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Past 2009 and Archived Resource Focus articles Little and Large by John P. TafaniEdited by David Lewinson What does contemporary signature jewelry share with sculpture in addition to their three-dimensionality and their identity as unique products of a particular creator? From small, high-precision rings worn on the fingers to outdoor forms that can be seen in their entirety only from the air, scaling up and scaling down has been part of art movements since the post World War II era, and especially since the 1960s and Pop Art. Why do similar forms at different scales produce different feelings and attract different audiences? Does size change our perception of form and space? Are beauty and art linked in our consciousness in such a way that most people will spend large amounts of money to buy and wear jewelry while far fewer will purchase even modest sized sculpture, let alone consider expanding their walls to accommodate a larger piece. Is the cost and nature of the metals - from gold and platinum to corten steel -- the reason for the popular success of jewelry’s small works? Why is small so beautiful? Why is large so powerful? Sculpture offers no equivalent to jewelry’s ability to convey social information such as what’s conveyed by a wedding band or an alumni ring. Yet large pieces by Henry Moore, Jim Die, and Barry Flanagan can play a similar role at the corporate level. Beyond the respective various points of view of the wearer/admirer, it’s noteworthy to realize that most if not all of the famous artists of both the 19th and 20th centuries who worked with metals produced both little and large works; sculptures to wear and monuments for the city and landscape. They shared an architectural approach to the shaping of materials, a recognition of the most ancient traditions of craft, and an awareness of historical forms combined with memories of chewed paper and macaroni necklaces made at the age of 4 to celebrate family love. Perception by the viewer is dramatically changed by size. The large creates a distance and thus enforces a distanced relationship between humankind and its surrounding environment. In contrast, the little invites the viewer to grasp the jewelry in hand in what is likely a spontaneous desire to get closer to the skin of the of the beloved bearer. In his ode to Jeanne Duval, Baudelaire captures this sensibility, writing “the dearest was naked and smiled with ease, she had only kept her sounding laces.” From Alexander Calder to Bernar Venet, from George Braque to Max Ernest and Dorothea Tanning, at least four generations of artists have created jewelry, mostly for the sole pleasure of their loved ones. But sometimes the works are constructed for their art dealer or a museum curator, or simply as an opportunity to pursue creative teamwork with talented gold and silversmiths. Some creations are ‘just’ changes in scale and material while others take old and out of fashion jewelry and transform it with the modern sculptor’s virtuosity and sense of style. Little and Large gathers the vision and skills of many artists and the diversity of many materials, displaying them under the California sun as it shines on natures’ and the human body’s landscape. It is thus a unique opportunity to view and appreciate the creativity of those artists who have chosen to live and work in such magnificent surroundings. Moreover, the exhibition is an invitation to people of all ages to question the relationship of human size to that of our complex environment. John P. Tafani, a collector of and an editor/writer about 3D art and CEO of Apcis Cro in France. He is director and chief curator of Art_O_Centre Sculpture Trail and Galleries.David Lewinson a San Diego based reviewer and critic who provides expert writing and editing services to artists and galleries nationwide. Little and Large by John P. Tafani, Edited by David Lewinson Movers and Shakers: Whos Who in SD Visual Arts Part Two: by David Lewison Volunteer Focus The Arts: Ask for More Bernar Venet – A Year Long Gift to the City 2008 past Art Resource Focus including: 2007 past Art Resource Focus including: Artists Demonstrators edited by Jennifer Meeder 2006 past Art Resource Focus including: Little and Large by John P. Tafani, Edited by David Lewinson What does contemporary signature jewelry share with sculpture in addition to their three-dimensionality and their identity as unique products of a particular creator? From small, high-precision rings worn on the fingers to outdoor forms that can be seen in their entirety only from the air, scaling up and scaling down has been part of art