Albright-Knox Art Gallery

Show Us How You Experiment with Photography: Nature Throughout...

Fri, 24 May 2013 15:00:43 -0400

Show Us How You Experiment with Photography: Nature

Throughout the course of Looking Out and Looking In: A Selection of Contemporary Photography, we’ve invited you to share photos based on different themes in contemporary photography that are reflected in the exhibition. We have now come to our final theme: Nature.

Let Scott McFarland’s vegetative image, above, inspire you, or interpret the theme in your own way. We will feature submissions on our website over the next two weeks.

Please share your photos by posting them on Instagram or Twitter and include #aknature and @albrightknox in your captions. (When you share an image, you are giving us permission to repost it, accompanied by your Instagram or Twitter handle.)

Book AK—Lives of the ArtistsSpotlight on Jasper Johns American...

Mon, 20 May 2013 09:00:40 -0400

Book AK—Lives of the Artists
Spotlight on Jasper Johns

American artist Jasper Johns has been a leading figure in the art world for more than sixty years. He has brought his unique style to key art movements such as Pop art, Minimalism, and Conceptual art. He is perhaps best known for his works featuring images of the American flag, which he began creating in the 1950s and still creates today. Johns often incorporates familiar images in his works; in addition to flags, he has used iconic images such as targets, numbers, and maps of the United States.

Learn more about Johns and nine other leading contemporary artists by reading Lives of the Artists, the second Book AK selection. Book AK is a museum-hosted book club that provides an opportunity to explore the lives of artists and learn more about art- and museum-related topics. The Book AK discussion for Lives of the Artists will take place on Saturday, June 8, 2013, from10:15 to 11:30 am. Learn More and Register

Book AK—Lives of the ArtistsSpotlight on John Currin American...

Mon, 13 May 2013 10:54:00 -0400

Book AK—Lives of the Artists
Spotlight on John Currin

American artist John Currin has successfully brought portraiture and figurative painting into the contemporary art world. While inspired by the masters of the Renaissance and Rococo eras, he is also influenced by the mainstream media, advertisements in women’s magazines, fashion models, and politics. These combined inspirations often result in erotic, figurative renderings of the female form that, at times, can be slightly distorted, dark, satirical, and provocative.

Learn more about Currin and nine other leading contemporary artists by reading Lives of the Artists, the second Book AK selection. Book AK is a museum-hosted book club that provides an opportunity to explore the lives of artists and learn more about art- and museum-related topics. The Book AK discussion for Lives of the Artists will take place on Saturday, June 8, 2013, from10:15 to 11:30 am. Learn More and Register

Happy Mother’s Day to all moms and...

Sun, 12 May 2013 09:00:33 -0400

Happy Mother’s Day to all moms and moms-to-be!

IMAGE: John E. Costigan (American, 1888–1972). Mother and Child, 1923. Crayon on paper, 10 5/8 x 8 3/4 inches (27 x 22.2 cm). Collection Albright-Knox Art Gallery. Gift of the ACG Trust, 1970.

Show Us How You Experiment with Photography: Altered...

Fri, 10 May 2013 15:00:45 -0400

Show Us How You Experiment with Photography: Altered Images

Throughout the course of Looking Out and Looking In: A Selection of Contemporary Photography, we’re inviting you to share photos based on different themes in contemporary photography that are reflected in the exhibition. This week: AlteredImages.

Let John Pfahl’s altered landscape image, above, inspire you, or interpret the theme in your own way. We will periodically feature submissions on our website.

Please share your photos by posting them on Instagram or Twitter and include #akaltered and @albrightknox in your caption. (When you share an image, you are giving us permission to repost it, accompanied by your Instagram or Twitter handle.)

In that enchanted place at the top of the forest … This...

Thu, 09 May 2013 14:00:38 -0400

Background for Twilight Avenger, 2008, filmed in Kielder, England. Image courtesy the artist.

Foreground tree for Twilight Avenger, 2008, filmed in Algonquin Park, Canada. Image courtesy the artist.

Stag for Twilight Avenger, 2008, filmed in Jedburgh, Scotland. Image courtesy the artist.

Detail of Kelly Richardson's Twilight Avenger, 2008. Image courtesy the artist and Birch Libralato, Toronto. © 2008 Kelly Richardson.

In that enchanted place at the top of the forest …

This week we continue to bring you behind-the-scenes insight into Kelly Richardson’s work in conjunction with the exhibition Kelly Richardson: Legion, on view through June 9.

