Art Fix Friday: July 24, 2020

Blog Category:  Art Fix Friday
A black-and-white photograph of a light-skinned adult woman holding a newspaper with news about World War II. She wears a coat and her short, curly hair is caught in the wind.

Artist Colleen Gray created a series of public health posters in 21 Indigenous Canadian languages, but upon submission to the United Nations COVID-19 art campaign contest, she was informed that the UN site did not support the languages.

A white bear stands on all fours in the middle of an abstract watercolor background. The blue, brown and black colors melt into each other behind the bear, so that the overall effect is glacier-like. Beneath the bear, a phrase is written in non-Latin alphabet letters.
Colleen Gray, Wash Your Hands: Inuktitut, North Baffin Island, 2020; © Colleen Gray

Since then, Gray has made the posters available for free download, and Ottawa Public Health posted them as a resource for First Nations, Inuit, and Métis community members. Gray says that the series is crucial and comforting for elders, if only for the fact that “somebody cares enough to take the time to give you something in the language of your own upbringing.”

Front-Page Femmes

The New York Times Style Magazine reviews the life, work, and legacy of Ruth Asawa, “who, despite persecution, made her mark.”

Morgan Bullock, an African American Irish dancer, reflects on allegations of cultural appropriation in a short BBC video feature.

The Guardian interviews former U.S. poet laureate Natasha Trethewey about her latest work, Memorial Drive: A Daughter’s Memoir; Elle publishes an excerpt.

Brigid Berlin, who created dynamic Polaroid photographs of her close friend Andy Warhol’s Factory, has died at age 80.

NewCityBrazil interviews artist Sonia Gomes ahead of a lineup of international shows: “I was born an artist, it took a long time for me to be recognized as such, but the artist in me was there from the start.”

CNN spotlights painter Dominique Fung, whose work challenges the objectification of Asian women.

In a room with hardwood floors, large windows and white walls, a light-skinned woman sits on a small carpet with a brown dog. Behind them, large, colorful and surreal paintings take up the entire wall, and houseplants mingle with a steel cart of art supplies in the corner.
Dominique Fung in her studio; Courtesy of the artist

ARTnews highlights the powerful and provocative performance works of Tania Bruguera.

Women’s Media Center interviews Indian photojournalist Masrat Zahra, who was charged in April for “causing disaffection against the country” under India’s Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Bill.

The Washington Post reviews Kelli Jo Ford’s debut Crooked Hallelujah, a collection of interwoven story chapters about multiple generations of Cherokee women.

A new mural in Denver, created by Renee Millard-Chacon and Edica Pacha, seeks to bring awareness to the intersectional effects of racism faced by Indigenous womxn.

Vogue spotlights six Asian artists creating music beyond K-pop, including NIKI, Griff, Beabadoobee, and Yaeji.

YourStory features musician, artist, and activist Kiran Gandhi: “Knowing what that small bit of representation did for me makes me want to do it for the next generation.”

The Claudia Kishi Club, a new documentary by Sue Ding, premieres on Netflix today; It is a tribute to the character from the 1990s book series The Baby-Sitters Club and a spotlight on the importance of representation.

Shows We Want to See

Rose Wylie: where i am and was is open at the Aspen Art Museum in Colorado through November 1. The show presents 14 paintings from the late 1990s to today, preparatory drawings, concept sketches, and ephemera. Read a conversation between Hans Ulrich Obrist and Wylie and a profile on Wylie from Artnet.

A dark-skinned woman wearing a black and pink floral jumpsuit, a dark denim jacket, and metallic shoes dances on a wooden plank next to a small patch of grass. Her legs are crossed, and one arm is swinging up over her head; she is clearly moving quickly, and enjoying herself.
Ayodele Casel tap dances in her backyard; Photo by Maridelis Morales Rosado for the New York Times

Ayodele Casel’s Diary of a Tap Dancer V.6: Us, a series of seven video performances, brings tap artists into conversation—verbally and through dance. A new video will premiere online each Tuesday at noon through August 25.

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