Thank You Note: My Words Are My Shelter Project

Dear Readers,

I just got this note from Susan Neth, the Executive Director of Mental Health Services, Inc., the organization that oversees the Norma Herr Women's Center, the shelter where my mother spent her last few three of her life. Her note is in response to the outpouring of generosity from all of you during my My Words Are My Shelter campaign. Each woman received not only a journal, pen and pencil with which to write but also, the shelter received close to $500 in donations. Thank you all for your support and we will do this again next year at Christmas time! Please read below:

Dear Mira,

Please express my deep gratitude to your readers of Mira’s List. Their generous donations supported your gift of journals to over 100 homeless women in our shelter. These journals have been used to capture feelings, create poetry and for documenting to-do lists. Writing is safe. It is cathartic. And it can also break down barriers that otherwise might have remained intact. Mira, please pass on my ‘thank you’ to those who reached out to help others.

Susan

iocose: sunflower seeds on“sunflower seeds”

today in the early morning, the four members of artist group iocose stopped at a grocery store at the bankside district in london, uk. they bought an innocuous bag of sunflower seeds at the price of 1 british pound. a short walk from the grocery was the 'sunflower seeds' exhibition by ai weiwei. the installation, exhibited at the turbine hall at tate modern as part of the unilever series, displayed millions of hand-crafted porcelains in the shape of sunflower seeds. the four iocoses took hold of their catapults and started launching the cheaper and real sunflower seeds in the exhibition area. then changed the signs at the turbine hall and renamed the artwork 'sunflower seeds on sunflowers seeds'.
it took a while before the security noticed iocose's unruly behaviour. when asked to leave their own exhibition, the four iocoses expressed disappointment and were joined by a group of tourists who were honestly appreciating the unexpected opening. despite this, iocose would like to complain for the lack of promptness by the security. now that iocose's work is on exhibition the group would like to demand major awareness on its preservation.
(excerpt from the press release)

the sunflower seeds on "suflower seeds" will stay on display until may 2nd 2011. enjoy & remember ai weiwei's previous statement: 'what you see is not what you see, and what you see is not what it means'.

world according to shrigley

pierre david: human pantone

french artist pierre david made a great adaptation of the pantone color chart for an exhibition in brasil. you can see it as an ode to the variety of skin color of brasil or, more general, to the world population. (via update or die)

showtime: testing ground I time scale @ zabludowicz london

opening tonight @ 6pm @ zabludowicz collection london: weekend of exhibitions and events curated by students on the royal college of art's masters in curating and goldsmith's college's masters of fine art curating.
the preview will include a curatorial discussion regarding selected works from the collection, live performance and music.

design: supersizing eames

what happens when the iconic eames lounge chair puts on some weight. brilliant idea by mark wentzel.

street art: ben eine

if you've ever walked through rivington street in shoreditch, u might remember the huge 'scary' sign painted in a tunnel right next to the cargo bar. it's one of the many signs spray-painted by ben eine throughout east london.
"eine began as a graffiti writer and tagger in the early nineties with a particular fondness for vandalising trains, but retired from this practice after realising he was no longer able to outrun the police." (from eine's profile in beyond the street)
apart for establishing his trademark - colorful alphabet lettering (he often executes the entire alphabet in a square of 5x5 letters, omitting the 'w', because "it doesn't fit in"), eine has also worked as a printer for pow, bringing to life works of e.g. banksy, antony micaleff or faile.
this short video by abbie brandon documents some of his recent wall pieces, namely pro pro pro on ebor street & calculate on hollywell lane, both in east london. pro pro pro was on the wall of a building where the london's mother agency is located. a week earlier, at the request of graphic design guru neville brody & in conjunction with the anti design festival, eine had painted anti anti anti on the opposite wall. mother loved the work and asked that he do something on their wall.
the calculate wall is one that eine has previously and famously painted with 'vandalism'. this time he had been invited to paint the wall by moniker art fair, in parallel with exposing his work in one of the project spaces inside.
ben eine has a solo show @ white walls, sf, starting march 12 2011.

Letter from Mary Sherman, Director of TransCultural Exchange

To finish up with all this conference stuff today, the director of TransCultural Exchange was kind enough to respond to the comments I passed on to her from this blog.
Cheers,
M.

