Art Critic Barry Schwabsky

 

Barry Schwabsky

Art Critic

Barry Schwabsky is the art critic of The Nation. Schwabsky has been writing about art for the magazine since 2005, and his essays have appeared in many other publications, including Flash Art (Milan), Artforum, the London Review of Books and Art in America. His books include The Widening Circle: Con­sequences of Modernism in Contemporary Art, Vitamin P: New Perspectives in Painting and several volumes of poetry, the most recent being Book Left Open in the Rain (Black Square Editions/The Brooklyn Rail). Schwabsky has contributed to books and catalogs on artists such as Henri Matisse, Alighiero Boetti, Jessica Stockholder and Gillian Wearing, and has taught at the School of Visual Arts, Pratt Institute, New York University, Goldsmiths College (University of London) and Yale University.

http://www.artcritical.com/2013/10/11/barry-schwabsky/
http://www.thenation.com/authors/barry-schwabsky#
http://vimeo.com/39973079

Barry at my thesis exhibition of interactive print media "Remnants: Within an Age of Digitalism" during a visit to Rochester Institute of Technology that was organized by my professor and friend Alan Singer. Barry is publishing his new book and I can't wait for the read!

Radcliffe Bailey + Victoria Rowell

A month or two ago I had designed the print collateral for a visiting artist event at Rochester Institute of Technology. After the dinner reception and chatting with Radcliffe for a while, Colby and I gave him and Victoria a tour of the College of Imaging Arts & Sciences at RIT. This was a snapshot from the Gallery r exhibition and auction that night before they left back to Atlanta. They were both really great!

Special Effects, Andrew Davidhazy

Things have been so bussssyyyyyyyyy, just wanted to throw these up

Remnants: Within an Age of Digitalism (Pre-Reception)

Remnants: Within an Age of Digitalism

Synthesis No. 2667 Ureilassius (24" x 36" Intaglio-Type Series)

Synthesis No. 2187 Aenon

Synthesis No. 2047 Nanai

Synthesis No. 2030 Susano

Synthesis No. 2054 Xairon

Die Cuts, Embossing, Projections, Digital Media

Thesis work has been in the works for sometime, although I don't think I will end up showing a key piece or two due to setup of the gallery and lack of time on my part. I don't really see this show as an end all, only the beginning, so that's ok. I have been working with technology since at least 1995 when I studied graphic communications at my high school and downloaded my first version of Photoshop. Actually, it was all an "accident" I never had an art class until my senior year of high school, and I had only transferred to Montachusett Regional Vocational Technical School because the day before classes started in the 9th grade I had gone to the dentist and one of my best friends James was there. He told me that he was changing schools... So I asked my father if I could too, I didn't even know what a vocational school was. I remember being called down to the cafeteria to sign up for "shops"... later I learned that this meant that I only had to study "academics" every other week, but really it meant so much more. I changed shops three times while I was there, Electronics, Information Technology, and Graphic Communications.

Actually, I really hated commercial printing, I found it to be so boring at the time. Printing calendars and brochures was not fun at all, but luckily somehow I learned enough which transferred over to my Printmaking as an undergraduate at Rochester Institute of Technology. My first real experience with fine art printing was when I met Keith Howard and David Jay Reed, that changed everything. I miss those years because I used to do everything that you weren't supposed to do, when you're young and clueless you just don't know any better. I remember asking Keith if I could develop a photograph (photo paper) in the developer... which turned out to be "soda ash" and not photographic chemical. He looked at me and said he didn't know whether to laugh or not because he couldn't figure out if I was being serious.

The way I work has changed and evolved over the years but in general it starts with sketches/drawing that I redo in Photoshop or Illustrator. Using scanners, commercial printing techniques, and photographic processes... They all usually end up being mixed up together. I really do not see a difference between any of them and I never have. I've had this discussion a lot lately... it always ends up really abstracted and people telling me that this is not that or that is not this.

Silkscreen Photography

Before break I was approached by Sergio Gomez from Columbia, a first year graduate in the photography program to help with some silkscreen. After figuring out a few variables in the studio during open hours, our troubleshooting paid off. I can't wait to see his graduate walk through. The first screen was underexposed (the emulsion completely fell apart) so we redid the exposure time and degreased the screen again just as a precaution. Not bad for his first silkscreen print ever! (2oo mesh count, 1 min.)

Atmosphere Decons

I was recently selected to be in the faculty/student invitational show for the grand opening of the downtown Gallery r location. After so many years, it was nice to finally show alongside Keith Howard, my professor, mentor, and friend. Bernie took the photo, she was recently accepted for the IPCNY show in NYC so that was great to hear!

I have been trying to juggle thesis exhibition work, writing, job research & applications alongside my crazy schedule and personal life. I guess this is what everyone goes through... It's frustrating, I do not enjoy "finishing" work for the sake of deadlines, I do not feel sometimes that my final prints/drawings are completed as I would like... but again, I'm sure every artist goes through this. (I most certainly am not an exception.) There's so much crap that I produce that never gets shown anywhere: ideas, notes, experiments. Countless experiments, they have always been part of my nature. Piecing together and taking apart...

I have been creating and learning more and more about book binding... Books, although geared towards aesthetics are quite functional. I really enjoy sitting down and figuring out how to put together a book that potentially has some kind of purpose. It can be considered art, but not necessarily. So when I am done, there is no question of its authenticity. Bookbinding right now equals meditation.

Thesis Exhibition Exploration

Testing out the light units... fun times!



I hope I exported the right dot gains... argh...

