Our online catalogue for the exhibition, Urban Alchemy/Gordon Matta-Clark, is now up!  Check it out here.  If you don't have an opportunity to visit St. Louis in the next few months, the website gives you a glimpse into what it's like to see these works within this space.  We're also excited to feature a video interview with Jane Crawford, the director of Matta-Clark's estate and his widow.  She speaks about his buildings, his community, his sense of humor, among other topics, along with commentary on a few of the works on view within the exhibition.

In addition to this exciting launch, we're also kicking off the first in our Transformation programming tonight.  At 7:30pm we're hosting a panel discussion called "The City as Studio," where we'll explore how creative acts and alternative arts spaces can impact a community.  We have a fantastic group of panelists who will lend their perspective and expertise to the topic:  Theaster Gates, an artist from Chicago (who is also participating in the 2010 Whitney Biennial); Mary Jane Jacob, Director of Exhibitions at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago; Juan William Chavez, an artist and the Director of Boots Contemporary Art Space; Luis Croquer, Director of the Museum of Contemporary Art Detroit; and moderated by Christy Gray, Director of the Whitaker Foundation.  If you're unable to attend, we'll be posting the full audio from tonight's panel for you to download as a podcast.  I'll also try to tweet updates throughout the night - follow us @thePulitzer!

During rehearsal at the Pulitzer, Saint Louis Symphony Orchestra Music Director, David Robertson, discusses the Urban Alchemy Concert Series and the work of Kagel and Louis Andriessen to be performed Wednesday, January 27, 2010. He stands in front of prints by Gordon Matta-Clark, Untitled, (Anarchitecture).

Over the past month, one of Professor Nancy Durbin's classes at Lindenwood University has participated in another session of the French Program. During the program, French-learners are given tours of the Pulitzer's current exhibition in both English and French and then asked to give tours in French to high school students. Below is a reflection from Lindenwood student Emma Odenwald on working with a native French speaker. You can read more related posts on the French Program page.

I'm a junior at Lindenwood University participating in the French program at the Pulitzer for the second year in a row. This year, during the the program for Urban Alchemy/Gordon Matta-Clark, we were fortunate enough to have three native French speakers in our class. Each non-native speaker was paired up with a native French speaker to prepare and give tours.

Working with a native French speaker has been very beneficial in preparing our presentation of the works of Gordon Matta-Clark. There are a lot of words associated with urban decay and the transformation of rundown buildings that I was not exactly familiar with. Having a French speaker to help with unfamiliar words was very helpful. Before every tour so far I have been nervous, but my partner, Yasmina, has been very good at reassuring me that I will do fine. Read the rest of this entry »

Director Matthias Waschek explains why the Pulitzer doesn't label the artwork in its galleries.

This past December, local architect John Pankey and I led a writing workshop for literary center StudioSTL, using the setting of Urban Alchemy/Gordon Matta-Clark as our muse. It was the second time the Pulitzer and this Grand Center neighbor have come together.

Over the summer, StudioSTL's director, Beth Ketcher, read for A Marathon Metamorphoses and wrote on the event's corresponding blog what she felt the marathon was about. Her attitude reflected a principle StudioSTL and the Pulitzer share: the arts are for everyone.

The goal of December's workshop was not for the participants to produce refined art reviews but to get them to think comfortably, descriptively, analytically, and creatively by jotting down verbal sketches of what they saw in the galleries. Given optional cues in a worksheet, the young authors were asked to investigate the space, write down what they thought, and read their writing to everyone as a conclusion to the session.

Below, one of StudioSTL's mentors reflects on the workshop.

Paula Davis is an Engineering student at Washington University and a mentor for StudioSTL.

On the twelfth day of the twelfth month, a few young writers–high school students–and a number of volunteers from StudioSTL, sat holding gray pamphlets, on the gray concrete floor of the Pulitzer Foundation for the Arts, in its gray concrete building, under St. Louis’ cold gray sky. It was quiet. Read the rest of this entry »

If you plan to be in New York on Feb 27th, you can’t miss a live reading of Sean Landers’ novel [sic] by 22 art-world luminaries, including our Director Paul Ha. The original hand-written version of this novel is currently on display at the Contemporary as part of the exhibition Sean Landers: 1991-94 Improbable History, on view through April 11.