Dear Mira's List Readers,

Please note that some of TransCultural Exchange 's 2011 Conference on International Opportunities in the Arts will be available for free, as mandated by some of the sites donating their services. These are a very limited number of panels, however; and, they are primarily at the Boston Public Library. These events will not be posted on the Conference website; but instead in listings in publications like the Boston Globe.

The conference is a hugely expensive undertaking: 150 speakers coming to Boston to meet with artists, etc. Registration costs alone, do not even cover 1/3 the Conference's expenses. Hence, TransCultural Exchange must encourage people to register for the whole conference. As a courtesy to readers of Mira's List, knowing they are fans of Mira Bartok, TransCultural Exchange is pleased to let the fans know that the events at the BPL (where Mira will be reading) will be offered for free. (Conference badge members, however, will have some seats reserved for them to make sure they have a seat.) The other venues where the talks are free are at MIT, the CONCERT at Northeastern University, and the gallery receptions at the Harrison Avenue Galleries. All other events require a conference badge. Thank you for understanding.

Mary Sherman
Director, TransCultural Exchange

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OHr-o6kjiFo
Conference on International Opportunities in the Arts, April 7-11, 2011, Boston Omni Parker House Hotel.

Why Good Conferences Cost Money and Why You Should Go to This One

In response to a comment below my posting about the Transcultural Exchange Conference for Opportunities in the Arts coming up in Boston...(the comment was about the conference being too expensive and also there not being single event/day options). Here’s my opinion and more info on all that:

1. This conference costs less than most I’ve attended in all my years of doing this.

2. If you register early for this conference, you always get a discount and they always offered scholarships—part and full—for those who contact them early in the registration process. Both these things I have posted about in the past, so that readers can take advantage of them. (Too late now though....should have done it before when I posted about it before. Sorry!)

3. TCE doesn’t make any money from this event. This conference doesn’t even pay for itself. TCE flies people in from all over the world and hosts them here so they can offer you their expertise. No one gets paid. But when you attend, you get an amazing array of opportunities. Artists often get invited to stay at residencies overseas, they get to show museum curators their work, and they get to meet the people who decide on enormous fellowships and grants in the arts. I would say: well worth the money!

4. There are many local grants that offer funding to attend conferences like this. One of my readers just told me she applied for a local arts grant to come and she got it.

5. This event is obviously a tax deduction if you are a working artist/writer, etc.

6. Re: the one-day registration/one event comment: if the reader had only gone to the site to find out more information, he/she would know that there are events that are free and open to the public. My event, for example, a panel on publishing your first book, is free and anyone can come. So are the readings a the Boston Public Library. So are some other things.

7. Lastly, the person who runs this organization: Mary Sherman, Director of TCE, basically has been putting these huge conferences and exhibitions and collaborations around the world for little or no money. She does this tirelessly, persistently and passionately, because she believes that art can save the world. The whole point of TCE is to create peace and cooperation by creating exhibitions and artistic collaborations world-wide.

If I sound snippy, it is only because I know the background of this organization; I know how hard everyone works for no money or very little, and I know first hand what a great opportunity it is to attend. So please—don’t jump to conclusions when you see a price tag for something like this. It may be the best money you have ever spent. And if you are creative enough and do things way in advance like I always recommend everyone to do—you can even get a scholarship or a grant to go.

Okay—I am off my soap box! Go forth and make art! And if you can get yourself to Boston in April, take advantage of this excellent chance to meet curators, grant foundation directors, Fulbright representatives, artist residency directors and artists of all kinds from all over the world.

Best Wishes,

Mirabee

Trans Artists Have New Website

Quick but important info: A kind reader sent me a note that TRANS ARTISTS have changed their website and they can now be found here: http://www.transartists.nl/related/organisations.html
They have one of the best sites for researching international residencies so if you have that site bookmarked, please make the change. Thanks!