Intermedia Collaboration

It's been a while since I have had time to sit down... Most recently I worked on a collaborative project with Jon Fila from Computer Graphics Design, together we created a 3D dimensional form that utilized software such as Cinema 4D and Maya. Having been around RIT for several years I was able to get the advice of the Industrial Design professors and Rick the studio manager. We were pointed in the right direction and encouraged to use their 3D printing facility which was a great experience! The particular printer we used created an additive form consisting of starch. Using this method and particular resolution output transferred the unique pattern associated with the mathematical side of our geometric form. While some may not appreciate this "low res" artifact of the process, I really embrace it and find it fitting. It hints towards and adds to the dialogue of Intermedia artworks... This experience naturally had its ups and downs, to be fair we were asking a lot from ourselves having never created anything in glass before. The structure at RIT is great for the most part, I found many of the professors quite encouraging! However, school program outlines and restrictions can become very frustrating when trying to work with interdisciplinary ideas. Our project took on many forms and came a long way from our original sketches, regarding both aesthetics and concept. It was imperative to be respectful and open minded when creative differences came up. Everyone has their own distinct background and opinion that stems from their individual experiences, insight, and skill set. In general, I would say that it is very good for an initial idea to change overtime as it demonstrates progress and addresses new challenges that may arise when taking into account the limitations of mediums and/or learning curve of a specialized skill. Through the Glass department at the School for American Crafts we were able to put our molds in the kiln and were assisted with the pouring of glass which took approximately two weeks for the first initial batch of our intermedia sculpture. The restrictions that apply to non majors in the Crafts School really forced us to balance the mold, wax pouring, cold working, and fabrication between various other departments. This project would really not have been possible without the access and assistance from Computer Graphics Design, Glass, Sculpture, and New Media programs. Part of my original concept for the project was to use geometric shapes that would transform into a balanced sculpture with cohesive and abstract elements within its design. The surrounding negative space around and in between the individual/combined glass forms would work together through visual line and spacial relationships. These relationships were planned to activate the sculpture's overall mass and form... which could be changed organically by rearranging the components/modules (various glass orb structures) throughout the work to create new possibilities. In a perfect world, we would have had access to the glass facilities and the time needed to create an environment with suspended orbs and geometric forms that echoed and emphasized the primary sculpture. The projection was another trouble shooting issue that had to be worked out... Due to the varying light in different surrounding environments, the distance and angle of the projection had to be changed. We created a controlled environment using a simple box solution that helped with keeping the distance of the light from the projector consistent. We then uploaded a video, which also has varying potential.

Visiting Roni Henning in Bay Ridge, Brooklyn

New York City Earthquake & CUNY Exhibition

I'm pretty sure that I started it all when I spilled my rice krispies all over the counter this morning... It was first reported as a 5.9 and turned out to be a 5.8 originating in Mineral somewhere in the Virginia/D.C. area. An earthquake hasn't hit NYC since 60 years ago, and it only happens about once a century. This was my first earthquake experience, I was at Jose's apartment in Rockaway Beach when the table suddenly started shaking. I had no idea what was going on! I thought it was the wind or a truck or something passing by... it wasn't until about an hour later that I found out what it really was when I heard about it on the news. I guess all of the phone lines were jammed with this, "thrust faulting earthquake." All of California is probably laughing at us right about now.

In other news, the Canon 20D I had signed out from RIT just went into "error 99" mode since yesterday and it doesn't look like an easy fix, I'm just waiting to hear it from the tech guys when I get back. I was taking a photo from my car and it just happened, it must be some mechanical or cleaning issue. Fun times because I did not bring a back up and I know I'm going to hear it from Eric who was nice enough to have let me have it all summer! Yes to errors one week before turning in equipment! Sarcasm at its best of coarse.

To end on a positive note, I was recently informed that two of my prints were chosen for an exhibition at CUNY: The Center University of New York http://events.cuny.edu/eventDetail.asp?EventId=33058 "Caribbean Art and Artists for the Diaspora" will run from August 31st until October 21st! Also, I'm meeting Roni Henning at her studio in Brooklyn on Friday!

RIT 2011 Graduate Research Symposium

What a great summer! The feedback and turnout for the Analog to Digital show was more than what I had expected, I was very fortunate to have been included in this innovative exhibition at LACDA! (I never thought my work would be amongst Baldessari's, one of my favorite artists and educators of all time.) Most recently I was a presenter on the topic Hybridization: Paradigm of the 21st Century at Rochester Institute of Technology where I presented my thesis progress work and writing at the Graduate Research Symposium 2011. It was a great experience and I was really happy to see a lot of the topics that discussed a vast arrangement of contemporary themes including papers on claycraft, algorithm generation, and video/digital installation. My "Vision Aviators" print was used within its program and signage throughout the event space; it's great to see the collaborative and interdisciplinary efforts from all of the students who attended the symposium which included the school of art, engineering, computer and information sciences, applied sciences, and multidisciplinary studies. There is so much potential with the new Innovation center! http://www.rit.edu/innovationcenter/aboutus

Los Angeles, CA "Analog to Digital" @ LACDA

Electron Exhibition Space at LACDA alongside “Analog to Digital”

Hello Everyone... If you happen to be in the L.A. area; My artwork is included in the Electron Exhibition Space that is alongside in showing with “Analog to Digital” this ***Saturday*** at Los Angeles Center for Digital Art curated by Rex Bruce: July 9-August 5, 2011. Tiffany Trenda will perform "Urban Devotion," an interactive live piece that has exhibited at Los Angeles County Museum of Art and MOCA. Join us this Saturday for this special live performance and installation. For more information visit: http://www.lacda.com/ And for those of you that are interested in the artwork of John Baldessari as some of you have already asked me, yes it'll be there! Check it out! Cheers, Marchelo

:: 4 Color Inverse Intaglio Type ::