty years for both the body in action and in which Patterson withdrew from unconventional playing of his his career as an artist to embrace instrument, the contra bass, Benjamin Patterson, a founding an “ordinary life.” During this through ordinary gestures and member of Fluxus—a loose and period, Patterson was employed other actions. After a nearly international collective of artists as a reference librarian, and twenty-year hiatus, Patterson who infused avant-garde practices became an arts administrator and reemerged in the 1980s to resume of the day with humor and anarchic entrepreneur, launching his own his proli$c career as an artist. In energy—helped revolutionize the music management company, Ben 1989, Patterson returned to Europe artistic landscape at the advent of Patterson Ltd. to live, creating a vast repository of the 1960s and usher in an era of Trained in classical music work that has been assembled in new and experimental music. Now instrumentation and composition, the United States for the $rst time in his seventies, Patterson is being Patterson made his most with this exhibition. discovered by a new generation signi$cant contribution to Fluxus Benjamin Patterson: Born in of artists. Benjamin Patterson: with his concept of the “action as the State of FLUX/us underscores Born in the State of FLUX/us is a composition”—the resulting sound the signi$cant contributions of retrospective of the artist’s career, from simple and complex actions. this artist, whose presence within which now spans nearly $fty years This “spectacle of music” is the dynamic constellation of and marks the artist’s $rst major rooted within the precepts Fluxus is palpable. The exhibition exhibition, bringing together a of Dada, a movement that aimed provides audiences with their multitude of works never before at reinventing art in the midst of $rst comprehensive look at seen in the United States. The the cultural apocalypse of World Patterson’s work and explores exhibition is curated by Valerie War I. his contributions to both Fluxus Cassel Oliver, Senior Curator As with Dada, Fluxus saw the body and the larger contemporary art at the Contemporary Arts Museum as material, hence the group’s landscape. Houston, where strong emphasis on the practice the exhibition originated. of performance. Of all the Fluxus Benjamin Patterson: Born in the State Benjamin Patterson: Born in the of FLUX/us was organized by the Contemporary Arts Museum Houston State of FLUX/us: Scores presents and has been made possible by the a selection of works from the 1 patrons, benefactors, and donors to exhibition at the Contemporary the CAMH’s Major Exhibition Fund. The catalogue accompanying the Arts Museum Houston, with a exhibition is made possible by a grant central focus on scores from from The Brown Foundation, Inc. Patterson’s performances ranging from 1960 to 2005. Born in the
1Benjamin 2Benjamin Patterson's Patterson The restaging of Nam black & white $le: June Paik's One a primary for Violin, 1962. collection of Benjamin scores and Patterson and instructions for Peter Kotik, his music, events, SEM-Ensemble operas, performing at performances the Akademie and other der Bildenden projects 1958– Kunst, Vienna, 1998 (detail), June 1992. 1999 Courtesy the artist Collection Getty Photo: Wolfgang Research Traeger Institute, Los MUSEUM 13
ON VIEW MARCH 31 JUNE 26, 2011
2 14 STUDIO W I NTER / SPRING
ON VIEW NOVEMBER 11, 2010 M ARCH 13, 2011
VIDEOSTUDIO CHANGING SAME
VideoStudio: Changing Same presents the work of four artists— Dineo Seshee Bopape, LaToya Ruby Frazier, Akosua Adoma Owusu and Cauleen Smith—in a series of one- month programs, each focused on a single artist. Changing Same is a shared title for several signi$cant literary works. These include the LeRoi Jones (now known as Amiri Baraka) essay “The Changing Same (R&B and New Black Music),” 1 in which he uses the term to describe an avant-garde black 1 aesthetic, and scholar Deborah E. McDowell’s compilation of her black feminist criticism, The Changing Same,2 which takes its 1LaToya Ruby 2Akosua and imagined understandings title from Jones’s essay. In(uenced Frazier Adoma Owusu of the past and future, the Momme Portrait Intermittent by an interest in how identity, Series (Heads) Delight (video importance of place and memory, gender and difference inform (video still), 2008 still), 2007 consumer culture and social artistic practice, the exhibition Courtesy the Courtesy the criticism, and the relationship artist artist brings together video and $lm by between artist and viewer. four artists who independently Dineo Seshee Bopape (b. explore a set of overlapping 1981, Polokwane, South Africa) themes. Together, their work works in multiple media and encourages us to re(ect on real combines elements of installation, performance, video, drawing and photography. Bopape saturates her videos with coded symbols, such as birds, (owers and peepholes. Through her use of production effects and editing, she reinterprets these images of femininity, romanticism and violence. LaToya Ruby Frazier (b. 1982, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania) works primarily in photography and video, blurring the distinctions between self-portraiture and social documentary. Depicting personal scenes of chronic illness, drug use and familial tension, she explores ideas of discord and decay. Akosua Adoma Owusu (b. 1984, Alexandria, Virginia) appropriates found footage and creates original 2 audio and visual material. Focusing MUSEUM 15
ON VIEW NOVEMBER 11, 2010MARCH 13, 2011
and emerging artists of African descent.
LeRoi Jones, “The Changing Same (R&B and New Black Music),” in Black Music (New York: Da Capo Press, 1968). Deborah E. McDowell, The Changing Same: Black Women’s Literature, Criticism and Theory. (Bloomington, IN: Indiana University Press, 1995). Alondra Nelson, ed. “Afrofutur- ism: A Special Issue of Social Text,” Social Text 20, no.2 (2002).
3
on objects associated with certain 3Dineo Seshee 4Cauleen social practices—braiding hair, Bopape Smith the problem of The Changing playing with dolls and weaving beauty (video Same (video textiles, for example—Owusu still), 2009 still), 2001 inserts her cinematic approach Courtesy Courtesy the artist the artist into the tradition of West African storytelling. Cauleen Smith (b. 1967, Riverside, California) makes nonlinear, experimental $lms and video installations about outsiders and aliens. In(uenced by science $ction and comic books, Smith often uses text and Afrofuturist themes3 in her considerations of the relationship between art, science, fantasy and technology. Changing Same is the third installment of VideoStudio, an ongoing series of video and $lm inaugurated in fall 2008. Re(ecting the Studio Museum’s commitment to time-based art, the program demonstrates the in(uence of recent technology on contemporary art. Organized by Exhibition Coordinator and Program Associate Thomas J. Lax, VideoStudio: Changing Same continues the Museum’s mission to present work by international 4 16 STUDIO W I NTER / SPRING
ON VIEW NOVEMBER 11, 2010 M ARCH 13, 2011
THE PRODUCTION (b.1967), who lives in Cameroon French philosopher Henri Lefebvre OF SPACE and France, chronicles the artist’s in which he argues that space is staged confrontations on trains, not inert, neutral or pre-existing, at airport security checkpoints but rather an ongoing production and at national borders. Toguo’s of spatial relations. “Social space The Production of Space brings photographs expose the is not a thing among other things, together artworks from the difficulties immigrants, often nor a product among other permanent collection that viewed as strangers or invaders, products: rather, it subsumes address the relationship between encounter while traveling, as well things produced and encompasses public space and bodies. as the limitations to movement their interrelationships in their Consisting mainly of conceptual in a globalized world. Likewise, coexistence and simultaneity— photographs, The Production of selections from South African their (relative) order and/or Space investigates this theme in a artist Rudzani Nemasetoni’s (b. (relative) disorder,” he writes. 1 number of ways, including through 1962) “Apartheid Scroll” (1995) This refers to space as a social exploration of the urban terrain, series of photo-etchings illuminate construction equivalent to race, performance or intervention, the transformation that space gender or class, which therefore and the use of documents and undergoes as national policies makes it a determining factor in regional borders as symbols of change through history. During all cultural production. Lefebvre spatial policing. apartheid, the South African surmises that space is not Dawit Petros’s (b. 1972) government required all black merely created by humans, but Harlechrome No. 2 (2009), one citizens to carry identi$cation also sculpts all human activity. artwork consisting passbooks, which served to restrict Together, the artworks in The of twenty-four photographs, the movement of blacks within Production of Space illustrate that indexes the artist’s walks around the country, particularly in urban space is created through social Harlem. On these excursions areas where they were allowed practices and individual and Petros took photographs of walls, to work but not reside. Each of collective action. isolating colors and textures these artworks reveals how space Organized by Curatorial Fellow in the Harlem landscape. The in(uences lived experiences. Tasha Parker, The Production of series of photographs “Transit” The Production of Space takes Space is the culmination of the (1996–99), by Barthélémy Toguo its title from the 1974 book by Museum’s $rst year-long fellowship involving work with the permanent 1Otobong collection. Nkanga Alterscape Stories: Spilling Henri Lefebvre. The Production Waste (detail), of Space, trans. Donald 2006 Nicholson-Smith (Boston: Museum Blackwell Publishing, 1991), 73. purchase 08.15.5a-b
1 MUSEUM 17
ON VIEW NOVEMBER 11, 2010 M ARCH 13, 2011
COLLECTED. BLACK & WHITE
Collected. Black & White brings together twenty black-and-white photographs, paintings and works on paper from the Studio Museum’s permanent collection. Organized by Assistant Curator Lauren Haynes, this exhibition is a companion to another Studio Museum Fall/Winter 2010–11 exhibition, Dawoud Bey’s Harlem, USA. In an art historical context, the term “black-and-white” often brings to mind the medium of photography. Collected. Black & White explores how artists use this 2 reduced palette across different media. Benny Andrews (1930– 3 2006) created the black-and-white pen and ink on paper drawings on view as preparatory studies for Trash (1971), his monumental twelve-panel oil and mixed- media collage on canvas that was created in anticipation of the U.S. bicentennial in 1976. Meanwhile, former Studio Museum artist in residence Tanea Richardson (b. 1977) proclaims “He’s Actually Very Intelligent,” in a style reminiscent and Fred Wilson of the exhibition and Artist-in- 2Tanea of pages in a lined notebook, in her (b. 1954). Residence programs. Today, the Richardson He’s Actually Very 2007 acrylic on canvas painting. First presented in spring 2009, Studio Museum continues to build Intelligent, 2007 These artworks, along with the the Museum’s exhibition series the collection through gifts and Museum others on view, help expand Collected. allows for in-depth looks the stewardship of its Acquisition purchase with funds provided notions of black and white. into the permanent collection, Committee. by the Collected. Black & White provides an opportunity to Acquisition includes work by Andrews, re(ect on the great treasures in Committee 08.22.2 Elizabeth Catlett-Mora (b. 1915), the Museum’s care and prompts Brett Cook-Dizney (b. 1968), Eldzier discussions about art created 3Carrie Mae Cortor (b. 1916), in the current moment and the Weems Untitled (Black Ananias Léki Dago (b. 1970), past. The collection contains Love), 1999/2001 Simon Gouverneur (1934–1990), over 1,600 works of art, including Museum Deborah Grant (b. 1968), Arnold paintings, drawings, sculpture, purchase with funds provided Kemp (b. 1968), David Levinthal photography, video and mixed- by the (b. 1949), Norman Lewis (1909– media installations. It traces the Acquisition 1979), Richardson, Aaron Siskind evolution of the Museum from its Committee 02.20.1 (1903–1991), Frank Stewart (b. inception through the growth of 1947), Carrie Mae Weems (b. 1953) the collection and the expansion 18 STUDIO W I NTER / SPRING
DAWOUD BEY'S HARLEM, USA / ON VIEW NOVEMBER 11, 2010 M ARCH 13, 2011
HARLEM, USA THEN no matter what the day, everyday that the deeper meaning of these AND NOW was Saturday in Harlem. But as the photographs can be found. relatives one by one moved from DAWOUD BEY, 1979 Harlem, the trips became more and more infrequent, until $nally In Dawoud Bey’s Harlem, USA, the they stopped altogether. A writer once wrote that every artist takes viewers on a journey I began photographing in place is simultaneously the place through the historic neighborhood the streets of Harlem in 1975. At that it was and the place that it is. with twenty photographs that $rst these visits were just weekly It is the combination of the two provide glimpses into the lives excursions. On those occasions that constitutes the deeper of Harlem residents. The Studio much of what I did was not meaning and experience of a Museum showed the complete photographing, but spending time place. And so it is with Harlem. “Harlem, USA” series in 1979 in walking the streets, reacquainting Typical of the changes that Bey’s $rst solo museum exhibition. myself with the neighborhood have transformed this community The artist’s engagement with that I wanted to again become a is the McDonald's where Mr. Harlem and the Museum has part of, seeing up close the people Moore's Bar-B-Que luncheonette continued for more than three and the neighborhood I had used to stand on 125th Street decades and we are proud to glimpsed from the car window and Lenox Avenue. As I pass the present this series once again. years before as a child. As I got location by I still recall his beaming The following are two of Bey’s to know the shopkeepers and face and the pictures I made there. re(ections on Harlem, the $rst others in the neighborhood, I Barbershops used to be ubiquitous written on the occasion of his 1979 became a permanent $xture at in the community as well. I knew exhibition at the Museum and the the public events taking place of at least three on Adam Clayton second written to complement its in the community, such as block Powell Jr. Boulevard between 2010 reprise. parties, tent revival meetings, 135th and 139th streets: Garden and anyplace else where people Barbershop, Deas McNeil, and gathered. The relationships and the nameless shop below street These photographs and the exchanges that I had with some level between 138th and 139th experience of making them was of these people are experiences by Striver's Row. I photographed for me a homecoming of sorts. I will never forget. It is in those in all of them, and none—of For while I never lived there, a relationships and the lives of the course—are there now. But walking large part of my family’s history people that these pictures recall along the Boulevard one recent was lived in Harlem. In addition 1 to the aunts, uncles, and friends who eventually came to live there, it was in Harlem that my mother and father met. I was born shortly after they moved to the suburbs of Queens to escape the things they felt Harlem was becoming. Or perhaps, like other people, they wanted a chance for more than they felt Harlem offered. But others, thinking differently, had stayed. So we frequently found ourselves piling into the car for the ride to Harlem. I remember those trips in an interesting kind of way. Driving through the crowded streets, I was amazed by what appeared to be the many people on vacation. It seemed to me that MUSEUM 19
DAWOUD BEY'S HARLEM, USA / ON VIEW NOVEMBER 11, 2010MARCH 13, 2011
1Dawoud Bey after they were $rst shown there A Man with a reminds me of the ways in which Ukelele, 1975 Gift of the artist the present is connected to the 79.1.3 past, for the Museum, myself and the Harlem community. 2Dawoud Bey A Woman and DAWOUD BEY, 2010 Child in a Doorway, 1975 Gift of the artist 79.1.10 Dawoud Bey received his MFA from Yale University School of Art in 1993 and is currently Distinguished College Artist and a professor of photography at Columbia College Chicago. He has received numerous awards and fellowships, including fellowships from the National Endowment for the Arts (1991) and the John Simon Guggenheim Memorial Foundation (2002). Bey has also exhibited at the High Museum in Atlanta, the Whitney Museum of American Art in New York and the Walker Art Center in Minneapolis.
