P.P.O.W Gallery is hosting an exhibition of Jessica Rohrer’s paintings, entitled Sweeping the BQE. The the Brooklyn Queens Expressway, known around these parts as the BQE, or that “dirty busy expressway” was created by Robert Moses and was originally intended to alleviate traffic throughout Brooklyn and on the bridges to Manhattan. This construction is a constant topic of debate and an inspiration to many artist (Sufjan Stevens paid a wonderful tribute to it last year at BAM), however, Rohrer’s paintings, done in a photo realist style, pays close attention to representing the cars, roads and the style of the neighborhoods.

It is actually a strange way to experience the BQE, distilled and contained in a gallery that is absent of the noise the constant traffic creates. It almost makes the area look desirable. The P.P.O.W. gallery is located at 555 W 25th Street. The exhibit opens tomorrow and the reception is from 6-8.

I’ve always admired William Eggleston’s photographic eye. It has been said that he only takes one shot, because he doesn’t think anymore is necessary. In an age of do-over photos with our digital cameras, this concept amazes me-here is an artist who just gets it right every time he shoots.
I first saw his work over 15 years ago in the city and I admit, it was disappointing in both content and number of exhibited works. Which is why I highly recommend going to see the Whitney’s exhibit, entitled Democratic Camera-Eggleston’s first American retrospective. It tells the entire story of this southern artist’s journey from black and white photography to being one of the first artists to use color film for art and not commercial use(although this method was initially criticized).
This exhibit, which shows material Eggleston shot in the American south, also contains never before seen footage the artist shot in the 1970’s. The thing about his work that most amazes me besides the color, is the beauty captured in relatively ordinary objects.
A documentary shot in 2005 about Eggleston, which gives a rare and slightly sad insight to the artists life is “William Eggleston in the Real World“. I highly recommend seeing before you attend the exhibit, it gives the meaning of the photos a whole new understanding to the man behind the lens.

I realized recently that I needed to get out of the city, at least for a day. On my always meaning to do list, I’ve had Dia:Beacon on there for at least 5 years. Dia is a foundation that houses a renowned contemporary art collection in a converted Nestle factory nestled on the Hudson River about an hour and a half upstate from the city.

Taking this weekend to finally get there, I discovered that the MTA has a huge selection and discounts on events and places to go on the Metro North line. A roundtrip train ticket and admission to Dia only set me back $27 total!

The train ride follows the beautiful Hudson River and I finally got to see the effects of Fall on the leaves-better late than never. I underestimated the size of the museum itself, and with open hours of 11-4pm, it’s best to get a fairly early start. I spent 2 hours in the museum, but could have used at least another one to feel as though I covered everything.

I also suggest taking the 10 minute walk to Main Street, where there is a small coffee shop called the Muddy Cup and taking in a wine tasting at the Artisan Wine Shop. Overall, this trip provides great art in a great setting plus you get to smell really fresh air, which is something I almost forget how it smelled.

I got on the train this morning and because I am already done with all my monthly November magazines, and my weekly New York Magazine has not arrived (get it together NY mag, subscribers expect their weekly mag before you see it on newsstands), I did something that can only be done shamelessly in a large city – I stared at people.

I observed a woman putting on her makeup on the crowded subway, which seems to require a steady hand and a sprinkle of luck – a train lurch could make eyeliner application into an eye injury. I saw a large man try to squeeze himself into a seat much to the adjacent women’s dismay and I watched a kid eat Doritos mostly likely for breakfast. Then I saw someone who I recognized…huge red beard, glasses and a newsboy cap. I quickly looked away, closed my eyes and began to search my brain to figure out who this person was and how I knew them. Then I placed him. We used to live in the same building two years ago. For over two years, I would regularly see him living his everyday life and we always said hello and exchanged small talk. The strange thing is, I know that he lives with his girlfriend, drives an old maroon Volvo and has a Shiba Inu dog that is blind, but at that moment, on the train I didn’t feel like I had to say hi. I adverted my eyes from his general area and didn’t feel bad about not saying hello. This is one of the things I love and hate about large city living. There is a redeeming quality about large city living in that you can be a complete prick and no one will ever really remember you, but I do miss that smaller town quality where everyone says hello and remembers your face.

The Ego, The Persona, The Shadow and The Wise Old Man (or was it The Great Mother?)
Group show curated by Ombretta Agró Andruff
Dates: Nov. 20st - December 20th, 2008
Opening reception: November 20th, 2008, from 6-8pm.
Venue: The Guild, NY

The individuation process is a term created by the famous psychologist Carl Gustav Jung to describe the process of becoming aware of oneself, of one’s make-up, and the way to discover one’s true, inner self. Although the structure is basic and simple, the contents require a much deeper understanding.
The process begins with becoming conscious of the Persona, the mask we take on in our every day life. After this we become conscious of the Shadow, the repressed characteristics of the ego. Then we become conscious of the Anima, the inner woman in each man, or the Animus, the inner man in each woman. Then the image of the old wise man, or the old wise mother appears, after which the experience of the Self happens. These phases are not necessarily chronological in order or separated from each other. They can overlap each other or run parallel.
Jung stresses that our modern world does not give enough opportunity to experience the archetype of the Shadow. When a child expresses his animal instincts, generally his parents punish him. Punishment does not lead to the extinction of the Shadow, which is impossible, but it leads to the suppression of this archetype. The Shadow retreats to an unconscious state, primitive and undifferentiated. Then, when the Shadow breaks through the repressive barrier, and this does happen once in a while, it manifests itself in a sinister, pathological way.
It is a fact that artists, through their practice, have often helped themselves, and those around them, to identify and, quite literally, bring to surface the “archetypes” that Jung identifies in his theory. In this exhibition, while we certainly do not pretend to exemplify the complexity of Jung’s writings, we are bringing together a group of six artists we feel embody in their own unique and special way some of these archetypes and the struggle between their “persona” and the “shadow” within them. Through their works, they accept, and bring together, the superior and the inferior, the rational and the irrational, the order and the chaos, light and darkness, female and male energy, yin and yang.
The exhibition features works by Jaishri Abichandani, Betty Bee, Zachary Clement, Christine Kim, Rachana Nagarkar, and Rakhi Peswani.

