The Contemporary Landscape Contest Winner Announced

Winning submission Overlap Wrap

We are so pleased to announce Sylvatica Studio as the winner of The Contemporary Landscape design competition! As you may remember, this competition was presented in partnership with the Georgia Chapter of American Society of Landscape Architects (GA ASLA),with the goal of animating an underutilized section of the pavilion in front of Atlanta Contemporary Art Center.

“We like challenging artists to respond to and utilize the unique aspects of our site, and so we conceived of the landscape design challenge for this summer,” said Stuart Horodner, ACAC Artistic Director. “We’re very excited about the winning design and always enjoy forging new partnerships with like-minded peers in the creative community.”

Sylvatica Studio’s proposal, titled Overlap Wrap, combines natural and industrial materials in lush colors and varied textures to create a cascading and contemplative space for visitors. This temporary installation/environment uses hanging rocks, gravel, succulents, and flowers as focal points. Overlap Wrap will be on public view at ACAC from July 11 to September 26, 2013. ACAC and ASLA will host a reception to celebrate the winning design on Wed., July 10, 2013.

“The ASLA Georgia Chapter is extremely pleased with the results of the competition; all of the submissions were stimulating and unique in their interpretation of the site and the goals of the competition,” said Matthew Wilder, President-elect, ASLA Georgia Chapter. “The Sylvatica Studio winning design stands out through the use of color and form to join so many dissimilar materials into an engaging space. We are looking forward to the opening night reception when the winning installation will be unveiled for public view.”

Upon hearing that they won the competition, Joanna Schwevens of Sylvatica Studio said, “Sylvatica Studio is honored to have the opportunity to express some of the overlapping ideals of artists and landscape architects at the Atlanta Contemporary Art Center. We are thrilled to see Overlap Wrap materialize. Many thanks to GA ASLA and to ACAC for this inspiring competition and for the chance to be a part of the continued dialogue between the two professions.”

Veronica Kessenich Joins the ACAC Team as Development Director

Veronica Kessenich

We are so pleased to announce that Veronica Kessenich has joined the staff in the role of Development Director, responsible for a variety of fundraising goals and cultivation efforts.  Her appointment begins at a pivotal time in ACAC's history.....during an active Capital Campaign that will provide resources for this summer's renovation, and in the midst of our 40th year. 

Veronica is a familiar figure in Atlanta’s art scene, having been Gallery Director at Fay Gold Gallery from 2004 to 2009. In that role, she was responsible for a range of career development issues and event strategies, working extensively with artists, collectors, members of the press, and other arts professionals. She is currently an adjunct teacher at SCAD-Atlanta and runs her own virtual contemporary art gallery and consulting firm, both of which she is phasing out as she assumes her position at ACAC. She has served on the boards of The Creatives Project and Flux Projects, and has a Master’s of Philosophy in Art History from the University of St. Andrews, Scotland.

“As an Atlanta native and longtime patron and supporter of ACAC, I value the significance of the center as it provides our local art community with a place that not only exhibits cutting-edge contemporary art, but also the opportunity to dialogue about art and its relevance to the cultural landscape,” said Veronica. “The fact that ACAC is celebrating its 40^th anniversary is impressive, as it demonstrates not only historical relevance but also Atlanta’s own support of art and art programming.”

“We are thrilled to have Veronica as a part of our team,” said Tim Schrager, ACAC Board President. “She brings understanding and passion for contemporary art, and her experiences in the commercial gallery system will be a great asset as we continue to grow our patrons, members, and community partners.”

Please join us in welcoming Veronica to ACAC! Want to drop her a line? Her contact information is listed on our People page. 

News from the Studios, June 2013

Fourteen of Atlanta's most dynamic artists have spaces in the Studio Artist Program here at ACAC. They are active professionals who exhibit regularly throughout the city, region, and country; teach at prestigious schools; and help energize the art scene in Atlanta and beyond. We like sharing their news with you each month. 

Jonathan Bouknight has work in Georgia Artists Selecting Georgia Artists, MOCA GA, Jun 22–Aug 24. 