2
Sunday morning after leaving was that timeless quality that I was church service at Abyssinian Baptist indeed looking for. Church, I paused brie(y at the Much has happened in the former spot of each. Yes, I still visit thirty-$ve years since I began Abyssinian when I am in New York; making these photographs. I my family has a lot of history there, am still committed to using the as does Harlem itself. camera to describe the human I photographed in Harlem community to itself. And I have when the neighborhood was in the come to $nd a home in museums midst of change. Neighborhoods all over the world. The Studio are always changing, of course. Museum, however, was the $rst But Harlem then was still a place time I came to understand what where the present intermingled the relationship of a museum to more visibly with Harlem's original its community could be, and that heyday. relationship remains central to a lot A number of my photographs from of the work and projects I currently that time have a timeless quality do. The opportunity to have these that makes it hard to mark just works presented once again at the when the pictures were made. It Studio Museum thirty-one years 20 STUDIO W I NTER / SPRING
ON VIEW NOVEMBER 11, 2010 M ARCH 13, 2011
UNTITLED LEVEL LESLIE HEWITT IN COLLABORATION WITH BRADFORD YOUNG
Leslie Hewitt (in collaboration with Bradford Young) Untitled (Level) (still), 2010 Museum purchase with funds provided by the Acquisition Committee 10.8.1 MUSEUM 21
ON VIEW NOVEMBER 11, 2010MARCH 13, 2011
Untitled (Level) (2010) is a dual- including history, the Third channel $lm installation by Leslie Cinema movement, syncopation Hewitt (b. 1977) in collaboration and Sun Ra, Hewitt is interested with cinematographer Bradford in, according to her artist Young (b. 1977). The film takes statement, “the everyday and Manchild in the Promised Land, the transformative power of Claude Brown’s (1937–2002) circumstance or situation.” seminal 1965 autobiographical Leslie Hewitt is the 2010 work about growing up in recipient of The Studio Museum Harlem in the 1940s and 50s, as in Harlem’s Joyce Alexander its inspiration. Manchild in the Wein Artist Prize for innovation, Promised Land is not just one promise and creativity (see page man’s coming-of-age story—like 81). Hewitt received a BFA in 2000 Untitled (Level), it is a portrait of from the Cooper Union for the Harlem. In the new $lm, still and Advancement of Science and Art moving images are used to show and an MFA in 2004 from Yale the passage of time. As a man University, and was a 2002 Clark wanders the early morning streets Fellow in Africana and cultural of Harlem, viewers are shown shots studies at New York University. of Harlem streetscapes. Silent, She was the 2009–10 Mildred Untitled (Level) draws viewers in, Londa Weisman Fellow for Creative creating an atmosphere of longing Arts at the Radcliffe Institute and contemplation that allows for Advanced Study at Harvard each viewer to take his or her own University, and was short-listed for journey through Harlem with, but the 2010 Grange Prize. Hewitt was separate from, the subject of the $rst seen at the Studio Museum in $lm. Frequency (2005) and was Originally commissioned by a 2007–08 artist in residence at the The Kitchen, New York, Untitled Museum. (Level) is one LAUREN HAYNES of the Studio Museum’s newest acquisitions and is For more information visit the $rst work in $lm for Hewitt, bradfordyoung.com and an artist working in photography, thekitchen.org. sculpture and site-speci$c installation. Her work addresses concepts of time, space and memory. She uses the camera as a tool not only to capture a speci$c moment, but also to change one’s point of view. By treating her photographs as installations, Hewitt challenges perceptions of space and the traditional roles of photography. Untitled (Level) shares the feel of her other artworks through its engagement with shape, color and landscape, and how it positions viewers in very intentional and speci$c ways. In(uenced and inspired by a variety of sources, 22 STUDIO W I NTER / SPRING
ON VIEW NOVEMBER 11, 2010 M ARCH 13, 2011
HARLEM POSTCARDS popular emblems of important FALL/WINTER historic moments and moods. The Studio Museum’s ongoing 201011 series Harlem Postcards invites contemporary artists of diverse backgrounds to re(ect on Harlem as a site for artistic contemplation Represented, revered and and production. Installed in the recognized by people around the Museum lobby and available world, Harlem is a continually to visitors, Harlem Postcards expanding nexus of black presents intimate views and culture, history and iconography. fresh perspectives on this famous Venerable landmarks, such as the neighborhood. Abyssinian Baptist Church, Apollo Theater, Hotel Theresa, Audubon Ballroom and 125th Street, remain
1
1Lewis Watts Harlem Wishing Well, 2002 Courtesy the artist
2Petra Richterova Dr. George Nelson Preston, 2010 Courtesy the artist
3Kwaku Alston Spring Time in Harlem, 2010 Courtesy the artist
2 MUSEUM 23
ON VIEW NOVEMBER 11, 2010MARCH 13, 2011
LEWIS WATTS PETRA RICHTEROVA viewers will meet the face of BORN 1946, LITTLE ROCK, AR BORN 1978, CZECH REPUBLIC an old friend and others will be LIVES AND WORKS IN THE BAY LIVES AND WORKS IN BROOKLYN, introduced for the $rst time, but AREA, CA NY regardless of the relationship, Harlem Wishing Well, 2002 Dr. George Nelson Preston, 2010 I hope that the audience will become activated by this image Harlem Wishing Well is I photographed my mentor— and venture out to experience a re(ection of my interest in scholar of African art, enstooled Harlem’s rich cultural life in looking for connections between Akan chief (Ghana) and Harlem person. the past and present. I've been native, Dr. George Nelson Preston. photographing the “cultural As photographer, it was my goal landscape” in African-American to reach outside of the anonymity communities, including Harlem, of street photography and for the past thirty years. I love the venture into the homes and work fact that this improvised “well” places of individual artists and eloquently uses found objects to intellectuals. Posing in one of his evoke another time and place. exhibition spaces, Preston’s Sugar KWAKU ALSTON Harlem is full of visual evidence of Hill brownstone is a residence BORN 1971, PHILADELPHIA, PA its cultural, political and spiritual as well as cultural institution. The LIVES AND WORKS IN NEW YORK, past and present. It continues to three-(oor Museum of Art and NY, AND VENICE, CA be an inspiration to my southern- Origins, which houses one of the Spring Time in Harlem, 2010 in(uenced “California eyes.” Harlem world’s $nest collections of African always seems art and is the only institution we A Fence in Harlem cannot keep like home when I'm here. know about where visitors are the resurgence of spring from I'm pretty sure I lived here able to handle objects (when spilling out onto the streets, where in a past life. supervised), is one of Harlem’s it meets cultural treasures and best kept a humble ironing board and some secrets. trash bins. Up close and personal, some
3 24 STUDIO W I NTER / SPRING
HARLEM POSTCARDS: FALL/WINTER 201011 / ON VIEW NOVEMBER 11, 2010 M ARCH 13, 2011
DEANA LAWSON and gold. It was eye candy, and I Postcards series will feature works BORN 1979, ROCHESTER, NY was tempted to buy rather than by Jeanne Moutoussamy Ashe, LIVES AND WORKS IN BROOKLYN, photograph. Matthew Day Jackson, Demetrius NY I had almost $nished with the Oliver and Hank Willis Thomas. Untitled, 2010 shots, and while maneuvering around the women, I noticed the I was photographing in a small hands of one who wore a hijab. I boutique owned and operated by made an internal note of her hands. a woman from West Africa. “Which I took the $nal picture in the space. country?” I asked. I glanced at the woman’s hands “Oh, I am a mix. From again while she continued to speak Cameroon and Sierra Leone.” with the owner and the friend. I acknowledged her response When I look at the photograph with a head nod, and then I think of many things, obvious continued to photograph while she and not so obvious. However, chatted with two other women. I gentri$cation comes to mind. There was careful not to bump into the is history in her hands. There is young boy who was tossing and history in Harlem. Her hands are rolling a ball across the (oor. seen in Harlem, but go further back There was an abundance of to another land and another time, African fabric folded in perfect even before this woman’s time. squares and neatly stacked on I love the way my mind travels the far wall. On the opposite wall, when I walk around Harlem. I can pointy-toe shoes with matching only imagine the future absence of clutch purses were stacked. Lots hands like this as parts of Harlem of them in all sorts of colors! Light become more gentri$ed. aqua, lemon yellow, powder blue, emerald, silver, deep red The Spring 2011 Harlem
4Deana Lawson Untitled, 2010 Courtesy the artist
3 MUSEUM 25
STUDIOSOUND
MATANA ROBERTS Therese Metoyer, or “Coin Coin,” ISSUE Project Room in Brooklyn COIN COIN a distant Louisiana relative and a nominee for the Alpert who was part of a well-known Award in the Arts in 2008 and HAPPENINGS family of free blacks who also 2009. She has performed with owned slaves. The stories of her own ensembles, as well as Coin Coin were passed down to with Vijay Iyer, Greg Tate’s Burnt Roberts through her immediate Sugar the Arkestra Chamber and Matana Roberts (b. 1975) is family, shaping a strong black the Merce Cunningham Dance an interdisciplinary artist and female archetype around which Company, among many others. musician who may be best known Roberts could construct her own Roberts is a member of the for her alto saxophone jazz truths. In examining her roots, Association for the Advancement performances and innovative, Roberts critically highlights a of Creative Musicians and the conceptual “sound collage” larger African-American history, Black Rock Coalition. compositions. For the last $ve particularly in the South, as years, Roberts has been working well as the powerful roots of 1Matana on an ever-evolving multimedia American musical expression, Roberts project she calls COIN COIN, including jazz, blues and folk. Papa Joe (from COIN COIN currently composed of twelve Also, in Happenings), chapters—two solo performances tracing her family history back 2010, and ten ensembles—that to a surprising range Courtesy the artist over(ow into smaller conceptual of nationalities, Roberts sound works called COIN COIN calls attention to the NEXT PAGE Happenings. For the Studio complexities of heritage, Lynette Yiadom- Boakye Museum’s front lobby this Fall/ and the way that nationality and Pastel drawing Winter 2010–11 season, Roberts identity are constructed in the created during created a nearly $ve-hour long, United States. the inaugural StudioLab, site-speci$c COIN COIN Happening Born in Chicago, Roberts November composed of four parts: Fields of was a 2009 artist in residence at Photo: Liz Gwinn Memphis, Trail of a Tear, Mississippi Moonchile and Gens de Couleur Libre. The works combine snippets of traditional jazz improvisation with spoken prose, operatic singing and nuanced, subtle 1 recordings of water, wind and other elements of the natural environment. When performing, Roberts reads music directly from detailed, pictorial scores that she creates for each version of COIN COIN. These scores incorporate collage, found family photographs, charcoal and pastel to create an elaborate language of symbols that denote types and lengths of sound. Through comprehensive genealogical research, Roberts has traced seven generations of her family, which includes ancestors of African, Irish, Dutch, Danish, English and Scottish descent. COIN COIN is named for Marie 26 STUDIO W I NTER / SPRING Highlights from Beyond the Studio Museum
OFF/SITE 29
ELSEWHERE 32
IN THE STUDIO 36 GOETHE"INSTITUT WYOMING BUILDING
OFF/SITE
OFF/SITE Goethe-Institut Wyoming Building 5 East Third Street (between Bowery and Second Avenue)
This spring OFF/SITE—the Studio Museum’s collaboration with the Goethe-Institut New York—continues with two new innovative projects. Up/Down, North/South is a series of three public programs, beginning in January, that re!ect on urban, regional and global geography and dislocation. In May, multimedia artist Marc Brandenburg presents a site-responsive installation that considers soccer culture and the notion of spectacle through sound, light and image. Programs will take place at the Goethe-Institut Wyoming Building—a newly renovated space in the East Village—and the Studio Museum. Inaugurated in September 2010, OFF/SITE engages an aesthetic of experimentation, collaboration and interactivity, prioritizing local interventions that reference multiple identities and locations.
Visit studiomuseum.org/exhibition for more information and the calendar of events. BEYOND 29
OFF/SITE: XAVIERA SIMMONS: JUNCTURES TRANSMISSIONS TO
OFF/SITE STORY OF A COLLABORATION
In fall 2010, the Studio Museum initiated a year-long collaboration with the Goethe- Institut New York. Titled OFF/ SITE, the partnership examines and fosters contemporary ideas from culturally specific, global contexts. OFF/SITE is an exciting program for the Museum, and takes place downtown at the Goethe-Institut Wyoming Building on Third Street. The exhibition Xaviera Simmons: junctures (transmissions to), the first of OFF/SITE’s three installments of curatorial programs, was on view Audience members were artist/actor Tunde Adebimpe, she Xaviera from September 24 to October 27. privy to the musings, silences, explored his processes of creating Simmons in conversation Embracing the unpredictability, musical recordings and singing of sound and the unexpected with singer/ experimentation, innovation Simmons and her collaborators, products of collaboration. songwriter and even awkwardness of who were blocked from the gaze Though the tone and form of Austen McCutchen collaborative relationships, of the audience, and largely each “juncture” was very different, Photo: Abbe Simmons created a project about unaware if an audience was Simmons was able to synthesize Schriber the act of creating and the bumps present at all. The effect was that of the social exchanges, conceptual and “junctures” inherent in the a selective interactivity—junctures beginnings and durational process. Two days a week, she (transmissions to) emphasized the processes into an exhibition invited fellow artists, writers, restricted role of the audience and that considered the various raw musicians, DJs and designers to established the social relationships materials of art-making. converse with her for hours at unfolding as the work of art ABBE SCHRIBER a time inside a wooden studio itself. The performative nature structure built directly within the of collaboration and intimate Wyoming Building gallery space interaction among different and outfitted with materials such people was heightened to newly as computers, microphones, tense and exciting planes— books, a copy machine and a palpable even without having the record player. Outside the studio, performers in the direct line of photocopies that indicated the vision. On one occasion, Simmons artist’s thought processes and spoke with industrial designer/ inspirations $lled a table and lined artist Stephen Burks and DJ/artist/ the (oor. Simmons’s videos dancer Belinda Becker about art, played on monitors, and seven community activism and world live $nches inhabited a birdcage cultures, particularly in Haiti. in the corner—organic, breathing She discussed the intersection muses for the artist and a delicate of music, history and landscape counterpoint to the human with singer/songwriter Austin activity occurring in the space. McCutchen. And with musician/ 30 STUDIO W I NTER / SPRING
STUDIO LAB
EMBRACING IDEAS IN Studio Lab is a new artist-centered speci$c conceptual platforms, FORMATION program designed for ideas in which explore cultural speci$city, formation. This year-long project performance and conceptions of INTRODUCING invites select multidisciplinary "the public" in contemporary art. STUDIO LAB artists and scholars—working Artists are also given free rein to locally, nationally and identify and develop hypotheses internationally—for a series of of their own making, including discussions and explorations. projects that respond to Harlem as Each artist investigation a cultural site. takes the form of an individual project or a public conversation. Studio Lab is supported by a grant from the Ford Foundation. Check out studiomuseum.org for documentation of past Studio Lab participants as well as a listing of related programming. Studio Lab is built on three
Lynette Yiadom- Boakye's pastel drawings created during the inaugural Studio Lab, November 2010. Photos: Liz Gwinn BEYOND 31
STUDIO UNFRAMED
FENCES INTRODUCING STUDIO UNFRAMED
Studio (un)framed is a new schoolchildren’s brown-paper Selected photo commissioning project inviting textbook covers, but unfolds to postcards from Dave McKenzie artists to use Studio as a jumping- reveal McKenzie’s writings on Fences, 2010 off point for the creation of an language, travel, fences, neighbors Courtesy the accessible and affordable artist’s and the meaning of life. For a artist multiple. The $rst incarnation limited time, Fences is available for of Studio (un)framed, available purchase for $25 in the Museum exclusively at the Museum Store, Store. is an intervention in the Fall/ Winter 2010 issue by 2003-04 Studio (un)framed is supported by artist in residence Dave McKenzie. a grant from Bloomberg. McKenzie’s work Fences (2010) is both a physical addendum to the magazine and an investigation into language: as part of the project, McKenzie is attempting to learn to speak Chinese. Fences intersperses six photo postcards throughout Studio and wraps the magazine in a sheet that evokes 32 STUDIO W I NTER / SPRING
ART BEYOND THE STUDIO MUSEUM
ELSEWHERE GLENN LIGON: AMERICA The exhibition, organized 1Glenn Ligon WHITNEY MUSEUM by the wonderful curator Scott Hands, 1996 THELMA GOLDEN’S Collection of OF AMERICAN ART Rothkopf, will be Eileen Harris COMPLETELY NEW YORK, NY a comprehensive survey of Ligon’s Norton MARCH 10JUNE 5, 2011 work from these past twenty-$ve Courtesy the BIASED, ENTIRELY artist and the WHITNEY.ORG years. It will include over one- Whitney OPINIONATED HOT Even though I have had the hundred paintings, drawings, Museum of privilege of seeing much of Glenn photographs, prints, sculptural American Art, PICKS New York Ligon’s profound and prodigious installations work over the twenty-$ve years we and neon wall reliefs. Just 2Lorna have known each other, there is no as exciting is the Whitney’s Simpson 1957–2009 exhibition I am looking forward to publication of TWO Interiors (detail), more than his retrospective at the accompanying books: an 2009 Whitney Museum. Our curatorial exhibition catalogue as well as a © Lorna Simpson, 2009 relationship began at the Whitney, compilation of Glenn’s brilliant and Courtesy the where Glenn played a critical role incisive writings. artist and Salon both as an artist exhibiting in 94, New York and a colleague encouraging the exhibitions I made while I was there.
1
2 BEYOND 33
ART BEYOND THE STUDIO MUSEUM
3Valerie Piraino LORNA SIMPSON: GATHERED VALERIE PIRAINO: FIDELITY HOUSTON, TX Flush (work-in- BROOKLYN MUSEUM MARYLAND INSTITUTE JANUARY 7APRIL 3, 2011 progress), 2010 Courtesy the BROOKLYN, NY COLLEGE OF ART CAMH.ORG artist JANUARY 28AUGUST 21, 2011 BALTIMORE, MD 2005-06 artist in residence BROOKLYNMUSEUM.ORG FEBRUARY 19MARCH 13, 2011 Clifford Owens’s $rst solo 4Clifford Owens I also can’t wait to see new work MICA.EDU museum exhibition, organized Photographs by Brooklynite Lorna Simpson VALERIEPIRAINO.COM by Valerie Cassel Oliver, includes with an Audience at the Brooklyn Museum! A 2008-09 artist in residence photographic, performative and (New York) (detail), 2008-09 highlight of the exhibition is the Valerie Piraino returns to her hybrid works as well as restagings Courtesy On new series “May June July 57/09,” alma mater MICA for her very of historical performances Stellar Rays, which juxtaposes selections $rst solo exhibition. Building on by other artists. New York from Simpson’s vast collection the work she exhibited in last of vintage photographs of summer’s Usable Pasts and with African Americans with precise help from the community-based contemporary replicas starring philanthropy website kickstarter. the artist. The exhibition also com, Piraino will create her most includes installations of black- ambitious project to date. Six and-white photo-booth portraits new installations use furniture, of African Americans from slide projectors, picture frames the Jim Crow era and a series of and projection screens to build a new works combining collage and domestic setting into which she drawing. projects an archive of family slides, exploring $ctional memories, private life and visual $delity. PERSPECTIVS 173: CLIFFORD OWENS CONTEMPORARY ARTS MUSEUM HOUSTON
3
4 34 STUDIO W I NTER / SPRING
EMBODIED: BLACK IDENTITIES IN THE GLOBAL AFRICA PROJECT SAYA WOOLFALK: INSTITUTE OF 5Kerry James AMERICAN ART MUSEUM OF ARTS EMPATHY Marshall Untitled, 2009 FROM THE YALE UNIVERSITY ART AND DESIGN REAL ART WAYS Yale University GALLERY NEW YORK, NY HARTFORD, CT Art Gallery, YALE UNIVERSITY THROUGH MAY 15, 2011 THROUGH MARCH 20, 2011 Purchased with the Janet and ART GALLERY MADMUSEUM.ORG REALARTWAYS.ORG Simeon Braguin NEW HAVEN, CT Organized by Studio Museum Pioneering alternative space Fund and a gift FEBRUARY 18JUNE 26, 2011 Director Emerita Dr. Lowery Stokes Real Art Ways features a new from Jacqueline L. Bradley, B.A. ARTGALLERY.YALE.EDU Sims, Global Africa features art, installation by 2007-08 artist 1979 I’m thrilled that this amazing design, fashion, furniture and in residence Saya Woolfalk. © Courtesy of student-organized exhibition—a more from around the world. Institute of Empathy offers the the artist and Jack Shainman collaboration between Yale The exhibition features many latest opportunity to experience Gallery, New York and the University of Maryland, artists and designers I know and Woolfalk’s compelling and College Park—that debuted in love alongside exciting new fantastical alternative universe, 6Gahaya Links Weaving Maryland last fall is coming to discoveries. And the beautiful No Place, and will feature the Association New Haven. Embodied: Black catalogue features an insightful artist’s second dance work, Friendship Identities in American Art from the essay by Associate Curator Naomi following No Place: A Ritual of Cathedral Basket, 2007 Yale University Art Gallery features Beckwith! the Empathics, which appeared Courtesy $fty-four works, many by Studio at the Studio Museum as part of Fairwinds Museum alumni. Read an interview with Dr. Performa 09. Trading, Inc. Photo: Dean Sims on page 50. Ericson
5
6 BEYOND 35
7Saya Woolfalk CONTEMPORARY ART FROM THE Don’t miss some Studio Museum Land of the COLLECTION Pleasure of our favorite on Tour! Machines, 2010 THE MUSEUM OF MODERN ART Courtesy the NEW YORK, NY traveling VIDÉOSTUDIO: NEW WORK FROM artist and Real THROUGH SEPTEMBER 12, 2011 FRANCE ORIGINALLY SHOWN AT Art Ways, exhibitions at Hartford, MOMA.ORG THE MUSEUM IN SPRING 2010 Connecticut The $rst exhibition organized for their latest WILL BE ON VIEW AT THE ART MoMA by Associate Director Kathy GALLERY 8 David venues! Hammons Halbreich, this multidisciplinary OF HAMILTON, ONTARIO, CANADA Untitled, 1969 exhibition includes signi$cant MARK BRADFORD FROM The Museum of work by artists including Melvin INSTITUTE OF FEBRUARY 5 MAY 22, 2011. Modern Art, New York. The Friends Edwards, Ellen Gallagher, David CONTEMPORARY ART ARTGALLERYOFHAMILTON.COM of Education of Hammons, George Herriman, Kerry BOSTON, MA The Museum of James Marshall, Kalup Linzy and NOVEMBER 19, 2010 Modern Art, the General Print Adrian Piper, many on view for the MARCH 13, 2011 Fund, and $rst time since their acquisition. I’m ICABOSTON.ORG Committee on especially excited about a related Drawings Funds. © 2010 David public program featuring artists POSING BEAUTY: AFRICAN Hammons. Kara Walker and Yoko Ono AMERICAN IMAGES FROM in conversation! THE 1890S TO THE PRESENT THE NEWARK MUSEUM NEWARK, NJ FEBRUARY 2APRIL 28, 2011 NEWARKMUSEUM.ORG
7
8 36 STUDIO W I NTER / SPRING
VISITS WITH CONTEMPORARY ARTISTS