"Never in my life did I think that reading could be such an utter waste of time. I normally can find something redeeming in anything I've read. After reading [sic] I cleaned my apartment just so I could feel like I'd done something with my day."
- Sean Landers

This one-time-only performance at the Friedrich Petzel Gallery is presented by Art Production Fund and White Columns, and hosted by Saatchi & Saatchi – February 27, 2010, 4:00pm to midnight. Read more.

My first week of work as an intern with the Contemporary was a real eye opener to just how much work goes on behind the scenes to make an opening appear effortless. As a museum visitor, I took many things for granted. Things like security, beverages, installation, art labels and gallery guides just magically happen, right? Well, not really. I never thought about how someone has to fold and hole-punch all those gallery guides. How someone has to design those labels and signs. How someone has to work with representatives from other companies to arrange for security and beverage service. Someone even has to move and build the walls! Even more happens behind the scenes like dinners and numerous meetings with the artists. It’s amazing that all this (and MUCH more) is accomplished with a staff of 13 (and a few eager interns), and I’m thrilled to be here for it all.

So, next time you visit the Contemporary, take a second to look around and notice all the little things that add up to one great experience. Oh, and think twice before you throw away that gallery guide!

Heather Tribbett is an intern in the Development Department

The Contemporary's new shows open tomorrow night (Friday, January 22, 7-9pm) and things are busy around here! The artists have been in town all week, working closely with our installation crew to hang the show. We got a staff preview today and it is looking really great. The rest of the museum staff and interns are hard at work preparing for tomorrow’s Opening Night Reception...making welcome signs, arranging for photography and valet, printing and folding the gallery guides, and all of the other little things it takes to get the Contemporary ready to welcome the thousand people who will visit us tomorrow night.

I hope you will join us at the Opening and bring a friend. These exhibitions feature photographs, drawings, watercolors, videos, paintings, music, and even some literature, blurring the boundaries between artist, author, and musician. Both artists use all materials at their disposal to express themselves and create their artworks. Even though the exhibitions are separate solo shows featuring artists who have distinct and unique processes, we've observed some parallel concepts running through both. I encourage you to visit the museum to explore these exhibitions for yourself and respond to this blog post. What parallels do you see?

And remember, The Front Room is back! Xavier Cha and Torbjørn Rødland present their work in this fluid space dedicated to creative experimentation. Cha's work is performance based so be sure to come on Opening Night to experience her performances first hand.

Click here to read an article that was featured in the St. Louis Post Dispatch.

Mariana Castillo Deball talks about her ideas behind the Klein bottle piñata sculpture created for the exhibition For the blind man in the dark room looking for the black cat that isn't there. The public was invited to celebrate the end of the exhibition by breaking open the piñata sculpture.

What’s all the excitement? On Sunday, January 3, the CAM hosted the Piñata Closing Party for the end of the exhibition, For the blind man… For my first event with the CAM, I was intrigued to discover the large community involvement and the amazing amount of excitement that unfolded. People of all ages came out to take a swing and enjoy complimentary appetizers. After an hour of blindfolded people at bat, the piñata busted and kids, teens, and parents rushed to gather the hidden goodies. With tons of energy and laughter filling the museum, this was truly a great way to begin my internship.

After the cleanup and all the goodbyes, I gathered with Cole and a few others to start the removal of the exhibition. The prep work, organization, and the art removal itself, all has to be done with such intricate details. We started section by section, removing pieces and collecting evidence for the condition reports. Handling the art in such an intimate, delicate fashion gave me the chance to interpret each piece on an individual basis. Though I didn’t have a chance to stay to help finish up that evening, the next experience will be just as interesting and exciting.

Tabitha Schnurbusch is an intern in the Exhibitions Department