Craig Drennen has work in several shows: Georgia Artists Selecting Georgia Artists, MOCA GA, Jun 22–Aug 24; Drawing Inside the Perimeter, High Museum of Art, Jun 27–Sep 22; E-MERGE, Hartsfield Jackson International Airport, Terminal T, through Dec 31; and a group exhibition of gallery artists at Samsøn, Boston, MA, opening on Jun 7, NICOLE CHERUBINI, MARK COOPER, CRAIG DRENNEN, JEFFREY GIBSON, GABRIEL MARTINEZ, RUNE OLSEN, SUZANNAH SINCLAIR, MATT RICH, STEVE LOCKE, SUMMER WHEAT, and runs through July 27. “An Interview With Craig Drennen” by Sandra Reed is in the current SECAC Review, Vol XVI, No. 2. 

Seana Reilly has work in several shows: Georgia Artists Selecting Georgia Artists, MOCA GA, Jun 22–Aug 24; Drawing Inside the Perimeter, High Museum of Art, Jun 27–Sep 22; Systematic Wonder, at Stanley Beaman & Sears, a two-person show with Ann Stewart, June–July; Magnitude-7, Manifest Gallery & Drawing Center, Cincinnati, OH, May 31–Jun 28; and E-MERGE, Hartsfield Jackson International Airport, Terminal T, through Dec 31. 

Thanks to an Idea Capital travel grant, Seana Reilly and Marcia Vaitsman are currently in the Western U.S. working on their Heisenberg Boulevard project. Reilly and Vaitsman are also in Gallery Culture: Part Two at Terminus in Buckhead, through Aug 21. 

Nathan Sharratt has work in Drawing Inside the Perimeter, High Museum of Art, Jun 27–Sep 22. 

Dayna Thacker has work in Gallery Culture at the Gallery Walk at Terminus through Aug 21; and The World All Around in Gallery @ Hotel Indigo in Athens, GA, through Jun 8. Also, one of her pieces was recently purchased for the collection of the University of West Georgia.

Marcia Vaitsman will have a solo show curated by Marcio Harum, showing her series MediaScans: Giant Waves, at Sao Paulo Cultural Center (CCSP), Jun 15–Aug 25.

A few more changes around here, as artists move in and move out. We bid adieu to Jonathan Bouknight and Michael David Murphy, but warmly welcome Bojana Ginn and Beth Lilly.

Art Advice: The Importance of Titling Artwork

Titles can play an important role by giving the viewer an entry point into better understanding a work. As both a curator and viewer, what does "titled" versus "untitled" say to you?

-Matthew White, artist, TheMWGallery.com

I am a big fan of titles. While I don’t think that “untitled” is exactly  a cop out,  it doesn't offer anything extra, either. Titles can be an important way to reveal intentions and references or merely a way to keep track of inventory. Some artists dread coming up with them while others feel that a title completes their work. Descriptive, poetic, funny, or confrontational, titles tell you that the artist considered words just another part of their palette.

Some of my favorite artists are, not surprisingly, good at titling.

Chris Burden: You’ll Never See My Face In Kansas City

Joseph Cornell:  Medici Slot Machine, Keepsake Parakeet

Willem de Kooning:  Easter Monday, Police Gazette, Ruth’s Zowie

Phillip Guston: Beggar’s Joy, Bad Habits

David Hammons: Bliz-aard Ball Sale

Martin Kersels:  Attempt to Raise the Temperature of Water by Yelling at It

R.B. Kitaj:  If Not, Not

Jasper Johns: Tantric Detail, Painting with Two Balls

Robert Motherwell: The Ugly Protestant

Jackson Pollock: Autumn Rhythm, Moon Woman Cuts the Circle

Ed Ruscha: Guacomole Airlines

Jessica Stockholder: Recording Forever Pickled

Jack Whitten: Chinese Sincerity, Siberian Salt Grinder

And Shara Hughes, whose works are currently on view at the center makes great use of titles for her paintings and sculptures, including, Boo Hoo! I'm in Love, Fake Me Writing a Letter to Fake You, and Get It Got It Good.

As a curator, I think long and hard about what expectations and enthusiasms can be prompted by a good exhibition title. In recent years at ACAC, there was Deliverance, Sex Drive, and Substitute Teacher. Each attempted to signal something about the show that would be more fully comprehended at the gallery.

-Stuart Horodner, ACAC Artistic Director

Announcing the Return of Art Party!