IN THE STUDIO DINEO SESHEE BOPAPE variety of sources that refuse to $t DINEO SESHEE BOPAPE, Dineo Seshee Bopape’s the eclipse together: the powerful optics of will not be visible to the naked video surveillance, manipulation NARCISSISTER, eye (2009) begins, like much of of digital media, visual tropes of PAMELA PHATSIMO the artist’s work, by inviting the popular movies and art house viewer down a metaphorical $lms, and ubiquitous forms of SUNSTRUM rabbit hole. A (âneuse—dressed self-representation made available from head to toe in Corvette red, through the iPhone, Blackberry with a bucket hat and suitcase to and other mobile devices. match—walks in the middle of the Bopape’s videos depict road. Occupying the space a car mass-produced, inexpensive would in an indistinct semi-urban products, such as disco balls, landscape, the artist’s body is kaleidoscopes and cubic zirconia trans$gured into an automotive jewelry. Collating her audio to protagonist whom the viewer her visual effects, Bopape sets follows during her time on the these cheap, shiny commodities road. to a soundtrack of disjointed A recent MFA graduate of blings, chimes and rings, creating Columbia University, Bopape (b. onomatopoiec wordplay through 1981) works across artistic media, which arti$cial objects speak often bringing together elements their own names and functions. of installation, performance, video, Bopape liberally edits videos drawing and photography. Of documenting simple actions— their interaction, Bopape says, she speeds them up, slows them “some things exist independently down, and rewinds and remixes of each other, some others work them to build elliptical narratives. as a group; they occupy different The gesture is repetition; the shapes in spaces.” Bopape’s effect is seduction. Bopape calls videos take aesthetic cues from a seduction “the condition of
Dineo Seshee Bopape the eclipse will not be visible to the naked eye (video still), 2009 Courtesy the artist BEYOND 37
VISITS WITH CONTEMPORARY ARTISTS
Narcissister videos that explore the spectacle 18 Heads, 2010 inherent in a variety of salient Courtesy the artist contemporary subjects, including Photo: Leland blackness, popular culture, female Bobbé sexuality and consumerism. More recently, she has created mixed- media installations to accompany her performances and videos. Integral to Narcissister’s practice are the lush props and costumes she constructs by hand, such as the “topsy-turvy” doll costume, that consciously draw on traditional forms of dance, and the aesthetics of camp and excess found in burlesque and vaudeville. As I sit with Narcissister—pared down to her civilian alter ego— over coffee in a local café, I feel far removed from the recent “post- studio” projects she describes, from her regular gigs in New York club The Box to performance festivals in Copenhagen. Narcissister masquerades as characters whose stories are inspired by scavenged, discarded materials: objects gathered from (ea markets, ‘our’ world,” suggesting that it NARCISSISTER thrift stores and the street. Part is both the shared ground on Imagine a doll come to life as a of the artist’s gift lies in her keen which collectivity is built—the human, elaborately made-up and observation and darkly witty usage way people give themselves to dressed in of culturally resonant clothing one another—and the motor for a full skirt—simultaneously and materials that indicate a a community, which although innocent and eerie. Now imagine certain type of womanhood (or fractured and inoperative has the human-doll is two-sided, with manhood). Her characters, often become inarguably global. different faces front and back. female, perform physically rigorous THOMAS J. LAX The doll moves into an effortless and improbable tasks generally headstand and as her legs involving choreographed agility as All quotes: Dineo Seshee Bopape, (ip upward, her skirt falls well as some measure of disrobing. e-mail message to the author, November 22, 2010. to reveal an entirely new Though they do not speak, their two-sided doll—a real-life version gestures are infused with poise, of the traditional, folksy “topsy- power and a knowing wink. In the turvy” dolls piece I’m Everywoman (2008), the with two opposing sides— main character dresses herself so that there are four “dolls” in total. using clothing and accessories Such an elaborately constructed hidden on her person, playing character exists, and is the on media-driven imagery and centerpiece of a new performance expectations of female sexuality. by the artist Narcissister. Based The Workout (2007) portrays a in New York, Narcissister is woman, dressed in 1980s exercise best known for her narrative, clothing and impossible heels, as multilayered performances and she stretches and rides a stationary 38 STUDIO W I NTER / SPRING
bike out$tted with mechanisms PAMELA PHATSIMO SUNSTRUM and ethnographic journals such that seem equally suited to Born in Mochudi, Botswana, as National Geographic. I was pleasure multidisciplinary artist Pamela interested in how systems of power and torture. Phatsimo Sunstrum has at times use image and narrative to de$ne Narcissister’s work as called various parts of Africa, (and con$ne) identity and how a multifaceted visual and Southeast Asia and the United those systems often involve an performance artist makes States home. Motivated by her oversimpli$cation of identity that important use of her background experiences in these diverse denies nuances, complications in burlesque, her past work as locales, Sunstrum explores how and simultaneity. I was interested a stylist and commercial artist, one’s sense of identity develops in how these images exoticized and her abilities as a dancer within geographic and cultural “the Other,” and I was trying to and performer—she received contexts. Her investigation takes discover ways of reimagining and her formal training with Alvin various forms, including large- re-empowering those individuals Ailey American Dance Theater. scale installations, stop-motion by giving them new contexts and Thus she “had the skill set,” she $lms, performances and works inventing new narratives for them says, to transition into creating on paper. Her work has been through drawings and collage. performance art. This statement exhibited internationally, and However, I had a hard time using has proved more than true–her she currently lives and works in those images because I couldn’t works negotiate the $ne lines Baltimore. distinguish how those bodies had between pain and pleasure, been “used” to serve the needs abjection and beauty. Your work chronicles the journeys and interests of systems of power, ABBE SCHRIBER of “Asme,” your alter ego. What led and how I was “using” those you to develop this character? bodies to serve my own interests. All quotes: Narcissister, in conversation Before I invented Asme, I eventually began to shift my with the author, November 17, 2010. Pamela Phatsimo Sunstrum I was pulling from images of gaze towards my own experiences I imagined it people I was $nding in colonial as a way of locating and in$nite, 2009 Courtesy the photography and postcards, deconstructing notions of power artist anthropological portraiture and identity as they pertained to BEYOND 39
me. I grew up in a multicultural choices and installation decisions. 2009 with an installation and family living in different parts of While in Johannesburg, I decided performance work at the Creative Africa and Asia, and as a result I to walk from my house to the Alliance in Baltimore titled Astro_ have always had somewhat of a studio everyday. I wanted to get Nautic. The most recent iteration blurred notion of what constitutes the “everyday” feel of the place, of the collaboration is a series a “self.” Asme was created out of and during the $fty-minute walk of transnational web-based and my need for a character who could I would be thinking about Asme radio-based transmissions: Skype represent my own experience and, of course, telling myself video exchanges, soundscapes, of blackness—an experience of stories. These stories seemed drawings and call-and-responses always shifting between locations, to spin out of Johannesburg’s between Asme and Black Rhino. between cultures, between culturally complicated urban The $rst transmission will occur de$nitions. I have always been landscape: language from in January while I’ll be in South fascinated by both ancient myths street signs and billboards, the Africa and Torkwase will and science $ction, and I realized fusion of so many relocated and be at the Art Institute that as I was developing my dislocated ethnicities, the endless of Chicago. work, I was telling myself stories. construction and deconstruction ALLISON CHANNING JONES I have allowed Asme to become of extraordinary wealth and a mythological time-and-space extraordinary poverty, the ruins of For more studio visits and traveler who slips between old gold mines and of new shanty artists' perspectives, check out histories, between the real and towns. I feel this was an important studiomuseum.org/studio-blog. the fantastical. In developing the shift in my way of thinking about Asme story-cycle, I try to impose the Asme myth—prior to this, the myth and ritual meaning onto Asme story was vaguely situated in ordinary landscapes and everyday memories of past experiences that events. I collect things, especially I kept alluding to but never fully language— words on street signs, allowed to materialize, whereas in advertising, poetry, graffiti, pop Johannesburg a current and urban lyrics, slogans—and imagine them moment started to press in on as meaningful “transmissions.” Asme in a way I could not ignore. This is how I came to the name The work I did in Johannesburg “Asme”—it was a word I saw near was an in-situ drawing installation a mirror in a public bathroom, and titled Asme in the Heart of the I thought it was the perfect name City, and it included mural-sized for an alter ego... a character that is drawings, animation, poems like me, that stands in “as me” in an I created by collaging news archetypal hero’s quest. headline posters I collected on Not only did you experience a my walks and old enamel bowls I transnational upbringing, but traded for in Soweto. you have participated in artist residencies all over the world. Is What are you working on at the your continued engagement with moment? foreign environments part of your Lately I have been working on practice? trying to create more integration De$nitely. I recently had the between my drawings, opportunity to make work in installations, animations and Johannesburg, South Africa, performance works. I am currently and it was during this time that I developing a collaborative project allowed the sites and sights of one with Torkwase Dyson. Like me, speci$c place, Johannesburg, to Torkwase also incorporates an drive not only new developments alter ego in her work. Hers is in the ongoing Asme story-cycle, named “Black Rhino.” We $rst but also to in(uence my material began working together in 40 STUDIO W I NTER / SPRING
DANCE Q & A
TRAJAL HARRELL BRINGS VOGUING DOWNTOWN
Ariel Osterweis Scott, doctoral from that tradition coming down, think of voguing as a theoretical candidate in Performance Studies what would I do? The $rst thing concept, I would say we are all at the University of California, I was thinking of was selling. always voguing. It’s like RuPaul Berkeley, speaks with noted I would sell some things. said: “Who isn’t in drag?” I’m not choreographer Trajal Harrell. a voguer. The whole thing is Harrell’s works have been seen AOS: What things? Your body? an imaginative possibility. I’m at institutions including The New TH: Yeah. I was thinking I would interested in the impossibility, Museum, ICA Boston, The Kitchen try to make some money in this that history that could not come and numerous international situation. What would it mean for together. venues. Here, Harrell discusses his vogue to change markets? Then I latest work. thought of this famous picture of AOS: Have you ever gone David Hammons selling snowballs to the balls [formal voguing This interview appears in on the streets of Harlem [Bliz- competitions]? condensed form. aard Ball Sale (1983)]. They were TH: In 2000 I went to my different-sized snowballs, so I $rst ball, the Love Ball. ARIEL OSTERWEIS SCOTT: How did thought I should do the piece in I was blown away by it. At your piece Twenty Looks or Paris is different sizes. Literally, it is sold in the time my work was super Burning at The Judson Church (S) different sizes to presenters on the minimalist. I had gone to the (2009) come about? dance market. I don’t want to deny ball and I had gone to my $rst TRAJAL HARRELL: I am dealing the fact that the piece is for sale. fashion show. These two things with the theoretical nexus That’s kind of how Twenty Looks were more interesting than what between voguing and early came about. I was seeing in dance in terms of Postmodern dance. The piece is Postmodernism. The interplay of Trajal Harrell a fashion show in which there’s AOS: How did you do the research? pedestrianism and performativity Twenty Looks (performance dressing and undressing. I tend TH: A friend gave me videotapes of on the runway is incredible—the still), 2009 to be interested in histories fashion shows and we would work way it’s a character but it’s not. Photo: Miana Jun of movement on women’s in the studio. We would treat the In voguing, the idea of social bodies, movement that hasn’t movement just like it was ballet. performance is so clear—the been recorded or hasn’t been How can I learn this movement way gender operates. You lose historicized. Voguing $ts in there, with no irony? How is the model your ability to see gender or to but is a little bit different. I came up putting her foot down? How are automatically read gender. with this proposition, what would her hips moving? Really learning it have happened in 1963 if someone academically. AOS: What is your background and from the voguing dance tradition dance education? in Harlem had come down to AOS: What is your interest in the TH: I grew up in Douglas, Georgia, Judson Church in the Village movement of voguing? and I went to Yale. to perform alongside the early TH: I’m interested in the movement I didn’t dance at Yale. I didn’t dance Postmoderns? If I were someone as a theoretical concept. If we with anyone. BEYOND 41
DANCE Q & A
I always did my own work. expressionist. Usually the piece I had directed in the theater comes from some experience that in college. I have in the studio, expressing something I can only express AOS: You weren’t the I-have-to- through movement, then trying take-three-classes-per- to understand that and $nally day type? allowing that to crystallize into a TH: Oh no, never. I thought piece. it was a waste of time. Visit www.studiomuseum.org/ AOS: How does your background studio-blog to read a more inform the work you make? in-depth conversation between TH: If you ask people what Ariel and Trajal. kind of work I make, they say I’m a conceptualist. I’m so not a conceptualist—I’m really an 42 STUDIO W I NTER / SPRING
IN MEMORIAM
to advise him during his term as Evelyn Gerald R. Ford’s vice president. A Cunningham (Jan. 25, 1916– tireless advocate of women’s rights, April 28, 2010) Cunningham served on President Photo: Librado Nixon’s Task Force on Women’s Romero The New York Rights and Responsibilities, and in Times/Redux 2002, Mayor Michael Bloomberg appointed her to the New York City Commission on Women’s Issues. Though born in North Carolina, Cunningham lived in Harlem for most of her life and was an enlivening force in the community until the day she passed away. She often entertained guests at her home on Riverside Drive, including President Barack Obama, who REMEMBERING paid a visit to Ms. Cunningham EVELYN in 2008. Numerous community organizations are fortunate to CUNNINGHAM have had her support over the years, including the Apollo Theater and the Alvin Ailey American Last April, Harlem lost one of its Dance Theater. The Studio most cherished luminaries, Evelyn Museum is honored to count Ms. Cunningham. As a journalist Cunningham as a former Trustee, and editor for The Pittsburgh and we are grateful not only for Courier in the 1940s and 50s, the contributions she made to our Cunningham witnessed and institution, but for the legacy she reported on the emergence of the left to the world at large. civil rights movement. Her tireless Ms. Cunningham was ninety- coverage of injustices committed four at the time of her death, and against blacks and the effort to she is survived desegregate schools brought by her niece, Gigi Freeman. the urgency of the struggle ALLISON CHANNING JONES for equal rights to the national consciousness. Throughout her journalistic career, Cunningham interviewed notable $gures including Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., Rosa Parks and Malcolm X, shining light on the emerging leaders who would change the course of United States history. Cunningham’s shrewd understanding of the dilemmas facing the country eventually led to a career in politics. She served as a special assistant to New York governor Nelson Rockefeller in the early 1960s and continued BEYOND 43
IN MEMORIAM
REMEMBERING speci$cally by engaging children in DR. MARGARET her community. After the founding of the DuSable, Burroughs served T. BURROUGHS as its director until 1985, when she was appointed as a commissioner of the Chicago Parks District. On Sunday, November 21, 2010, The DuSable Museum’s the co-founder of the DuSable President and CEO, Carol Museum in Chicago, Margaret Adams said, “The DuSable T. Burroughs, passed away Museum of African American peacefully in her sleep at the age History celebrates the life and of ninety-$ve. During her long achievements of its principal career, Burroughs worked as a founding member, Dr. Margaret T. poet, visual artist, educator and Burroughs. A transforming spirit arts organizer, but is best known who changed the lives of so many, for her proli$c body of artwork and not only by her actions, but by the her co-founding of the DuSable testimony that was her life. Her Museum of African American legacy will live on through her History. art, poetry and institutions she Burroughs studied teaching helped to create. She will be truly and art education in Chicago, missed.” 1 Dr. Margaret T. $rst at the Chicago Teacher’s COLLIN MUNN Burroughs College and then the Art Institute (November 1, 1915–November of Chicago, where she was one DuSable Museum of African 21, 2010) of the $rst African-American American History. “DuSable Museum Announces the Passing Courtesy the women to receive an MFA in 1948. DuSable Museum of Founder Dr. Margaret of African Burroughs’s career as an artist— T. Burroughs,” http://www. American History she was an acclaimed painter dusablemuseum.org/news/ dusable-museum-announces- and printmaker—began in 1949, the-passing-of-founder-dr.- shortly after her graduation from margaret-t.-burroughs (accessed the Institute. Her artwork was January 2, 2011). included in countless exhibitions throughout the United States and abroad. With a career as an arts organizer spanning more than sixty years, Burroughs was responsible for founding multiple community organizations throughout Chicago. Most notable was the museum she founded in her living room at 3806 South Michigan Avenue in 1961, which would eventually become the DuSable Museum. Burroughs’s involvement in the founding of the museum would give her national recognition as one of the most important “institution builders” of her time and highlight her ardent commitment to preserving African-American history, 44 STUDIO W I NTER / SPRING
STUDIOMUSEUM.ORG
STUDIO BLOG THE SOUNDS BEHIND to explore out there, that I can Matana Roberts STUDIOSOUND: barely keep track myself. By the Free People of SPOTLIGHT Color (Gens de MATANA ROBERTS'S PLAYLIST time this posts, I will be onwards to Couleur Libre) completely different soundscapes (from COIN COIN Check out the Studio Museum’s This week guest blogger most likely, but here are a few that Happenings), 2010 newest online initiative: Studio Matana Roberts, our current I thought might pique any sound- Courtesy the Blog, where Museum staff, guest StudioSound artist, shares seeker's interest… artist writers and artists share their picks some of her favorite music! and views on the latest in art, My thirst for sound knowledge Find out what Matana’s design and contemporary culture. spirals from the traditions of the playlist picks are at Enjoy event recaps, pictures and jazz alto saxophone, which is my studiomuseum.org/ more. Help spread the word by main tool of reference, or "weapon studio-blog! Make sure sharing posts you enjoy with your of choice," as it was recently to also check out our Facebook friends and colleagues! Here’s an described to me. But it is heavily page at facebook.com/ excerpt from one combined at this point with other studiomuseum and follow of our favorites: sound aspects that intrigue me us on Twitter at twitter.com/ and $lter through my work right studiomuseum now, such as language, repetition and trance. Below are items on my current playlist, chosen completely randomly. There's so much sound BEYOND 45
BOOK PICKS out. 1ZADIE SMITH, ON BOOKS TO The books that speak to me are BEAUTY, PENGUIN those written in unique narrative BOOKS, 2006 BREAK THE voices and with dynamic, lovingly FROZEN SEA drawn characters that haunt the 2VICTOR LAVALLE, reader long after the last page is BIG MACHINE, read. I am particularly interested SPIEGEL & GRAU, 2010 Dear Reader, in writing from the Caribbean I must confess that I have on and Africa that answers certain 3MARLON JAMES, occasion been one of those pesky questions. What are the rhythms, THE BOOK OF NIGHT perambulators risking life and limb limits and possibilities of a close- WOMEN, RIVERHEAD and certain death by telephone knit community? What is the TRADE, 2010 pole because I’m reading a book emotional cost of war? In what 2 on a crowded New York street. ways can love bloom and family 4PRESTON ALLEN, These are the novels that did it form within oppressive contexts JESUS BOY, AKSHIC to me. If Franz Kafka was right such as slavery? What can we BOOKS, 2010 when he wrote, “A book must be understand about a culture, place the axe for the frozen sea within and people by knowing how girls 5TAYARI JONES, us,”1 these books should keep your become women? LEAVING ATLANTA, heart open and winter at bay. Just Yours in literature, GRAND CENTRAL make sure to keep your eyes up so A. NAOMI JACKSON PUBLISHING, 2003 you don’t have any unfortunate accidents or miss your subway A. Naomi Jackson is a writer at 6CHIMAMANDA stop. work on her $rst novel in Brooklyn, NGOZI ADICHIE, HALF It was decidedly difficult to New York. OF A YELLOW SUN, narrow this list down to just ten ANCHOR, 2007 books. So I did my urban version Franz Kafka, letter to Oskar 3 of the “stuck on a desert island” Pollak, January 27, 1904. 7JAMAICA KINCAID, challenge. If I were marooned ANNIE JOHN, FARRAR, inde$nitely on the A train between STRAUS AND Columbus Circle and 125th Street, GIROUX, 1997 what books would I want nearby? 8ATTICA LOCKE, This list highlights work by BLACK WATER RISING, young authors whose work is less HARPER, 2009 widely read, as well as classics by more established writers. If 9KAREN LORD, you haven’t read recent works REDEMPTION IN by Edwidge Danticat, Junot Diaz, 4 INDIGO, SMALL BEER Emily Raboteau, Danzy Senna, PRESS, 2010 Colson Whitehead and ZZ Packer, do not pass “GO” until you plug 10TIPHANIE these gaps with a visit to your local YANIQUE, HOW independent bookstore. While TO ESCAPE FROM you’re there, keep your eyes peeled A LEPER COLONY, for new writers in journals such GRAYWOLF PRESS, as Obsidian, Callaloo, Fara$na, 2010 Kwani?, Sable and Chimurenga. Two literary upstarts, Tongues of the Ocean in the Bahamas and Greg Tate’s forthcoming Coon Bidness are also worth checking 1 5 46 STUDIO W I NTER / SPRING
EXCERPT
SHARIFA RHODES PITTS: It was springtime when I $nally met the creator of the chalk HARLEM IS messages. I would like to tell you NOWHERE his name, to tell you about the way he dresses, to tell you about his eyes and the way he cocks his The following is an excerpt from head to one side when he pauses Harlem is Nowhere, Sharifa to listen and also when he speaks. Rhodes-Pitt’s recently published But the most important thing book that untangles the myth about our $rst meeting is that he and meaning of Harlem’s legacy. didn’t want me to write about him Rhodes-Pitts was born in Texas, at all. Because I had already been educated at Harvard University recording the chalk messages and is a recent Harlem resident. whenever I saw them, I had Her articles have appeared in thought it would be a good topic numerous publications and she is for a local-color story I could pitch the recipient of several prestigious to the Times or a radio station as an awards. Harlem is Nowhere is her “only in New York”—type segment. $rst book. Now that I had met the creator, the story had a protagonist. I told
Author Sharifa Rhodes-Pitts in conversation with designer V. Mitch McEwen at the Studio Museum on January 13, 2011 Photo: Liz Gwinn BEYOND 47
EXCERPT
this was something we all had to again later in the afternoon or $gure out how to do. He often says even on the next day. But I did not that he is in touch with the reality leave the house at all the next day, of existence, and that this is what and the day after that it rained. compels him to his task.