movements since the post World War II era, and especially since the 1960s and Pop Art. Why do similar forms at different scales produce different feelings and attract different audiences? Does size change our perception of form and space? Are beauty and art linked in our consciousness in such a way that most people will spend large amounts of money to buy and wear jewelry while far fewer will purchase even modest sized sculpture, let alone consider expanding their walls to accommodate a larger piece. Is the cost and nature of the metals - from gold and platinum to corten steel -- the reason for the popular success of jewelry’s small works? Why is small so beautiful? Why is large so powerful? Sculpture offers no equivalent to jewelry’s ability to convey social information such as what’s conveyed by a wedding band or an alumni ring. Yet large pieces by Henry Moore, Jim Die, and Barry Flanagan can play a similar role at the corporate level. Beyond the respective various points of view of the wearer/admirer, it’s noteworthy to realize that most if not all of the famous artists of both the 19th and 20th centuries who worked with metals produced both little and large works; sculptures to wear and monuments for the city and landscape. They shared an architectural approach to the shaping of materials, a recognition of the most ancient traditions of craft, and an awareness of historical forms combined with memories of chewed paper and macaroni necklaces made at the age of 4 to celebrate family love. Perception by the viewer is dramatically changed by size. The large creates a distance and thus enforces a distanced relationship between humankind and its surrounding environment. In contrast, the little invites the viewer to grasp the jewelry in hand in what is likely a spontaneous desire to get closer to the skin of the of the beloved bearer. In his ode to Jeanne Duval, Baudelaire captures this sensibility, writing “the dearest was naked and smiled with ease, she had only kept her sounding laces.” From Alexander Calder to Bernar Venet, from George Braque to Max Ernest and Dorothea Tanning, at least four generations of artists have created jewelry, mostly for the sole pleasure of their loved ones. But sometimes the works are constructed for their art dealer or a museum curator, or simply as an opportunity to pursue creative teamwork with talented gold and silversmiths. Some creations are ‘just’ changes in scale and material while others take old and out of fashion jewelry and transform it with the modern sculptor’s virtuosity and sense of style. Little and Large gathers the vision and skills of many artists and the diversity of many materials, displaying them under the California sun as it shines on natures’ and the human body’s landscape. It is thus a unique opportunity to view and appreciate the creativity of those artists who have chosen to live and work in such magnificent surroundings. Moreover, the exhibition is an invitation to people of all ages to question the relationship of human size to that of our complex environment. John P. Tafani, a collector of and an editor/writer about 3D art and CEO of Apcis Cro in France. He is director and chief curator of Art_O_Centre Sculpture Trail and Galleries. David Lewinson a San Diego based reviewer and critic who provides expert writing and editing services to artists and galleries nationwide. Movers and Shakers: Whos Who in SD Visual Arts Part Two: by David Lewison Movers and Shakers , Part II continues a visionary project launched in 2008 by the San Diego Visual Arts Network. The project’s goal is to use the medium of portraiture to bring artists together with the many people who in a wide variety of ways sustain and support the visual arts in the San Diego region. The list includes gallery owners and museum directors, public school teachers and university professors, collectors and public art commissioners. David Lewinson a San Diego based reviewer and critic who provides expert writing and editing services to artists and galleries nationwide. back to top
