Collector's Issue
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/ Fall • Winter Winter • Fall 2005–06 The Studio Museum in Harlem Magazine / Fall • Winter 2005–06 COLLECTOR’S ISSUE From the Director SMH Board of Trustees wide variety of media. However, It is with great pride that I also Raymond J. McGuire I do believe that Frequency is a congratulate artist Julie Mehretu Chairman snapshot of the current moment on her being awarded a Carol Sutton Lewis Vice-Chair we live in, and just as Freestyle MacArthur “genius” grant this Reginald Van Lee ushered in a new generation of past September. Julie has a Treasurer artists, I believe we are about to long, rich history with the Studio Gayle Perkins Atkins become acquainted with some Museum as an Artist-in-Resi- Kathryn C. Chenault of the most exciting new voices dence (2000-2001) and as a Paula R. Collins in contemporary art. part of 2001’s Freestyle. I am Gordon J. Davis thrilled that the MacArthur Foun- Anne B. Ehrenkranz dation recognized the talents of Susan Fales-Hill an important artist such as Julie Dr. Henry Louis Gates, Jr. Sandra Grymes Mehretu. Joyce Haupt Arthur J. Humphrey,Jr. George L. Knox When it comes to art, never say Nancy L. Lane never. After the tremendous Dr. Michael L. Lomax success of Freestyle in 2001, I I want to thank all of the support- Tracy Maitland had both privately and publicly ers of the Frequency exhibition Rodney M. Miller acknowledged that there might for their unwavering support and Eileen Harris Norton no longer be a need for me to their considerable generosity: Corine Pettey organize group shows featuring The Andy Warhol Foundation David A. Ross the works of emerging black for the Visual Arts, The Peter Charles A. Shorter, Jr. Ann Tenenbaum artists. At the time, I argued Norton Family Foundation, The 2005-2006 Artists-in-Resi- John T. Thompson that what the Studio Museum The Horace W. Goldsmith dence have a lot to live up to, but Michael Winston needed most was original ideas Foundation and David Teiger. I’m sure that their work will exceed Karen A. Phillips that differ from everything we our greatest expectations. I am ex-officio had done before. While I still This has been a momentous thrilled to introduce Rashawn Hon. Kate D. Levin feel the need to express our year for our Artists-in-Resi- Griffin, Clifford Owens and Karyn ex-officio museum’s mission in as many dence, both past and present. Olivier to our program and sup- Studio innovative ways as possible, Kehinde Wiley (2001-2002) porters. Please keep an eye out I continued to see so much recently produced all of the for these great talents around the Ali Evans Editor-in-chief incredible artwork that I couldn’t artwork for the VH1 Hip-Hop museum. Samir S. Patel resist the opportunity to present Honors, a ceremony honoring Copy editor a group show that highlighted the great talents of the hip-hop Rujeko Hockley the best new artists I could find. Jared Rowell Along with Christine Y. Kim, Editorial Assistants the Studio Museum’s Associ- Original Design Concept ate Curator, I am happy that I 2x4, New York changed my mind as we present Art Direction and Design Frequency, a new show that Map, New York continues the Studio Museum’s Printing support of young talent. Cosmos And finally, I would like to take a Communications, Inc. moment to remember the won- community, including LL Cool J, derful legacy of Joyce Wein, a Studio is published three times Salt-n-Pepa and Grandmaster a year by The Studio Museum member of the Studio Museum’s in Harlem, 144 West 125th St., Flash and the Furious Five. If Board of Trustees for the past 11 New York, NY 10027. Copy- you have seen reproductions of right © 2005 Studio Magazine. years. (See page 40 for a beautiful All material is compiled from these paintings on billboards remembrance of a truly wonderful sources believed to be reliable, Frequency should not be and in subway stations around woman.) She will be sorely missed but published without respon- sibility for errors or omissions. misconstrued as Freestyle New York City, you can attest to here at the Studio Museum. Studio assumes no responsibil- II; it is not a reprise, nor is it a their breathtaking beauty and ity for unsolicited manuscripts or originality. Kehinde’s work is photographs. All rights, includ- continuation of the themes that See you around and definitely ing translation into other lan- the Freestyle artists explored in always thought-provoking and uptown ... guages, reserved by the pub- 2001. These are different artists I truly look forward to what he lisher. Nothing in this publication may be reproduced without the exploring a range of ideas in a comes up with next. permission of the publisher. Please email comments to [email protected]. Operation of the Studio Museum in Harlem gifts in memory of Joyce Wein, estate of Irene The Studio Museum in Harlem is proud