Sunday, December 27, 2009

Arts-Photography “Galleries & Museums - Windsor Star” plus 1 more

Arts-Photography “Galleries & Museums - Windsor Star” plus 1 more

Galleries & Museums - Windsor Star

Posted: 23 Dec 2009 03:59 PM PST

Artcite: Doin' The Louvre, the gallery's annual holiday show and sale, gives shoppers an early start on gift-giving ideas and artists the opportunity to show and sell their work. At the fundraising exhibition, all pieces are priced below $99.99. The show closes today. Call 519-977-6564. At 109 University Ave. W.

Art Gallery of Windsor: Tammy Ratcliff: Paper Work, through Jan. 10; Windsor artist Victor Romao: You're Not From Here, drawings, woodblock prints and small-scale sculptures, through Jan. 10; Scott Conarroe: By Rail, through Jan. 3. Hours: Wednesday 11 a.m.-5 p.m., Thursday and Friday 11 a.m.-9 p.m., Saturday and Sunday 11 a.m.-5 p.m. Admission $5 (AGW members and children under 12 free) except Wednesdays, which are free admission. Call 519-977-0013. At 401 Riverside Dr. W.

Detroit Institute of Arts: Photography -- The First 100 Years: A Survey from the DIA's Collection, looks at the evolution of photography from its beginnings in the 1830s through the experimentation and innovations that led to its acceptance as an art form in the 1940s, through Jan. 3. Visitors can stop by the DIA's art studio for a cyanotype (blueprint) drop-in workshop and create their own blue, ultraviolet-light developed images. Hours: Wednesday and Thursday 10 a.m.-4 p.m., Friday 10 a.m.-10 p.m., Saturday and Sunday 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Admission is $8 adults, $6 seniors, $4 youth ages 6-17. Call 313-833-7900. At 5200 Woodward Ave., Detroit.

Devonshire Mall: Artist Robert Bishop displays his paintings of nature scenes and pets at the mall, through today during regular mall hours. Devonshire Mall, 3100 Howard Ave. Call 519-978-0813 or visit www.robertbishopart.com.

Gallery 484: After, photo exhibit by Toronto artist Anthony Macri, black and white images of Detroit's post-American landscapes, shot between 2001 and 2005, through Dec. 31. Call 519-562-5088. At 484 Pelissier St.

Paula's Gallery: In this Christmas show, local and regional artists will showcase their perception of My Fair Lady. The themed show will feature Edwardian themes, fashion, and time period pieces, through January. Hours: Tuesday-Saturday, 8:30 a.m.-5 p.m. Call 519-962-8532. At 4780 Wyandotte St. E.

Windsor's Community Museum: Robots Among Us: The Robot Collection of Darryl Dupuis continues through January. Hours: Tuesday-Saturday, 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Closed Sunday and Monday. Call 519-253-1812. At 254 Pitt St. W.

Windsor Wood Carving Museum: Solo exhibit by featured woodcarver, Gary Brocklebank, through Dec. 31; Feathers in Wood exhibit, through February. Hours: Tuesday-Friday 10 a.m.-5 p.m.; Saturday 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Call 519-977-0823. At 850 Ouellette Ave.

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Dutch Royalty honours Africa's Trash King - NEXT

Posted: 24 Dec 2009 03:58 PM PST

The award ceremony for one of the recipients of this year's Prince Claus Awards took place in Lagos on Friday, December 18 at The Holland House. At the ceremony, the host and Netherlands Ambassador to Nigeria, Arie van der Wiel, presented the award to sculptor and Fine Arts professor, El Anatsui.

The Ghanaian-born Anatsui is one of eleven recipients of this year's award with the theme 'Culture and Nature.' The Principal Prince Claus Award of 100,000 euro went to Colombian architect Simon Velez. Anatsui, who has taught art at the University of Nigeria, Nsukka since 1975, and nine others, received individual awards of 25,000 euro for their work spanning fields such as the visual arts, photography, film and journalism.

Before presenting Anatsui's award, Van der Wiel introduced the audience to proposed activities at The Holland House, which he called the social and cultural centre in Lagos. He gave a brief background into the Prince Claus Fund, the awards and its founder Prince Claus, who is the late husband of Queen Beatrix, the Netherlands' present Queen.

Defender of artistic freedom

Reading from Chika Okeke-Agulu's citation written for the purpose of Anatsui's award, Van der Wiel said, "Anatsui remains committed to the development of new artistic forms from African sources as well as from materials available in his local environment be it liquor bottle tops, aluminium plates, rusted steel graters or broken pots."