We are so, so thrilled to announce the return of Art Party, a legendary multi-media event that, for years, was the ultimate art event to see and be seen at in Atlanta.The idea to bring back this jam-packed evening of art and entertainment was developed in celebration of our 40th  anniversary, which coincides with the unveiling of our newly renovated facility, designed by Brian Bell and David Yocum of Atlanta architectural firm BLDGS.

Art Party will take place on Oct. 19, 2013, and will include the opening of exhibitions by the Los Angeles-based collaborative team Fallen Fruit (David Burns, Matias Viegener, and Austin Young) and Atlanta-based artist Steven L. Anderson; access to the 14 artists who participate in ACAC’s Studio Artist Program; and a range of music, film, dance, and performance featuring some of Atlanta’s most talented and inspiring artists and performers. Special experiences focusing on food, drink, and energy-awareness will play a major role in the evening’s offerings.

We are still working to finalize the details, but there are key strategies in place, including the promotional role of Pennhouse Productions, whose staff was instrumental in past versions of Art Party, last held in 2002. 

“Rather than simply honoring our history and past celebrations, this event will galvanize the city’s contemporary art audiences,” says Stuart Horodner, ACAC’s Artistic Director. “Our resurrected Art Party will up the ante on Atlanta’s interdisciplinary events. We want to conceptually link the Center’s established curatorial rigor and significance with a night of outrageous fun, fundraising, and community exhilaration.” 

Check our website for more details as the event approaches! 

Art Advice: Using Your City's Museums to Your Advantage

How can artists use their local museum’s collection or special exhibitions to inspire or challenge their own work?

One of the best things about having a good museum in your city is that it can give you a necessary jolt when your creative juices aren't flowing so well. Maybe you need a little reminder that you are part of the continuum of art history, even if you haven’t had a show in a while, or the mediocre review you just got has you really steamed. 

Yes, it is fun to take your friends and relatives to see the institutions in your town when holidays roll around, but they can serve a more important function for your ongoing professional vitality. Ideas and inspiration can come from surprising places, and when you are least expecting it. This is why it’s helpful to visit museums regularly (and this is why membership is a good idea. You never know when an artwork that you've passed dozens of times will suddenly become relevant.) Works in permanent collections are opportunities for you to check in on matters of scale, touch, materiality and skill. 

If you are an abstract  painter in Atlanta, have you seen the small installation of works by Katharina Grosse at the High Museum of Art? Have you compared Grosse’s paint handling to that of Shara Hughes, on display here at ACAC? Or to the mural by Hense that is covering the soon-to-be-open West Side Cultural Arts Center? What are you waiting for?

And while we are on the subject of murals, did you see (and now I am speaking to all artists in the ATL), the Frida & Diego show that just ended? This creative couple and their amazing ability to synthesize ideas, images, the personal and the political, offered a veritable master class on the possibilities of representational art. And if you happened to be a fan of passion, tragedy, infidelity, communism, and commissions, then you were in luck too. 

I just returned from giving a talk at the Rhode Island School of Design, on the subject of "work, money, and love.” I had about an hour to visit the Museum of Art RISD on campus and was stunned and happy to see terrific works by Janine Antoni, Richard Anuskiewicz, Lynda Benglis, David Hammons, John McCracken, and Cy Twombly, among others. They put me in such a good mood that I couldn’t help but encourage the gathering of grad students about the benefits of the art life. For other thoughts on that subject, see http://thecontemporary.org/shop/artlife.

-Stuart Horodner

Email questions for our Art Advice column to info@thecontemporary.org. 

2013 Nexus Award

Lucinda Bunnen receives the 2013 Nexus Award

We can't say "thank you" enough to the many people who helped make the 2013 Nexus Award event a success.

But we can say "Congratulations" to the amazing Lucinda Bunnen. 

Capital Campaign Update

Architectural rendering of the new Lecture Hall

As of today, we have raised over 50% of our $500,000 Capital Campaign goal. With the generous support of the Wish Foundation, Massey Charitable Trust, The Rich Foundation, The Tull Charitable Foundation, along with numerous donations from our Board of Directors and ACAC patrons, we are moving closer to our target, which will allow us to significantly renovate our facility in celebration of our 40th year of contemporary art presentation.

We're halfway there, but we still need your help!

Donations can be made online, in person, or via telephone at 404.688.1970. 

