BLIMP DERBY OVER QUEENS
In case you haven't noticed, it's summer -- when arts programming gets a little larky. Our favorite example comes courtesy artist Olav Westphalen, who presents the "First Long Island City Blimp Derby" at the SculptureCenter in Queens, N.Y., on Saturday, June 28, 2003, beginning at 3 p.m. Several teams -- from Creative Time, the Wrong Gallery, the Swiss Institute, and some kids led by artist Paul Ramirez Jonas (who have named their crew the "we're going to win team") -- are fielding 50-inch-long, remote-controlled mylar blimps on a custom-designed track inside the SculptureCenter's towering main space. "They're very tricky to maneuver," says Westphalen, who shows his comical drawings and sculptures at Maccarone, Inc. in New York, and who is 2003 artist-in-residence at SculptureCenter. For more info, see www.sculpture-center.org.
TV STARDOM BECKONS TO THE ARTS
The airwaves are awash in new cable channels, and they're hungry for your programming ideas! Specifically, the Sundance Channel has issued an open call to the art world (and other creative types) to suggest ideas for new TV shows -- ideas that themselves could be sampled (in two- to seven-minute "mini-pilots") and aired on a planned Sundance show called TV Lab. Who knows, a Viacom TV deal could be in the offing! Associate producer of the show is Brooke Parker (wife of Leo Koenig-artist Erik Parker). The deadline for submissions is July 18, 2003; for more info see www.sundancechannel.com/tvlab.
FISCHLI & WEISS V. HONDA
The celebrated Swiss art team of Peter Fischli & David Weiss is accusing the Honda motor company of copyright violation over a car commercial that began airing in Britain last April. The two-minute commercial for the Honda Accord, which supposedly took 606 takes to complete and involves disassembled parts of the Accord in an elaborate, Rube Goldberg-like set-up, is very similar to the artists' prize-winning 1987 videotape The Way Things Go. "As far as I know there's no such thing as copyright of an idea," a Honda spokesperson told the Guardian. To see the Honda commercial go to http://multimedia.honda-eu.com/accord. A copy of the Fischli & Weiss film can be purchased for $19.95 from www.firstrunfeatures.com and many other sites.
"COOLLUSTRE" AT COLLECTION LAMBERT
Legendary Paris dealer Yvon Lambert founded the Collection Lambert in an 18th-century hotel in Avignon in 2000, and after several shows from its holdings museum director ric Mzil has invited the first guest-curator to put together an exhibition for the space. The result is "Coollustre," organized by curator ric Troncy and featuring works by almost 50 contemporary artists assembled into "tableaux" in 16 rooms that "form a story -- a story of religion, of war, of knowledge, of seduction. . . ." Troncy, co-director at Le Consortium in Dijon, calls "Coollustre" the third in a series that began with "Dramatically Different" at Le Magazin in Grenoble in 1997 and "Weather Everything" at the Galerie fr Zeitgenossische Kunst in Leipzig in 1998. Artists in the show, on view May 25-Sept. 28, 2003, range from John Armleder and Robert Barry to Lawrence WeinerandFranz West.
OLD MASTERS AT TAJAN
The summer auction season begins at Espace Tajan in Paris with "Tableaux Anciens," a sale of Old Master paintings on June 25, 2003. Among the top lots is a still life of fruits and flowers by Cornelis van Spaendonck (1756-1840) estimated at 300,000-400,000 euros and a pair of romantic landscapes by Hubert Robert (1733-1808), showing travelers crossing a river and camping near a fallen obelisk in Egypt, estimated at 80,000-100,000 euros. For more info and a complete, online catalogue, see www.tajan.com.
TERMINATING THE TERRA?
Chicago's troubled Terra Museum plans to transfer its collection to the Art Institute of Chicago and close its Michigan Avenue facility by October 2004. The arrangement is designed to allow the governing Terra Foundation, which still has assets of about $200 million, to develop new research and education programs, according to museum director Elizabeth Glassman (the foundation already sponsors symposia and supports museum internships and gives dissertation grants). The Terra has not attracted what could be called optimal attendance, counting a mere 85,000 visitors last year, as opposed to 1,350,000 at the nearby Art Institute.
As for the transfer of art assets, a selection of about 50 works from the Terra's collection of some 300 paintings would be on view at the AIC at any one time, while the Terra's entire holding of 350 works on paper would go to the AIC on long-term loan. The combined collections are billed as "one of the most important installations of American art in the United States and the world." The Terra would also continue to exhibit works from its holdings at the museum it operates in Giverny in France.
Before the Terra shuts down, the museum plans a 16-month-long series of six exhibitions, called "Modern Matters," that present fresh perspectives on early modernism in American art. Currently on view is "Out of the Shadows: Helen Torr, a Retrospective," June 28-Aug. 17, 2003; coming up is "Debating American Modernism: Stieglitz, Duchamp and the New York Avant-Garde," Aug. 30-Nov. 30, 2003. The Terra Museum was established by Ronald Reagan's cultural ambassador Daniel J. Terra in 1980.