In Twilight Avenger, 2008, viewers initially find themselves staring at what appears to be a nighttime scene of a forest. However, this tranquil setting is interrupted when a seemingly radioactive green stag meanders into the frame and pauses to nose around. By introducing incongruous imagery to a classic Romantic landscape reminiscent of forest fables and fairy tales, Richardson has created a scene that is more science-fiction film than Aesop’s Fables, cleverly challenging our preconceived notions of what is real in both nature and art.

The high technical level Richardson achieved in this work is nothing less than astonishing; it is especially evident when the reality of its creation is explored against the seamless experience the viewer has when encountering the work. Richardson actually filmed the components for Twilight Avenger in several settings across three continents, later combining the footage during the editing process. The stag was filmed in Jedburgh, Scotland; the background was filmed in Kielder, England; and the massive tree that holds the foreground was filmed in Algonquin Park, Canada. Richardson was kind enough to share images of each setting with us, which we are sharing here with you—a bit of a spoiler, we know, but sometimes it’s fun to peel back the layers of a work to its naissance.

Next up: Is there anything certain in Uncertain?

"Happiness is being on the beam with life—to feel the pull of life."

Wed, 08 May 2013 11:00:29 -0400

““Happiness is being on the beam with life—to feel the pull of life.””

- Agnes Martin, whose early work is on view through May 12 in Agnes Martin: The New York–Taos Connection (1947–1957)

Window and door restorer Dan Farrell of Lost Cities Restorations...

Tue, 07 May 2013 11:00:21 -0400

Window and door restorer Dan Farrell of Lost Cities Restorations created his house model Guitar House (pictured above) entirely with window and door materials.

Farrell is one of eight collaborating tradespeople whose sculptures are incorporated into Albright-Knox Artist in Residence Dennis Maher’s House of Collective Repair, on view through May 12, 2013.

Photograph by Kathryn Hobert.

Book AK—Lives of the ArtistsSpotlight on Jeff Koons American...

Mon, 06 May 2013 11:00:40 -0400

Book AK—Lives of the Artists
Spotlight on Jeff Koons

American artist Jeff Koons, a leading figure in the contemporary art world, draws inspiration for his work from objects and images from popular culture and the media. He is best known for his unique sculptures, which have featured inflatable toys and a giant puppy made out of 60,000 fresh flowers, as well as large-scale works of commonplace items, including children’s balloon animals that he enlarges, produces in stainless steel, and finishes with a bright, colorful, reflective surface. In 2008, Koons garnered worldwide attention as seventeen of his sculptures were exhibited in the chambers and on the garden grounds of the Château de Versailles, the one-time home to King Louis XIV of France.

Learn more about Koons and nine other leading contemporary artists by reading Lives of the Artists, the second Book AK selection. Book AK is a museum-hosted book club that provides an opportunity to explore the lives of artists and learn more about art- and museum-related topics. The Book AK discussion for Lives of the Artists will take place on Saturday, June 8, 2013, from10:15 to 11:30 am. Learn More and Register

2013 Future Curators Spotlight Get to know the Albright-Knox’s...

Thu, 02 May 2013 14:00:17 -0400

2013 Future Curators Spotlight

Get to know the Albright-Knox’s 2013 Future Curators through the works in the Gallery’s Collection that inspire them.

Stephen Matthew:
Jim Hodges’s look and see, 2005

My favorite work of art is look and see by Jim Hodges. This is a great work because it is a sculpture, but it is referred to as a painting. Jim Hodges wanted to make something monumental and he sure did! I love this work because of the shape.

This is our last 2013 Future Curators spotlight. The team’s exhibition, In: Introspection, Interaction, opens tonight at 5 pm. Learn More about the Exhibition Opening

The Future Curators program is part of AK Teens, which is presented by First Niagara.

Andy Goldsworthy, a Mini-series: Ephemeral Work Today we...

Tue, 30 Apr 2013 11:00:27 -0400

Andy Goldsworthy, a Mini-series: Ephemeral Work

Today we continue our mini-series about Andy Goldsworthy’s works, leading up to his visit and talk on May 15.

During the artist’s July 2012 visit to the Albright-Knox, when he created one of the Rain Shadows pictured in a previous post, he also created and photographed this ephemeral work on the Delaware Stairs, exemplifying the beautiful simplicity of many of his works.

