Last month I posted an interview with Michael D’Antuono. A few days ago he sent me the above video, which is a beautifully narrated piece which outlines the background of his newest portrait series, Corporacy. An excellent watch.
Continue readingTag: Visual art
Art Threat: Kony 2012: the photographer who shot the hipsters with a proud colonial mindset
Photograph by Glenna Gordon (detail). By now you’ve heard of the Kony 2012 campaign, and I’ve already expended enough energy discussing it on Facebook to bring anything new and arts-related to the table. However, the Washington Post has provided a different angle by interviewing Glenna Gordon, the photographer who shot
Continue readingArt Threat: It’s International Women’s Day – And we’re digging through the Art Threat archives
Sarah Maple — Signs, C-Type Print, 2007 As today is International Women’s Day, I thought it would be worthwhile to dig though our archives and offer up a selection of past content focused on women and feminist issues. Also, here’s a worthy read from The Guardian a few years back:
Continue readingArt Threat: The dirty truth as visual essay – Canada’s govt continues aggressive pro-Tar Sands campaign
In the face of all evidence to the contrary, Stephen Harper’s Conservative government continues to shake the shoulders of critics, eliciting the lonely, pitiful cry: “The Alberta Tar Sands are clean and friendly!” Now the Canadian government is even going up against the EU, the newest Tar Sands nay-sayer, and
Continue readingArt Threat: Portraits of a young girl influenced by the mainstream – Photographs by Jessica Manley
Currently a senior at the School of Visual Arts in New York City, Jessica Manleybegan the project “Melissa” six years ago while still a high school student. She began working with her younger sister, Melissa, to explore the way media influences the understanding of ‘normal’ in young girls, and how
Continue readingArt Threat: Rick Santorum’s gay porn mosaic
Gay news website Unicorn Booty published this beauty of a photo mosaic, featuring Rick Santorum’s headshot composed entirely of gay porn. It may not be the most artistic political portrait out there, but you’d be hard pressed to find one more appropriate. If you want to zoom in for the
Continue readingArt Threat: Artist Profile: Interview with Michael D’Antuono – Artist challenges government’s monetary redistribution, and more
Michael D’Antuono’s work is striking. His background as an illustrator sets a foundation for a remarkable oil painting style – deep shadows all set among poignant messages. After years of being instructed what to draw, the contraction of severe tendonitis led him to lay down the pencils and pick up
Continue readingArt Threat: Nicolás de Jesús inks anti-colonial history
Artist Nicolás de Jesús creates intricate visual narratives, reflecting Mexico’s indigenous cultures and vibrant social justice movements. In paintings, ink drawings and etchings, handmade works by de Jesús are printed on traditional papel amate, a pre-colonial indigenous paper that has seen a revival in recent years. Through his striking ink
Continue readingArt Threat: Quit Stalin and be my valentine – Dictator Valentines by Ben Kling
Illustrator Ben Kling has produced a set of Dictator Valentines, which he acknowledges features some men who don’t really qualify as tyrants. Enjoy a giggle, and feel free to print them off and hand them out to your frenemies.
Continue readingArt Threat: Paint it or rape it: would the Group of Seven condone the tar sands?
Lawren Harris, Lake Superior Sketch XLV (collection: A.K. Prakash) Rather like waiting for a London bus, you wait some time for a decent exhibition of landscape art and then two come along at once, or, at least, one behind the other. Just opened at the Royal Academy in Piccadilly, London,
Continue readingArt Threat: The challenge of exhibiting feminist art
A valuable collection of insight into the exhibition of feminist artwork is now available to the public. FeministDialectic.ca is a new website that features ten curators, artists and museum professionals speaking on the challenges and opportunities presented by the acquisition, preservation and exhibition of feminist artwork by public art galleries
Continue readingArt Threat: Crowd sourcing a little curatorial control – National Gallery of Canada invites young artists to submit art & public to judge
"Beat Nation" at Grunt Gallery, Vancouver Calling young (aged 16-19) Canadian political artists. Here’s a chance to get your work noticed, publicized and into the National Gallery of Canada (NGC). The NGC has announced its second annual So You Want to Be an Artist contest. It’s a cheezey title, but
Continue readingArt Threat: Call for artists in support of ‘Occupy’ movement – Online, international platform for performances, installations, actions in real time
Project Lowlives is seeking artists for a global online live presentation of artistic work in support the Occupy movement. Lowlives: Occupy! will take place on March 3, 2012. From the website: The Occupy protests, and the myriad of perspectives and experiences related to this unique moment, will be amplified, explored,
Continue readingArt Threat: Sue Coe’s slaughterhouse stories
“Art only happens when the viewer says it happens.” – Sue Coe Sue Coe grew up next door to a slaughter house, where she the rattling chains and screaming of animals led to kill went on through the night. As it was ignored by others it slowly became her obsession.
Continue readingArt Threat: Photos of Martin Luther Kings’s tragic death published by LIFE for the first time
LIFE photographer Henry Groskinsky captures the scene at the Lorraine Hotel after the shooting of MLK (detail). Today is Martin Luther King, Jr. Day in the United States, and LIFE has marked the occasion by publishing historic photosgraphs that has been lost for 44 years. Taken on that tragic day
Continue readingArt Threat: What’s the value of an art school? – Contextualizing the crisis at NSCAD
NSCAD's modern new Port campus overlooks Halifax harbour. Photo by Rory Hyde. Celebrating its 125th anniversary next year, The Nova Scotia College of Art and Design is the oldest of Canada’s four dedicated art universities. With slightly over 1000 full time students and spread across three campuses in downtown Halifax,
Continue readingArt Threat: The Noise of Cairo explores art in revolution
The Noise of Cairo is an upcoming documentary about the Cairo art scene after the 2011 Egyptian revolution. Produced by scenesfrom, this “cinematic kaleidoscope” interviews a dozen artists and explores the role played by creatives during the revolution. Via African Digital Art.
Continue readingArt Threat: 23 political art stories from 2011
Washed Up by Alejandro Durán The New Year is officially upon us, but we want to take one last opportunity to look in the rear view mirror. Here are 23 of our favourite stories and projects that took place in the world of political art in 2011. Do you have
Continue readingArt Threat: Looking for the Political at Art Basel
The politics at Art Basel, one of the largest contemporary art exhibitions in the US, may be hard to find, but they’re there for those who know where to look. On December 4th Karen Rosenberg wrote an article in the New York Times (entitled “Art Basel: Business Over Activism”) highlighting
Continue readingArt Threat: Avengers comics spoof sexualizes the guys
Women in today’s comics are sexualized to absurd proportions. As a fantastic post on Autostraddle pointed out, the T&A shot favoured by comic book artists is anatomically near-impossible, yet it remains pervasive throughout the industry. Illustrator Kevin Bolk took a promo image for The Avengers featuring a sexually contortioned female
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