Global contemporary art events and news observed from New York City. Suggestion? Email us.

AO On Site (with Video): Swoon and the ‘Swimming Cities of the Switchback Sea’ arrive at Deitch Studios in Long Island City, Sunday, September 7, 2008

Monday, September 8th, 2008


Swimming Cities of Switchback Sea docking at Deitch via Art Observed

Yesterday evening a fleet of seven boats, or floating sculptures, docked at Deitch Studios in Long Island City.  The arrival of the flotilla was part of the opening of a two-part exhibit called the “Swimming Cities of Switchback Sea” designed and constructed by Brooklyn based artist, Swoon. The first part of the exhibit is a large-scale installation inside the Deitch LIC gallery space. The second part takes place on the water with the seven sculptural sea vessels. The hand-made boats, comprised of scrap wood and other found objects and recycled material, started in Troy, New York and have spent the last three weeks on the Hudson River making stops at various locations to do musical and theatrical performances. Swoon has collaborated with playwright Lisa D’amour, composer Sxip Shirey, Kinetic Steam Works from San Francisco, and the band Dark Dark Dark in order to fully bring the flotilla to life. The exhibit will be open to the public until October 18.

Art Observed Exclusive Videos of the opening:
The marching band gets the crowd ready to receive Swoon’s Flotilla via Art Observed [Youtube]
The second ship makes it’s entrance at Deitch Studios via Art Observed [Youtube]

Relevant Newslinks:
A Floating City With Junkyard Roots [NYTimes]
Swoon’s Green Fleet Sails to Queens [Gothamist]
Floating exhibit shows alternative [Times Herald Record]
‘Swimming Cities’ Docks in Manhattan [NYMag]
Swoon: Switchback Cities of Switchback Sea [Coolhunting]
Art Ships Are Stopped [NYTimes]
Swimming Cities of the Switchback Sea [Official Website]
Swoon: Swimming Cities of Switchback Sea [Deitch]

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Go See: Assume Vivid Astro Focus at Deitch Projects, Long Island City, NY, through August 16

Thursday, July 24th, 2008

Deitch Studios exterior by assume vivid astro focus via Deitch

Ever the purveyor of fun, Deitch Studios in Long Island City has been completely taken over by the Brazilian art collective Assume Vivid Astro Focus for the summer, resulting a lively installation entitled Absolutely Venomous Accurately Fallacious (Naturally Delicious). Perched right on the East River, the exterior of the Studios has been covered in a mural, and filled with the colorful and explosive sculpture assume vivid astro focus is known for. It has also been transformed into a literal disco, hosting parties and performances through the run of the exhibition, including a PS1 Warm-Up afterparty on July 26 — a great chance to check out the artwork in all its glory.

Absolutely Venomous Accurately Fallacious (Naturally Delicious) [Deitch]
Video of installation [VBS]
Assume Vivid Astro Focus at Deitch LIC [ArtCal]

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AO On Site: Os Gemeos at Deitch Projects, New York, through Aug 9

Tuesday, July 1st, 2008

“Too Far Too Close”, Os Gemeos at Deitch Gallery via Art Observed

On June 28th, the doors opened at 18 Wooster St in New York to reveal the fantastical world of Os Gemeos. The twin brothers that make up Os Gemeos, Otavio and Gustavo Pandolfo, are having their second show at Deitch, called “Too Far Too Close”. The artist duo, from Sao Paulo, Brazil, has successfully altered the space into a colorful world filled with chimerical portraits, music, and scenes straight from the intimate minds of Os Gemeos.

Sharing a brain: Os Gemeos [GQ]
Os Gemeos: Too Far Too Close [Deitch]
Os Gemeos’s Homepage [Lost Art]
Bomb – It: International Graffiti Documentary
[Bomb-It]
Os Gemeos “Too Far Too Close” [NYArtbeat]

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Keith Haring's mural in the East Village

Monday, April 28th, 2008

Haring’s mural on Houston and Bowery via Deitch Projects

To celebrate the 50th birthday of the artist Keith Haring, who died of AIDS in 1990, Deitch Projects and the Keith Haring Foundation hired artists to re-create the artist’s mural work from the original.