… Excerpted from Sharifa Rhodes-Pitts, Harlem is Nowhere: A Journey to the Mecca of Black America (New York: When I meet him on Lenox Little, Brown and Company, 2011). Avenue, I never leave without thinking that I should like to make my task adhere to the Messenger’s simple mission: to share his wisdom and understanding. To him I wanted to write about him, make things simple so that people but he immediately brushed me can see. To $ll what is empty inside off. He said he did not want to be us. When I see the Messenger, we written about, he did not want do not talk about the rezoning of publicity. He said he had just met 125th Street. We do not talk about another girl who was a journalism land. We do not talk about politics. student and wanted to write about When I see him we stop and chat; if him for a school project. He patted he sees me $rst, he always calls out the pocket of his trousers and said my name as I am walking down the it was full of cards from people avenue. Recently he was perched who tell him to call because they, on a standpipe beneath a tree at too, would like to write a story the corner by Liberation Books. about him. I felt a bit rebuked. I One of his friends had recently wondered whether it was, in fact, a bought him a whole bag of chalk question of “publicity.” that she’d gotten on sale at Target. You will ask why I am writing When it’s blue it’s blue all the way this anyway, only without through, he said, when it’s pink mentioning his name. I have asked it’s pink all the way through. He this, too. The man who writes the pointed with insistence toward chalk messages (I will call him the the sidewalk, really through the Messenger) perhaps offers the sidewalk, and with such force that clearest answer to us both. A while I did not doubt the possibility of after our $rst meeting, when we those pigments penetrating the had become friends, when I told earth’s crust. Noting the vibrancy him that my hands were hurting of his new, better-quality colors, he and I could not write, he scolded wondered aloud whether maybe me because I had not been to see what he writes will last a bit longer. a doctor. He said that he hated As I left, he told me he loved me, to take a stern tone with me, but and I told him the same. He told he had to because I had to get me to check out the latest thing serious about my business. And he’d written and tell him what I once, when I complimented him thought when we next met. on what he was doing, and how I walked a block down Lenox the messages were so important and saw his latest message. I didn’t and so urgent, he shrugged and write it down because I was in a said that he was only trying to hurry, or I didn’t have a pen, or make his contribution, and that I thought I would pass that way MUSEUM STORE
HARLEM: A CENTURY IN IMAGES
Price: $55.00 Member: $46.75 Item#: 2907
Home to writers and revolutionaries, artists and musicians, Harlem has also long been a source of inspiration for countless photographers. O!ering a sweeping survey of this distinctive landscape and those who have called it home, Harlem: A Century in Images looks through the lenses of some of the most important photographers as they documented this vibrant and bustling neighborhood. Harlem has been considered the crossroads of the artistic, literary, and political currents of the African-American community, and this book features nearly two hundred vibrant images that narrate its history throughout the twentieth century. Images ranging from children playing in the streets, people dancing in the historic jazz clubs, and storefronts evolving over the years to politically charged protests and street art combine to give us a window into Harlem’s dynamic life. Thoughtful contributions by leading scholars of African- American studies and art—Deborah Willis, Cheryl Finley, and Elizabeth Alexander—add insightful voices to accompany the images. Highlights from Studio Features
GLOBAL AFRICA: A CONVERSATION WITH DR. LOWERY STOKES SIMS 50 ABDI ON THE RISE 54 EXCERPT: HARLEM: A CENTURY IN IMAGES 62 50 STUDIO W I NTER / SPRING GLOBAL AFRICA: A CONVERSATION WITH DR. LOWERY STOKES SIMS
Dr. Lowery Stokes Sims is the some kind of association with a former Director and President of continent, country or group. The Studio Museum in Harlem and Organizing the show was is currently Curator at the Museum a very organic process. You ask of Arts and Design (MAD). On people, you email, your colleagues November 29 she sat down with send you names, you contact Studio editor Elizabeth Gwinn to artists, they send you names and discuss The Global Africa Project, you then start seeing that even which she co-curated with Dr. within a varied, multifarious Leslie King-Hammond. This is an group of people, certain kinds of edited and condensed transcript thematic organizations suggest of that conversation. The Global themselves. And then you have Africa Project will be on view at to $gure out the themes—and MAD through May 15, 2011. we went through many. Finally, one of the designers, Ousmane LIZ GWINN: Tell me about M'Baye from Senegal, sent me how The Global Africa Project a fabulous interview published came to be. in a South African magazine, in DR. LOWERY STOKES SIMS: which twelve people involved in When I $rst came to MAD in design in Africa discuss issues with September 2007, they had been which they are concerned and thinking of doing an African challenges they face. Leslie and I show. I considered all the pitfalls thought it was fantastic. Instead of organizing a continentally of being curatorial overseers or contained exhibition and anthropologists, we could organize decided—oh, why stop at the the exhibition from the point of continent? Let’s just do the whole view of the creators. globe! I was struck by the fact that LG: It’s still kind of unusual to there are so many artists you can see art objects and craft objects classify as African who were born together in a museum exhibition. outside of their parents’ native What appeals to you about countries, and went to school mashing up these separate forms? and live someplace else. The LSS: My posture towards art, when contemporary, cutting-edge art I was at the Metropolitan Museum career is very global and nomadic, or even the Studio Museum, and I wanted to think about what might have been predicated on that means in terms of establishing the fact that there are certain FEATURE 51
I considered all the pitfalls theoretical and critical constructs admit to myself that a lot of my that privilege concept and idea adjudication of art as a curator of organizing a continentally over making. When I came to had this private moment where I contained exhibition and MAD—after being six, seven said, “Now, is that well made?” So years out of active curating—and I realized that I have very strong decided—oh, why stop at really started to go to galleries feelings about the relationship of the continent? Let's just do again, I was blown away by the content to form, materials and amount of making and process process. Coming to MAD at this the whole globe! that was in Chelsea. It was like this point in my career brings together aspect of the art world had always a lot of different currents been there, but was suddenly in my personal journey in highlighted for me. the art world, and I $nd that very If I look back on it, having ful$lling. grown up during the $rst (orescence of the feminist or LG: It’s funny that you say that women’s art movement, and like it’s a secret. The art world has having spent the last thirty or forty really moved away from judging years dealing with artists of color work on how well it is made. who have reached into their own LSS: I know. I am fond of blaming cultures for reference, the whole Clement Greenberg. I think the line thing of materials and process, that he draws between modern since they have certain kinds of art and kitsch, with kitsch being cultural overtones, was really not about sentimentality and personal that strange to me. I also had to involvement, and modern art
1 Kossi Aguessy Useless Tool, 2009 Courtesy the artist Photo: Masaki Okumura
2Aboubakar Fofana Le Campement Bleu (The Blue Campsite), n.d. Courtesy Amaridian, New York Photo: Francois Goudier
1 2 52 STUDIO W I NTER / SPRING
3Algernon Miller in collaboration with Sanaa Gateja and the Kwetu Afrika Art and Design Development Centre Change, 2010 Courtesy Algernon Miller
3
being about this kind of extreme that “craft” people are moving past they really $red his imagination. cerebral exercise, really has been function and really beginning to He never went to Uganda, never a problem for most of my career, interrogate and introduce concept met the craftspeople, but through whether I was dealing with into their work; that “art” people communications with cell phones African-American artists and issues are very much involved in process and the Internet he got them to of content in the 1970s or looking and that ”design” people are think about making this large- at women’s work. It’s interesting involving personal commitment scale piece, larger than anything that since I’ve come to MAD, and getting away from mass they’d ever done. In a way, he’s where people know that “materials production. The three genres dependent on them to execute and process” is kind of a mantra, are coming together in a very his piece, but they are probably artists I have known for a long interesting way. going to be transformed by the time, photographers and painters, scope, scale and monumentality are now talking to me about LG: I was struck by the number of it. That will change their own their processes! We never would of collaborations in the show, perspectives of what they can have had those conversations in in which artists and designers do and the possibilities they can another context. working outside of Africa are create. I’ve realized that there is now asking African artisans, "can you among artists less trauma when make LG: How can that translate into talking about craft—but it’s always this for me?" And this can scaling up production in a way with a small “c.” You raise the big-c play out in a couple ways— that is economically bene$cial? “Craft” and people start distancing a great craftsperson can make LSS: The Gahaya Links weaving themselves immediately. I think something to exact speci$cations association is probably the best part of it is $nancial—how you and it’s done, but it’s more example of this. Janet Nkubana position yourself in the art world interesting when there is a and her sister Joy Ndunguste and what you can expect to get conversation. started this collaborative with for your work—but the other part LSS: I think the Algernon Miller Hutu and Tutsi women. It is that people think of craft as rote, piece Change is a perfect began with the goal of creating without creativity. If artists have example of that. Miller worked economic opportunities and social a concept, they can hire with a women’s collaborative in reconciliation for survivors of the somebody to execute it— Uganda. These forty women took massacre. They now work with four but often that person brings some a technique of making beads from thousand people, making baskets creativity into the execution. So paper that was pioneered by Sanaa that have a global market—Macy’s the point is that in many cases Gateja, a designer who brought is one of their purveyors. We these two aspects have to go them together and has been very tend to have this kind of cutesy- hand in hand. I think it’s really an active in bringing arts to various poo idea about artisanship: interesting hierarchy. What we’ve sections of Uganda. Miller saw "Ooh! They’re carrying on their tried to demonstrate at MAD is some handbags at an expo and traditions." But what I found with FEATURE 53
Gahaya Links, along with a lot of you really want, quality products through your purchases. Those the South African craftspeople in you can incorporate into your are interesting things that I never the show working in ceramics and life. We’re at an interesting point would have gotten to talk about at basketry, is that each of them is now in the global market. There the Metropolitan Museum or even known for his or her involvement is tension between the cheap, the Studio Museum. in gender-bending, or introducing mass-produced objects and really new techniques. Nothing is important handmade ones that static. These are not naive people might knocking things off. I think that be a little more expensive. while there previously was a I think of Aboubakar Fofana, who tendency to make touristic, curio makes incredible indigo fabrics. He trinkets, people are getting the uses wild cotton woven in Mali to idea that there is a viable market produce this beautiful, exquisitely out there for handmade things, tie-dyed product that can be and they better step up their game copied and mass-produced. So to compete. I think there’s a much we as consumers have a choice. more sophisticated approach It’s about pricing, authenticity across the board. and how can you do that without My MAD colleague Judith coming to a kind of consumer Kamien talks about “ethical snobbism, without associating consumption.” You can buy class or elitism with purchasing, something even though you but to think about how you’re don’t like it in order to support spending your dollars, both in somebody in Haiti or Rwanda. But terms of a personal statement these people are creating objects and who you’re supporting
4 Gonçalo Mabunda The Hope Throne 2008 Courtesy Galerie Perimeter, Paris
4 54 STUDIO W I NTER / SPRING
took religion courses such as ABDI ON “Styles of Atheism” and “The Devil’s Pact in Literature, Music, and Film” and studied things such as hip- hop culture and Africana studies. THE RISE Farah’s diverse curriculum greatly impacted his art. His academic classes really started to fuel what I think art is really only about showing he was thinking about art-wise. “Every time I went into class, I others how you personally see things, would conjure all of these images what your mind looks like. of things that would then be the beginning thoughts of visual art pieces,” he says. After graduating in May Raised by his art-loving mom, Abdi up, my mom and I used to listen 2009, Farah got a gig with the Farah (b. 1987) was introduced to to NPR all the time, to Tavis Smiley, Philadelphia Mural Arts Program, the arts at an early age. Growing who would always have Michael teaching an art course to a up in Baltimore, a city with a rich Eric Dyson on his show, and I love group of high school boys. It artistic and cultural presence, he Michael Eric Dyson. At the end [of was a temporary position with a recalls being around art all the the broadcast], it would always very short shelf life. Fortunately, time. Farah remembers visiting art say Dyson was a professor in the he soon learned that the cable galleries and institutions such as religious studies department at network Bravo was holding a the Walters Art Museum (formerly the University of Pennsylvania,” he casting call for a new reality the Walters Art Gallery) and the says. Farah knew then that he had television show called Work of Art: Baltimore Museum of Art. His to go to school there, where he The Next Great Artist. Farah was earliest memories of making art was exposed to lots of art history, not only chosen to be one of the are when he went to work with his mom, a college professor, and sat in a quiet corner to draw with markers and crayons. “I grew up always drawing,” he says. “That’s kind of who I was.” This love of drawing manifested into a skill and passion that led him to attend the George Washington Carver Center for Arts and Technology High School, where he focused on studio art. It wasn’t until he won the NAACP ACT-SO Gold Medal in painting that he realized how much artistic talent he had, and that he could be an artist for a living. Prior to this realization, Farah was certain he was going to play professional basketball, a huge part of his adolescence. “My buddies and I worshipped it,” he says. Continuing his academic career, Farah matriculated at the University of Pennsylvania, where he majored in $ne arts and minored in religious studies. “I went to Penn because growing FEATURE 55
fourteen contestants on the show, lot in my work because I am always what grade I was in, when a but also survived each weekly around. I have very clear objectives particular shoe came out and was challenge and won the entire as to what sort of expressions or popular,” he says. “I can remember competition. Farah was awarded emotions I want to try to convey.” how much a particular pair cost a solo exhibition at the Brooklyn He also insists that his art is most and how much more that was Museum as part of his prize. powerful when it is has a strong than I could afford.” Aesthetically, Farah works primarily in subjective presence and is charged he adds, “I just think they’re really oil painting, sculpture and with his own feelings, history and beautiful objects. They have a drawing. In(uenced heavily interests. “I think art is really only dash of color here, a splash there. by Michelangelo (1475–1564), about showing others how you They are so artistically creative and Rodin (1840–1917) and Bernini personally see things, what your they have that cultural connection (1498–1680), his sculptures are mind looks like. Everything else as well.” Farah explains that the hybrids that take key aspects of is journalism or documentation,” sneakers are also representative of the classical human form and he says. the objects in our society in which infuse them with expressive body Farah’s use of objects, we have embedded meaning and language conveying a range of particularly sneakers, in his speci$c signi$cance. emotions, and sometimes they paintings and sculptures, such Though much of Farah’s work are adorned with throwback Nike as in his piece Libation (2010) is is about him “looking back at sneakers. He creates the molds another way of adding a bit of his the proclivities and weird stuff” and casts these life-size sculptures own history to each piece. “I was in which he was so incredibly in his studio, comfortably located obsessed with shoes,” he recalls. engrossed during adolescence, in the basement and garage of As a kid and teenager who played he is also very interested in his mom’s house in York, PA. The basketball, he loved sneakers. portraying the duality of a self-re(exive nature of his work The two are almost synonymous. moment—the moment between Abdi Farah allows Farah to almost always be For him, the sneakers represent polar opposite emotions or Baptism, 2010 Courtesy the his own model. When asked about speci$c moments in his life. feelings. The basketball player artist this choice, he says, “I use myself a “I can remember how old I was, sculptures he created for the $nale 56 STUDIO W I NTER / SPRING
of Work of Art are supercharged could be sleeping or dead. The with such emotion. Their facial dark dust particles cascading from expressions and body language the (oating $gure like lingering are screaming out, but the viewer vespers from a star suggest that is not really sure whether each he is rising, but we can never be $gure is experiencing pleasure certain. or pain. The uncertainty of the What’s next for Farah? “Working moment’s emotion adds to the on a lot of art. I am not really power of the piece. This ambiguity sure there’s anything but art,” he is most interesting to Farah as he says. Look out for new sculptures, attempts to depict split seconds paintings and drawings, as well between order and chaos, comedy as perhaps a few animations, and tragedy. For his latest batch definitely collaborations with of sculptures, Farah is strongly other artists, musicians and in(uenced by thermal imagery. dancers, and maybe even sneaker He is experimenting with pouring designs? Well, we different colored resins into the can hope for that last one! The molds. The mixture of colors possibilities are endless and the “speak[s] to the beauty of life future is bright for inside [the body] that you can’t this talented young artist. see physically but is always ever- DOMINIC HACKLEY present,” he says. Farah’s life-size drawing All quotes from Abdi Farah, in conversation with Dominic Hackley, Baptism (2010), which recently November 11, 2010. sold at the Phillips de Pury contemporary art auction, reminds Check out one of Farah’s latest viewers of Farah’s love of drawing. artworks, created exclusively for Studio, This seemingly larger-than-life on page 78! drawing features a horizontal Farah levitating high above the paper’s Abdi Farah Libation, 2010 edge. Again we are confronted Courtesy the with uncertainty, as the $gure artist INTERNSHIPS
MAKE MORE THAN COPIES.
The Studio Museum in Harlem offers paid internships during both the summer and the academic year. The Museum’s internship program provides high school, college and graduate students, as well as recent graduates, with a wide range of experiences designed to provide insight into the daily workings of a professional museum environment. Interns also engage in a series of workshops, meetings, off-site visits and public programs.
For more information or to apply, visit studiomuseum.org/learn/internships. 58 STUDIO W I NTER / SPRING
IN CONVERSATION 201011 ARTISTS IN RESIDENCE FEATURE 59
In September 2010, The Studio Museum in Harlem was pleased to welcome our 2010–11 artists in residence: Simone Leigh, Kamau Amu Patton and Paul Mpagi Sepuya.
From left to right: Simone Leigh (b. 1968, Chicago) Paul Mpagi Sepuya’s (b. 1982, San Kamau Amu creates tactile ceramic objects Bernardino, California) lush color Patton, Paul Mpagi Sepuya, that reference the colonial and photographs reveal his active Simone Leigh anthropological histories, art- engagement with the history and historical lineage and modes process of portraiture as well as of production of ethnographic his experiments with framing, objects and artifacts. Often cropping and editing. Sepuya juxtaposing her handcrafted largely portrays young men in works with readymade, functional his community, making visible objects such as plastic buckets, the relationships and intimacy Leigh’s works have a performative between his subjects. nature. Recently Program Assistant Abbe Kamau Amu Patton (b. 1972, Schriber and Curatorial Fellow New York) creates atmospheric Tasha Parker sat down with the installations through multiple three artists in residence to discuss media. Through the use of their artistic practices in depth. sound, video, sculpture, drawing and painting, Patton provides an immersive multi- sensory experience that is also an exploration of modes of interconnectivity. He is interested in the structure and logic of spatial and temporal experience.
Photos: Dominic Hackley 60 STUDIO W I NTER / SPRING
Left: Simone Leigh with Giuliani Time, 2007
ABBE SCHRIBER: Hi AIRs! Thank materials are interesting to me. Commune of Bad, Relevant you for being here to have this PAUL MPAGI SEPUYA: I’m Artists—and the painting of conversation. Can you give us a continuing to develop ideas about Wadsworth Jarrell. I found the brief overview of your practice ways of working that I’ve started discussion about styles developed and describe where you are at this in the past year. I’ve recently in AFRICOBRA really interesting. stage been looking into the space that One principle was the use of of the program? gives context and content to the Kool-Aid colors in artwork and the social groups and relationships other was a style that developed a SIMONE LEIGH: Most of the that go on in places where artists quality called “shine.” Shine would sculptures that I create are built are imaging each other back manifest as a beautiful quality of after I make or accumulate a lot and forth. It’s a very re(exive the black body—something that of objects in one way or another. process. I’ve been doing not only needed to be ampli$ed in artwork. I’m de$nitely in the accumulation portraits of couples and groups, So I’ve been thinking about that phase. I’ve been looking at but also portraits of artists making quality of shine. I’ve been thinking different kinds of Americana and portraits…as well as doing a lot about Kool-Aid color and also the have a lot of tobacco leaves, hands of snapshots and documenting material of Kool-Aid as something of tobacco. my own editing process. I’ve kind of abject. KAMAU AMU PATTON: I’m doing a been looking at the content that bunch of drawing and printmaking, develops in the studio—the way TP: Kamau, you were speaking which for me is two-fold: it things are edited and the way before about materials and the generates objects I can then look things are thrown across tables adjustments that you’re making, at and think about, that occupy and the way things are hung up on $guring out what you’re using and the environment. Then there’s the the wall. This is also the $rst time scavenging. Can you talk more process of sifting through what that I’m shooting in a studio. I’m speci$cally about what you’re those objects are doing since accumulating a lot of stuff. $nding? they’re an accumulation of ideas TASHA PARKER: You all mentioned I’ve had. So I’m really in the process being in a phase of accumulation. KAP: Part of how I make what I of exploring, reading, making, Can you speak more about that? make has to do with various video thinking. There’s a materiality and audio electronic equipment. issue that’s starting to happen, SL: Well, for the past year or so, I tend to use it as long as I need it just thinking about what materials I’ve been interested in a collective and either pass it on to another I want to have access to, what called AFRICOBRA—African artist or put in back into the cycle FEATURE 61
of things. I’ve gotten rid of a lot of Especially how you choose to equipment after my last couple frame them of projects. Using certain types and place them. of machines or certain types of PMS: That’s also in an in-between electronics you’re going to get a spot. Actually, until recently, I particular aesthetic. You can’t get hadn’t ever hung anything on away from the fact that something the wall before. The reason was was made when it was made. So because I wasn’t interested in I’ve been trying to $gure out ways $xing things. I made a photograph to evolve the signature that is in and that became an object that some of the work that I’m doing. moved in many different ways over The noise of a radio signal is very time and from place to place. Every speci$c. The noise of a television time that something was shown, set made in a particular time. So, it could be different. Lately I’ve I’ve been thinking about that brought the content of editing into evolution and moving towards them. I’ve been making $nished embracing the digital and fully prints and putting them on the evolving into it. On the other walls, but maybe side-by-side with hand, in terms of materials that snapshots of those pieces in the will be the actual objects that will studio. interface with the public…paper, The Artist-in-Residence program is (exible metals. I like to work with supported with funds from the: my hands. So I don’t want to get National Endowment for the Arts; New into things that have to be fully York State Council on the Arts, a state agency; Milton and Sally Avery Arts machined at this point. Then, just Foundation, The Greenwall Foundation; returning to canvas, which wasn’t Jerome Foundation; New York Com- something that I was printing on munity Trust and Nimoy Foundation, and by endowments established by the or painting on for the past couple Jacob and Gwendolyn Lawrence Trust of years. It’s mostly been wood and and Andrea Frank Foundation. metal.