Mira

ab fab: guerra de la paz

guerra de la paz is a artistic duo of alain guerra and neraldo de la paz. originally sourcing their materials from the waste bins of second-hand goods shipping companies in miami’s little haiti, the cuban born & american based art collective creates sculptures from the discarded items of daily life. viewing their practice as a kind of ‘archaeology’, their work engages with the history inherent in common debris and its possibility for recycled usage.
(via look in art)

Sign Up Now! Transcultural Exchange's 2011 Conference on International Opportunities in the Arts!

Greetings all! Thank you for your patience while my book tour is raging on....I hope to see some of you at one of the readings. The next one will be in Cleveland on Friday, Feb. 4th at the United Church of Christ, 2592 West 14th St. in the Tremont neighborhood. Details on my website: www.thememorypalace.com. After that, I’ll read at The Odyssey Book Store on Feb. 10th in South Hadley, MA. Then off to California! I'll be doing readings in LA, Berkeley and San Francisco from Feb. 16th to the 22nd so if you live in those areas, please come. I’d love to meet some of you!

(A little aside....my book, THE MEMORY PALACE just made the New York Times Bestseller list! It’s currently at # 16. So please...all of you...run out right now and buy it from your local indie bookstore so I can knock that Tiger Mother book out of my way OR click on my book on right side bar and buy it directly from this site. All right.....I’ve finished now. :-)) So on to this business of opportunities.

First, I want to remind you all about the most amazing conference in the world. A couple years ago I spoke at the TransCultural Exchange Conference for Opportunities in the Arts in Boston and am going to do a presentation again, as well as do a reading at the Boston Public Library (along with authors Reif Larsen and Jayne Anne Phillips). I’ll be moderating a panel on first books—from finding an agent to promoting your first book—with novelist Jedediah Berry and poet Marisa Crawford. I’ll be representing the memoir/creative nonfiction voice on the panel.

Below is info on the conference. It is open to ALL DISCIPLINES and this year there will be even more than ever before for writers, filmmakers and composers/sound artists. And as usual, if you are a visual artist, you will be overjoyed at what you will get out of the experience. I can’t say enough about this conference. And you should know that I do this for free, that’s how much I love it. You get to meet people who run artist residencies all over the world, as well as the movers and shakers in the grant and fellowship lexicon. First, watch this video about the conference—it will give you a sense of what you will find there!: Click here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3UnLU7b8Fu8 On to the info:

TransCultural Exchange announces the return of its namesake conference

April 7-10, 2011 • Boston’s Omni Parker House Hotel

http://www.transcultural exchange.org/conference_2011/main.htm

Would you like to find ways to exhibit internationally? Would you like your work reviewed by major curators, critics and gallery owners? Are you an emerging writer interested in finding out what it takes to publish your first book? Are you a musician, sound artist or composer looking for an amazing residency? Have you always wanted to live overseas for a year and do research for a creative project but just didn't know how to fund your trip? Want to meet like-minded people? Shake up your world.

Come to TransCultural Exchange’s 2011 Conference on International Opportunities in the Arts: The Interconnected World.

Registration for all four days is $345; $425 after April 1.

Student discount registration is $$205; $295 after April 1.

New for 2011: Screening Program for Artists:

Artists who have registered by 5 pm EST, February 15, 2011 are eligible to submit no more than 2 images to be projected during the Conference. (Screening time and place will be announced in the Conference brochure.)

New for 2011: Reading Program for Writers:
This program is limited to 10 writers whose works will be chosen from those who have registered and submitted their writing sample by 5 pm EST, February 15, 2011.

For more info about the above, go here:
http://www.transculturalexchange.org/conference_2011/overview.htm
You MUST first register for the conference before you are eligible to sign up for these opportunities. These sessions are ONLY available to conference badge holders as well as all the events at the Omni, including the opening reception on Friday.

Come to Boston and meet Mirabee! I hope to see you there in April. If you register for the conference, please seek me out if you are a Mira’s List reader because I’d love to meet you!

