Tag: Contemporary Art
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New Site! TONDI
My new site is officially up! I’m excited about trying something new and I invite you all to continue to follow my journey into contemporary art on TONDI. I truly value all of my followers on WordPress and have learned so much from this first blog. Cheers to a new beginning!
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On Sabbatical: Notes from the Rabbit Hole
The Caterpillar and Alice looked at each other for some time in silence: at last the Caterpillar took the hookah out of its mouth, and addressed her in a languid, sleepy voice. `Who are YOU?’ said the Caterpillar. This was not an encouraging opening for a conversation. Alice replied, rather shyly, `I–I hardly know, sir,…
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An Uncomfortable Silence: Doris Salcedo
For as long as I’ve been writing Culture Shock Art one of my biggest challenges involves whether I should write about work I have not seen in person. In order to effectively write a piece about a specific piece of art you have to see it in person, otherwise you cannot bring a reader into the process…
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Seeing Double at MOCA
Kahlil Joseph: Double Conscience It’s a peculiar sensation, this double-consciousness, this sense of always looking at one’s self through the eyes of others, of measuring one’s soul by the tape of a world that looks on in amused contempt and pity.” ~ W.E.B Du Bois For me, a great litmus test for a good piece of…
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Artist a Day Challenge No. 26: Mickalene Thomas
Mickalene Thomas has a unique style that is nothing short of bodacious. Her colorful, glitter infused portraiture work is commands your attention and invites you delve into a deeper understanding of the person that is being portrayed. Her use of interiors and recent pivot to abstract portraits were a mystery to me because I couldn’t connect the…
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The Broad: 3 Things I Love About LA.’s Newest Museum
Some people see things as they are and say, why? I dream things that never were and say, why not?”~George Bernard Shaw You know, some people may say it is unreasonable to charge a fee to attend an early preview of a museum that still doesn’t have operable indoor plumbing (especially when said museum will be free…
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Artist a Day Challenge No. 17: The Kara Walker Challenge
Kara Walker’s art disturbs me. The first time I experienced her work, I was in Arcana Books in Culver City and I found a catalog from one of her cut out shows (I think it was at the Walker Art Center). I was drawn by the nostalgic look of the cutouts which on some cellular level tapped into fond memories. Then…
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Artist a Day Challenge No. 9: Lorna Simpson
This series of collages by Lorna Simpson of embellished photographs and cutouts from Ebony magazine just beg for a story to be told. These traditional photos with their bold swaths of color that form these beautiful plumes of smoldering smoke look like some type of artistic Rorshach test. Simpson purposefully wants us to draw our own conclusions from her…
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Artist a Day Challenge No. 8 Terry Adkins
Terry Adkins passed away one year ago today. It was clear that during his diverse career he was a creative catalyst for many as a professor and multi-disciplinary artist. I like the way he turns his subjects and concepts on their end by highlighting a little known or under-appreciated aspect of them. In this way he…
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Artist a Day Challenge No.3: Alison Saar
“Spiral Betty” by Alison Saar is such a great piece because I think it cuts to the essence of black women and our relationship with our hair; it is a never-ending journey. For some it is a struggle, for others a mask, and with the renaissance of the natural hair movement, many celebrate it. Our hair journey is…
Colony Little, Culture Shock Art 