The Central Pavilion of the Venice Biennale, via Art Observed

Spread between above the green lawns and trees of Venice’s Giardini, and the winding streets and canals of the Arsenale nearby, the Venice Biennale’s Central Pavilion has opened its doors for its Vernissage event, kicking off the 57th annual edition of the exhibition, and welcoming visitors to its first open viewings before it opens to the public this coming Saturday.   (more…)

Greater New York at MoMA PS1, all photos via Sophie Kitching for Art Observed

America is Hard to See, the Whitney recently proclaimed, opening the doors on a space that made the city around it part of its exhibition program.  For the most recent iteration of MoMA PS1’s Greater New York exhibition, the museum and its curators attempt a similar program, turning to the artists living and working in and around New York to present a deep, nuanced exploration of life in the metropolis. (more…)

Charles Atlas, Glacier (2013), courtesy of Vilma Gold, London.

The American-born Charles Atlas has been a pioneer in the fields of dance, theater, and performance on video. In his career he has worked with world renowned artists such as Marina Abramovic, Leigh Bowery, Michael Clark, Merce Cunnigham, Diamanda Galas, Antony and the Johnsons, and Yvonne Rainer.  In a current collaboration with South London Gallery and Bloomberg SPACE, Atlas presents Glacier, a 360-degree multi channel video installation consisting of original, found and manipulated images. (more…)

Gabriela Palmieri Auctioneer, The Kitchen Benefit Art Auction. All photos by Whitney Browne courtesy The Kitchen

In recovery from Hurricane Sandy, The Kitchen held its Benefit Art Auction on November 26th, 2012. Proceeds from the auction will go to participating artists.

First Row: Sukey Novogratz, Mike Novogratz (with the paddle), Kyra Tirana Barry, Dave Barry. Second Row: Guest, Tracey Ryans (more…)

Charles Atlas has created a video montage background piece for a documentary-style video of the band Antony and the Johnsons. “Turning” focuses on thirteen women (of which some are transgender), posing on a rotating disc. (more…)

Live painting of models Ilva Heitmann and Maciej Markowicz by Marcy Rosewater for “People and Places”

This past weekend, Arts in Bushwick organized the 6th annual Bushwick Open Studios festival. Since its start in 2007, BOS has shared an expansive community of art with the public in hopes of promoting interaction and discussion.  This year there were over 500 participants, ranging in scale from multi-floor gallery spaces, street art, pop-up studios and personal apartments.

Oliver Warden’s “Untitled Box 2.0″ installation resembles a plain mirror at first, but reveals a live man inside (the artist) as soon as viewers flick on the box’s light switch. Photos for Art Observed by Elene Damenia and Lisa Marsova

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All photos on site for Art Observed by Elene Damenia.

Charles Atlas’ pioneering work in film has evolved since the early 1970s to today, ever re-defining his medium and the field. As Artist in Residence for the 2012 Whitney Biennial from April 18–22, Atlas showcased his recent exploration of live performance, as well as screening Ocean April 11–15, his full-length film of the legendary Merce Cunningham‘s performance at the Rainbow Granite Quarry in Minnesota in 2008. As Filmmaker-in-residence for Cunningham from 1974–83, Atlas explored the technical possibilities of capturing dance on film, conflating time, scale, and angles to create a multi-dimensional viewing experience for a genre whose single viewpoint documentation often drains the piece of its power and effect. Atlas is the self-proclaimed inventor of ‘mediadance,’ a genre of performance conceived exclusively for video broadcast, demonstrative of his active engagement with performers. Known for his collaborative work with performance artists such as Marina Abromovic, Leigh Bowery, Michael Clark, Douglas Dunn, Yvonne Rainer, Mika Tajima and New Humans, Atlas states, “the essence of my work resides ultimately in the relationships that develop with my subjects and my collaborators.”

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