Cheers!
Mirabee

between science & art: helen pynor

with a backgrounds in the biological sciences and the visual arts, australian artist helen pynor explores the interior of the human body, evoking a sense of slippage between time, cultural memory, and the tissues of the body.

currently based in london, she has taken part in the recent group exhibition brainstorm at gv art, london, exhibiting a photograph titled ‘headache’ (see above). the exhibition, which aimed to explore the human brain in a dialogue between the arts and sciences, generated big controversy in the media around the use of human brain tissue within the context of art.

will ryman's giant roses

even though the snow might still be falling down heavily in nyc, the spirit of spring is already in the air: last week 38 roses, over 7m high, have blossomed from the ground along park avenue, between 57th & 67th streets. they are accompanied by 20 individual rose petals, scattered between 63rd & 65th streets. a site-specific installation of artist will ryman, presented by paul kasmin gallery, will stay on display till the end of may. our favorite blossom, above, features a giant bumblebee on its top :-).

rip: dennis oppenheim

conceptual & land artist dennis oppneheim died on sat, aged 72, leaving his last project, the giant las vegas paintbrushes, unfinished.

your name in lights

for the 23rd kaldor public art project, artist john baldessari is giving more than 100,000 people the opportunity for their name to appear in lights on the side of the australian museum. don't miss your 15 seconds of fame chance!

(hat tip patrick nguyen, who will live his 15 secs of fame @ 3:43:00 gmt. watch here & applause!! :-))

Secrets of Daily Painters

Painting by Leslie Saeta

Original Air Date: January 27, 2011
"Secrets of Daily Painters"
Join hosts Leslie Saeta and Dreama Tolle Perry as they highlight ways to sell your art. Our guest today is Micah Condon, creator of the dailypainters.com website. Join us as we discuss how daily painter websites have developed over the years, what's new with Daily Painters Gallery and the question everybody wants to know ... how can an artist get on the dailypainters.com website?

Click here to listen to this show.

richard phillips @ the next AFA art talks & @ white cube london

richard phillips will be the next speaker @ the afa's lecture series, taking place on march 9 @ christie's ny ... & we will be attending :-).

about the artist:
richard phillips has a striking signature style that derives from his distinctive use of popular images—often from advertising, fashion spreads, and erotic media—that he translates into drawings and then luscious, oversized realist paintings executed through a traditional process. with fashion, media, and film collaborations, phillips’s imagery has achieved a level of pop recognition outside of the art world.

phillips has exhibited extensively throughout the US and europe. "most wanted", his solo show featuring paintings of celebrities over luxury-label backdrops, will open this thursday @ white cube london.

showtime: george condo @ new museum

new museum @ bowery, ny, is getting ready to open george condo's show "mental states" tomorrow, which will be the first major US survey of over eighty paintings and sculptures from the past twenty-eight years of the artist’s career.

condo is famously prolific, and this tightly edited selection of works from 1982 to the present responds to his prodigious output with a unique conceptual approach. the exhibition is organized thematically and stylistically in “chapters” developed in close collaboration with the artist & it will focus on the specific ideas to which he has returned throughout his career, particularly his ongoing investigation of human physiognomy and its capacity to convey varied “mental states.”

the exhibition will run till may this year, after which it will travel to museum boijmans van beuningen in rotterdam, hayward gallery in london and schirn kunsthalle in frankfurt.

bad boy hayden kays

"i want to spend the rest of my life mocking everywhere, with everyone, one to one, always, forever, now" says hayden kays, the screaming voice of an angry britain, & we sympathize!!

in a world where we are spoon fed mediocrity from the media and the government, hayden is kicking back and saying what everybody wishes they could. exploring themes of terrorism, prostitution and tabloid culture with his tongue planted firmly in his cheek, his subtle use of humour perfectly puts his message across. using a mix of collage and hand pulled screen-printing, you can't escape his abrasive in your face statements. (excerpt from hayden's profile @ opus underground)

see also hayden's flickr page, featuring more of his work.
(hat tip trouble in wonderland)

fashion: walter van beirendonck's flashy aliens

walter van beirendonck presented his fall/winter 2011-12 menswear collection, "hand on heart" last friday during the paris fashion week. above models from the show, wearing make-up by inge grognard & hué ian van duc (photo by ronald stoops). see also walter's 2011 spring/summer collection, titled "read my skin".