to Thelma’s photo: Timothy is supported with public funds provided by Wheeler; Goldman, Sachs & Co., American be a cultural arts partner of WNYC, New York Greenfield-Sanders The New York City Department of Cultural Express Company; Clifford L. Alexander, Altria Public Radio. Julie Mehretu: Jerry L. Thompson Affairs and the New York State Council on the Group Inc.,Bank of America, The Cowles Arts, a state agency. Major funding is also Charitable Trust, Credit Suisse First Boston, Kehinde Wiley: Biggie Smalls / 2005 provided by The Peter Jay Sharp Foundation New York Stock Exchange Foundation, Pfizer, courtesy of Deitch Projects and Kehinde Wiley Hank Willis Thomas and The Carnegie Corporation of New York, Inc., The Norman and Rosita Winston Founda- Studios Liberation of T.O.: Ain’t no way I’m go’n in back ta’work fa’massa in dat darn field with additional support from The New York tion, Inc., Lord & Taylor, Pierre and Maria- 2004 Times Company Foundation, The Horace W. Gaetana Matisse Foundation, The Moody’s Cover image: Jeff Sonhouse / Inauguration Courtesy of the artist and Jack Shainman Gallery, New York, NY Goldsmith Foundation, JP Morgan Chase, LEF Foundation, Morgan Stanley Foundation and of the Solicitor / 2005 / Collection of David Foundation, The Scherman Foundation, Inc., The Young & Rubicam Foundation. Beitzel, New York The Studio Museum in Harlem Magazine / Fall • Winter 2005–06 02 / what’s up Frequency / Harlem Postcards 14 / upcoming exhibitions Energy / Experimentation: Black Artists and Abstraction, 1964 – 1980 / Africa Comics 16 / artists-in-residence 19 / elsewhere Sam Gilliam / Yinka Shonibare / Snap Judgements / Edgar Arceneaux / Thornton Dial / Faith Ringgold / Slavery in NY / Malcom X / Margaret Garner 22 / feature A Portrait of the Artist 34 / The Frequency of Black Art Shows 36 / catalogue excerpt 37 / feature Joyce Wein 38 / artist commission Mark Bradford Willard Brown 40 / icon Gordon Parks 42 / feature wePod 47 / profile More in Store 48 / 3 questions Robin Rhode 49 / collection on loan 50 / profile Kadir Nelson 51 / coloring page 52 / education 53 / public programs 54 / artist abroad Camille Norment 55 / harlem where we’re at 60 / museum store 62 / ask a security officer Xiomara De Oliver Allegory of Some Bombshell Girls-only in flamingo grass, (detail), 2005 courtesy of the artist and Angles Gallery, Santa Monica, CA 02 / what’s up Studio / Fall • Winter 2005–06 03 / Studio / Fall • Winter 2005–06 Frequency: November 9, 2005– March12, 2006 02 03 01 Frequency is a survey of new work by 35 emerging artists. Living and working in the United States and ranging in age from 25 to 46, these artists work in all media. Their influences vary from folktales to hip- hop, from non-western aesthetics to abstract painting, and from tattoo design to album covers. With more than 85 works in painting, drawing, sculpture, photography, video, digital animation and mixed media, Frequency exemplifies the non-thematic, non-linear climate of contemporary art today. The Studio Museum’s groundbreaking exhibition Freestyle (2001) identified a group of young artists who emerged as the next genera- tion of indicators and pacesetters. Freestyle had an immense impact on the understanding of contemporary black art and this Museum’s relationship to it. It brought into the public consciousness the concept of “post-black,” a term coined by Studio Museum Director and Chief Curator Thelma Golden. This curatorial concept identified a generation of black artists who felt free to abandon or confront the label of “black artist,” preferring to be understood as individuals with complex investigations of blackness in their work. Post-black art became a stance in the quest to define ongoing changes in African-American art, and ultimately became part of the perpetual redefini- tion of blackness in contemporary culture. This widely debated idea took on a life of its own in the public realm, not only in art, but also in popular culture and cultural studies. Nearly five years later, Frequency (commonly mistaken as Freestyle II) continues this tradition with a new group of artists. Co-curated by Thelma Golden and Christine Y. Kim, Associate Curator, there are no prevailing themes in this exhibition, except perhaps an overwhelming sense of individuality. As its title suggests, Frequency pinpoints and assimilates divergent sounds, situations and phenomena. The uses of imagery and materials in this exhibition are wide-ranging and experimental: rhinestones, sand, matches, cowrie shells, handmade set designs, appropriated sports footage, family snapshots, found objects from the 1950s, 60s and 70s, and black contemporary and historical icons such as Harriet Tubman, Paul Robeson, John Coltrane and Terrell Owens. In each work, aspects of American culture are 01 / Demetrius 03 / Zoë Charlton re-imagined and refined for new purposes.