This B scene event is on June 4, opening at 6 and running till 10:30 pm. Admission is $5 for members; non-members are $12. The Blanton is located at The University of Texas at Austin, MLK at Congress, Austin, Texas 78701.

“When we envision emotional or historical relationships between seemingly disparate objects or experiences, we create narrative. We name our world, not only to understand it factually, but to make sense of it on an individual level.”

Look at the things you’ve collected over time… art, chotchkes, family keepsakes, etc. What narrative is emerging? What do those things say about you and your experience? What a rich story to share. Keep on collecting.

Read the full DesignMind article here.

The idea of MoPA is fascinating. A somewhat concrete description of MoPA = a wallet or small, pocket-sizedbook containing a curated collection of small-scale original artworks. Viewing art in this format takes the sometimes overwhelming experience with art away from an institutional  space such as a public museum or gallery and makes it a bit more accessible. The result is a more intimate experience that fosters conversation and a personal connection with the art. As Meredith Tromble describes it in the opening article for the newly published compilation:

“Reviewing the exhibitions the Museum of Pocket Art (MoPA) mounted in 2009, one senses that the curators gleefully pocketed the notion of museum as a grand, public, and authoritative place. When they pulled it back out, “museum” was transformed by intimacy, conversation, and adventure, as if a mausoleum came to life, shook the dust out, and began to dance. It’s amazing what a bit of fun and a pinch of anarchy can do.”

My first encounter with a MoPA show was earlier this year during an exhibit at OKMTin Austin, Texas. As I entered OKMT’s courtyard filled with people and conversations, I saw Robert Jackson Harrington, executive director of MoPA. Right then, my eyes opened wide and a broad smile graced my face. I knew what was going to happen next. Robert and I had a conversation weeks earlier where he told me about MoPA’s habit of “crashing” art receptions and events happening in more traditional spaces. I knew that this would be my chance to see some really great art, up close and personal.

The series of the MoPA show that I saw had to do with transparency, the traces of something that was once there, memory, etc. It was fabulous. There was something really precious and endearing about the small size of the work and my proximity to it. I was holding it my hands rather than standing away from it. For those used to experiencing art in a formal museum or gallery, seeing MoPA is a refreshing experience. To new art enthusiasts, encountering a MoPA show is as easy as having a conversation with a friend… see, not scary at all!

To learn more about MoPA, visit their website and/or be come a MoPA fan on Facebook.

Artwork by Katy Horan, MoPA

Some performers in Marina Abramovic’s new exhibition complain of being poked by patrons.

NEW YORK – Some visitors to a new exhibit at New York City’s Museum of Modern Art are being asked to leave because they are touching nude performers.

The performers featured in Marina Abramovic’s new exhibition have complained of being pushed, prodded and poked by some patrons.

The museum acknowledges that it has had problems with some visitors touching the live art. It is declining to talk about specific cases, but says visitors caught doing it are… [read more.]

A performer in “Marina Abramovic: The Artist is Present” at the Museum of Modern Art.

Some wise guy posts warning sign about questionable artwork [in Austin].

Everybody’s a critic.

Somebody has posted a sign on Barton Skyway in South Austin near the public art piece stacked in the bushes that consists of a bunch of orange-and-white traffic barricades.

“Caution,” the black-and-yellow sign warns as you approach South Lamar Boulevard from the west. “Bad Art Ahead.”

The sign is accurate. In other words, the alleged sculpture, Barton Barriers, done by artist Stephen Dubov, is still there, next to the street, up in the trees.

When I made fun of this piece in a column, nobody complained — except Dubov. He thinks it’s good. Of course, he may be prejudiced.

I’m not sure the art deserves a warning sign, though. Although I suppose it could put your eye out.

Not everybody would agree with that statement, however. The City of Austin put up $4,300 for the project, approved by the city’s… [read more]

As Google awaits approval of a controversial settlement with authors and book publishers, the company’s plan to create an immense digital library and bookstore may face yet another hurdle.

On Wednesday, the American Society of Media Photographers and other groups representing visual artists plan to file a class-action lawsuit against Google, asserting that the company’s efforts to digitize millions of books from libraries amount to large-scale infringement of their copyrights.

The lawsuit, in some respects, mirrors the complaints filed in 2005 by the Authors Guild and the Association of American Publishers when they first opposed Google’s library project on copyright grounds.

Those groups have since agreed to a sweeping $125 million settlement that, if approved, would allow Google to make available and sell digital copies of millions of out-of-print books. The settlement would also give authors and publishers new ways to make money from digital copies of their work.

The photographer group decided to file suit after its efforts to intervene in the settlement were rejected by a court last year. The complaint claims Google’s mass copying efforts infringe on the rights of photographers and other creators of graphic works.

“We are seeking justice and fair compensation for visual artists whose work appears in the 12 million books and other publications Google has illegally… [read more]

Hugh MacLeod has built a career on ignoring everybody. When Mr. MacLeod, a cartoonist and entrepreneur, first lived in New York and was working at a large advertising firm, he got into the habit of doodling on the back of business cards — just to give himself something to do.

The back-of-the-card format stuck, much to the chagrin of Mr. MacLeod’s acquaintances. “People thought I was nuts,” he writes on his web site. “Why wasn’t I trying to do something easier for people to digest, like greeting cards?”

Deciding not to listen to the naysayers, however, was a pivotal choice. Mr. MacLeod went on to… [read more]

Fusebox is an annual contemporary art and performance festival that takes place in Austin, Texas each April. This year’s festival features over forty presentations taking place in a range of venues around town, from large to very intimate.  The programming will include participation from over 450 artists, both emerging and established.  Whatever you choose to attend, you will definitely get to see life and art from a different perspective.

Attendees may purchase individuals tickets to events or full-access passes.  If you’re planning on checking any of the shows out, I suggest that you reserve your spot and buy tickets soon. The festival starts April 21 and will run through May 2, 2010. For more detailed information, visit the Fusebox website.  Have fun!

Cloud Eye Control's project, "Under Polaris," is presented in conjunction with Women & Their Work.

What is your idea of fail-proof fashion to wear to an art gallery opening?

You can either answer this question so that it’s relevant today or reference a past decade. Does the ‘perfect outfit’ change depending on where you are in the world, what type of art you’re going to see or why you’re attending an art gallery opening? Please cite visual examples and have some fun with your answer.

Ready? …Go!

Patrick Nagel captured 80's fashion & flava as art.

Art Alliance Austin is one of the many organizations helping support the visual arts in Austin. Through a series of event productions, they raise money to commission local artists and public art projects. They are also one of the main financial backers for the Austin Museum of Art.

Throughout the year, the non-profit organization holds events to showcase art around the city. Events like the East Austin Studio Tour and Art Night Austin build momentum to late April, when Art City Austin temporarily transforms downtown. “It’s a temporary art utopia that pops up in the Second Street District,” Executive Director of Art Alliance Austin Meredith Powell said.

All of the events are created through the collaboration of… [read more]