February 4th, 2010
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 Saatchi & Saatchi, New York, is presented by Art Production Fund and White Columns – February 27, 2010, 6:00pm to 2:00am. Read more.
January 21st, 2010
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.
January 13th, 2010
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.
January 5th, 2010
The Museum is closed for installation until January 22 which is Opening Night of Sean Landers: 1991-1994, Improbable History and Stephen Prina: Modern Movie Popin the Main Galleries and Xavier Cha in The Front Room. You can stay connected to the Contemporary by visiting this blog, social networking sites, and the Museum’s website. Click here for all the ways to stay connected while we are closed.
December 14th, 2009
The Contemporary Art Museum St. Louis wishes you a very happy holiday season and a very happy winter!
One week from today is the winter solstice, which means that every day from December 21 until June 21 will be a little longer than the day before. What an exciting feeling!
However, your days left to see For the blind man in the dark room looking for the black cat that isn’t there, are getting shorter and shorter! We encourage you to show your out-of-town guests a little bit of St. Louis art and culture and bring them by the Contemporary to view the exhibition. Remember the museum is always free on Wednesday and Saturday and Contemporary memberships include four or more guest passes each year.
If you are in a bind for some last minute holiday gifts, consider the gift of art. You can purchase a gift membership online quickly and easily! Or, come to the Museum to spend some time exploring our Flat Files which holds a sample of works by a variety of St Louis artists. The Flat Files also contains contact information to get in touch with the artists, view additional works and make a purchase! While you are here, stop by MUSE, the Contemporary’s gift shop for exciting, unique gifts! Have a wonderful and safe holiday! We hope to see you at the Contemporary soon!
Get more messages like these by signing up for the Contemporary’s emails.
December 8th, 2009
Next week the Contemporary will host two events, one to celebrate the holidays, and the other to explore the topic of curiosity and how it relates to a child’s desire for learning. Holiday Open House will take place on Thursday, December 10 from 6:00 – 9:00. There will be light bites and drinks, a chance to walk through the exhibition, For the blind man… and shopping! MUSE gift shop will offer a 25% discount to everyone and a 35% discount to members on all purchases (even sale items!). There will also be an art and craft sale throughout the evening, making for plenty of chances to purchase unique, handmade gifts. Two days later, on Saturday, December 12, from 10:00 am – 12:00 pm and 1:00 – 3:00 pm, the Contemporary will host Curiosity and Knowledge: the Heart of Learning. This is an event facilitated by The St. Michael School of Clayton, a Reggio-inspired school for preprimary and elementary age children with interactive educational activities for children, adults, and educators. At 2:30 pm, Chief Curator Anthony Huberman and Co-founder of the Cadwell Collaborative Louise Cadwell will end the day with a reflection about “curiosity and knowledge.”
October 27th, 2009
Free Family Day is a program the Contemporary offers as a way for families to learn about contemporary art and participate in creating hands-on art activities together. An upcoming Family Day is on October 31…Halloween and is inspired by For the blind man in the dark room looking for the black cat that isn’t there. Activities include decorating black cat masks, scary tales by a St. Louis Public Library storyteller, and creating a life-size haunted house scene! Also, in celebration of Halloween, children dressed up in a costume will be entered in a raffle to win a prize. You can find out more about Free Family Days here.
You can attend this upcoming Free Family Day at the Contemporary on Saturday, October 31 at 1:00 – 4:00 pm.
October 13th, 2009
On Thursday, October 15, 2009 at 6:00 – 8:30 pm, the Contemporary will host the third of a series of Thursday night events. This one is titled DJ/FORTUNE: A Night at CAMSTL. Guests will experience Mmmelt, an audio/visual performer who blends electronic compositions into video clips. Mmmelt will be performing one composition specifically for the event and inspired by the current exhibition, For the blind man…, and Coffee, the video installation by Ayse Erkmen. Guests can also take a look into their future with fortune teller, Victoria Michaels and snack on chocolate covered strawberries, which will be served in inspiration of the piece, One Pound Strawberries by the conceptual artist, Hans-Peter Feldmann. Guests receive free admission, and there will be free beer and wine. Just another way to experience contemporary art!
October 7th, 2009
The Contemporary hosted two events this past weekend to kick of the 2009 U.S. Women’s Chess Championship. Queens of Jazz, featuring Denise Thimes and Ann Hamilton Callaway, took place at the museum on the evening of Friday, October 2. On Saturday, October 3, Anna Zatonskih played five chess games blindfolded and won…all of them at the event Playing in the Dark: A Collision of Art and Chess. There was also hulachess and a bounty blitz tournament. Click below to read articles and see images and click here to link to the Chess Club and Scholastic Center of Saint Louis’ website.
KSDK.com
The United States Chess Federation website
Pelopidas.com
On Saturday, October 10 at Chesterfield Arts, the Contemporary, along with other St. Louis institutions, will host booths at a free community unveiling of “The Awakening.” The event will last from 10:00 am to 2:00 pm and will include hands-on art activities, food, music, and of course, the unveiling of what is being called “the giant” in Chesterfield. The sculpture, of a man appearing to be waking up and emerging from the ground after being asleep, is 70 feet long and 17 feet tall, and was first cast by Seward Johnson in 1980 in Washington DC. There are some amazing images of the piece, as well as many articles and video clips. Visit chesterfieldarts.org. Click here to read the press release.
And one last thing: Two exhibitions held at the Contemporary were featured in the Riverfront Times annual Best of St. Louis poll. Gedi Sibony: My Arms Are Tied Behind My Other Arms was named ”Best Museum Exhibition” and a Front Room exhibition guest curated by William Gass titled Between Beach Ball and Rubber Raft, was named “Best Installment in an Exhibition Series.” Click here to read more Best of St. Louis.
(Top: Gedi Sibony: My Arms Are Tied Behind My Other Arms; Bottom: Between Beach Ball and Rubber Raft)
