Yesterday I received the fantastic news that Susan Philipsz won the coveted Turner Prize for 2010—an award hosted by the Tate Britain in London that annually celebrates the distinguished contributions of a British artist.   Susan’s work is characterized by her singing specifically chosen songs of personal and or political import, with her voice distributed among strategically placed speakers (or on one very deliberately positioned speaker) within a given space.  She was awarded the prize on the strength of her installation—Lowlands—which comprises the singing of the Scottish lament “Lowlands Away,” and, like the rest of her work, creates a tension between the hauntingly disembodied physicality of the human voice and the sublime beauty of music as a spatially experienced phenomenon.  Prior to leaving the Museum of Contemporary Art (MCA), Chicago, I commissioned a work from Susan for the MCA’s permanent collection that will be presented as part of her larger solo project We Shall Be All, opening on February 26^th, 2011.   The MCA commissioned work of the same name draws on songs from the history of the Industrial Workers of the World (IWW), a labor organization and movement that was founded in Chicago in 1905.   This new piece will be joined by a presentation of her 1999 work, The Internationale, which will feature a solitary speaker positioned in the museum’s public atrium space intermittently playing Susan singing the legendary Socialist anthem alluded to in the work’s title.

The project with Susan is the happy fulfillment of an artist-curator relationship that began when I met Susan at the Berlin art fair some 7 or 8 years ago.   Since then, I became an ardent fan of her work, and included an installation that she created based on early 20^th Century political activist Rosa Luxembourg in the exhibition I Feel Mysterious Today, that I curated for the now defunct Palm Beach Institute of Contemporary Art in 2004.   While attending to my duties as CAM’s Chief Curator, I’ve been working with Susan and the MCA to develop both the work and the exhibition project, We Shall Be All—helping to determine the placement of the works, facilitating correspondence between the artist and the museum, contributing texts, and conducting interviews with press to elaborate on the plans for the installation and exhibition.    It’s been a curiously “disembodied” experience, but I’m thrilled with the way that Susan has integrated her own politically-active past with an acknowledgement of Chicago’s rich histories of music, politics, and socially progressive movements in the work that will become We Shall Be All.  In the spirit of the work, I’m so pleased that this project with a remarkable and internationally-recognized artist becomes such a fitting “swan song” for me curatorially at the MCA Chicago.

Once again, a hearty salute to Susan Philipsz on winning the 2010 Turner Prize (and becoming the first artist working solely with sound to do so!)

-Dominic Molon, Chief Curator

It’s time again for another First Saturday: Food for Thought, and tomorrow it’s all about brunch! Chef Andrew Liebermann from Cherokee Street Catering will be here serving some delicious menu items that were inspired by Elad Lassry’s photographs, Eggs and Kitchen.

When Chef Andrew Lierbermann saw Eggs for the first time, it immediately inspired him to make a great-tasting quiche.

Elad Lassry, Eggs (2010). C-Type Print, 14 ½ x 11 ½ inches. Courtesy of David Kordansky Gallery, Los Angeles.

This photograph, Kitchen, took him back to the times he spent making brunch, and is the reason why he’s making a variety of sweet and savory crepes which are perfect for the occasion.

Elad Lassry, Kitchen (2010). Silver Gelatin Print, 14 ½ x 11 ½ inches. Private Collection.

Aside from quiche and crepes, guests this Saturday will also enjoy mimosas in this free tasting!

Here’s the full schedule:

12:30 pm: Tasting

1:00 pm: Exhibition tour with Associate Curator Laura Fried

1:30 pm: Interactive workshop led by artist Emily Hemeyer

See you tomorrow for another First Saturday full of good food, great conversation, and exceptional art!

Looking for unique gifts for your friends and family? On Thursday, December 16, The Contemporary is holding the Etsy Art Sale & Holiday Open House.  Local Etsy artists and crafters will be here with tons of handmade items for sale. The items range from jewelry, to home decor, to stationary, clothing, and more. Cravings will also be here with tons of baked goods. Contemporary interns will be baking cookies, so you can enjoy the taste- and smell- while you shop! From 7-8:00 pm, enjoy a live musical performance.