What does each contribution mean to our renovation?

• $10,000 helps provide new HVAC systems to more efficiently heat and cool
• $5,000 helps install a new Lecture Hall, a dedicated space for programs and events 
• $2,500 helps provide an updated reception area to better greet you
• $1000 helps cover the outdoor Pavilion
• $500 helps install new lighting to help you see better
• $250 helps expand our Resource Room and give you more art magazines
• $100 helps paint our walls

Every single donation helps. 

Thank you for your continued support! 

News from the Studios, May 2013

Fourteen of Atlanta's most dynamic artists have spaces in the Studio Artist Program here at ACAC. They are active professionals who exhibit regularly throughout the city, region, and country; teach at prestigious schools; and help energize the art scene in Atlanta and beyond. We like sharing their news with you each month. 

Craig Drennen will be featured in a group exhibition of gallery artists at Samson, in Boston. The exhibition is called NICOLE CHERUBINI, MARK COOPER, CRAIG DRENNEN, JEFFREY GIBSON, GABRIEL MARTINEZ, RUNE OLSEN, SUZANNAH SINCLAIR, MATT RICH, STEVE LOCKE & SUMMER WHEAT and runs May 31–Jul 27. 

Michael David Murphy has work on view in the Studio Artist Program space in the lobby at ACAC, through Jun 15. 

Seana Reilly and Marcia Vaitsman will start their road trip to the west (California, Nevada, Utah and Wyoming, and back), part of the Idea Capital Travel Grant to capture video and audio for their new installation called Heisenberg Boulevard.  

Michele Schuff has work in Fables of the Eco Future in the Weave Shed Gallery of the Hambidge Center in Rabun Gap, GA, Mar 30–Jun 8. Closing reception is Sat Jun 8, 6–8pm. Schuff has also been accepted to an artist's residency at Schloss Pluschow Meckinberg in Germany, May 1–30.  

Dayna Thacker received two glowing reviews of her recent show, Theories of Everything, at Barbara Archer Gallery. One on ArtsATL, and the other on BURNAWAY.  

Marcia Vaitsman's Study of Strange Things, Part 3 will be part of the Migration, at WonderGlo on May 11 at the W Hotel Midtown. 

And it's always sad to say good-bye when artists move out, but also exciting to see new folks moving in. We bid a fond farewell to Shara Hughes and Nancy VanDevender, but likewise extend a warm welcome to Steven L. Anderson and Nathan Sharratt.

Detroit Art Trip

by Stuart Horodner

Matthew White, Debbie Chapman, Joe Camoosa and Liz Lapidus 

The writer Quentin Crisp used to say that he didn’t travel to have fun, but rather to BE FUN. The gang of ACAC members who went to Detroit with me certainly exemplify this, and we had quite a robust weekend in the Motor City. Our trips are always an attempt to see significant people, places, and things in somewhat overlooked cities, and we usually visit a mix of institutions, private collections, and artist's studios. Late nights are often spent soaking up local flavors in restaurants, clubs, and bars. There is always an attempt to stick to the itinerary, but we are adventurous and independent spirits, so folks occasionally break off to do their own "research." Detroit adventurers included Nancy and Gene Hooff, Liz and Wendy Lapidus, Debbie and Jeff Chapman, Irene and John Gleason, Matthew White, Louise Bray, Emily Kolbinsky, Joe Camoosa, and Mitchell Klink. 

Highlights:

Friday 4/5

Katie McGowan of MoCAD in front of Mobile Homestead by Mike Kelley

We arrived and checked in to the very convenient  Inn at Ferry Street, consisting of four restored Victorian homes and two carriage houses. From there we could walk down Woodward Avenue, which anchored all three of our destinations for the day. The Museum of Contemporary Art (MoCAD) was our first stop, and while the galleries were closed for installation, we had an insightful tour by Katie McGowan, MoCAD's Curator of Education. Of particular interest was the building itself, a 22,000 square-foot former auto dealership (sound familiar?) and Mobile Homestead, a permanent art work by the late artist Mike Kelley located on the grounds of the museum. It's a public sculpture based on the artist's childhood home on Palmer Road in Westland, a neighborhood which primarily housed workers for the Big Three auto makers: Ford, Chrysler and General Motors. When completed, it will perform various creative and community functions on-site and will travel to specific locations, also.