TP: Paul, You were talking earlier about the evolution you see happening in your practice now. How is that affecting the material product? Do you foresee any changes while you’re here?
PMS: Yeah, there’s some de$nite interaction between the prints as Top: Paul Mpagi objects themselves and the things Sepuya at work that have been photographed, Bottom: Kamau which are often side-by-side or just Amu Patton with exist in the studio. One thing I’ve a work in progress been doing is bringing in materials from the home into the studio. Leaving them here, photographing them. Sometimes they stay here, sometimes they leave.
AS: Your photographs are very material, as objects speci$cally. 62 STUDIO W I NTER / SPRING
1 FEATURE 63
1Alice Attie 2352 Harlem, NYC, 2000
2Alice Attie, Wake Up Black Man, 2004 Museum purchase with funds provided by the Acquisition Committee 04.25.3
2 EXCERPT HARLEM: A CENTURY IN IMAGES
FROM “HARLEM PLAYS THE BEST BALL IN THE WORLD” BY ELIZABETH ALEXANDER
Today’s Harlem lives ghosted by its past. Ghosts can haunt and can animate; Harlem’s evident sense of self, which we see in so many of the photographs in this book, harkens back to an is like that, existing across time, grounded in almost century-old idea of itself—the mighty space. Capucine Bailly’s Volunteers Campaign for black metropolis sine qua non—that persists Senator Obama in Harlem (2008) shows a Barack in these contemporary photographs from the Obama sign painted in the fashion of a 1940s last thirty years. poster or an African barbershop sign, and Dawoud So in Alice Attie’s 2352 Harlem, NYC (2000), Bey’s A Boy in Front of the Loews 125th Street the woman in the image of the “Beauty & Hair (1976) features a boy whose sweater and glasses Treatment Center” sports a marcelled 1940s could as easily mark him as being in a Malick Sidibé hairdo; the sign stilI promises “miracle[s].” Attie’s photograph from a decade earlier on another Wake Up Black Man (2004) shows graffito that continent. might have been made in the 1960s; its message In so many of these photos of timeless urging race pride is quintessential Harlem. Harlem Harlem it is strikingly difficult to tell if it is 1969 64 STUDIO W I NTER / SPRING
or 2010. The curvy lettering of the graffiti looks People are still wearing phantasmagorical hats the same. The font of ‘’Apollo’’ on the Apollo in Harlem, and always have been. People are Theater is akin to the font of Minton’s Playhouse. wearing extraordinary corsages on Sunday and The $ligrees on the brownstones are the same. fur stoles in summer. There is a jump-up blue The sunglasses and high heels are the same. The and green on storefronts and wall paint that is style and style politics are the same. And yet it is a consistent across Harlem. Neon has always made “changing same,” to use Amiri Baraka’s phrase to sense in Harlem; it captures an emotional pitch, a describe jazz, wherein its fundamental quiddity verve, an announcing self-importance, even in the remains stable as the musician plays the changes. midst of decay. In her classic essay “Characteristics of Negro Expression,” which was likely penned in Harlem, Elizabeth Alexander is a poet, essayist, playwright Zora Neale Hurston described “the Negro’s will and professor. In addition to publishing $ve books to embellish.” Today the young folks say, “you’re of poetry, she composed and delivered “Praise so extra” to describe what Hurston saw, then as Song for the Day” at President Barack Obama’s now, what she called “decorating the decoration.” inauguration. She is Chair of the African-American Studies department at Yale University.
3Capucine Bailly Volunteers Campaign for Senator Obama in Harlem, 2008
4Dawoud Bey A Boy in Front of the Loews 125th Street, 1976 Gift of the artist 79.1.12
3
The filigrees on the brownstones are the same. The sunglasses and high heels are the same. The style and style politics are the same. And yet it is a “changing same.” FEATURE 65
4 MUSEUM STORE
81 ARTISTS. 71 WRITERS. 1 BOOK.
Price: $22.00 Member: $18.70 Item#: 2907
Re:Collection is the !rst book to document and reproduce, in full color, highlights from the Museum’s permanent collection. An ambitious project distinguished by the unique variety of esteemed contributors, Re:Collection pairs reproductions of work by 81 of the most recognized and innovative artists in the Museum’s collection with wide-ranging contributions by 71 different artists, scholars, writers, historians, and museum staff. Re:Collection is the perfect gift for an art lover or souvenir of your museum visit, sure to be read and treasured for years to come. FEATURE 67
EXCERPT RE:COLLECTION SELECTED WORKS FROM THE STUDIO MUSEUM IN HARLEM
BEAUFORD DELANEY: PORTRAIT OF A YOUNG MUSICIAN BY HILTON ALS
Would it be OK to talk about Beauford Delaney as a brother? I ask because I don’t want to disturb his natural reticence. A death does not mean the end of anything, really, except the end of our corporeal self—that mannequin made up of hair and teeth and a beating heart. So perhaps I’ll ignore Delaney’s emotional timidity for now and claim him as the brother I’ve always felt him to be. complicated paintings had a healing affect on his Beauford His protean output, his relative obscurity while he black gay viewers, even as they acted as a kind Delaney Portrait of a lived, his poverty, and his need to be loved are all of mirror to those boys’ myriad selves. By painting Young Musician, familiar to me now. When I look at photographs his inner self, Delaney let his brothers see and n.d. of him, some taken with his great friend, James learn from the story his body and mind had to Gift of Ms. Ogust Delaney Stewart, Baldwin (1924–1987), I wonder how Delaney felt tell, and what he had been through in order to Knoxville, about his body, and how it was treated—or, more make his very singular paintings: neglect and Tennessee likely, mistreated—as he made his way from his hope, trust and betrayal, in equal measure. When 04.2.27 native Tennessee to New York to Paris, where he I ask if it would be OK to talk about Delaney as died in 1979, apparently broken but not alone a brother, what I’m really asking is permission since, along the way, he adopted as many of his to take on the legacy he left me and my kind: kind as he could. That is a heavy, troublesome a fraught fraternity one must battle through in and enriching burden—to adopt black gay men. order to $nd its center, which is hope. Since they are so rarely loved by the quotidian, let alone others of their kind, it takes them a long time to even acknowledge they want to be loved themselves. It’s my bet—given the ferocity of his little brothers’ commitment to Delaney, especially as he lay dying—that the artist’s rich and 68 STUDIO W I NTER / SPRING
Studio Fiction There will be two women in his living room helping Natalie pack. They have boxes, fat rolls of brown tape, tall nonfat lattes and crumbly COME scones. One braces herself against a box to hold its (aps tightly together while zipping a fat piece of tape straight down the middle and ripping it off against the metal teeth of the dispenser. SUNDAY The other woman packs elephant $gurines from Natalie’s sorority days, swathing each one in newspaper to prevent breakage. By Amina Gautier The women are not actually noisy. It is the sucking sound of tape being pulled off its dispenser, the sliding of boxes along the (oor, the stacking of them on a hand truck against the He hopes she is wall by the front door—it is the sound of their efficiency that has jarred him awake. remembering what Natalie directs them from the center of the he remembers… room. William clears his throat and she raises red and sleepless eyes to him. She looks where he is looking, at the large framed painting on the wall above the sofa. Come Sunday, William thought better of it all, but For a moment, he hopes she is remembering didn’t know how to say so. what he remembers. Lying beside him the night before, Natalie William had bought the painting for her had said, “Sometimes I get the feeling that you after she dragged him to one of her sorority don’t actually like me. It’s as if there’s something functions, a jazz brunch for which he had to about me that just rubs you the wrong way.” wear formal attire. Out of place in a room $lled “It’s too late for this kind of discussion. I need mostly with women, he stayed by her side while to sleep,” William said, though they both knew she greeted one sorority sister after another, he’d napped the afternoon and early evening until his head swam with introductions and he away. “We’ll talk later.” began to feel less like a boyfriend and more like “You show your friends a patience I never an appendage. Excusing himself to the mimosa seem to get from you.” fountain, he wandered the perimeter of the “They need it.” room, perusing the items displayed for silent She shifted away from him and the covers auction. William debated whether to write a bid on went with her, leaving him cold and exposed. a basketball autographed by John Starks when he “And I don’t? What about me?” saw the painting on the wall. “It’s really late,” he said. In it, a woman emerges out of a collage. “I’m not going to feel better until I can get Head tilted, she gazes inquisitively at someone this off my chest,” she said. out of the frame. Standing on her front porch, she “Later,” he yawned loudly, lacing his $ngers looks at the person as though to ask him to state behind his head underneath the pillow. his purpose. Hands wrapped around a weathered Some time afterwards, he felt her leave the brown pole staked into the ground, she cradles bed. Several minutes later, the front door closed. a small child in the space of her arms. One hand After she’d gone, he got up to check. Her car keys only, on his ankles, she balances him easily, dangled from their hook. It was too late and too effortlessly, as if dropping him is an impossibility Romare Bearden dangerous for her to be taking a walk this time not to be borne. So sure and self-contained Come Sunday, 1975 of night by herself, William thought. It was a ploy, despite the precariousness of the child in her Art © Romare to get him to come after her, to force him to talk. arms, despite the poor quality of her clothing, Bearden He turned the lights off and got back into despite the bandanna tied around her head, Foundation Licensed bed. despite the adult and child some distance behind by VAGA, Come Sunday, he will awaken to noise. her, walking away, she seems to say that she is the New York, NY FEATURE 69 70 STUDIO W I NTER / SPRING
“I would love to talk,” William said. So sure and self-contained, she seems William ushered the salesman into the foyer, where they stood awkwardly. The salesman to say that she is the only one not in launched into an explanation about the new improvements that had been made and listed the only one not in need of tending. The brown pole cost-effectiveness of switching to another carrier. she clasps is striped with white lines that could He suggested the practicality of bundling services be either the pale wood beneath the bark, or the for even further savings. effects of chipping, (aking, rusting metal. Yet it is “How does that sound sir?” the salesman the pole—and only the pole—that is in disrepair. asked him. She and hers are $ne, or soon will be. “It’s so hard to know what to do.” The woman in the collage made him think “There’s a thirty-day guarantee,” the of Natalie, though it wasn’t the kind of artwork salesman said. “If you change your mind, you’ll he could be sure of her liking. There was the only be charged the one-time installation fee. possibility that she would be insulted. One look After that you’re off the hook. We’ll retrieve our at the bandanna and she’d think of Aunt Jemima. materials and it will be as if they never were.” How to say to her that the woman was her? How The salesman snapped his $ngers. to let her know that they both gave off that same As the salesman took down his information sense of immense capability? Maybe Natalie and directed him to the appropriate places to would not care for it, but he liked it nonetheless. sign. William wished it were that easy. Removal, The way the artist put the woman together out indifference, upheaval all took work and required of bits and pieces, shapes and colors and prints, effort. One had to pretend the loss was miniscule. made him think of quilts, of the patchwork And it didn’t matter if you kept silent, ignored it, quality of life, of the way his mother spent her life willed it away, or pretended everything was $ne gathering the scraps of life and fused them into and that nothing needed saying. Silence would something meaningful for him and his brother, of not save you. The loss would still come and linger the way generations before, grandmothers and and make it so you felt you could never escape great-aunts had collected the castaways of others it. He’d had a chance to speak, to say something and sewn together bits and pieces of fabric to that would have made things right. He could have create both beauty and warmth. gone after her the night before. He should have, William signed his name on the bidding for the sake of her safety. Instead he acted like a sheet and checked the list every $fteen minutes to boy in grade school, showing affection through see if anyone had outbid him. By the jazz brunch’s meanness, substituting cruelty for love. end, he paid more than he intended to, but he After William signed the last document, the bought the painting for her and would be able to salesman rose from the couch, smiled widely, hang it and look at it whenever he liked. and tucked his clipboard under his arm. “Well sir, I “What about that?” he asks, wanting the guess that will be all.” painting to make her stay. “Wait.” She says, “I’ll come back for it later in the “Yes?” week.” William turned from the salesman to the wall The next day, William called in sick. He behind him. He crawled onto the couch and lifted wanted to be there when Natalie came for the the painting from the wall. It slid into his hands, painting. heavy and solid. He gripped the canvas in both His doorbell rang mid-afternoon and he hands and thrust it at the salesman. rushed to open it. Before him stood a man in blue, “Yours if you want it,” he said, to which the holding a clipboard. “Good afternoon sir. Are you salesman could only stare, at a loss for words. happy with your cable television provider?” the salesman asked. “No, I’m not happy at all,” William admitted. Amina Gautier is the 2010 winner of the Flannery O’Connor Award for her short story collection At-Risk (University of “Would you be interested in talking over Georgia Press). Over sixty of her stories have been published, your options to see if we can’t do something appearing in Best African American Fiction, Callaloo, Kenyon about that?” Review and North America Review. Gautier is a native of Brook- STUDIO MUSEUM IN HARLEM
TARGET FREE SUNDAYS
Thanks to the generous support of Target, Museum admission is free every Sunday. Target Free Sundays re!ects a shared commitment to engage the community and o"er a vital cultural experience to all. To learn more about upcoming events, visit studiomuseum.org/ event-calendar. 72 STUDIO W I NTER / SPRING
FELLOW TO FELLOW out about The Studio Museum in prior to interviewing? NIA I’MAN Harlem? T: At the time of the interview TASHA: I’ve been involved in the I was interning at the Museum SMITH & TASHA L. visual arts my entire life, as far of Modern Art in the Media and PARKER back as I can remember. I was an Performance department. artist growing up and began to focus on art history in college. I N: As a fellow, what have been graduated from Brooklyn College some of your responsibilities? Over a delicious meal of assorted and received my BA in art history, T: I’ve been a doing a little bit of sandwiches and sweet potato fries and from there went to Howard everything, depending on what is at II Café University, where I received my needed in the office. I’ve organized Latte (189 Malcolm X Boulevard), MA in art history as well. When I and catalogued images for the I sat down with the wonderful lived in Harlem, I often visited the permanent collection, and pulled (and very (y, I might add) Tasha Museum and always kept it on my info from past seasons. I’ve also L. Parker to talk about her time as radar. So I’ve always been familiar worked on planning exhibitions the Curatorial Fellow at the Studio with the Museum. and writing object labels and wall Museum, as well as the addictive text. nature of television shows such as N: Nice. So how did you $nd out Hoarders and Intervention. Here’s about the fellowship? N: It sounds like you have been a brief transcript of the Museum- T: I found out about it from a good responsible for a lot. What are related parts, including Tasha’s friend who sent me an email he some challenges you have faced as questions for me about my time had received from Thomas Lax, a fellow? as Education and Public Programs Exhibitions Coordinator and T: Hmmmm… challenges… Fellow Program Associate. When I got the One thing was learning how to at the Museum. email I immediately applied. write for the public. During the NIA: Talk to me a little about your fellowship I realized that the background and how you found N: And then you got called in for tone of scholarly writing and an interview. What were you doing wall texts are totally different,
Tasha L. Parker, Curatorial Fellow and Nia I’man Smith, Education and Public Programs Fellow Photo: Dominic Hackley FEATURE 73
so being able to write wall text Overall, the curricula help validate viewing time needs to be allotted. that can be easily understood the need for art in schools. is a challenge—it’s a great skill T: Who are some of your favorite that I have enjoyed learning. T: How would you summarize your artists? Also, working in a small background in the arts? N: Otabenga Jones & Associates, department and having to juggle N: I was not really involved Mickalene Thomas, Bearden and many tasks at once has been in visual arts growing up, but I Deana Lawson, to name a few. a bit challenging, especially am a very visual person. I’ve been coming from the Museum of involved in dance and used to T: What do you plan to do after Modern Art, where there was a write poetry. your fellowship? separate person for everything N: I will continue my studies at that needed to be done in a T: What is your educational Bank Street, student-teach and department. background? hopefully get through the $rst N: I have a BA in Africana studies round of the Fulbright selection N: Indeed. Indeed. Now that we from Howard University and I process. have talked about challenges, what am currently pursuing a MEd in have been some of your favorite museum education at Bank Street T: What will you research if you are moments of the last year? College of Education. awarded the Fulbright? T: The opening of The Production N: I will study at the Gramophone of Space, which I curated for T: What has been your shining Research Institute in Ghana, this season’s exhibition, was the moment at Studio Museum? researching the relevance of jazz in biggest highlight. N: I gave a professional the diasporic experience. development lecture to social N: What was that process like? studies teachers. It was The Studio Museum in Harlem’s 2011 Education and Public Programs Fellow T: From the beginning I had only my second time giving the is generously supported by a grant a general idea for the theme talk, but I received a lot from The Leona M. and Harry B. of my show, and I had picked of praise from the teachers. Helmsley Charitable Trust. The Studio Museum in Harlem’s 2011 Curatorial out a couple of works from the Fellow is generously supported by a collection. The major part of the T: What has been your greatest grant from The New York Community process was getting the okay challenge? Trust. from everybody in the Curatorial N: Adjusting to the work Department and Thelma Golden. environment, a larger museum with a more institutional vibe. N: So what’s next? Previously, I worked at the very T: Right now I’m not sure what. small American Poetry Museum in I’m planning to apply for PhD southeast Washington, D.C. programs, speci$cally ones dealing T: What was your favorite with visual culture and some exhibition from an educational of the themes I explored in The perspective? Production of Space. N: Collected. in spring 2010 was And then Tasha turned the easy to create curriculum around. It conversation to me… had a historical span and included TASHA: What are some of your many great artists, such as Romare responsibilities as the Education Bearden and Beauford Delaney. Fellow? NIA: I give tours of exhibitions and T: And which exhibitions were develop curricula for teachers and more challenging from an students. educational programming perspective? T: Can you give me some examples N: The Artist-in-Residence show, of the curricula you create? Usable Pasts, was N: For Lynette Yiadom-Boakye: a challenge because of Any Number of Preoccupations, the video works. In general, videos the exercises involved creating are more difficult to include in monologues and characters. an education walkthrough, since 74 STUDIO W I NTER / SPRING
2010 PUBLIC 2010 was another robust year for children and adults exercise PROGRAM public programs at The Studio their imagination and discover Museum in Harlem. We celebrated something new about themselves, HIGHLIGHTS the third kickoff of Target Free and sometimes, their community. Sundays @ The Studio Museum For example, artist Nyugen Smith in Harlem (TFS) on July 18th! (pictured above) facilitated a That Sunday’s featured event, a community-making workshop in children’s book festival, was held our courtyard last summer based in tandem with Target’s Arts & on his work Bundle House. Using Wonder Free Family weekend, held cardboard, pastels, tape, paper, nationwide. More than a thousand yarn and other found materials, visitors joined us for a day of guests built homes, parks, even face painting, balloon animals, a patio complete with beach readings, performances and art- umbrellas! After that, guests making workshops. consolidated their individual Every weekend I witness cardboard sculptures and FEATURE 75
Every weekend I witness children and adults exercise their imagination and discover something new about themselves, and sometimes, their community.
expanded the bigger sculpture— to discuss his show Inner Views— upcoming public programs, please an architectural scale model! This the $rst New York solo museum visit studiomuseum.org. summer we also collaborated exhibition for the South African with The Laundromat Project, a photographer. The return of Adult programs are generously community-based nonpro$t arts Uptown Fridays caused another supported by a grant from the Metlife Foundation. organization, for a three-part series summer splash! Many took designing t-shirts and creating advantage of the guided tours, collagraphs and sidewalk drawings shopped in the Museum Store, with ground spices. enjoyed drinks and refreshments Notably, TFS recently featured at the Atrium Café and danced two titles for our Books & Authors the night away in the courtyard. series. On October 17th, the In September, fashion editor and Aaron and Alta Sawyer Douglas icon André Leon Talley and fashion Foundation presented Love Letters designer LaQuan Smith joined us from the Harlem Renaissance for Intersections: Conversations to a captivated audience. The on Art & Culture. December’s Art, volume features correspondence Rhyme & Wine, a collaboration between the preeminent artist, with our neighbor the Hip Hop proli$c painter and major Harlem Culture Center in Harlem for their Renaissance $gure Aaron Douglas signature event, featured three and his wife, Alta. On November emcees who expounded on the 14th we partnered with WNYC current exhibition. The emcees, 93.9 FM (AM 820) to feature The AtLas’, Albert Rhymestein and Afro-Latin@ Reader: History and D-Nasty, were given tours of the Culture in the United States as show in advance and prepared part of WNYC’s Black & Latino lyrics and also freestyled while DJ Nyugen Smith Literary Salon. Celeste Headlee Mike Doelo, the Center’s Musical works on the of The Takeaway moderated the Director, spun records. Curtis collaborative sculpture at roundtable discussion with editors Sherrod, Executive Director, his Bundle Miriam Jiménez-Román and Juan warmed up the enthused crowd by House event Flores. Attendance exceeded our inviting the audience to compete this past July. Photo: Amalia expectations and our theater’s with their best rendition of the Mallard 120-guest capacity. This highly “Wop.” provocative talk explored the There’s more to come in 2011! Afro-Latino identity, experience I look forward to seeing you and label. Thursday and Friday evenings for Similarly, Adult Programs Adult Programs and every week for began with a bang this summer. Target Free Sundays @ The Studio To inaugurate our new extended Museum! hours on Thursdays and Fridays, AMALIA MALLARD we were joined by Zwelethu Mthethwa for The Artist’s Voice For more information about our 76 STUDIO W I NTER / SPRING
DIY ART ACTIVITY
1 DIY 1 Lynette 2Lynette Yiadom-Boakye Yiadom-Boakye IMAGINARY Wrist Action, 9am Jerez de la 2010 Frontera, 2010 PORTRAIT! Courtesy the Collection of artist and Jack Noel Kirnon Shainman Photo Courtesy Gallery, Jack Shainman New York Gallery, NY Photo Courtesy Jack Shainman Gallery, NY
2
The people you see in Lynette Yiadom-Boakye’s portraits seem as though they could be real, but they are all make-believe! Just like a writer creates $ctional characters for a story, Lynette paints imaginary characters on canvas. You can make up your own character, too!