showtime: ray caesar @ jonathan levine

ray ceasar is one of the artists (the other being erik mark sandberg) showing new works in double-solo expo inaugurated last week @ jonathan levine. titled "a gentle kind of cruelty", the expo features printed multiples as well as large-scale original prints of the toronto-based artist. caesar works in maya (a 3D modeling software used for digital animation effects in film and game industries), using it to create his figures as well as the virtual realms in which they exist. through the program, he builds digital models with invisible skeletons and anatomical joints that can be bent and manipulated to assume any pose. he wraps the models in rich textures, adding hair, skin, eyelashes and fingernails. then places them in digitally lit, impeccably detailed 3D environments built with architectural layers, windows, wallpapers, curtains and furnishings (excerpt from the press release). according to g, who has attended the vernissage, you got to see it real in order to appreciate fully the incredible detail ray's work style enables. will run through february 19 2011.

märta mattsson vs idiots

"mouse machine" is new work by the idiots and märta mattsson. it just appeared on their fb page, not a lot of info available yet but it looks ab fab to us, as always.

botlek

daan botlek is a rotterdam based illustrator, story teller and street painter. anatomy, intestines & a good dose of humor are never far away. enjoy his website & check out his pictures.

ron van der ende

rotterdam based artist & art-bbq-dj ron van der ende will present new works during his solo at the armory show in march. head over to the ambach & rice booth for this pretty impressive steak in salvaged wood. bon appetit!

showtime: onno poiesz & maarten peerdeman @ bob smit gallery

opened yesterday: great show of 2 dutch artists onno poiesz & maarten peerdeman @ bob smit gallery.

bob smit gallery opened it's doors last year not far from museum boijmans van beuningen in rotterdam. it presents 8 exhibitions a year, in which at least one of the artists is working and living in rotterdam.

via trendbeheer

mark jenkins @ volta ny

carmichael gallery will present a solo exhibition of new work by mark jenkins at the volta art fair. another good reason to visit ny in march!

kim guthrie: new sculptures

great as usual. u can see 2 more sculptures on kim's profile & don't forget to follow i photograph stuff.

btw, found something spectacular amongst kim's links: the museum of bad art, alias MOBA. what a collection!!! :-))

the first virtual art fair starts in 2 days

from jan 22-30, u can visit the vip art fair which will take place entirely on the internet. the fair is going to bring together some of the best galleries, and is said to have the potential of becoming the art fair concept for the future.

read more in the economist, on art fag city, in the telegraph & wall street journal.

Top Ten Tips For Shipping Your Art

Painting by Dreama Tolle Perry

Original Air Date: January 19, 2011
"Top Ten Tips For Shipping Your Art"
Join hosts Leslie Saeta and Dreama Tolle Perry as they highlight ways to sell your art. Today Leslie and Dreama will share their suggestions and ideas you can use when shipping your art. Not sure which shipping company to use? Would you like to avoid the long lines at the post office? Tune in as we share our best "shipping tips"!
Please note: Due to Leslie and Dreama's travel schedules, this show was taped in advance.
To listen to the show, click here.

tinkebell: almost 18+ (for your pleasure) @ art rotterdam

if the art babes temptation wasn't enough to get u to rotterdam, we have an ace up our sleeve: a special performance & the book launch by tinkebell. @ the torch stand, of course - where else? yay!!

art babes!!!

art rotterdam (10-13 feb) sure promises to be quite an arousing event this year.
bad boy daan samson, photographer jeronimus van pelt & the illustrious art gallery torch joined forces to present you the very best that art world has to offer.
teaser available here

terence koh

terence koh (also working under the moniker asian punk boy ) uses large variety of media, including performance, sculpture, books, zines, web sites and photography. much of his diverse work involves queer, punk, and pornographic sensibilities. koh is represented by peres projects & thaddaeus ropac.

the identity of "banksy" for sale on ebay

current bid: US $999,999.00
time left: 1 day 4 hours
for merely 1 million $ (so far), you can be the one to discover the true identity of the mysterious king of street art. an offer hard to refuse :-D!
(hat tip: this is crap)
update:"this listing (260720844294) has been removed, or this item is not available."