The event runs from 5-9:00 pm and includes free admission and a cash bar. Come celebrate the holidays with us, and find the perfect gifts for your friends and family! Visit camstl.org for more information.

First Saturday: Food for Thought is taking place at the Contemporary this Saturday, but this time, something is a little different. We’re now asking our caterers for each First Saturday to create a menu that is inspired by the artwork that is on display.

Our current exhibitions are Elad Lassry: Sum of Limited Views and Richard Artschwager: Hair. The shows run through January 2, 2011, and you can read about them here.

Butler’s Pantry is catering this Saturday’s event, and the entire menu was inspired by Richard Artschwager’s piece titled Double Dinner. When Sarah Glass from Butler’s Pantry saw the piece, it reminded her of a ladies afternoon lunch. She envisioned two women sharing a quiet lunch filled with different courses and flavors that would be perfect for the chilly fall weather. The menu is elegant, much how Glass envisioned the women would be sitting on this seat built for two.

Richard Artschwager, Double Dinner, 1988. Formica on wood, enamel on wood with rubberized hair, 35 ½ x 27 x 85 inches. Collection of Illeana Sonnebend.

Look at this incredible menu:

-Roasted Acorn Squash Bisque with a dollop of maple creme fraiche served in a demitasse cup

-Fall Field Green Salad with feta cheese, portabello mushrooms, frizzled scallions, sweet yellow pepper strips & herbed crostini tossed with a lemon-sherry vinaigrette

-Grilled Chicken & Brie Sandwich on baguette with pear and apple chutney & country mustard

-Maple Leaf Shortbread Cookie

Yum. Are you hungry? We are.

In addition to Artschwager’s piece, the Fall Field Green Salad was inspired by Elad Lassry’s Felicia. The polka dots in the photograph were the inspiration behind all of the different colors in the salad, and the use of color in the photo also represent all of the different flavors visitors will experience in this salad, as well as the entire menu.

Elad Lassry, Felicia, 2008. Chromogenic print, 14.5 x 11.5 inches, framed. Courtesy of the artist and David Kordansky Gallery.

Here’s this Saturday’s schedule:

12:30 pm- Tasting by Butler’s Pantry

1:00 pm- Tour of the exhibitions by the Contemporary’s senior staff members

1:30-2:30 pm- Hands-on, artist-led workshop

Space is limited, so make sure to get here a little early. We couldn’t be more excited to share this experience with you.

Paul Ha, Director of the Contemporary Art Museum St. Louis, recently traveled to Grand Rapids, Michigan, to participate in the ArtPrize Speaker Series. Part arts festival, part social experiment, ArtPrize is decided solely by public vote – and the first place winner gets… wait for it… $250,000. Find out exactly how ArtPrize works by visiting their site.

ArtPrize’s Nicole J. Caruth recently sat down with the Contemporary Art Museum St. Louis’ Director, Paul Ha, to hear his thoughts on the entire experience. To see the interview on ArtPrize’s website, click here.

Nicole J. Caruth: This year, ArtPrize has brought in speakers who are doing things differently—visionaries. Tell me what you’re doing that sets you apart from others?

Paul Ha: I think it’s quite an honor to be considered a visionary, but I’m a visual person. I don’t think I’m a visionary.

NJC: Of course you are.

PH: Well, there’s a lot of parallel between ArtPrize and what we’ve done in St. Louis in that there’s a natural progression in how institutions grow from a living room gallery to a small storefront to a more permanent home to a full-fledged institution. Perhaps that’s why Jeff [Meeuwsen] invited me and to hear about we’ve been doing in St. Louis. It’s been really exciting to give a city, that’s never had a contemporary art museum, a contemporary art museum. And to sort of let them know what it does, how it fits into its culture, and is also a community partner.

Exhibition is the main thing that we do, but in a way it’s a catalyst in terms of what we provide locally and so I feel like we’re running two operations. One, is to serve people outside of St. Louis, to be recognized by my peers and by other institutions for the work that we do. Our other work is how we connect locally, to the people who support us and are fans of ours, through art.