Join us for a rare opportunity to hear Goldsworthy talk about his work on Wednesday, May 15, at 7:30 pm. Tickets are $10 for Members, $20 for non-members, and $15 for students and seniors. Learn More and Buy Tickets

Image © Andy Goldsworthy

Book AK—Lives of the ArtistsSpotlight on James Turrell James...

Mon, 29 Apr 2013 11:00:00 -0400

Book AK—Lives of the Artists
Spotlight on James Turrell

James Turrell has long had a fascination with light. Early in his career, he was associated with the Light and Space art movement, which originated in Southern California in the 1960s. In his light tunnels and projection works, he manages to create shapes that appear to have both weight and mass, using only light. One such light installation, the Albright-Knox’s Gap from the series “Tiny Town,” 2001/2006, is a contemplative space where, through focus and stillness, the viewer can experience a plane of pure blue color.

Learn more about Turrell and nine other leading contemporary artists by reading Lives of the Artists, the second Book AK selection. Book AK is a museum-hosted book club that provides an opportunity to explore the lives of artists and learn more about art- and museum-related topics. The Book AK discussion for Lives of the Artists will take place on Saturday, June 8, 2013, from10:15 to 11:30 am. Learn More and Register

IMAGE: Gap, 2001. Copyright James Turrell. Photograph by Jim Bush.

Show Us How You Experiment with Photography: Staged...

Fri, 26 Apr 2013 14:00:29 -0400

Show Us How You Experiment with Photography: Staged Images

Let John Massey’s dreamlike image, above, inspire you, or interpret the theme in your own way. We will periodically feature submissions on our website.

Please share your photos by posting them on Instagram or Twitter and include #akstaged and @albrightknox in your caption. (When you share an image, you are giving us permission to repost it, accompanied by your Instagram or Twitter handle.)

2013 Future Curators Spotlight Get to know the Albright-Knox’s...

Thu, 25 Apr 2013 16:00:57 -0400

2013 Future Curators Spotlight

Get to know the Albright-Knox’s 2013 Future Curators through the works in the Gallery’s Collection that inspire them.

Joshua Fraass:
Claude Monet’s Chemin de halage à Argenteuil (Tow-Path at Argenteuil), ca. 1875

This work inspires me through the process used to create it. I like how through Impressionism and Claude Monet’s work I can see every stroke the artist used to capture what the painting is about. The nature captured in this painting makes me want to look outside into the world around me and really appreciate it. Nature is the main inspiration for me and I like to see other artists capturing nature and all of its beauty.

The Future Curators program is part of AK Teens, which is presented by First Niagara.

"Take advantage of the awareness of perfection in your mind. See perfection in everything around you...."

Wed, 24 Apr 2013 11:00:30 -0400

““Take advantage of the awareness of perfection in your mind. See perfection in everything around you. See if you can discover your true feelings when listening to music. Make happiness your goal. The way to discover the truth about this life is to discover yourself. Say to yourself, ‘What do I like and what do I want?’ Find out exactly what you want in life. Ask your mind for inspiration about everything.””

- Agnes Martin, whose early work is on view through May 12 in Agnes Martin: The New York–Taos Connection (1947–1957)

Flooring expert Joaquin Aristizabal of Amecol Construction...

Tue, 23 Apr 2013 11:00:20 -0400

Flooring expert Joaquin Aristizabal of Amecol Construction created his house model No Tools (pictured above) entirely with flooring materials.

Aristizabal is one of eight collaborating tradespeople whose sculptures are incorporated into Albright-Knox Artist in Residence Dennis Maher’s House of Collective Repair, on view through May 12, 2013.

Photograph by Kathryn Hobert.

Book AK—Lives of the ArtistsSpotlight on Richard Serra Richard...

Mon, 22 Apr 2013 11:00:27 -0400

Book AK—Lives of the Artists
Spotlight on Richard Serra

Richard Serra is best known for his large-scale sculptures, many of which can be found outdoors in large, public spaces. His father’s work as a pipefitter in California shipyards had an early influence on Serra’s sculptures, which are minimalistic and often made from large rolls and sheets of metal. Many of his works—including the Albright-Knox’s Kitty Hawk, 1983—are composed of large, self-supporting geometric forms that depend solely on the laws of gravity to stay upright. This leads to a tension in the viewer, who logically knows the work is secure, but who can feel as if the work is resting precariously in place.