First, think about who your front of a colorful backdrop, as in a HERE’S WHAT YOU’LL NEED character is. Is it a boy or girl? How school portrait? Or is he or she in a Pencil old is he or she? What is his or her particular place—at home, on the Crayons or markers name? Where does your character beach or at the playground? Creativity and live? What does he or she like to Finally, think about special imagination! do? items your character may want in Once you have a character in the portrait. Consider drawing his mind, think about what his or her or her favorite piece of clothing, portrait should look like. Is he or book or toy. she sitting, standing or moving Now add color with crayons around? Which direction is your or markers and introduce your character facing? What is he or she character to your family and wearing? Is your character alone or friends! with a friend? Next, think about the background. Is your character in STUDIO JUNIOR! 77 78 Coloring Page STUDIO ! W I NTER / SPRING STUDIO JUNIOR! 79
Abdi Farah Call of Duty Modern Warfare Black Ops, 2010 Courtesy the artist 80 STUDIO W I NTER / SPRING
THE JOYCE ALEXANDER WEIN ARTIST PRIZE
1 FRIENDS 81
THE JOYCE ALEXANDER WEIN ARTIST PRIZE
LESLIE HEWITT RECEIVES THE 2010 WEIN ARTIST PRIZE
On October 25, 2010, the Studio Museum celebrated the $fth anniversary of the Joyce Alexander Wein Artist Prize at our annual Gala by honoring Leslie Hewitt (b.1977), a New York-based artist working in photography, sculpture, site-speci$c installation and $lm. This year’s event was particularly memorable, as the Museum also celebrated George Wein, who 2 established the prize in 2006 in honor of his late wife, Joyce. All the past winners—Lorna Simpson (b. Young (b. 1977), Untitled (Level) York. Her work has been exhibited 1Leslie Hewitt 1960), Trenton Doyle Hancock (b. (2010). A silent combination of in a number of group shows, both Riffs on Real Time, 2004 1974), Nadine Robinson (b. 1968) still and moving images of a man nationally and internationally, Promised and and Glenn Ligon (b. 1960)—were walking through Harlem, the work and is represented in the public partial gift of also present to commemorate explores the personal, political collections of the Museum of Martin and Rebecca the anniversary of the prize that and psychological aspects of Modern Art, the Museum of Eisenberg, was inspired by Joyce’s lifelong moving from one place to another, Contemporary Photography in Scarsdale, NY support of living artists and exemplifying Hewitt’s interests in Chicago and The Studio Museum envisioned as an extension of the nonlinear perspective and, as she in Harlem, where she was a 2007- 2George Wein and Leslie Hewitt Studio Museum’s mission to support related in her artist statement, “the 08 artist in residence. at the 2010 experimentation and excel-lence everyday and the transformative GINGER COFIELD Studio Museum in contemporary art. power of circumstance or Gala Photo: Ray A. In(uenced and inspired situation.” Visit the Studio Blog at Llanos by a variety of sources and Director and Chief Curator studiomuseum.org/blog to watch practices, including Dutch still Thelma Golden announced the our video on the 2010 Wein Artist life, twentieth-century protest award in front of over seven Prize! literature and the history and hundred guests and friends of the study of optics as it relates to the Studio Museum. Upon accepting, camera, Hewitt’s work addresses Hewitt stated, “My selection for notions of time, space, memory the 2010 Joyce Alexander Wein and how perception is altered Artist Prize is truly a surprise. I feel through technology. She uses extremely honored. This generous the camera as a tool not only to award will contribute greatly to capture speci$c moments, but the development of new $lm- also to reposition one’s point based work. I am very thankful and of view, subtly challenging humbled by this news!” the potentials, limitations and Hewitt has had a solo expectations of a photographic exhibition at The Kitchen in New document. Expanding on her York (2010), was included in the interest in site-speci$city, Hewitt Whitney Biennial (2008) and was has collaborated on a $lm project part of New Photography 2009 at with cinematographer Bradford the Museum of Modern Art in New 82 STUDIO W I NTER / SPRING
GALA 2010 OCTOBER 25, 2010
The Studio Museum in Harlem Trotter. This year’s Gala celebrated sincerely thanks the following both Pamela Fiori and George businesses and individuals for Wein, both avid and staunch their generous support, which supporters of the Museum. We contributed to the overwhelming also express our utmost gratitude success of Gala 2010, where we to Mr. Wein, who established the raised over $1.5 million. Joyce Alexander Wein Artist Prize $ve years ago, and wholeheartedly The Museum extends gratitude and congratulate the 2010 Wein Prize congratulations to the phenomenal recipient, Leslie Hewitt. Gala Co-Chairs Kathryn C. Chenault, Joyce K. Haupt and Carol Sutton Lewis, as well as the dedicated Gala Vice-Chairs, Jacqueline L. Bradley, Amelia Ogunlesi and Teri FRIENDS 83
TABLES PATRON Foundation, Inc. Jacqueline L. Bradley & Bloomberg Target Clarence Otis BENEFACTOR Valentino D. Carlotti Verizon Foundation Carver Federal Savings Bank Kathryn C. & Frank & Nina Cooper / Pepsi-Cola The City University Kenneth Chenault / Beverages Americas SUPPORTER of New York American Express Credit Suisse Anonymous Pippa Cohen Mitzi & Warren Eisenberg Darden Restaurants, Inc. Joyce & Ira Haupt II Con Edison Goldman, Sachs & Co. / Peggy Cooper Davis & Gordon J. HBO / Henry McGee GlobalHue Valentino D. Carlotti Davis / Dewey & LeBoeuf / T. Warren Jackson / Holly Peterson Foundation Carol Sutton Lewis & Patricia Blanchet Charles E. Simpson J. Crew William M. Lewis, Jr. Dior George & Gail Knox Michael Rosenfeld Gallery Morgan Stanley The Estée Lauder Companies, Inc. Miyoung Lee & Neil Simpkins Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw Susan & Donald Newhouse General Electric Company Gwen & Peter Norton Pittman LLP Marilyn & Jim Simons Agnes Gund James H. Simmons, III RBC Bank Ann Tenenbaum & Mr. & Mrs. John B. Hess Gunner & Alyson Winston Regen Projects Thomas H. Lee Joyce and George Wein Xerox Foundation Time Warner Inc. Teri & Lloyd Trotter / GenNx360 Foundation Reginald Van Lee Capital Partners Debra L. Lee / BET Networks DONOR Macy’s and Bloomingdale’s Amy and Joe Perella Cheryl and Philip Milstein Charitable Fund Foundation, Inc. Bank of America Raymond J. McGuire Douglas Baxter Rodney M. Miller Lois & Roland Betts Amelia & Adebayo Ogunlesi Photos: Julie Skarratt The Perelman Family 84 STUDIO W I NTER / SPRING
FRIEND Pamela J. Joyner June Kelly & Charles Storer DONOR Jemina R. Bernard / Yolonda & Jill & Peter Kraus Loida Nicolas Lewis Debra Tanner Abell, MD Meredith Marshall Marian Goodman Gallery Bernard Lumpkin & Peg Alston / Peg Alston Fine Arts Shaun Biggers, MD & May and Samuel Rudin Family Carmine D. Boccuzzi Ann & Steven Ames Kenneth Alleyne, MD Foundation, Inc. Liz & David McCreery Andrea Rosen Gallery Lisa E. Davis, Esq. / Frankfurt David Rockefeller Gregory R. Miller Judy Hart Angelo & Kurnit Klein & Selz Jeanne Greenberg Rohatyn & Bridget Moore / DC Moore Gallery John M. Angelo Jenkins Johnson Gallery Nicolas S. Rohatyn Ruthard C. Murphy II Charles A. Archer, Esq. / L’Oréal Paris Daryl & Steven Roth Amber & Charles Patton EDCSPIN, Inc. Courtney Lee-Mitchell & Melissa & Robert Soros Madeline Murphy Rabb Art Production Fund Marcus Mitchell Renée H. Sutton Sikkema Jenkins & Co. Aliyyah Baylor Rice Financial Products Company Laurie M. Tisch Bonita & Kevin Stewart Racquel Chevremont & Ted & Nina Wells José Tavarez & Holly Phillips, MD Corey M. Baylor INDIVIDUALS Gordon VeneKlasen Berdie and Mairtin Brady SUPPORTER Dawanna Williams Jerry W. Burris / PATRON Jonathan Caplan & Angus Cook Barnes Group Inc. Anonymous Anthony Edson Dr. & Mrs. Alan R. Butler Peggy & John Bader Charles F. Etuk Cindy Butler / Lamarca-Butler Melva Bucksbaum & Gladstone Gallery Group Raymond Learsy Tracey Gray-Walker / Amy Cappellazzo Peggy Cooper Cafritz AXA Equitable Pamela Carleton & Theresa & Martin Cole Marieluise Hessel Charles Hamilton Joan Davidson & Neil Barsky Joan & George Hornig Lisa & Dick Cashin Brickson E. Diamond Arthur J. Humphrey, Jr. Adela Cepeda Charlotte & Bill Ford Carolyn C. Jones Deborah R. Chatman FRIENDS 85
Elizabeth Davis & Luis Penalver Ronald Norsworthy II & CONTRIBUTORS The Studio Museum in Harlem Thelma Dye, PhD / Northside Michael diCesare Ariel Investments makes every effort to ensure the Center for Child Development Kim Powell Denise V. Burrell-Stinson accuracy of its lists of supporters. George Faison & Tad Schnugg Royal Kennedy Rodgers & Sophia & Eldzier Cortor If your name is not listed as you Pamela Fiori & Colton Givner Johnathan Rodgers Judith & Ronald Davenport, Sr. prefer or if you believe that your Gavin Brown’s Enterprise Victoria Rogers John E. Ellis, MD name has been omitted, please Darrell Gay / Arent Fox Lino A. Solis / Arent Fox Arti & Harold Freeman let us know by contacting the Denise B. Gardner Michael Ward Stout / The Robert Sunny & Brad Goldberg Gala Office at 212.864.4500 x218. Alexander Gray & David Cabrera Mapplethorpe Foundation William A. Harper Kevin C. Greenidge, MD, MPH David Teiger Barry Jaruzelski Samuel L. Guillory Lucien Terras / Tracey Kemble James F. & Sezelle G. Haddon D'Amelio Terras Gallery Peter D. Lax Hauser & Wirth Tyco International Dorothy Lichtenstein Steven Henry / Paula Cooper Donna Williams Ian B. Mac Callum, Jr. Gallery Janice Savin Williams & Karen A. Phillips Dana & Joe Johnson Christopher J. Williams Mr. & Mrs. William Pickens Nancy L. Lane Seana & Roger Wood Deborah Roberts & Al Roker The Honorable & Virginia Robinson Mrs. Earle I. Mack Elza Rohan Sharpe Constance Collins Margulies & Ernestine Washington Martin Margulies David Maupin / Lehmann Maupin Gallery Jennifer McSweeney Shawna Menifee 86 STUDIO W I NTER / SPRING
THANK YOU!
Teri & Lloyd Trotter / Charles E. Simpson Washington SUPPORTERS Teri & Lloyd Trotter / Jerome Foundation George Wein GenNx360 Capital George & Gail Knox Ted & Nina Wells 2010 Partners Miyoung Lee & Neil Jason Wright Simpkins $25,000 to $49,999 Michael Ward Stout / The $1,000 to $4,999 Jacqueline Bradley & Robert Mapplethorpe Anonymous Clarence Otis, Jr. / Foundation Philip E. Aarons & Dr. Darden Restaurants, Ruthard C. Murphy II Shelley Fox Aarons Inc. The New York Community Debra Tanner Abell, M.D. Credit Suisse Trust Peg Alston / Peg Alston Joan Davidson & Gwen & Peter Norton Fine Arts The Board of Trustees and Neil Barsky Amy and Joe Perella Ann & Steven Ames Director of The Studio Dior Charitable Fund Judy Hart Angelo & John Museum in Harlem extend Doris Duke Charitable Holly Peterson M. Angelo deep gratitude to the Foundation Foundation Crystal McCrary Anthony donors who supported The Estée Lauder P$zer, Inc. Charles A. Archer, Esq. / the Museum from January Companies, Inc. Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw EDCSPIN, Inc. 1, 2010 to December 1, General Electric Company Pittman LLP Darrell S. Gay / Arent Fox 2010. Agnes Gund Regen Projects Lino A. Solis, Esq. / Mr. & Mrs. John B. Hess Michael Rosenfeld Gallery Arent Fox $500,000 & above Macy's and May and Samuel Rudin Ariel Investments The New York City Bloomingdale's Family Foundation, Inc. Art Production Fund Department of Cultural Raymond J. McGuire James H. Simmons III AUTORE South Sea Pearls Affairs MetLife Foundation Time Warner, Inc. Milton and Sally Avery Upper Manhattan Rodney M. Miller Reginald Van Lee Arts Foundation Empowerment Zone Nimoy Foundation Gunner & Alyson Winston Peggy & John Bader Development Amelia & Adebayo Xerox Foundation Aliyyah Baylor / Corporation Ogunlesi Make My Cake Frank & Nina Cooper / $5,000 to $9,999 Jemina R. Bernard $100,000 to $499,999 Pepsi-Cola Beverages Anonymous Berdie & Mairtin Brady Assemblyman Keith L. T. North Americas Shaun Biggers, M.D. & Joseph & Michèle Wright, 70th A.D. The Perelman Family Kenneth Alleyne, M.D. Lallemand Brazil The City of New York Foundation, Inc. Raquel Chevremont Deborah & Willard Brittain The Horace W. Goldsmith Corine V. Pettey Baylor & Corey M. Dawn Brown Foundation Cheryl & Phillip Milstein Baylor Tinika Brown, Esq. National Endowment for Foundation, Inc. Judia & Daniel Black Melva Bucksbaum & the Arts Peggy Cooper Davis & Peggy Cooper Cafritz Raymond Learsy Council Member Inez E. Gordon J. Davis / Kenneth Cole Foundation Jerry Burris / Dickens, 9th C.D. Dewey & LeBoeuf Colgate Palmolive Barnes Group Inc. Speaker Christine Quinn The Winston Foundation Lisa E. Davis, Esq. / Dr. & Mrs. Alan R. Butler and the New York City Verizon Foundation Frankfurt Kurnit Klein & Cindy Butler / Lamarca- Council Selz Butler Group The New York State $10,000 to $24,999 Rebecca & Martin Christie's Council on the Arts Anonymous Eisenberg Constance Caplan Target Lily Auchincloss Marian Goodman Gallery Belivia Carter Joyce and George Wein Foundation, Inc. Jeanne Greenberg Lisa & Dick Cashin Foundation Douglas Baxter Rohatyn & Nicolas S. Adela Cepeda Lois & Roland Betts Rohatyn Deborah R. Chatman Patricia Blanchet Alvin D. Hall Theresa & Martin Cole $50,000 to $99,999 Margaret A. Cargill Jenkins Johnson Gallery Malaak Compton-Rock & Bloomberg Foundation Dana & Joe Johnson Chris Rock Kathryn C. & Kenneth Carver Federal Savings Johnson & Johnson Saundra W. & Donald Chenault / American Bank L'Oréal Paris Cornwell Express CUNY Bernard Lumpkin & Cultural Services of the Mitzi & Warren Eisenberg Pippa Cohen Carmine D. Boccuzzi French Embassy in the Ford Foundation Con Edison Nancy L. Lane United States Goethe-Institut New York The Cowles Charitable Nyssa & Chris Lee Judith & Ronald Goldman, Sachs & Co. / Trust Rodney M. Miller Davenport, Sr. Valentino D. Carlotti Joseph and Joan Cullman Courtney Lee Mitchell & Brickson E. Diamond Carol Sutton Lewis & Foundation for the Arts Marcus Mitchell Doris Duke Charitable William M. Lewis, Jr. Reginald E. Davis / RBC José Tavarez & Holly Foundation Morgan Stanley Bank. Phillips, M.D. Thelma Dye, Ph.D. / Susan & Donald GE Foundation Rice Financial Products Northside Center for Newhouse GlobalHue Company Child Development Debra L. Lee / BET The Greenwall Foundation Daryl & Steven Roth Muna El Fituri Networks Joyce & Ira Haupt II Jack Shainman Ann Tenenbaum & HBO / Henry McGee Melissa & Robert Soros Anthony Edson Thomas H. Lee J. Crew / Jenna Lyons Ellen & Jerome L. Stern Charles F. Etuk Marilyn & Jim Simons T. Warren Jackson / Mr. & Mrs. Milton George Faison & Tad FRIENDS 87
THANK YOU!