One thing that we fully realize at the Contemporary Art Museum St. Louis is that contemporary art is difficult to most people, to the general public. You know, most people who are educated and who have gone to graduate schools, the chances that they’ve interacted with contemporary art is very rare. For a doctor or a lawyer, the chances that they’ve taken one art class is probably zero, right? So, our role is to say contemporary art has always existed and what we’re doing is connecting people to now – we’re connecting people to what is happening culturally. And so, trying to get people to let their guards down, to say it’s okay if this is strange to you, if you feel skeptical about this, if you feel uncomfortable with this, but we want to start a conversation with you so that we can talk about what’s going on worldwide.

NJC: You had heard about ArtPrize last year, correct?

PH: I did, I did. Mostly from artists emailing me saying, “Here’s my link. Vote for me.” I didn’t know anything about it and then as soon as I went on the site for the first time – to realize that a city is giving an artist $250,000 as a prize is a significant thing. It makes you take notice.

NJC: What were your initial thoughts when you saw the website, the amount of money, so on and so forth?

PH: Well, anytime that anyone is putting focus on contemporary art, I get excited. For me, that’s always a good thing. Any time that a city or a town or a community is trying to bring vibrancy to itself through contemporary art, I’m all for it. I’m glad ArtPrize is continuing on the second year because a lot of times these things happen once and just disappears. I think the sustainability of it is really important. You know, perhaps five or 10 years from now, it’ll be something that’s completely different. It’s transformative for a city, and perhaps in our field, too.

NJC: You’ve been on the ground, well, for not even 24 hours. Have you been able to walk around and see some of the artwork?

PH: I have and I think just the enormity and scope of the project is really something to take a look at. It’s just that the physical ability to see everything, I think, is difficult. But that’s also exciting in that it energizes you to go out and see more and faster because you don’t want to miss anything. It’s only here for two weeks and then it disappears. I think it’ll be interesting to come back after ArtPrize is over and to see how the city feels without all the art. Having that giant pig in the parking lot and then not to have it there anymore – what will that mean to the locals and how will that encourage the locals to say contemporary art is important and that they should have it here all the time?

I mean, they have placed the event at a certain level by saying, “We’re going to give the winner $250,000.” It just puts it on a level where you say these people are serious. They care. They want this to be successful. They’re committing certain resource behind it. Let’s say the top prize was $5,000? Then it becomes a different thing. It just lets you know the seriousness of the intent behind it.

NJC: Well, that money is looked at in different ways. The other side of it is that some artists might be making work with their eyes only on the prize, you know. It’s a competition, so they’re making the biggest thing they can make, which then makes the competition feel like a joke to other artists. So you have this kind of tension, I think, between the person that considers himself a serious artist and the person who is, well, not so serious.

PH: Well, I think it’s two separate things. The amount of money that’s provided doesn’t necessarily relate to the type of art that’s being shown. What I was taken back by were the numbers of what you would consider “gallery art” as opposed to giant, flashy, cool things that will get people’s attention – the “neat” factor. There’s a lot of art that’s neat, but there’s also tons of “serious art” that has been submitted. Any time you open something up to the general public, it becomes a different thing.

In popular music there’s a certain democracy in what type of thing becomes popular. The people who are scholars would say that popular music is not necessarily the best music, right? Although now with all the different popular culture degrees being populated throughout the universities, the importance of popular culture is being relooked at. So, the fact that ArtPrize is open to the general public, by democratizing the vote, it becomes a different spectacle in a way, and I don’t think that’s necessarily a good thing or a bad thing, it’s just what it is. You could certainly change this by asking a committee of 20 museum specialists to pick. But I love the fact that there’s a public factor and that they have a choice, like Dances with the Stars or something like that where people can text.

NJC: I was actually talking to Douglas Fogle about this kind of popularization of the arts and to think about ArtPrize and then a reality television show like Work of Art. In some ways, I think popularizing art, exposing more people to it and what it can be, is not necessarily a bad thing. I mean, I think that’s one of the great things about ArtPrize is that even if people don’t agree on the quality of work here and whether something is good or bad, they’re talking about it and they’re figuring it out for themselves. If ArtPrize is all about sparking conversation, it definitely does that.

PH: The fact that you have things throughout the world where you have a small group of people saying, “Okay, this is what we think is important, that’s very important” is very helpful. On the other hand, it’s also very helpful to have the general public having a say in what they think is important.