The Guild, NY
45 West, 21st Street
2nd Floor (Rear), Suite 39,
New York, NY 10010 : Telephone: 1 212 229 2110

info@theguildny.com | http://www.theguildny.com

Jaishri Abhichandani

Sometimes I have to remind myself to get a good book and read it. Often times I find that months have passed since I cracked the spine of a book and have substituted it with hours of online and magazine reading.

However, tonight at 7pm, online and book reading will be joined as one(kinda). Words Without Borders, the premier online magazine of international literature in translation, will be teaming up with Idlewild Books to launch a new monthly event series—First Thursdays—that couples renowned literary critics with translators to discuss international contemporary.

Tonight’s kickoff will feature a discussion about Amara Lakhous’s novel, ‘Clash of Civilizations Over an Elevator in Piazza Vittorio’. In the book,”a small culturally mixed community living in an apartment building in the center of Rome is thrown into disarray when one of the neighbors is murdered.” Although I haven’t read it, the book seems to center on society’s general indifference and the self-centeredness that plagues todays culture. The discussion will be lead by the books’ translator, Ann Goldstein , and Michael F. Moore, Chair of the PEN Translation Committee.

Words Without Borders is a nonprofit organization that, “promotes international exchange through the translation, publication and active promotion of some of the world’s best writing.” To help you prep for this monthly event, Words Without Borders has also created a book club, including online discussions of each month’s book. 

Idlewild Books is located at 12 W 19th St.

The City Reliquary Museum and Civic Organization will host an Election Party tonight from 7pm until the choosing of our next President! Know for having the largest collection of vintage Statue of Liberty postcards, fragments of famous city buildings (including the old Yiddish-inspired sign from the Second Avenue Deli), a geological display of New York’s underground composition and a 1939 World’s Fair exhibit, tonight they will be hosting an election watch event with, “two separate projectors and will live-broadcast the State-by-State Roll Calls, on both indoor and outdoor screens, courtesy of CNN.com. On the grill we’ve got all American burgers, dogs and veggie dogs at ‘08 Recession prices, as well as Brooklyn beer and soda available for donation. All American Apple Pie will be served with proof of vote cast, and since this is one of the most patriotic of nights, make sure you BYO American Flag!”

If you haven’t already voted, get out and vote!

Jan Vermeer is known for his domestic interior scenes of ordinary life in Holland. He is particularly renowned for his masterly treatment and use of light in his work and used expensive paints for his work, despite his shaky financial status.

It is thought that Vermeer only made 2-3 paintings a year, meticulously layering paint onto the canvas to create the rich color combinations. When you couple that with the fact that he died at 45, you understand why there are only 35 verified known works by the artist and why it is such a huge deal that three pieces Officer and Laughing Girl, Mistress and Maid, and Girl Interrupted at Her Music will be hung at the Frick.

Since the waterfalls came down, New York needed a new, exciting public art piece to get everyone jazzed up again. That is why Zaha Hadid’s Chanel Mobile Art Pavilion is the new talk of the town.  This 7,500 square foot luxurious art piece is the result of a collaboration of the iconic fashion house and renowned architect, Zaha Hadid, and represents a unique form of art branding.

This spacecraft looking sculpture is a shiny flattish circle and contains an art exhibit of 15 contemporary artists’ works inspired by Chanel’s quilted 2.55 bag, including “a giant Pop Art-style quilted handbag lined with pink fur” which contains “a makeup compact in which you can view a video of women shooting handbags with guns.”

The piece has received a lot of criticism and word has it that Chanel paid $400,000 to rent space in the park, and has made an additional donation to the Central Park Conservancy. The exhibit is free and is located at Rumsey Playfield at 70th Street.

We have officially entered the last month before the 2008 election. And who are we kidding, New York is a blue state through and through. Although I am not about promoting picking up a clipboard and rallying voters, there is a worthwhile silent art auction tonight that will be donating all of the proceeds directly to Obama for America to benefit and support his campaign.

McCaig Welles and Rosenthal Gallery is hosting: Art For a Change, a silent auction. Participating artists include: Bekah Starr, Christoph Keller, Denny Tillman, Diksha Watwani, Doug Parry, Gail Goldsmith, Gray, Greg Orenstein, Henry Horenstein, James Gulliver Hancock, Jeff Barnett-Winsby, Jen Mazer, Marla Lombard, Maureen Keaveny, Michael Neff, Noah Breuer, Peter Scibetta, Sarah Knotz, Stacey Danielle Cohen, Vanessa Pyne, Vanessa Ruiz, William S. Dutterer and Zina Saunders.

Come look at the interesting art, talk with politically like minded individuals and pick up a limited edition copy of the show poster or an Obama button.