Schnugg Kim Powell Loretha Jones Sophia & Eldzier Cortor Patricia Hayling Price Sima Familant David Rockefeller Tracey Kemble Linda Daitz Katie Rashid The Steven & Suzanne Royal Kennedy Rodgers & Gayle King D. Daniel-Parkes Tracy Reese Feldman Family Jonathan Rodgers John S. and James L. Dawn L. Davis & Mac Reibman and Weiner Foundation Deborah Roberts & Knight Foundation LaFollette Attorneys at Law Pamela Fiori & Colton Al Roker Evelyn Lasry Guy L. deVeaux Virginia Robinson Givner Andrea Rosen Gallery Peter D. Lax Mary E. Dillard Vibert Ross Arti & Harold Freeman Sikkema Jenkins & Co. Loida Nicolas Lewis Georgia E. Ellis Helen Saffran in honor of Charlotte & Bill Ford Lorna Simpson & James Toby D. Lewis John E. Ellis, M.D. Steven Edward Jones Gavin Brown's Enterprise Casebere Philanthropic Fund Somers & Jonathan Farkas Ingrid L. Schaffner Gladstone Gallery Michele Smalley Dorothy Lichtenstein Cynthia & John Fletcher Joyce Pomeroy Schwartz Robert Gober & Donald Sotheby's Elizabeth McCabe Todd Fliedner Dr. William Seraile, Ph.D. Moffet Bonita & Kevin Stewart Ginger McKnight-Chavers Marilyn L. Francis Elza Rohan Sharpe Alexander Gray & David June Kelly & Charles Storer & Kevin G. Chavers Ellen Rose Gasnick Sheila G. Talton Cabrera South African Tourism Spencer D. Means Emmanuel D. George Sherry and Joel Mallin Tracey Gray-Walker / AXA Renée H. Sutton Keija Minor Marilyn T. Glater Family Foundation Equitable David Teiger Alicia Hall Moran Lettice L. Graham Somsack Sikhounmuong Kevin C. Greenidge, M.D., Lucien Terras / D'Amelio Taso Mouhteros Constance & Alan E. Green Kenneth Sills M.P.H. Terras Gallery Edris E. Nicholls Denise L. Greene Seton Smith Samuel L. Guillory Norma & John T. Lisa & Richard Perry Constance Grey Vivienne B. Smith James F. & Sezelle G. Thompson Mr. & Mrs. William Pickens Vernon W. Griffith Mr. & Mrs. Howard Socol Haddon Laurie M. Tisch Suzanne Randolph & Alka Gupta in honor of Jonathan Springer in Carole & Ira Hall Tyco International Charles A. Shorter, Jr. Steven Edward Jones honor of Ruth Wilner Pamela Carleton & Charles Union Paci$c Fund for Erica & Antonio Reid Jeanne Hammond in Ernestine Washington Hamilton Effective Government Kimberly T. Richardson honor of Ruth Wilner Kim Heirston Gordon VeneKlasen The Rockefeller William A. Harper In Kind Donations Steven Henry / Paula Althea Viafora-Kress Foundation Reginald D. Harris 2x4, Inc. Cooper Gallery Janice Savin Williams & Daryl & Steven Roth Kim Hastreiter Campari Marieluise Hessel Christopher J. Williams Fiona & Eric Rudin Lisa Hintz HARLEM FLO (oral atelier Joan & George Hornig Dawanna Williams Victoria Sanders IBM Corporation Matching Pillsbury WInthrop Shaw Arthur J. Humphrey, Jr. Donna Williams Lisa Schiff Grants Program and Pittman LLP Carolyn C. Jones Lyn & E. Thomas Williams Jean Sha$roff Barry Jaruzelski Pamela J. Joyner John Parker Willis Laura Skoler Susan C. Joseph Noel Kirnon & Seana & Roger Wood Susan Sosnick Wayne H. Kelton Michael Paley Jennifer P. Streaks, Esq. Maggie Kennedy Jonelle Procope $500 to $999 William S. Susman William Bowen King III The Studio Museum in Elizabeth Szancer Amsale Aberra & Neil Keisha Sutton James James N. Lewis Harlem makes every effort Kujawski Brown Argie Tang Sherwood & Gwen Lewis to ensure the accuracy Jill & Peter Kraus Rae Wright-Allen, M.D. & Uptown Magazine in honor of Deidre L. of its lists of supporters. If Cher Lewis Answorth A. Allen, M.D. Dorsey Waxter Bibby your name is not listed as Christina Lewis Karen Alston Maria Weaver-Watson Renee Linnen, Sr. you prefer or if you Loida Nicolas Lewis Julie Bernstein Vanessa Webster Ian B. Mac Callum, Jr. believe that your name Dr. & Mrs. Michael L. Valerie S. Brown Nina Whittington-Cooper Dionne Mack has been omitted, please Lomax Dr. & Mrs. Daniel Karen L. Williams Daisy W. Martin let us know by contacting The Honorable & Mrs. Bythewood, D.D.S. Depelsha & David N. the Development Office Earle I. Mack Carla Camacho $499 and up McGruder at 212.864.4500 x221 or Constance Collins Amy Cappellazzo Khandi Alexander Delphine McNeil membership@ Margulies & Martin Lydia & Mats G. Carlston Emma Amos Mill Street Loft, Inc. in studiomuseum.org. Margulies Nicole Bernard Kenseth Armstead honor of Steven Yolanda & Meredith Veronica Chambers Grace H. Ayanru, M.D. Edward Jones Marshall Sophie Crichton Stuart Joe M. Bacal & Anne Jessica J. Miller David Maupin / Lehmann Marilynn A. Davis Newman Judith A. Murciano in Maupin Gallery Suzanne T. Donaldson Margaret R. Barnette & honor of Ruth Wilner Liz & David McCreery Marquita & Knut Eckert Bradford S. Lander in Eunice H. Murphy Jennifer McSweeney Adrienne N. Edwards honor of Ruth Wilner Frank Muytjens Shawna Menifee Louise Eliasof Nikki Bason New York Life Insurance Gregory R. Miller Toni G. Fay Cynthia Blanchard Company Laura Michalchyshyn Mr. & Mrs. Hughlyn Fierce Mahen & Luca Bonetti Leona Nisbett Bridget Moore / DC Moore Bill and Melinda Gates Ellen Brathwaite Patrick O'Connell Gallery Foundation Matching Dolores L. Brookes Arlene Offord Maryanne Mott Gift Program Erika Irish Brown Katherine O'Hern Madeline Murphy Rabb Gabrielle Glore Rashida Bumbray Constance Orlando Ronald L. Norsworthy II & Sunny & Brad Goldberg Denise V. Burrell-Stinson Victoria Parker Michael di Cesare Cristina Grajales Heather Rae Byer Olivia E. & Paul Bruce Pace Prints Kathy Halbreich Diana Cagle Perkins Amber & Charles Patton Homer M. Hasbrouck Evelyn Clarke Glenn A. Petry Elizabeth Davis & Luis Janet Hill Talbert Sadie & Roberto Codling Karen A. Phillips Penalver Dr. Rosemarie Ingleton Jocelyn Cooley Bima Picoe 88 STUDIO # W I NTER / SPRING
MEMBERS
The Museum’s SPECIAL Joseph & Michèle Brazil James O. Gordon Lehmann Membership Program has MEMBERSHIPS Mia Enell & Nicolas Fries Susan L. Halper Jenna Lyons played an important role Louis Gagliano & Ahovi G. Kponou Tarah Murphy & in the institution’s growth Studio Society Stefan Handl Ana Paula Moss Tommy Cooke for over forty years. Thank Berdie & Mairtin Brady Nyssa & Chris Lee Obinna A. Onyeagoro Gwen & Peter Norton you to all the following Valerie S. Brown Daniel S. Loeb & Margaret Melaina Sanderson Jeanette & who helped maintain our Pierre and Tana Matisse Munzer Loeb Lacary Sharpe Granville P. Rogers ambitious schedule of Foundation Joycelyn McGeachy Kuls & Kenyatta Skyles Adam She"er exhibitions and public Ria A. Davis Norbert Kuls Jennifer P. Streaks, Esq. Suzanne Studier-Feldman programs during the halley k. harrisburg & Sheila Parekh Randolph D. Sturrup & Steven Feldman 2010-11 season. Michael Rosenfeld Cheryl R. Riley & Courtney Mirande Valbrune Shirley M. Truman Ann & Alton McDowell Sloane Gordon VeneKlasen CORPORATE MEMBERS Celia & Henry W. GENERAL MEMBERSHIP John Parker Willis McGee III CF Individual Gunner & Alyson Winston 2x4, Inc. Eliot & Wilson Nolen Karen Alston Benefactor American Express Veronica Pollard & Joel Beverly J. Anderson Anonymous Donor Company Dreyfuss Jemina R. Bernard Douglas Baxter Debra Tanner Abell, M.D. Bloomberg Adrienne K. Wheatley & Natasha Boysaw Spencer Brownstone Marieluise Hessel Artzt & Con Edison Ray Eason Elizabeth Brown Peggy Cooper Cafritz Ed Artzt JPMorgan Chase Bank Dawanna Williams Saleda S. Bryant Jonathan Caplan & Peggy & John Bader P!zer, Inc. Francis H. Williams Denise V. Burrell-Stinson Angus Cook Ellen Brathwaite Pillsbury Winthrop Veronica Campanelli Margarett Cooper Constance Caplan Shaw Pittman LLP National Samuel D. Carroll Mary Sharp Cronson Anne Cohen UBS Darlene Moss Jocelyn Cooley Anne Delaney & Dana Cranmer Dominique Shelton Valerie Cooper Steve Stuso Elizabeth De Cuevas Charles Davis Mr. & Mrs. Timothy Okwui E. Enwezor CF Couple Kathleen A. Dill Green!eld-Sanders Cassiana & Ego L. Hayes Answorth A. Allen, M.D. & Danielle DiPenti Agnes Gund William Bowen King III Rae Wright-Allen, M.D. Allison Ecung Melva Bucksbaum & Elizabeth Szancer Hope & Mogolodi Bond Latressa Fulton Raymond Learsy Kujawski Joseph & Michèle Brazil Nicole Gibbons Rachel & Jean-Pierre Lois & Edward Lewis
SPACE RENTALS HAVE YOUR NEXT PARTY WITH US!
—Mix and mingle in the Museum’s glass-enclosed Atrium Consider The Studio Museum —Enjoy personalized programming in the Museum’s new Theatre in Harlem for your business —Take in Harlem under the stars in the Courtyard or organization’s next event! —If you arrange to have the Museum Store open, your guests will also be able to !nd the right gift Hosting your event at the for any occasion. Studio Museum will allow The Museum is not available for weddings, your guests to: wedding receptions, private/political social events or fundraisers. Nonpro!t organizations receive a special rate. For more information, please call —Experience the Museum’s exciting exhibitions 212.864.4500 x247. FRIENDS 89
MEMBERS
Diane L. & Adam Max Jo-Anne L. Bates Susan A. Harris Lydia Cheney Lyle Gittens Anthony Meier Linda K. Beauvil Colette E. Hawkins Clara R. Stanton Kristen B. Glen Dr. Kenneth Montague Wayne Benjamin Steven P. Henry and Philip Renée H. Sutton Deborah Pilgrim Graham Denise M. Murrell Curtis L. Bennett Shneidman Carl R. Sword & Kenneth R. Graham Virginia Joy L. Ann & Jonathan P. Judith & Martin Hertz Roslyn Tate Eileen E. Smith Grant & Simmons, M.D. Binstock Gladstone E. Hinds Joseph Thompson Robert Grant Omar Wasow Rosemary Blake Sondra A. Hodges Milton A. Tingling Kenneth D. Hall Lyn & E. Thomas Williams Juanita Brown Ellenor Hopkins Albertha S. Toppins Jo-Ann W. Hamilton William R. Brown Frances J. Horne Rebecca E. Trezevant Susie W. Hampton Associate E. Maudette Brownlee, Edgar Howard Edith Van Slyck & James R. Laurie Harriton Cynthia D. Adams Ph.D. Marsha Y. Jackson Hammond Karen & Michael Hearns Iffie Okoronkwo Bettina S. & Donald L. Sandra Jackson-Dumont Clara C. Villarosa Ruth Eisenberg & Aitkenhead Bryant, Jr. Barbara Johnson Margo & Anthony Viscusi Greg Hendren Daryl & Rodney Alexander Edward Blake Byrne Carl E. Johnson Karen E. Wagner & Geoffrey Hendricks & Barbara E. Anderson Anne B. Cammack Albert Jones, Jr. David Caplan Sur Rodney Jennifer Arceneaux Dorothy Carter Benjamin F. Jones Eugene H. Webb John Hoffman Aliya & Reginald Browne Deborah Cates Robert M. Jordan Olivia & Carey White Sarah Krueger Heather Rae Byer Rodney Clayton Wayne H. Kelton Karen L. Williams Carrie Mae Weems & Elaine Carter Mr. & Mrs. Peter J. Cohen Klaus Kertess Deborah Willis Jeffrey Hoone Glenn Davis Zita L. Cousens Leslie King-Hammond Betty Wilson Mari Iki & Martin Maguss Laura Donnelley Helen & William Margaret & Tilden J. Hugh A. Wilson Ruth Jett Elaine G. Drummond Covington Lemelle Joanne Wright Gloria K. John Artholian & Harold P. Lynda & Raymond Curtis Pierre Levai Dennis & Denise Jones Freeman Mr. & Mrs. Ronald Daitz Dawn Lille Family/Partner Sarah Krueger Ira Goldberg Jeannette E. Thompson & Joy V. Lilly Vernona Adams Amy B. Kuhn & Stuart Allan Golston & Stephen Dorris Daniel-Parkes Joyce Lowinson, M.D. Moji & Lemuria L. Rosow D. Bryant Judith & Ronald Frank C. Mahon Alawock-El Kimberly P. & Marc I. Gross & Susan Davenport, Sr. Cheryl Manns Elizabeth Alexander & Roderick E. Lane Ochshorn Tyrone M. Davenport Claudia & Daniel Marks Ficre Ghebreyesus Rosalyn Lee & Beverly Douglas E. Harris Andrew P. Davis Kerry James Marshall & Tarrie Alexis & Tillery Sanjeanetta Harris Yvonne Davis Cheryl L. Bruce Julius Butler Marjorie A. Lewis Barbara Jakobson Ellyn & Saul Dennison Daisy W. Martin Joe M. Bacal & Sylvia & John Lynch Kellie Jones & Helen & Arthur R. Elcock Sheila Ann Mason- Anne Newman Fabian Marcaccio & Guthrie Ramsey Bruce O. Ellis Gonzalez Louise & Henry Bessire Galia Solomonoff Noel Kirnon Toni G. Fay Bill Maxwell Crystal Black-Davis Victoria Mbithi Phyllis L. Kossoff Regina Felton, Esq. Gerald McCarthy William Blizzard Terry McMillan Peter D. Lax Jack A. Fogle Max McCauslin Nina E. & William M. Miles Joyce E. & Robert L. Jacqueline Fowler Carlie Meer Dilbert B. Boone Angeline Monroe-Mayo Marcus Patricia Freeman Cerisa Mitchell Paule Bros Aloma Moore Courtney Lee Mitchell & Charlayne Hunter-Gault & Lawrence D. Moreland Donna & John L. Moore Marcus Mitchell Ronald Gault Lavinia R. Morrison Nick Charles Illuminadi Hilario & Bridget Moore Richard Gerrig Mr. & Mrs. Joel W. Motley Alban Chaumet George Oliver Laurie Nash Erin Gilbert Madeline Murphy Rabb Cynthia Clark & Jen Olson Vanessa Y. Perez Jeanine T. Givens Naiomi & Jason Murphy Johnnie Walker Donna Olivia Owusu- Marquita & Knut Eckert Dr. & Mrs. Warren Goins Jill Nelson Nancy L. Clipper Ansah Martin Puryear & Carol & Arthur Goldberg Mark S. Nyon Kevin R. Curry Nadine & Marlene Jeanne Gordon Alvia Golden Vernell M. Oliver Alvaro A. Dalton Patterson Ann & Mel Schaffer Arthur I. Golden Judy & Dan Page Carlton Davis Robert E. Penn Brent Sikkema Caren Golden & Peter Dollene N. Palmer Mark R. Davis Richard & Ardelia & Ronald L. Horzberg Jonathan W. Parker Kay Deaux & Gloria Phares Stewart Constance Rinehart Karen A. Phillips Sam Glucksberg Trevor Rainford Howard W. Van Lierop, Jr. Goldsby Nancy Delman Portnoy V’Nell & Kevin Susan Ralston Jeanette Sarkisian Wagner Ann Kippen & Louis Jonell J. Pulliam DeCosta Farrell B. Redwine & & Paul A. Wagner Grachos Helen Redmond Celeste & Alain Conway A. Downing III Gwen & Arnold Webb Yuliana Kim Grant & Alvin Reed deFontenay Donville Reid Terry A. Winters Jay R. Grant Sylvester Reese Rosa G. Desoto Barbara Rellstab Diana R. & Mary E. & John P. Riley Deirdre Donohue Christina M. Greer & Supporter William Gray Harriet J. Roaman Amy Dubois Barnett Samuel K. Roberts, Jr. Anonymous Constance & Sande Robinson Cynthia & John Fletcher Hyacinth Ross Peg Alston & Willis Burton Alan E. Green Carol & Aaron B. Russell Pamela D. Ferguson Anna & Wolfgang George Arterberry Rita Green Jempi Samyn Anthony Foy & E. G. Saxon Yona Backer Vernon W. Griffith John Silberman Monique Scott Agnes Bundy Scanlan Jacqueline A. Bailey Mary G. Gurney Kenneth Sills Vilma E. France Norma Shaw-Hogan Curt Barker Carole & Ira Hall Patterson Sims Lolita & Thomas Carla & Edward Andrea Barnwell Brownlee Eric Hanks Laura Skoler Garvin, Jr. Slomin & Edward Brownlee Joan Piper Harden Judith W. Smith Jeanne Gerrity & Howard J. Smith Lyn Barris Susan S. Harmon, Esq. Seton Smith Ben Petrofky Lori Danielle Tully & Sasha Barris William A. Harper James Sokol & Eleanor & Oyeshiku Carr 90 STUDIO W I NTER / SPRING
Brenda V. Turner Aeon L. Cummings Lisa Key Adrian Perry Lesley Webster, Esq. Ellie & David B. Tweedy Khania Curtis Regtuiniah Khem Muriel Pivalo Jennifer Weissbach Carolyn & Ed Wagner Felecia Davis Roseline Koener Jane Ratcliffe Olwen Wellington Gina Washington & Sylvia de Cuevas Mary Ellen Kohlman Landon Reid Doris D. White Kevin Christie Bunny Dell Mary M. Kresky Valerie A. Rhodes Michelle Joan Wilkinson Martha & Martin Weinar Edward Dew Beth Lawrence Odilia Rivera Santos Diane Williams Harriet M. & James M. Dickens Marie LeDoux Floree Roberson Julia Williams Charles Weiss Jessica H. Dille Mary Ann Lee Kenneth C. Roberts Jeanne Willis Celia & Landon H. Louise Dockery Gregory Lenhardt Angela Robinson Samuel Wilson, Jr. Wickham David C. Driskell Sharese H. Lesley Corane Robinson Wanda D. Wilson Jessie & Darryl Williams Robert Durst Jerome M. Lewine Denise Robinson Thomas H. Wirth George A. Williams, Jr. Sylvia Christian Edwards Linda A. Lewis Vivian D. Robinson Audrey Woods Eleanor D. & James D. Peter Erickson Lynn A. Lieberman William C. Robinson Hilda L. Wradge Williams, Sr. Gertrude F. Erwin Renee Linnen, Sr. Jean A. Rock Antoinette Young Rajeeyah Finnie Toya Liverpool Verraine Rock Individual James E. Frazier Nathaniel Lodge Richard Rodriguez Senior Anonymous Suzanne Frye Carrie Lowery Nada Rowand Beverly C. Abisogun Kojo Ade Linda Galietti Vicki Mabrey Mildred B. Roxborough Edwina Ahenkora Virginia C. Adimora Ervin J. Garrison Darryl J. Mack Bobby Savinis Maria Amor Sonja Adisa-Farrar Eboni S. Gates Maureen Mahon Donna Rae Scarlett Ann B. Armistead Sonja Ahuja Susan Gebbie J. A. Maiden Ingrid Louise Schaffner Anna R. Austin Deborah W. Allen Emmanuel D. George Catherine S. Marquette Baraka Sele Grace Hughes Ayanru, M.D. Nafeesah Allen Ankur Ghosh William Martin Regina Shanklin Frederic H. Bacon Adolf Alzuphar Robert S. Gibbs Marcello Marvelli Elza Rohan Sharpe Wanda Baker-Smith Emma Amos Christa Giesecke Ramelle J. Massey Stefanie Siegel Joseph Barker Keith D. Amparado Michael C. Gillespie Jennifer Matthews Adelaide E. Simms Cornelia B. Barnes Eloise Anderson Elizabeth M. Gilmore Laurie Maxis Marsha E. Simms Frederick R. Barno Frank Anderson Marilyn T. Glater Tracy McAllister Andrea C. Skinner Nubia Beazer Charles A. Archer, Esq. Kelly Glover Tamara McCaw Sippio Small Dolores H. Bedford Jimmy Arnold Lorrayne W. Glover Roslyn McClendon Delores V. Smalls Raeann Bessellieu Novisi Atadika Leonard T. Goslee Jerome McCluskey A. J. Smith Cynthia Blanchard Lee Autry Jo-Ann Graham Sheila McDaniel Mary Alice Smith Claire Boedts Janeen Azare Patricia Grayson Autumn D. McDonald Toni E. Smith Elizabeth T. Bolden Hilary M. Ballon Cheryll Y. Greene Julie McGee Kimberly Snead Barbara A. Braxton Norma C. Bar$eld Denise L. Greene Kelly M. McGrath Ilene L. Squires Lavonnie Brinkley Thelma V. Beale Marguerite D. Greene Christine McKay Ellen Sragow Dolores L. Brookes Aaron Bell Joy Greenidge George McKinley Martin Barry Stanley Laura D. Brown Carolyn Bell Veronica M. Gregg Mary B. McRae Jean E. Steele Beverly Bryer John Belle Constance Grey Sonia Mendez Jackson Robert Steele, M.D. Jean Bunce Aronte Bennett Janice Guy Erich Meyerhoff Barbara Stennett Vinie Burrows Larry L. Bentley Regina Gwynn Jeanne-Marie A. Miller Anthanio Stephenson Paul Butler Daniel Berger Bethann A. Hardison Linda Miller Leslie W. Stern Janice L. Bynum Dalila Bothwell Gregory D. Harnon Brooke A. Minto Connie Stewart Diana Cagle Barbara Boyd Erika Hecht Betty Minton Sarah Supcoff Flossie Canada Bertha Brandon Veronica Hemmingway Gloria Montague Anthony Tait Muriel R. Chess Leslie F. Brown Herbert Henry Barbara B. Mooney Julian Taub Joan K. Clark Marie Dutton Brown Hallie S. Hobson Alma R. Moore James P. Taylor Eugenia Clarke Vaughn J. Buffalo Kanene Holder Geraldine P. Moore Ethel Terrell Sadie Codling Rashida Bumbray Marilyn Holi$eld K. Rashidah Morris Beatrice Thomas Milton Collins William H. Burgess III Levon Holley Abdul B. Muhammad Rhonda Thomas Joyce Conoly-Simmons Maryanne Byington Camara Holloway Eunice H. Murphy Susann Thomas Ruth Curtis Randolph C. Cain Dorothy D. Holloway Mildred R. Murphy Lloyd E. Thompson Carl F. Davis Cathleen Campbell Danielle Huff Puja Nagual Lori Thorrat Meredith Fife Day Milton G. Campbell Sandra Hunt-Smith June C. Nelson Melodie M. Toby Sasha Dees Nia Chambers Cora Jackson Eileen Newman Anthony Todman D. DePrator Edythe C. Cherry Curtiss Jacobs Floyd Newsum, Jr. Loretta Tolliver Joan Deroko Kenny Clark Debra A. James Derek G. Nichols Anne W. Tompkins Susan C. Dessel Patricia G. Coates Katrina James Jide Ojo Tracey Totten Guy L. deVeaux Derek W. Cockle Wilma Jeff Adekunle Omotade John David Treadwell Evelyn Dill Norman Cole Robin E. Jenkins Motonobu Otsu Jacqueline Tuggle Dorothy H. Divins Michael Coleman Celeste M. Johnson Oscar Palacio Steve Turner Gwen Dixon Paula Coleman DéVon Johnson Lillian I. Palmer Susanna G. Vapnek Betty Donerson Janet Collins Patricia Jones Gregory Monica Parham Terence Vaughan George D. Everette Sheryl Colyer Hettie Jones Shannel Parker Karen Elisa Venzen Theodore C. Fair Nedra Janice Cook Sosanya Jones Patricia M. Pates Sametta W. Vick Barbara Flemmings Erica Corbin Dorothy Elizabeth Sandra Payne Kevin V. Walkes James M. Fonsville Debora L. Cox Kennedy Patricia H. Peju Griffin Ernestine Washington Jeanne Frank Brent Crayton Dee Kerrison Olivia E. Perkins Leroy Washington Benjamin Frankel FRIENDS 91