A lot of musical scholars could say that Michael Jackson is not an artist because he’s a popular culture figure. But because he sold millions of records, the public has voted, through their dollars, that they like this person’s art, right? They’re saying that they support what that artist is doing, they want to be part of it, and they want to enjoy it. I dare any music scholar to say Michael Jackson is not an artist. I mean, what he did was phenomenal, so the fact that people like something, that doesn’t necessarily mean it’s a bad thing.

NJC: Is there anything that has stood out to you? A particular space, object or way that ArtPrize has set up the event, and aside from the number of people on the streets?

PH: I’m a detail and logistics guy, so certain things pop out at me such as how does an artist get chosen for a certain spot because that spot obviously has weight in how many votes it gets, right? So, if it’s at the Grand Rapids Art Museum versus some field next to a river, it’s a whole different thing. How can that be resolved?

But being here just one day, I’m looking at it on a macro level, to see the entire thing as opposed to sort of zoning in on individual pieces. I will not be voting, just to let you know. I’m more interested in the experience that one would have learning about ArtPrize and coming here and physically walking through. I’m much more interested in what will this feel like to a visitor. What will this feel like to the locals? What will this feel like to an outside artist? And what will this feel like to a local artist? Those are the things that I’m thinking about as I walk through.

NJC: Now that it’s in its second year, and has been successful thus far, I think there’s question as to whether other cities can use the ArtPrize model for social, economic or other gains. Could you see yourself duplicating this kind of effort in St. Louis?

PH: I think if a group of donors or sponsors came to me and said, “We’re going to give you this chunk of money to replicate Grand Rapids ArtPrize and we’re committed to it for the next five or 10 years,” I would absolutely jump on it. I think it would be great for St. Louis. I think it’d be fantastic for any city. But I think it’s a rare thing that they’ve found here in terms of support and the push behind it.

There are many examples of cities revitalizing itself through art, especially contemporary art. When you think of the proliferation of art fairs and biennials, it’s obvious that some formulas work in terms of creating economy for a city, even if it’s just one week of art fairs or two weeks. There are hotel rooms being purchased, restaurants being filled up and obviously there’s an economic model, an economic engine that works and that’s doable. When you think about the Venice Biennale, which has been going on for a 100 years, that began because they weren’t getting any tourism in June. That started to try to bring tourism to Venice and obviously it’s been successful. When you think about art fairs in Miami and the Istanbul Biennial, those are all models that exist because they’re economically viable for a city.

NJC: Is there anything that we haven’t yet discussed that has jumped out at you in the past 24 hours?

PH: I think the whole marketing engine of ArtPrize is something that is really helpful to the event. Just getting people to know what it is. I know 1,700 artists is a lot, but I would think that you can get a lot more artists thinking about ArtPrize if more people knew about it. So, just getting the word out. That’s why inviting people here is really important, because ArtPrize is an amazing thing. It’s incredibly inspiring.

Internationally recognized electronic musician Christopher Willits will be performing at “An Evening of Neuroscience and Music” this Thursday, October 21. The night kicks off at 7:00 pm and will begin with a lively conversation about art, perception and the human experience with our Associate Curator Laura Fried and neuro-psychiatrist Abhilash Desai. Stick around after the lecture to hear a live performance from this incredible electro-indie musician, who is known for meshing live instrumentation with electronic sounds on his custom built software. Willits morphs melodic guitar loops and photo/video experiments into folded rhythms of harmony, memory, color and texture. As a record producer, musician and artist, he takes a unique position in the electronic-music-art universe. Come to the Contemporary  on Thursday and experience how his creation of patterns of vibrations with sound and light play with the human perception. The evening’s events are free and open to the public and include a cash bar. Don’t miss this one of a kind experience with a truly unique combination of creative conversation and unforgettable sounds. Visit camstl.org for more information, or connect with us on facebook at facebook.com/ContemporaryArtMuseumSTL.

Also, don’t forget that the Pulitzer will be open Thursday night as well for sound waves: balkan, which will feature Balkan music from John Uhlemann of 88.1 KDHX.