Still applauding the master-sculptor's art, the Netherlands ambassador said, "Anatsui is a staunch defender of artistic freedom and promoter of the arts' role in local development. A generous mentor and an inspiring teacher, his lifelong dedication to intellectual exploration of political and environmental issues has influenced local, social and cultural development not only through his artworks but also through his influence on generations of young artists... In El Anatsui, the Prince Claus Award has found a most deserving recipient."

Presenting the award, Van der Wiel said Anatsui was "honoured for the outstanding aesthetic and intellectual qualities of his creations, for his innovative use of materials to highlight dialogue between culture and nature, and for his dedicated and inspirational role in the development of visual arts in Africa... Prince Claus will be delighted by this choice."

Anatsui was no less delighted by the award. Reading from a prepared speech, the professor of sculpture thanked the organisers of the Award for sharing similar concerns on culture and nature.

Unique artist

On his unique art form, Anatsui said, "Art is about originality. It is never inward-looking, complacent and conservative." He called creativity a "joining of man and material."

Renowned for his use of what many consider garbage to produce art that is beautiful and relevant, Anatsui said, "The fact that a particular material or object began its existence as one thing and then reincarnates into another demonstrates (that) the cycle of life continues: the birth, death and rebirth. Almost all religions adhere to the belief that nothing truly dies but transforms anew to life in other forms and worlds.

"Recycling or reincarnating," he said, "is simply art imitating nature," and has little to do with poverty or the country you dwell in.

While many might not be drawn to "items which seem gritty and marginalised or what some people will relegate to waste or trash," Anatsui believes, "The richness of our environment constantly reminds us of numerous alternatives which challenge us to see rather than look, to think rather than presume."

Anatsui and his art have been extensively written about. Brochures from past and present exhibitions like the ongoing 'Transvangarde' at the October Gallery in London and from earlier shows like 'Old and New' were on display, giving insights into Anatsui's art.

Speaking before the presentation, he explained the idea behind 'In the world, but don't know the world,' one of his pieces currently on display at Transvangarde. "There are things that happen every day that you can't place. Things that happen that you can't explain."

The representative of Bello Jibril Gada, Nigerian Minister of Culture, Tourism and National Orientation, described Anatsui's works as "awesome, expressive and beautifully provokes emotions. His ideas and experimentations on wood no doubt distinguished him from his contemporaries. His masterpieces attest to this."

A matter of time

Anatsui's works are better measured in metres than feet or inches. On how he achieves the end result many have come to appreciate, he said, "I have about 15 or 16 assistants working with me in my studio. I direct the way the work goes, the use of colour and texture." The processes of creating the gigantic pieces he says are "pretty simple" and that anyone "who can reason" can participate.

"The material I work with has to be plentiful, in large quantity," Anatsui said when asked how he sources his material. If he were to be in an environment short on 'trash', which he works a lot with, how would he cope? The professor said he would simply seek another resource that is fortunate enough to be in abundance.

Also speaking on a previous fixation on towels, Anatsui said he can't explain why he produced the 'Towels' range. "Why you made them comes later. Some of the materials are in the studio for a long time and you wait till it speaks to you till you decide to use it." On the 'Fresh and Fading Memories series,' which featured a giant, time-worn rag made from aluminium and copper wire, Anatsui's comment is, in itself, timeless: "Time is the greatest sculpture. Time shapes things."

With time comes the Prince Claus Award. "It is always a great thing to be given an award. It shows people are looking at what you are doing and giving you some recognition," Anatsui said. As a resident of Nsukka in Eastern Nigeria, the sculpture said one would think he was hidden away from all the activity in Lagos. "It is a good feeling," he said on winning the award, "It makes you feel a bit humble."

Anatsui was probably humbled by the award and the company of guests as well. At the event were the legendary artist Bruce Onobrakpeya and two of Nigeria's past winners of the Prince Claus Awards, Toyin Akinosho of the Committee for Relevant Art and photographer James Uchechukwu Iroha, who won in 2008. The Committee for Relevant Art won the award in 2006. US-based Nigerian poet Chris Abani won the Prince Claus Award in 2001.

The Principal award was presented to Velez in Amsterdam on December 16 by the Fund's honorary chair Prince Constantijn. The other recipients were awarded theirs on Friday in Peru, DR Congo, Nepal, Cameroon, Nicaragua, China, India, South Africa, and Cuba in a ceremony similar to that in Anatsui's honour.

According to the Award committee report, "artists and intellectuals and cultural operators who have made outstanding contributions in the field of culture and development" are considered for the awards.

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