This week the art world faced devastating blows as Hurricane Sandy threatened art galleries, museums and non-profits around the East Coast. Even amidst the chaos Halloween came as planned and tensions continued to rise as November 6 approaches. It was a big week... read more about it in our roundup below:
Hurricane Sandy is over, but the devastating storm left floods, power outages and transportation devastation in its wake. Inspired by this terrific GalleristNY quote roundup detailing the New York art crowd's coping strategies during the height of the storm, we did some check-ins of our own. Click here to read our favorite art spots' updates on the damage.
Proteus Gowanus, an interdisciplinary art space located just off Brooklyn's Gowanus Canal, is not having a good start to their week. The small gallery is gearing up against the "freak storm" known as Hurricane Sandy, which is taking its toll on the area.
While many New York art spaces have taken precautions against the possible aftermath of Frankenstorm, Proteus Gowanus faces especially dire consequences due to possible flooding from a nearby Superfund site. The gallery space, located in a former turn of the century box factory, is in close proximity to one of the most infamously contaminated bodies of water in the United States. Click here to read our interview with the gallery.
We bow down to whomever replicated the genius of Vincent van Gogh's "Starry Night" using just a pumpkin, various carving tools and a whole lot of free time.
To see more clever designs for your last minute pumpkin carving tonight, check out our slideshow below of amazing art-inspired jack-o-lanterns.
Five hundred years ago this week every single fresco was put to shame when the painted ceiling of the Sistine Chapel was first revealed to the public. The painted work embodies the artistic lifeblood of the High Renaissance and serves as a living tapestry of spirituality, visual storytelling and bodies in motion. The Chapel also inaugurated the artistic tradition of luring in a gigantic amount of tourists, craning their necks, sweating profusely and jostling to get a prime position beneath a work of genius. We'd like to honor that tradition on this joyous anniversary.
Jon McNaughton, an anti-Obama artist notorious for his particularly inflammatory political paintings, is back with another creation just in time for next week's elections.
Titled "Runaway Slave," the work depicts conservative figure Rev. C.L. Bryant, the man who recently produced a documentary by the same name on the alleged bondage of black Americans under liberal governments. McNaughton worked with Bryant to produce his new painting, telling CBS Houston that he supports the filmmaker's sentiments. “My position is that the Democratic Party has brought the demise of Black America," the artist said.
Thanks for reading! We wish the best to everyone affected by this week's storm; click here to see how you can help. And don't forget to vote November 6!