Learn more about Serra and nine other leading contemporary artists by reading Lives of the Artists, the second Book AK selection. Book AK is a museum-hosted book club that provides an opportunity to explore the lives of artists and learn more about art- and museum-related topics. The Book AK discussion for Lives of the Artists will take place on Saturday, June 8, 2013, from 10:15 to 11:30 am. Learn More and Register

2013 Future Curators Spotlight Get to know the Albright-Knox’s...

Thu, 18 Apr 2013 16:01:05 -0400

2013 Future Curators Spotlight

Get to know the Albright-Knox’s 2013 Future Curators through the works in the Gallery’s Collection that inspire them.

Kendall Appelbaum:
Rineke Dijkstra’s Coney Island, N.Y., USA, June 20, 1993, 1993; printed 1998

My chosen work of inspiration from the Collection would have to be Rineke Dijkstra’s Coney Island, N.Y., USA, June 20, 1993. Dijkstra has always been a favorite photographer of mine, and we have studied some of her work in school. I love her work because she has such a simple way of capturing a photo and it is always so fresh and crisp. She also focuses on the awkwardness of, mainly, teens and young adults, which has always been something I am extremely fascinated in and tend to portray through my own work.

The Future Curators program is part of AK Teens, which is presented by First Niagara.

Image courtesy the artist and Marian Goodman Gallery, New York.

No, really—the sky is falling! This week we continue to feature...

Wed, 17 Apr 2013 11:00:00 -0400

Unaltered image from shooting for Exiles of the Shattered Star, 2006. Image courtesy the artist.

Installation view of Exiles of the Shattered Star, 2006. High-definition video installation with audio. Running time: 29 minutes, 51 seconds. © 2006 Kelly Richardson. Image courtesy the artist.

No, really—the sky is falling!

This week we continue to feature Kelly Richardson’s work in conjunction with Kelly Richardson: Legion, a major mid-career survey exhibition that takes an extensive look at Richardson’s audio-visual installation works of the past fifteen years. So far we have made our way through works created between 1998 and 2005—and now for something completely different.

In many of her previous works, Richardson used humor as an entry point for the viewer. In 2006, she began to rethink this approach, deciding that it was too specific and, in her own words, “there was a risk that viewers may not get beyond the joke, which was integral to the work.” Filmed in the Lake District in England on Derwentwater between the very early hours of 4:30 and 5:30 am, Exiles of the Shattered Star, 2006, is the first work in which Richardson decidedly used beauty and The Sublime to peak interest from the viewer. Aside from this shift in thematic content, the work also represents another shift in Richardson’s working practice. She manipulated the video pixel by pixel, for the first time maintaining complete control over the aesthetics of the work, which enabled her to manipulate its mood and ambiance. For example, the setting Richardson filmed, and the resulting footage, was actually much brighter than it appears in the final presentation—to get the end result, the artist color-graded the sky so that it replicates a twilight scape.

According to Richardson, Exiles also touches upon numerous themes and interests she continues to explore, such as multiple realities and the shift toward an increasingly digitalized world; the conditional status of modern culture in relation to a natural world and the environment that supports it; contemporary cinema and a recent host of films that depict apocalyptic and end-of-the-world storylines, which she feels “describes a certain collective anxiety towards a very uncertain future”; and, above all, the psychological landscape—which is produced by a culmination of these themes—where the viewer is the sole character.

Next up: Dreams of nature and nocturne.

Andy Goldsworthy, a Mini-series: Rain Shadows On the heels of...

Tue, 16 Apr 2013 11:00:31 -0400

Detail of Andy Goldsworthy's Rain Shadow. Albright-Knox, June 2, 2010, 2010. Unique HD video with sound. Collection Albright-Knox Art Gallery. Gift of the artist, 2011. © Andy Goldsworthy

Andy Goldsworthy creates a Rain Shadow at the Albright-Knox in July 2012. © Andy Goldsworthy

Andy Goldsworthy, a Mini-series: Rain Shadows

On the heels of last week’s post about needing your participation to help complete Andy Goldsworthy’s Path, we are kicking off a mini-series about the artist’s works, leading up to his visit and talk on May 15.

When Goldsworthy comes to the Albright-Knox, he often creates works on the Gallery’s grounds. Due to the transitory nature of his practice, these creations don’t stick around for long, but, lucky for you, we have pictures.

On June 2, 2010, when the artist was in town to work on a project for Beyond/In Western New York 2010, he created one of his famous Rain Shadows at the bottom of the Delaware Stairs. Two years later, he created another Rain Shadow just outside the Elmwood Avenue entrance. Both are pictured above.