“Keith Haring Mural to Be Recreated on the Bowery” [ArtInfo]
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“A Keith Haring Mural to Be Recreated (in Day-Glo, of Course)” [NY Times]
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“Keith Haring Tribute on East Houston” [Gothamist]
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“A Downtown Icon Is Re-Created” [NY Sun]
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Keith Haring: Houston Street and Bowery Mural [Deitch Project]
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Keith Haring’s foundation [Keith Haring Foundation]

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Go see: Nicola Vassel at Deitch Project, March 29 – April 26

Friday, April 4th, 2008


Rosson Crow, Live in the Black Pussy, 2008 via Deitch Projects

From March 29 until April 26, Deitch Projects features a group painting exhibition curated by Nicola Vassell. Works include paintings from Elizabeth Neel, Kristin Baker, Rosson Crow and Dan Colen.

Substraction at Deitch [Deitch Projects]

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NEWSLINKS 03.03.08

Monday, March 3rd, 2008


“The Railway Bridge at Argenteuil” via Telegraph.co.uk

Follow up: Monet’s “The Railway Bridge at Argenteuil” sells for £20 million at Christie’s [Telegraph.co.uk]
Update: Make your own movie at Gondry Deitch Projects [New York Times]
Tracey Emin spends $8 million to save an art district in London [ArtForum via the Guardian.com]
Whitney Biennial’s busy schedule, starting next Thursday [New York Times]
A good overall summary on artist Paul McCarthy [LATimes via C-Monster]
Judge Denies Salander’s bankruptcy [Bloomberg]
Michael Ovitz may buy the Chelsea Art Museum Building for growing art collection [New York Post]

AO ON SITE: Michel Gondry at Deitch Projects

Monday, February 18th, 2008

Opening night of “Be Kind Rewind” at Deitch Projects

Droves of gallery goers attended Michel Gondry’s opening of “Be Kind Rewind” at Deitch Projects. The exhibition is a precursor to the film, of the same name, that will be released in theaters shortly.

Michel Gondry [MichelGondry.com]
“Be Kind Rewind” the movie [Be KindMovie.com]
Deitch Projects [Deitch Gallery]
“Be Kind Rewind” at Deitch Projects [New York Daily News]
“Be Kind Rewind” inspired by Michel Gondry’s latest film [Artinfo.com]

More pictures after the jump… (more…)

AO ON SITE: STEFAN SAGMEISTER OPENING AT DEITCH PROJECTS

Friday, February 1st, 2008

Stefan Sagmeister via Deitch Projects
On January 31st Stefan Sagmeister’s, “Things I Have Learned in my Life So Far”, opened at Deitch Projects in New York. The exhibition is a multimedia installation that will continue to shift and change throughout the duration of the show. (more…)

Go see: Michel Gondry at Deitch Projects

Wednesday, January 23rd, 2008


Be kind Rewind via NYmag

The Deitch Projects will be showing Michel Gondry’s “Be Kind Rewind” from February 16 until March 22. “Be Kind Rewind” is a movie about two childhood friends, Jerry and Mike, living in New Jersey. Through a series of unfortunate events, Jerry’s brain become magnetized. Due to this obscure ailment, he unintentionally destroys every tape in his friend’s video store. The movie has received very good reviews and is eagerly anticipated.
The Deitch Projects will also allow visitors to create their own films. Visitors can take home a copy of their film, and all movies created during the exhibition will also be available for viewing and rental from the gallery.

Michel Gondry bringing “Be kind rewind” to life at Deitch Gallery [Adage]
Deitch Projects [Deitch]

Columbia University MFA Show: Growing Pains

Thursday, May 10th, 2007

With a cluttered presentation sprawled over two floors of Midtown space, the Columbia University MFA show comes across as energetic, adventurous, but undeniably student-y work; heck, at times it’s slightly muddled, unfinished, and, yes, even downright messy. Who’d ever have thought this would amount to a good thing? But, I must admit, it was all surprisingly refreshing. Over the last couple of years, Columbia has consistently met the challenge of its increasingly high profile, pumping out art stars in the making with graduate presentations as smoothed and polished as anything Chelsea might throw at you. Last year’s class’ offering in Dumbo was no exception: a cavernous space, filled with pristine pieces, thoughtfully arranged into a compelling exhibition which gave the Whitney Biennial “Day for Night” (on view at the same time) more than a run for its money. As expected, a new set of rising stars was ushered in, such as Tamy Ben-Tor and Julieta Aranda, who have already garnered pretty major accolades (and with good cause). (more…)