We are so pleased with the development of the San Diego Visual Arts Network over the last 5 years. SDVAN is a media resource for the city with our directory and events calendar, but we have also managed to do many projects to help the arts community in our region. We are not the typical art association with a membership and committees for development, fundraising, exhibition etc. Instead we are organized in a loosely based large committee of over 150 wonderful people who mainly take on volunteer duties project by project. Each project has a start, middle and end and when it is over, the volunteer’s duties are finished. In that way, we hope we don’t burn people out and we try very hard to match make each committee member with a duty so that the volunteer is not only well capable of the task at hand, but gets something that they want from the experience. Some of our volunteers come back again and again. These super volunteers include Kevin Freitas who let’s us link his Art as Authority column, was on of the Eat Your Art Out artists host, was the sacrificial act for the Performance Slam, wrote one of the introductions for Movers and Shakers, and sits on the Little and Large committee and is liaison for a venue involved in this new project. The rest of the Little and Large committee is firing on all cylinders right now includesLea Dennis, Susan Hirsch, Diane Sanchez, Lisa Van Herik, Thomine Wilson, Kaarin Vaughn, Kyoko Saito. Also on the Little and Large committee are Philly Joe Swendoza whose ArtRocks! radio program has publicized many, many of our programs and Alexandra Rosa who heads the RAW gossip column. Georgia Hoopes and before her Julia Gill are editors of the Picked Raw feature. Georgia went on to help with Picked Raw Peeled with other reporters Louisa Garcia, Amy Preci, Katherine Sweetman with Ann White, our eagle eyed proof reader. Rosemary KimBal proof reads for Art Resource focuses and A+ Art Blog as well as the Eat Your Art Out and Movers and Shakers projects. Dennis Batt is the webmaster for Movers and Shakers with super administration from Mireille des Rosiers, Denise Bonaimo and Kelly Mellos. Artists play a huge part in our volunteer program. SD Art Prize artists both established and emerging, Movers and Shakers artists, Eat Your Art Out artists, Little and Large Artists, Performance Slam Artists, Many artists have volunteered for more than one project like Irene de Watteville, Michele Guieu, Tania Alcala, Dave Ghilarducci, We are so grateful for collaboration with Patty Smith at Art Expressions for Movers and Shakers, Ann Berchtold for SD Art Prize with Lee Lavy of the L-Street Gallery, and other SD Art Prize venues supplied by Tom Noel, Larry Baza (Noel-Baza Fine Art), Doug Simay, Lynn Susholtz at Art Produce, and other upcoming Spotlight exhibitions. Let's not forget the more than 30 new venues for our first county wide promotion Little and Large. Where would we be without press collaboration with North County Times'Laurie Brindle, Espresso's John Rippo, Julia Spaulding of SD Magizine, Liz Edwards of Let's Play Downtown, Jeff Yoemans of SD County Art and Gallery Guide and consistent support from Union Tribune's Robert Pincus. We have received masses of technical and design help over the years from Tom Wilson, Nadine Baurin, Angeles Moreno, Laura Lee Juliano and Melissa Reese. Susan Hirsch and Sheri Fox are already working on future projects for us to make us more snappy. One of the unsung heroes of SDVAN is Noaomi Nussbaum co-founder of San Diego Synergy Arts Network which is the non-profit umbrella for SD Visual Arts Network and Synergy Arts Foundation. Those who consistently attend SDVAN committee meeting and help us brainstorm include Naimeh Tahna, Marti Kranzberg, Irene Abraham, Judith D'Agostino, Mark Rodman-Smith, Steven Churchill. Everyone on our commttee of over 120 who reads the monthly agendas, report and minutes is contributing by speading the word about projects that we take on. Finally we have volunteers that have never attended a meeting and we have never even met, like Leonard Fry who keeps us up to date on the ongoing events in the region. We actually consider all those listed on the site as volunteer spokespersons for the site spreading the word about the visual arts and volunteering their time to list their events on our calendar. The coordinator of the site may keep the ball rolling (with the constant aid of her husband Darwin Slindee and emergency proof reading by mother Florence Frischer) but it is this enormous group volunteers who make everything possible. It is really quite astonishing what volunteers can achieve each doing an important part to make an enormous whole. So think about volunteering for your own nearby art association, community visual arts project, alternative arts venue or for SDVAN. You may find you get more than you give. That is what we strive for at SDVAN. Please note: San Diego Visual Arts Network is a 100% volunteer organization. No one makes a salary or takes home a pay check. back to topWe are honored to be a partner in the The Arts Ask For More Children’s Arts Campaign by Americans for the Arts. Our article demonstrates how the arts help children and how parents and all of us can get more involved in bringing the arts