All in Articles

Russian invasion puts Ukraine’s Venice Biennale pavilion on hold

Russian invasion puts Ukraine’s Venice Biennale pavilion on hold

Wilson Tarbox
Articles

On Thursday morning, Ukrainians in various cities awoke to explosions as the Russian military initiated an invasion of the neighbouring country by land, sea and air. In the early hours of the assault, its implications for the Ukrainian Pavilion at the Venice Biennale, which opens in April 2022, might have seemed like an afterthought. But Russia’s total war on Ukraine promises to have total consequences, not just for the Russian stock market and the energy supply of central Europe, but also for the Ukrainian cultural sector.

1-54 in Paris Draws Art Lovers for In-Person Showcase of African Contemporary Art

1-54 in Paris Draws Art Lovers for In-Person Showcase of African Contemporary Art

Wilson Tarbox
Articles, Art Market

The inaugural Parisian edition of the 1-54 Contemporary African Art Fair took place at Christie’s headquarters in the 8th arrondissement from January 20th to 23rd (an online version, on Artsy, continues through the 31st). It was the first time since its founding in 2013 that the fair had come to the French capital, a decision that was made following the postponement of its annual February edition in Marrakech.

The Arc of Justice: Kerry James Marshall Honors Pioneering Black Lawyers in New Monument in Des Moines

The Arc of Justice: Kerry James Marshall Honors Pioneering Black Lawyers in New Monument in Des Moines

Wilson Tarbox
Articles

The months following the horrific events in Charlottesville have brought renewed attention to Confederate monuments, reigniting the debate surrounding symbols of racism and white supremacy in the United States. As Americans contend with the possibilities of relocating, destroying, or recontextualizing these objects, some have argued that new monuments should be built, ones that honor the achievements of black historical figures rather than their oppressors.

Paris’s Art Models Protest for Job Security and Better Wages

Paris’s Art Models Protest for Job Security and Better Wages

Wilson Tarbox
Articles

PARIS — On Saturday afternoon, people trickled across the large plaza in front of the Hôtel de Ville. Pausing to admire city hall’s façade, some snapped pictures while others gathered around a group of break-dancers before shuffling off. Meanwhile, tucked away in a far corner of the plaza, an eclectic group was hanging painted banners that read “Modèles” (“Models”), “Modèles d’art: Poser c’est un métier!” (“Live modeling: it’s a job too!”), and the name of their organization, Collectif des Modèles d’Art de Paris (Art Models Collective of Paris).

The Story of an Installation in a Polluted River and Its Subsequent Removal

The Story of an Installation in a Polluted River and Its Subsequent Removal

Wilson Tarbox
Articles

DES MOINES, Iowa — On June 27th, the third-worst flood in the history of Des Moines, Iowa’s Raccoon River, necessitated the quick and urgent rescue of “Wading Bridge,” the most recent installation by the New York-based artist Mary Mattingly. This move was the fifth of a total of nine displacements that the approximately 4,500-pound installation has endured to date. When floodwaters weren’t threatening to wash it away, it was (according to the Greater Des Moines Public Art Foundation) either the Army Corps of Engineers suddenly vetoing previously approved design proposals or the budget — insufficient to pay for a professional installation crew and equipment — that almost killed the project.