Diego Rivera's Detroit Industry, detail

Dinner at Union Street restaurant was a chance to get some nourishment, catch our breath, and go over the itinerary for the weekend. Afterwards, we ventured over to the Detroit Institute of Arts, which was open till 10pm. There was no way to see more than a few sections of the unbelievable permanent collection or the Shirin Neshat exhibition which was not open yet, though we did see the artist leaving as we walked in. Our collective jaws dropped upon entering the room containing Diego Rivera’s spectacular Detroit Industry frescos, a tribute to the city's manufacturing base and labor force of the 1930s. Rivera completed the twenty-seven panel work between April 1932 and March 1933. I know many people who wax rhapsodic about the Rothko Chapel and visits to Marfa (and we've taken folks to see both on previous trips), but I'd put these Rivera murals very high on my list of great moments with art. Mitchell (who is a docent at the High Museum) suggested that the rows of workers look like they are pistons inside a giant machine, merging flesh and steel. 

Saturday 4/6

In the morning, some of us ventured out to Eastern Market, a six-block public market, operating since 1891, and featuring 250 independent vendors and merchants processing, wholesaling, and retailing food. We passed by stalls of fruits, vegetables, fresh-cut flowers, and many types of butchered meat.. At an adjacent antique store, Liz scored a vintage leather outfit by Gucci for the ridiculous sum of $35. 

Detroit Party Bus!

We took a Detroit Party Bus, complete with video fireplaces and a golden pole (to brace oneself or perhaps perform a suggestive dance) out to the suburbs to visit the Special Collections area of the Cranbrook Art Museum, and take a tour of the campus. Chad Alligood and Diane VanderBeke Mager dispensed many illuminating facts about the architecture of Eliel and Eero Saarinen, and how their choices of brick, stone, wood, metal, and glass animate the buildings and common spaces with strong first impressions and quirky details.  

 

Touring Cranbrook Academy of Art campus

Burt Aaron discusses his collection

After a bountiful lunch of Middle Eastern food at Anita's Lebanese Cafe & Marketplace, we went to a warehouse building that housed the collection of Burt Aaron, and the studios of artists Susan Goethel Campbell and Ed Fraga. Burt showed us a few of his favorite sculptures by American and European artists of different generations, talking about his motivations, storage issues, and engagement with the Detroit arts community. Susan revealed her ecological interests and examples of installation, video and printmaking; and Ed talked about his illustrative works featuring figures, buildings, and symbolic objects, often painted on maps and book pages. 

Joe Camoosa with the band at Café d’Mongo’s Speakeasy

People did their own thing for dinner, going off to see relatives, or clustering in different combos depending on the mood for food. Music was on my mind, and late in the evening some of us gathered at Café d’Mongo’s Speakeasy, a bar packed tight with vintage posters, books, and dim lighting. There was an earnest but awkward three-piece band playing in the corner, and our resident music aficionados Matthew and Joe, with encouragement from Jeff, tried to stump the musicians with various requests. It went on and on, each song more unbelievable than the next, from Bob Seger to Gordon Lightfoot, and the challenge of all--Night's in White Satin by the Moody Blues. We roared as the toothless guitarist sat on his stool and sang the mystical lyrics! Meanwhile, outside the bar, Gene was doing what he often does, charming citizens from all walks of life, and along with the Gleasons, they met a local guy named Tim who was soon taking all of us for the infamous "Coney Island," a hot dog with chili and onions. 

Sunday 4/7

Mies Tower in Lafayette Park

At the urging of Wendy, and with additional  architectural zeal by Liz and the Chapmans, off we went to see Lafayette Park, the 78-acre housing development designed and realized by Mies van der Rohe. The first urban renewal project in the United States, it combines one- and two- story townhomes, and two monolithic high-rises. We noticed distinct shifts of form from front and back views, elegant window casings, and carefully sunken parking lots.

We made our way to the airport at varying times, with thoughts of friendship, and combinations of beauty and blight.

A day later, as complimentary emails from the participants rolled in, Joe summed it up well:

“I think we made a valiant effort to wring all we could from each day..."High, Low and In-Between," in the immortal words of Townes Van Zandt.  Epic, eye-opening (to say the least) and packed with great conversation and humor.  I'm already looking forward to the next one