Every October, Americans for the Arts organize National Arts and Humanities Month, the largest annual celebration of the arts and humanities in the entire nation.  Communities across the United States join together in recognition of the importance that the arts and culture hold in our everyday lives.  President Barack Obama kicked off this month’s celebrations with a White House proclamation to recognize the value of the arts and humanities in America. “By supporting the fields that feed our imagination, strengthen our children’s education, and contribute to our economy, our country will remain a center of creativity and innovation, and our society will stand as one where dreams can be realized.” To read the entire proclamation, click here.

Activities are being held all over the United States, offering opportunities for the public to get involved.  To promote arts education and pay tribute to America’s vibrant culture, President Obama and the First Lady are hosting a White House Music Series, Dance Series and Poetry Jam.  “We have been honored to bring students, workshops, and performers to “the People’s House;” to highlight jazz, country, Latin, and classical music; and to invite Americans to listen to the music of the civil rights movement, hip hop, and Broadway,” explained the President during his proclamation.

Here in Missouri at the Presser Performing Arts Center in Mexico, a physical photography competition will be held for amateur photographers.  Artists from all over will submit their work, and on Saturday October 30, the photos will be displayed in a gallery show and the winners will be announced.  The show is free to the public and will take place from 1:00-3:00 pm.

On Tuesday October 12 in Springfield, Missouri, at the Juanita K. Hammons Hall for the Performing Arts, violinist Bella Hristova will play, creating an evening filled with classical music.  The night will feature works by Beethoven, Bach, Schoenberg and Schubert and a reception will be held after the recital to meet the artist.  Also, do not miss the Tony Award winning musical “Fiddler on the Roof” on Friday October 15 and Saturday October 16. Never has a musical so magically woven music, dance, poignancy and laughter into such an unforgettable experience.

However you choose to take part, make sure to get involved and join in this coast-to-coast celebration of culture in America! As always, stop by the Contemporary this fall to see our current exhibitions, or to take part in the many interactive programs we’re offering. Visit www.camstl.org to see what’s coming up next!

Visit www.artsactionfund.org for more information on National Arts and Humanities Month.

We surprised our Exhibitions Manager, Cole Root, as he was working to get the museum ready for next Friday’s Opening Night. Check out this video as Cole shows us what happens in between the exhibitions!

One of the programs we are extremely proud of at the Contemporary is Teen Museum Studies, or TMS. The Teen Museum Studies program is designed for high school students interested in exploring career paths in the museum field. Through workshops, lectures, and staff interviews, students in the program will examine the Contemporary’s directorial, curatorial, programming, fund-raising, and marketing efforts. The program provides students with the opportunity to put their new museum studies knowledge to the test as they ultimately organize, curate, and oversee their own temporary exhibition.

I recently sat down with two students who recently completed the Teen Museum Studies program, Josef Kanak and Eva Byrne, in order to get their perspective on the program and gain some insight into what makes this program so valuable.

AK: Thank you for sitting down with me to talk about your experience in the Teen Museum Studies program! What grade are the both of you in, and what school do you attend?

JK: I am homeschooled, and am in my senior year.

EB: I’ve just graduated from Rosati-Kain High School and will be attending Pomona College in southern California in the fall.

AK: How did you hear about the Teen Museum Studies program?

JK: I heard about Teen Museum Studies while participating in New Art in the Neighborhood in the Spring, which is another great program at the Contemporary.

EB: I was one of the students in New Art in the Neighborhood as well, during Fall 2009 and Spring 2010. 

AK: What were your expectations going into the program? What did you think your experience was going to be like?

JK: My expectations going into the program were to both get an idea as to how a professional art exhibition is curated and to better understand how museums are run in general.

EB: I had assumed that we would be learning more about other museums and approaching the program from the angle of art criticism.  I thought that the program would focus mainly on the works we chose for our exhibit and their meaning. Though this was an important part of the program, we got much more involved in the logistics of setting up the exhibit, such as obtaining donations and setting up the show.

AK: What are the top three things you learned in the Teen Museum Studies program that you think will help you later in your career?