Frank Gimpaya Dynna Martin Lois Sa!an Winona Watson Shawnya L. Harris Margot Gordon Laine Massey Katherine Scanlon-Pon Eva Welch Renea Henry Donna Gould Carmen Matthew Thomas Schultz, M.D. Dorothy L. Williams Chiara M. Holloway Elaine L. Greene Shirley McCain Joyce Pomeroy Schwartz Bernice Williams-Johnson Adrian Hopkins Marlene Guy Dianne H. McDonald Gloria J. Scott Bobbie Willis Ren-Yo Hwang Agatha M. Guzman Elspeth Meyer Vernon Sears Barbara M. Wilson Toni Jones Olivia C. Hector Bessie Q. Miles Sidney E. Senior Doris M. Wilson Jasper Lin William L. Holloway Constance Mitchell Dr. William Seraile, Ph.D. Dolores Winfrey Joshua Maddox Bonnie Hornstein Jeanne Nedd Gwendolyn A. Simmons Aaron Woods III Nomaduma Masilela James Herbert Howell Robert Oba Cullins Joseph H. Simpson Doris D. Wooten Bridgitte Montgomery Joan Huggins-Banbury Arlene O"ord Marylin June Slater Ruth C. Wright Michael Myers Joanne Isaac Theodore V. O'Kelly Sallie A. Smith Susan Diane Yarnell Donia Saeidi Esther Jackson Dr. Ademola Olugebefola Thomas Smithwick Goldie M. Yorke Julia Sergeon Faith R. Jacobs Oluyemi Omowale Edward L. Snyder Moruna Sheppard Olga C. Jenkins Benjamin W. O'Nealos Thomas Southern Student Langdon Soares Mabel E. Johnson James T. Parker Nancy A. Spannbauer Laura Amerson Andrea C. Uva Pat J. Johnson Sara Penn Ann Sprayregen Jason Auguste Ellen Wilk-Harris Susan C. Joseph Ginger Perowsky Margaret E. Stokes Angela Bankhead Monica Williams Lois M. Kahan Robert Phillips Edward Etsy Stowell, Jr. Jennifer Berger Linda Woods Ernece B. Kelly Barbara Poitier Jewell B. Sutler Claire Boedts James J. Zaino II Julia Keydel Giselle King Porter Tamara D. Tabb Delia Burnett Regina M. King Hortense L. Powell Charles Tarver, Sr. Karilyn Crockett The Studio Museum in Susan Lawrence Helen Evan Ramsaran Beverly Taylor Danielle Dowrich Harlem makes every e"ort Sandra Lee Andrea Ramsey Sentell L. Taylor Nicholas A. Enright to ensure the accuracy of James N. Lewis Ann Ranniar Bobrei C. Thomas Lynda Garrett its lists of members. If Janice Livingston Rita I. Reid Muriel F. Thomas Lyndon Gill your name is not listed as Susan E. Madigan Ligia Sanchez Rivers Sylvia Townsend Grambling State you prefer or if you Carolyn Maitland Margaret A. Robbins Una Turner University believe your name has Doreen A. Malliet Virginia Robinson Inez B. Vanable Adrienne Gregoire been omitted, please let Frank B. Marshall III Nancy Rudolph Alice Wade Uraline S. Hager us know by contacting Helen Marshall Belvey Russ David Walters Ron Hansford the Development O#ce
STUDIO MUSEUM IN HARLEM SPRING LUNCHEON
to education and creativity by saluting individuals and The 2011 Spring Luncheon institutions who have made signi!cant contributions to art and ideas in African-American culture. All of the Spring is almost upon us! Kindly take Luncheon’s proceeds are used to strengthen the Studio a moment to save the date on Museum’s arts education programs. your calendar. Please contact Gabrielle Lopez at 212.864.4500 x218 for more information or to make your reservation. On Friday, May 20, 2011, The Studio Museum in Harlem will hold its !fth annual Spring Luncheon at the Mandarin Oriental, New York. We hope you will join us for this fabulous event as we celebrate the Museum’s commitment 92 STUDIO W I NTER / SPRING
MEMBERSHIP
MEMBER SPOTLIGHT KENNETH MONTAGUE
Photo: Malick Sidibé, Bamako, Mali, FRIENDS 93
MEMBERSHIP
LEVEL Jamaica, where both of my parents have you enjoyed at the Studio Donor are from, but I am really an arts- Museum recently? oriented person. Now I loved Kehinde Wiley’s 2008 show LOCATION I have a dental practice full of [The World Stage: Africa Lagos Toronto, ON people who are in the arts, and ~ Dakar] and thought that was the waiting room has become an some of his best work and very OCCUPATIONS interesting testing ground for new appropriate for the space of the Art collector, curator acquisitions. I’m forever changing Studio Museum. I very much and dentist the art liked Chris O$li’s Afro Muses and the patients have come (2005), so much so that I made it MEMBER SINCE 2008 to enjoy that. a mission to acquire one of the paintings for my own collection. Your painting Any Number of 30 Seconds off an Inch (2009–10) Preoccupations (2010) by Lynette was highly in(uential in terms of Yiadom-Boakye is currently on loan my development as a collector. Why is it important to you to the Studio Museum. When did Finally, I always go see what’s to be a member of the Studio you $rst become familiar with her happening with the Expanding the Museum? work and what stands out to you Walls students. James VanDerZee There is such a long and rich about this painting in particular? is such an important $gure in history of exhibitions, research, Lynette was on my radar since I my collection and someone who rigorous scholarship and an $rst saw her work in London four I feel very close to, so I am very increasingly international reach or $ve years ago. She became interested in the kind of reactions with the Studio Museum. I feel that much more well known after her that young people are having I should invest in something that inclusion in Flow (2008), at which toward that kind is making a positive impact not point I realized I needed to acquire of seminal work. just in Harlem, but globally. The the work before it was too late. JEN WEINAR Museum needs to be supported I reached out to her through a because it speaks to the entire mutual friend and we spent the diaspora, its roots in one little spot weekend of the Armory Show this in the world. past year getting to know each other, as artist and collector. She You are a dentist, but you also let me know that she had a show work as a curator. How did you coming up in New York at Jack become involved in art? Were you Shainman Gallery. Armed with that always interested in both $elds? knowledge, I was born in Windsor, Ontario, I was able to get in early. right across the river from Detroit, I also lent a work, Blood a place that is very in(uenced by (Donald Formey) (1975), for African-American culture. I went the Barkley L. Hendricks show for regular visits to the Detroit [Birth of the Cool] in 2008. Very Institute of Arts Museum, every interestingly, I feel that there Saturday with my mom, where is more than one reference I saw James VanDerZee’s image to Barkley’s style of $gurative of a couple wearing raccoon painting in Any Number of coats. I had never seen black Preoccupations. One can people depicted in this way, so see Lynette as an antecedent sophisticated and beautifully or descendent of Barkley turned out in their Sunday best. It in some ways—not in the really opened my eyes and gave way they paint but the way they me a window into my culture. The think. desire to be a health professional came from a role model I had in What other exhibition or project 94 STUDIO W I NTER / SPRING
MEMBERSHIP INFO
Join today! Becoming a member has never been easier.
GENERAL MEMBERSHIP Associate $250 Contemporary Friends ($220 tax-deductible) Contemporary Friends is a dynamic Individual $50 — All the preceding bene"ts plus: leadership group of young (Fully tax-deductible) — One complimentary Studio professionals committed to supporting — Free admission to the Studio Museum exhibition catalogue the Studio Museum and interested Museum for one in gaining greater access to the world — Personalized membership card Donor $500 of contemporary art. — One-year subscription to ($450 tax-deductible) Studio magazine — All the preceding bene"ts, plus: Individual $200 — Invitations to exhibition — Invitations to behind-the-scenes ($175 tax-deductible) opening receptions tours and talks with art — Invitations and e-mail reminders connoisseurs and curators Couple/Partner $300 for upcoming events at the — Four complimentary guest passes ($250 tax deductible) Studio Museum for family and friends (For two people living at the — 15% discount on all Museum same address) Store purchases Benefactor $1,000 All Individual membership — 20% discount on exhibition ($900 is tax-deductible) bene"ts, plus catalogues published by the — All the preceding bene"ts, plus: — Invitations and VIP passes to Studio Museum — A visit and/or tour of a private a variety of events throughout the — 10% discount at the Atrium Café collection year, including private previews, at the Studio Museum — An invitation to a special gallery guided gallery tours (both on- — Invitations to member shopping tour with a Museum curator and o!site), studio visits, seminars days at the Studio Museum — Free admission for two guests and networking events throughout the year, with additional when accompanied by a Studio discount o!ers Museum member Membership Gift — Free admission or discounted tickets If you are looking for that special to all Studio Museum educational Student/Senior $25 gift for a friend or loved one, give the and public programs (Fully tax-deductible) gift of membership and share all the — Special Studio Museum member’s — All the bene"ts of Individual Museum has to o!er. A Studio Museum discount at select local Harlem membership. (Must present student membership makes a unique and businesses or senior ID [62 years or older] rewarding gift that can be enjoyed — Annual recognition in Studio for eligibility) throughout the year—perfect for magazine birthdays, milestone celebrations or any other occasion. Family/Partner $75 SPECIAL MEMBERSHIP (Fully tax-deductible) — All the preceding bene"ts, plus: Studio Society — Free admission to the Studio Studio Society is comprised of major Museum for two adults (at the same donors to the Studio Museum. For address) and children under more information on this special eighteen years of age group, please call 212.864.4500 x244. — Personalized membership cards for two National Membership $1,000 ($900 tax-deductible) Supporter $100 National members are a special group (Fully tax-deductible) of supporters outside the New York — All the preceding bene"ts, plus: metropolitan area. — Member privileges of the North All Individual membership American Reciprocal Museum bene"ts, plus: Program, allowing free or member — Access to private tours with Studio admission and discounts at Museum sta! when you’re in hundreds of museums across the New York City United States — Free admission for two guests when — Free admission for one guest accompanied by a Museum when accompanied by a Studio member Museum member — Seasonal listings of exhibitions around town — Invitations to select private events in your town and in New York City STUDIO 95
JOIN US!
YES! I WANT TO BE A GENERAL MEMBERSHIP PA YMENT METHOD MEMBER OF THE STUDIO MUSEUM IN HARLEM. Benefactor $1,000 I have enclosed my check Family/Partner $75 (make check payable to The Studio Museum in Harlem) 1 Year Donor $500 Individual $50 Please bill my: Renewal American Express Associate $250 Gift MasterCard Student $25* Visa Supporter $100 Name of membership holder Senior $25*
Name of cardholder (Membership will not be processed without ID.) Name of additional member (Family/partner level members and above) Address
SPECIAL MEMBERSHIP
Address City/state/zip Contemporary Friends Individual $200 Contemporary Friends Couple $300 City State Zip Studio Society $1500 and up Work phone/home phone
Work phone Home phone Card number/exp. Date
Email address Signature
Please do not make my name, Thank you for your support and welcome to address and other information available The Studio Museum in Harlem! The Studio to third-party providers. Museum in Harlem offers the best way to
explore black culture and the latest trends in
contemporary art! MAIL TO
The Studio Museum in Harlem Join online at studiomuseum.org/membership 144 W. 125th St, New York, NY 10027 96 STUDIO & W I NTER / SPRING
GENERAL INFO
VISITOR INFORMATION DIRECTIONS
Address Museum Hours Subway 144 W. 125th St. Thursday and Friday, noon–9pm; New York, NY 10027 Saturday, 10am–6pm; Sunday, (between Malcolm X and noon–6pm. To 125th Street Adam C. Powell Jr. boulevards) The museum is closed to the public Bus General Info on Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday M-2, M-7, M-10, M-100, M-102 or BX-15 T 212 864 4500 but available for school and group F 212 864 4800 tours by appointment on these days. Parking is available at the Municipal For more information on scheduling Garage at 126th Street between Media Contact a tour visit studiomuseum.org Malcolm X and Adam C. Powell Jr. 212 864 4500 ×213 boulevards. [email protected] Admission "#$TH Suggested donation: Public Programs Info $7 (adults), $3 (seniors and 212 864 4500 ×264 students). Free for members "#!TH and children (12 and under). BLVD Membership Info 212 864 4500 ×221 studiomuseum.org VE GLAS A OU ON ON AVE D BLVD BLVD
AVE R X
J ON ON GSIDE
ICK M N CLAYT ON ON R I
GT O AVE
N AVE K
WELL R EDE DAM O R TH A P MORN F MALC MADIS PA LEXI !
MEMBERS SAVE MORE
MEMBER SHOPPING DAYS
April 28-May 1 On the following days in 2011, May 5-8 members will receive 20% o% May 26-29 all merchandise: The Museum Store is closed on Monday, Tuesday and major holidays. Please call 212.864.4500 x237 for the most up-to-date information. February 3-6 February 10-13 February 17-20 February 24-27 March 31-April 3 STUDIO MAGAZINE ON THE COVER
Editor-in-chief BOARD OF TRUSTEES This issue of Studio is underwritten, in Elizabeth Gwinn Chairman part, with support from Bloomberg Raymond J. McGuire Creative Director Thelma Golden Vice-Chair The Studio Museum in Harlem is Carol Sutton Lewis supported, in part, with public funds Managing Editor provided by the following government Treasurer agencies and elected representatives: Allison Channing Jones The New York City Department of Rodney M. Miller Cultural Affairs; Assemblyman Keith L. Associate Editor T. Wright, 70th A.D.; New York State Dominic Hackley Secretary Council on the Arts, a state agency; Teri Trotter Institute of Museum and Library Editor-at-Large Services; National Endowment for the Arts; The City of New York; Council Lea K. Green Jacqueline L. Bradley Member Inez E. Dickens, 9th C.D. and Valentino D. Carlotti Speaker Christine Quinn and the New Contributing Editors Kathryn C. Chenault York City Council. Lauren Haynes Joan Davidson Thomas J. Lax Gordon J. Davis The Studio Museum in Harlem is deeply grateful to the following Reginald E. Davis institutional donors for their Fiction Editor Susan Fales-Hill leadership support: Ginger Co!eld Dr. Henry Louis Gates, Jr. Bloomberg Sandra Grymes Deutsche Bank Copy Editors Joyce K. Haupt Doris Duke Charitable Foundation Ford Foundation Jessica Lott, Samir Patel Arthur J. Humphrey, Jr. The Horace W. Goldsmith Foundation George L. Knox The Leona M. & Harry B. Helmsley Editorial Intern Nancy L. Lane Charitable Trust Shahrazad A. Shareef Dr. Michael L. Lomax Robert Lehman Foundation Tracy Maitland Pierre and Tana Matisse Foundation Design Dr. Amelia Ogunlesi MetLife Foundation Nimoy Foundation Emily CM Anderson Corine Pettey Target for Project Projects Ann Tenenbaum Upper Manhattan Empowerment John T. Thompson Zone Development Corporation Printing Reginald Van Lee The Wachovia Wells Fargo Foundation Mirror NYC Joyce and George Wein Foundation The Winston Foundation mirrornyc.com 1 2 ex-offico Original Design Concept Hon. Kate D. Levin 2x4, Inc. ex-officio Studio is published two Karen A. Phillips times a year by The Studio Museum in Harlem, 144 W. 125th St., New York, NY 10027. IT TAKES TWO!
Copyright © 2011 Studio Every issue of Studio is de"ned by other offers a look at some of the Magazine. All rights, including its cover image. Even within our quirky and innovative products translation into other office, we hardly ever refer to the designed by Stephen Burks (many languages, are reserved “Summer 2007” or “Fall/Winter of which will be in Man Made, by the publisher. Nothing in this publication may be 2008-09” issue— on view March 31—June 26, reproduced without the they are “David Adjaye” or “Barkley 2011). Whichever cover you hold permission of the publisher. Hendricks.” So it’s not surprising in your hands, we hope you’ll that one of the hardest parts about enjoy the Winter/Spring 2011 publishing Studio is deciding what issue and let us know what you 1 Stephen 2 Mark to put on the cover. As this issue think! Email comments, questions Burks Bradford spans our Fall/Winter 2010-11 and and suggestions to studio@ Prototypes & Untitled (A-Z), Material 2010 Spring 2011 seasons, we wanted to studiomuseum.org. Compositions Courtesy the feature exhibitions from both. So, (Pile Up) artist while the inside content is exactly Including Basket Lamps and the same, one cover reproduces Basket Low every letter from Mark Bradford: Tables, 2010 Alphabet (on view November 11, Photo: Daniel Hakansson 2010—March 13, 2011) while the THE S T UDIO MUS E UM IN
HARLE The Studio Museum in M W IN TER/ SP R IN G 2011 WHERE BLACK ART
THE CONVERSATION ISSUE
Featuring Perspectives from: Mark Bradford Stephen Burks 2010-11 Artists in Residence Dr. Lowery Stokes Sims Sharifa Rhodes-Pitts And more!
WINTER/SPRING 2011