PILLSBURY TO MEADOWS
After a brief stint in the private sector (as a partner in the Pillsbury Peters Fine Art in Dallas), former Kimbell Art Museum director Ted Pillsbury is returning to the museum world as director of the Meadows Museum at Southern Methodist University in Dallas. According to press reports, Pillsbury intends to build the institution from a museum of Spanish art to a world-level university museum. Pillsbury says he plans to revamp the museum's budgeting and fundraising operations, not to mention changing the color of walls, which he told the Dallas News were "hideous." He has the support of the school administration, obviously. "We've been actively looking for the 'right' professional for two years," said Carole Brandt, dean of the Meadows School of the Arts. "We wanted someone with vision, imagination, taste, savvy and expertise, and we are joyous over the results of our search."
HAPGOOD TO ICI Susan Hapgood has been named director of exhibitions at Independent Curators International. She had been curator at the American Federation of Arts.
ARTISTS AT ISTANBUL
Curator Dan Cameron has announced the lineup of artists for the 8th International Istanbul Biennial, Sept. 19-Nov. 16, 2003. The show, which is sponsored by the Turkish company Tobacco International and takes place in four main venues (including a former warehouse on the shore of the Bosporus, a former 1451 cannon-manufacturing facility and barracks, and the Yerebatan Cistern, built by Justinian in 532)) , has the theme "Poetic Justice." The show includes 85 artists from 45 countries: Can Altay (Turkey), David Altmejd (Canada), Alexander Apostol (Venezuela), Knut sdam (Norway), Kutlug Ataman (Turkey), Fikret Atay (Turkey), Txomin Badiola (Spain), Kim Beom (Korea), Zarina Bhimji (Uganda/UK), Monica Bonvicini (Italy), Tania Bruguera (Cuba), Fernando Bryce (Peru/Germany), Gerard Byrne (Ireland), Alberto Casado (Cuba), Filipa Csar (Portugal), Taner Ceylan (Turkey), Attila Csrg (Hungary), Minerva Cuevas (Mexico), Ergin avusoglu (Turkey), Danica Dakic (Bosnia-Herzegovina/Germany), Stephen Dean (France/USA), Willie Doherty (Ireland/UK), Song Dong (China), Cevdet Erek - Emre Erkal (Turkey), Esra Ersen (Turkey), Bruna Esposito (Italy), Tony Feher (USA), Dora Garcia (Spain/Belgium), Kendell Geers (South Africa/Belgium), Ann Hamilton (USA), Trenton Doyle Hancock (USA), Runa Islam (Bangladesh/ UK), Emily Jacir (Palestine), Yeondoo Jung (Korea), Shahram Karimi (Iran/Germany), Hassan Khan (Egypt), Lucia Koch (Brazil), Andreja Kuluncic (Croatia), Surasi Kusolwong (Thailand), Annika Larsson (Sweden), Nikki S. Lee (Korea), Jos Legaspi (Philippines), Rogelio Lpez Cuenca (Spain), Liisa Lounila (Finland), Jorge Macchi (Argentina), DeAnna Maganias (Greece), Nalini Malani (India), Marepe (Brazil), Marlene McCarty (USA), Julie Mehretu (Ethiopia/USA), Cildo Meireles (Brazil), Bjrn Melhus (Germany), Aernout Mik (Netherlands), Zwelethu Mthethwa (South Africa), Mike Nelson (UK), Jun Nguyen-Hatsushiba (Vietnam), Paul Noble (UK), Jockum Nordstrm (Sweden), Walter Obholzer (Austria), Oda Projesi (Turkey), Marcel Odenbach (Germany), Yoshua Okon (Mexico), Raquel Ormella (Australia), Tsuyoshi Ozawa (Japan), Bruno Peinado (France), Marjetica Potrc (Slovenia), Araya Rasdjarmrearnsook (Thailand), Michael Riley (Australia), Anri Sala (Albania/France), Doris Salcedo (Colombia), Seifollah Samadian (Iran), Peter Sarkisian (USA), Efrat Shvily (Israel), Shahzia Sikander (Pakistan/USA), Monika Sosnowska (Poland), Jennifer Steinkamp (USA), Hiroshi Sugito (Japan), Do-Ho Suh (Korea/USA), Fiona Tan (Indonesia/Netherlands), Pascale Marthine Tayou (Cameroon/Belgium), Lina Theodorou (Greece), Milica Tomic (Serbia), Uri Tzaig - Avi Shaham (Israel), xurban.net (Turkey), Jasmila Zbanic (Bosnia-Herzegovina). For more info, contact Ustungel Inanc at uinanc@istfest.org.
LINEUP FOR "FRIEZE" ART FAIR
Make room on your fall travel schedule for a visit to London. The first Frieze Art Fair, organized by the hip London-based contemporary art magazine -- count on art critics for good ideas! -- is set for Oct. 17-20, 2003, in a custom-built structure in London's Regent's Park. With any luck, for once an art magazine will be able to cash in on the lucrative art-fair biz: small 4 x 6 meter booths go for 4,320 and extra-large 8 x 13 meter booths are 18,720.