JK: Of the many valuable things I learned through this program, I would have to cite the following especially: Learning and experiencing the curatorial process first-hand, understanding the minute details involved with simply deciding what pieces and what theme will be used, working within a fixed budget, and using pieces drawn from a small, select group of artists solely drawn from the flat files–working under strict deadline and within a limited budget–all of these will certainly be useful in my career.

EB: Teamwork, communication skills, and receptiveness to the ideas of others.

AK: What was your favorite thing to work on while participating in the program?

JK: All of the decision making processes involved throughout, from deciding on the theme of the exhibition to what color to paint the gallery and even procuring the refreshments for the opening–all were enjoyable. The meticulous process of achieving these goals was very enjoyable and engaging.

EB: My favorite part of the program was getting to look through the Flat Files, especially when the artists’ statements were available.  I really enjoyed looking at the artwork, but studying it carefully and being able to interpret it in the context of our show was a very eye opening experience.

AK: Did you have any challenges in the program? What was the most difficult task you faced?

JK: Everything was a welcoming challenge in some way or form. Certainly deciding on a theme for the show took a great deal of initiative on everyone’s part.

EB: Personally, the most difficult part of the program was having to make decisions as a group.  In the past I haven’t had the easiest time working on group projects, but during TMS I found that being receptive to others’ ideas actually enhanced my own point of view. 

AK: How do you think your experience in the Teen Museum Studies program will benefit you in the long run?

JK: Having this kind of first-hand experience within a museum will always be beneficial and will undoubtedly last a lifetime, whatever I aspire to do in a career. It’s very clear to me that working directly within a museum environment has enormous, tangible benefits and learning about all aspects of running a museum, engaging the public, understanding museum management while drawing on my creative inclinations as well, both behind the scenes and within the auspices of the exhibition, will prove invaluable in the future.

EB: I agree, and I’m very grateful for this experience primarily because of the skills I developed through it. 

AK:  What would you say to a student who is considering applying to the program? What would you tell them to expect?

JK: I would definitely encourage them to apply and explain the benefits of being a participant as outlined above. As to what they should expect, I would advise them to be willing to be flexible and be prepared to work in a team environment to achieving a common goal. I would also mention that they should be prepared to problem-solve, think creatively and have fun. Oh, and enjoy free lunches!  I am very happy to have participated in this program and will definitely encourage prospective students to apply.

EB: I would tell that that they’ll get out of the program what they put into it.  The show will only be as good as you make it.

Have you heard the rumors that Jerry Saltz, Senior Art Critic for New York Magazine and judge on the hit Bravo series Work of Art: The Next Great Artist, is coming to speak at the Contemporary Art Museum St. Louis? Well you’re in luck, because those rumors are true. Saltz will be our sixth Susan Sherman Annual Distinguished Speaker and will give a free public talk at the Contemporary on Wednesday, October 6 at 7:00 pm. The title of his talk will be, “The Good, the Bad, and the Very Bad: A Year in the Life of an Art Critic.” Trust me when I say that you do not want to miss this one.

An energetic and persuasive voice in the art world for over two decades, Jerry Saltz was named “Best Art Critic” by Time Out New York in 2006 and he is a two-time Pulitzer Prize finalist in Criticism. Throughout his career, Saltz has articulated his options by writing for a number of well known publications including Village Voice, where he reigned as Senior Art Critic from 1998 to 2007, Frieze, Modern Painters, and Art in America to name a few. However, most recently, he’s been busy as a judge on Work of Art: The Next Great Artist. Check out this clip of Jerry explaining his point of view of art criticism and sharing some personal thoughts:

Jerry Saltz – Work of Art

Okay, so now you’re excited… you’re planning on attending Jerry’s talk… but it’s still more than two months away! We feel your pain, and that is why we are showing a marathon screening of all 9 episodes of Bravo’s Work of Art: The Next Great Artist on Wednesday, August 11 starting at 2pm, with the finale airing live at 9pm! Come join us and enjoy free beer & popcorn! If you can’t make the whole day, stop by for the finale. It’s sure to be a very fun day, and is the perfect way to build even more excitement for Jerry’s trip to the Contemporary Art Museum St. Louis.

We can’t wait to see you at the Contemporary, and Jerry, we are anxiously awaiting your talk!