into our children’s lives in the school, in our homes and in our community. "For students living in a rapidly changing world, the arts teach vital modes of seeing, imagining, inventing, and thinking. If our primary demand of students is that they recall established facts, the children we educate today will find themselves ill-equipped to deal with problems like global warming, terrorism and pandemics. Those who have learned the lessons of the arts, however – how to see new patterns, how to learn from mistakes, and how to envision solutions – are the only ones likely to come up with the novel answers needed most for the future.” Art for Our Sake by Profs. Ellen Winner and Lois Hetland, 2007 The Visual Arts
Ten Simple Ways Parents Can Get More Art in Their Kids’ Lives
To view the Ten Simple Ways in Spanish, visit 10 Formas Sencillas. In addition to advocating for and supporting a strong arts program in your school district, you can help your child enjoy the arts outside of school by participating together at home, taking advantage of your community's cultural resources, or checking out resources online. At Home
In Your Community
Bernar Venet – A Year Long Gift to the City The citywide exhibition of Monumental Works by Bernar Venet is not only amazing because of the sheer size and number of works, but because it is a collaborative effort between Scott White Contemporary Art, the Port of San Diego, San Diego International Airport, the Museum of Contemporary Art San Diego, the San Diego Museum of Art, The Omni San Diego, The Marriott Hotel & Marina, Harbor Island, Seaport Village, Embarcadero Marina Park South & North and the Laurel Street “triangle” through the city of San Diego. The show which is spaced throughout the city is on until Oct 31 of 2009 which should give every one time to see all the works and perhaps even notice his works on display permanently in numerous other cities around the world. You will see Arcs, Indeterminate Lines and Random combinations of the two by this artist who is well recognized from his 1979 National Endowment for the Arts grant to his huge 1994 Champ de Mars show in Paris of 12 monumental works. The San Diego exhibition will mark an important and critical benchmark in the artist’s career just preceding his appearance at the 53rd International Venice Biennale exhibition. Although it is great to walk around these large scale sculptures and study them from all angles, most of the viewers will simple be affected by these works by driving by them. The works are not easily missed and the power of the artist statements will be felt even at a distance. The artist enjoys seeing children playing on his creations and we noticed street people not adverse to finding a comfortable leaning spot on a few of them. Some works are metal posts jetting straight up form the ground, others end in a subtle curve, still more lines of metal are completely rounded and almost casual in form. Our favorites were the random indeterminate lines which appeared to grow in squiggles on the grass but making one imagine the unseen portion perhaps buried deep in the earth. Many of the curved pieces had that same affect, wondering where the curve would go as it plunged into the ground. The sculptures become clues to the continuation of these lines in motion. The supporting exhibition at the Scott White Contemporary Art (939 West Kalmia Street, SD, 92101) until Jan 3, 2009 is a super show in its own right. The charcoal drawings are intimate ad powerful and one of the best ways to learn more about the rusted steel works. We are pleased to see that Scott White Contemporary Art has partnered with ARTS: A Reason To Survive in supporting their arts-based programs for children facing crisis situations serving more than 25,000 children throughout SD County since 2001. A percentage of funds (contribution goal of $30,000) received in conjunction with the Bernar Venet Exhibition will go directly to ARTS. One thing that this showing has in common with the very public New York City Waterfall by Olafur Eliasson is that it makes tourist of our own art patrons and connoisseurs as they view these works spread throughout the waterfront. We recommend that you read the Robert Pincus review of this exhibition in the SD Union Tribune: He Covers the Waterfront The exhibition at Scott White Contemporary Art continues until Jan 2, 2009. The sculptures are sited Oct 31 of 2009. For more information Kathleen Crain 619.501.5689 Archived Resource Articles 2008 past Art Resource Focus including: 2007 past Art Resource Focus including: Artists Demonstrators edited by Jennifer Meeder 2006 past Art Resource Focus including: |