The show features more than 120 of the top contemporary galleries: 1301 PE (Los Angeles), 303 Gallery (NYC), ACME (Los Angeles), Air de Paris (Paris), the Approach (London), Art:Concept (Paris), Asprey Jacques (London), Blum & Poe (Santa Monica), Tanya Bonakdar Gallery (NYC), BQ (Cologne), the Breeder Projects (Athens), Gavin Brown's Enterprise (NYC), Galerie Daniel Buchholz (Cologne), Cabinet (London), Rebecca Camhi (Athens), Luis Campaa Galerie (Cologne), Galerie Gisela Capitain (Cologne), carlier | gebauer (Berlin), China Art Objects Galleries (Los Angeles), Sadie Coles HQ (London), Contemporary Fine Arts (Berlin), Corvi-Mora (London), Counter (London), CRG Gallery (NYC), Galerie Chantal Crousel (Paris), Doggerfisher (Edingburgh), Galerie Eigen + Art (Berlin), Entwistle (London), Galerie Jennifer Flay (Paris), Foksal Gallery Foundation (Warsaw), Galeria Fortes Vilaa (Sao Paulo), Marc Foxx (Los Angeles), Stephen Friedman Gallery (London), Frith Street Gallery (London), Gagosian Gallery (NYC), Klemens Gasser & Tanja Grunert, Inc. (NYC), Galerie Gebr. Lehmann (Dresden), Gimpel Fils (London), Marian Goodman Gallery (NYC), Greene Naftali (NYC), greengrassi (London), Galerie Karin Guenther (Hamburg), Hales Gallery (London), Galerie Hammelehle und Ahrens (Cologne), Jack Hanley Gallery (San Francisco), Haunch of Venison (London), Galerie Hauser & Wirth (Zurich), Galerie Hauser & Wirth & Presenhuber (Zurich), Galerie Ghislaine Hussenot (Paris), Taka Ishii Gallery (Tokyo), Jablonka Galerie Linn Lhn (Cologne), Galerie Martin Janda (Vienna), Galerie Rodolphe Janssen (Brussels), Annely Juda Fine Art (London), Georg Kargl (Vienna), galleria francesca kaufmann (Milan), Kerlin Gallery (Dublin), Klosterfelde (Berlin), Johann Knig (Berlin), Michael Kohn Gallery (Los Angeles), Tomio Koyama Gallery (Tokyo), Andrew Kreps Gallery (NYC), Galerie Krinzinger (Vienna), kurimanzutto (Mexico City), Lisson Gallery (London), Luhring Augustine (NYC), Maccarone Inc. (NYC), Kate MacGarry (London), Magnani (London), Mai 36 Galerie (Zrich), Gi Marconi (Milan), Matthew Marks Gallery (NYC), Galerie Meyer Kainer (Vienna), Meyer Riegger (Karlsruhe), Milton Keynes (Buckinghamshire, England), Victoria Miro Gallery (London), Mizuma Art Gallery (Tokyo), Modern Art (London), the Modern Institute (Glasgow), MW projects (London), Galerie Christian Nagel (Cologne), Galerie Michael Neff (Frankfurt), Galerie Neu (Berlin), neugerriemschneider (Berlin), Galleria Franco Noero (Turin), Galerie Nordenhake (Berlin), Galerie Giti Nourbakhsch (Berlin), Galerie Nathalie Obadia (Paris), Patrick Painter Inc. (Santa Monica), Maureen Paley Interim Art (London), Paragon Press (London), Parkett Publishers (NYC), Galerie Francesca Pia (Bern), Galerie Praz-Delavallade (Paris), the Project (NYC), Anthony Reynolds Gallery (London), Ridinghouse (London), Galerie Thaddaeus Ropac (Salzburg), Galleria Sonia Rosso (Turin), Salon 94 (New York), Galerie Aurel Scheibler (Cologne), Schipper & Krome (Berlin), Gallery Side 2 (Tokyo), Brent Sikkema (NYC), Sommer Contemporary Art (Tel-Aviv), Sprovieri (London), Sprth Magers Lee (London), Paul Stolper (London), Galerie Micheline Szwajcer (Antwerp), Timothy Taylor Gallery (London), Galerie Barbara Thumm (Berlin), Transmission Gallery (Glasgow), Emily Tsingou Gallery (London), Two Palms Press (New York), Vilma Gold (London), Waddington Galleries (London), Galleri Nicolai Wallner (Copenhagen), Barbara Weiss (Berlin), Galerie Barbara Wien (Berlin), White Cube (London), Anthony Wilkinson Gallery (London), Wrong Gallery (NYC), David Zwirner (NYC).
ENRICO BAJ, 1924-2003 Enrico Baj, 78, Italian painter and graphic artist known for his rough-textured, expressionist figurative works, died on June 16 in his hometown of Vergiate, Italy. Born in Milan, Baj was active with the CoBrA group and the International Situationists in the 1950s. Many of his works take up anti-war themes. He was given a retrospective at the Palazzo delle Esposizioni di Roma in 2001-02.
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