Wit in Wood: Carving Vision in Castle Stone
By Thomas O. Haakenson
Works by master carvers and whittlers act as testaments to a seemingly forgotten past in the current exhibit, Wit in Wood: Nordic Figure Carving, on view through April 29, 2012, at the American Swedish Institute (ASI) in Minneapolis. Curated by one of the most accomplished Scandinavian-style figure carvers in the United States, [...]
Berlin, or Against the New Provincialism
Short-term installations and community-based art “events” have become de rigueur, it seems. I wish this were only a U.S. phenomenon. But a summer of travel in Europe—Berlin, Istanbul, Paris, and Leipzig—reveals that other cities are “celebrating the local”—which often unfortunately translates into, “Look at the crap anyone can make.”
The desire to attract audiences, to [...]
Hardly a Foot: Erik Brandt’s Typografika / Detailien: Process and Installation
By Thomas O. Haakenson
The storefront of Robert’s Shoes at the intersection of Chicago Avenue and Lake Street would seem an unusual place for art displays, let alone for design work. Yet the Shoebox Gallery’s current show, Erik Brandt’s Typografika / Detailien: Process and Installation, on view through June 30th, rewrites the [...]
An Archive, A Forest: John Bell, Ginny Maki, and Branden Martz at the Bell Museum of Natural Histor.y
By Tom Haakenson
Observation is not objectivity, a claim which may appear obvious to some, sacrilegious to others. Yet historians of science such as Lorraine Daston and Peter Gallison have argued convincingly that the history of Science’s supposedly unadulterated observations reveals just how subjective “objectivity” can be. Intended or not, the exhibition of John Bell’s, Ginny [...]
Dada Deception
Munich, Germany. – The scene would be disturbing to anyone familiar with modern history: Angry crowds protesting museums, galleries, and cultural institutions. For many, such demonstrations are undoubtedly reminiscent of the National Socialists’ efforts to eradicate what was labeled “degenerate” music and art. The most unbelievable aspect of the more recent campaign, coordinated by a [...]
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