showtime: the great abnerio @ showroom mama

worth a trip!! opening this fri @ showroom mama, rotterdam: solo show of abner preis, concentrated around the character called "the great abnerio" and his travels.
more about it via no new enemies: the great abnerio is a ‘strong man’ in his own traveling show, in which he tells stories about his adventures as a super hero, about his friends and the magic he learned along the way. the exhibition will be filled with a magic theater, drawings, sculptures, and an arc with ‘squiglies’ on board. the central piece of the exhibition is a large ‘mary-go-round’ in which visitors can take place and can listen to stories of the adventures of the great abnerio. the audience will be encouraged to transform themselves into the great abnerio. everybody who enters the exhibition receives a mustache just like the great abnerio.

paul van den hout: papierschnittwunde

last weekend we met with paul van den hout in brussels. paul has started a new project under the moniker "papierschnittwunde". he creates posters and flyers containing images of his work mixed with bits of text referring to the different themes. the last one, called "liberty roulette"(in the meantime already hanging on a prominent place in our headquarters), definitely ties in with the dictators unite project we work on @ the moment.
get your copy of papierschnittwunde now!

showtime: will cotton @ michael kohn gallery

not to be missed: naked ladies playing in candy!
new paintings, show by will cotton, opened last friday @ michael kohn gallery, los angeles.

zonder terroristen is het niet leuk...

we love jonas staal's work. so last year, when visiting the show a history of violence @ torch amsterdam, we could not resist to purchase one of his awesome small drawings (see above; fyi: the text says 'without rats it ain't fun' in dutch). now, 5 months later, we learned that our purchase didn't go without consequences: for each work sold during the show, jonas put aside the sum of 17,85 €, to be sent to 14 eu listed terrorist organizations. in total, each organization received 80 €. we bow in great respect, jonas, & we sure as hell hope, that the 17, 85 € for 'rats' went to the informal anarchist federation!

Calling all Writers, Artists, Printmakers, Composers and Everyone Else!

Hi everyone,

Thanks for your patience lately. I'm going to be pretty busy and/or wiped out until my book tour is over, at the end of April. I'll do the best I can posting things here and there on weeks when I have fewer events. Speaking of events, if any of you are in the Boston area, I will be reading from my new book, The Memory Palace, tomorrow night, January 18th, at 7 pm at Harvard Book Store at 1256 Mass. Ave. in Cambridge. On Thursday, January 20th, I'll be reading and signing books at River Run Book Store in Portsmouth, New Hampshire (7 pm also). It would be nice to see some Mira's List peeps at one of my events! You can get my full tour schedule on my website right here: http://thememorypalace.com/calendar

Here are a couple things that just came in....and keep in mind that I post late-breaking news on the Mira's List community fan page on Face Book. You will not get this info by friending me on facebook but by going to that community page. I don't respond to facebook requests unless I know people or you are a friend of a friend. And since the Terry Gross interview on the radio, I am getting about fifty friend requests a day and frankly, it's a bit overwhelming to say the least! So check out the Mira's List page if you are on Facebook and follow Mira's List on twitter if you tweet. While I'm on the road I'll be posting grants, etc. on those sites more than on this one because it's easier.
Thanks!
Mirabee

index.html Contact:Christine@printshop.org

(ALL) ART342 Residencies: now accepting artist-in-residence applications for Summer 2011. Residency dates: May 16 - August 19, 2011. On-line application: https://art342.slideroom.com/ Deadline: February 14, 2011. ART342 offers 14-week residencies to emerging and established artists, writers and composers. Studios, a kiln and basic equipment are available for most visual artists, including ceramicists. Quiet spaces exist for creative or scholarly writers. The composer’s studio is outfitted with a Steinway B, computers and software for writing and recording.

Awards for accepted applicants include 24-hour access to free studios, living space and a modest stipend. Residents are responsible for personal expenses and travel to and from the site. Situated in a semi-rural area, ART342 is just 6 miles north of Historic Old Town in Fort Collins. Up to 7 studios and 5 living spaces are maintained as private places for creative work. Pets, children, visitors and partners are strongly discouraged. For more information regarding future application deadlines and residency details, visit: www.art342.org

this next one is from re-title.com:

OPEN CALL - NEW ART PROGRAM
Deadline February 29, 2011

smARTpower, will send fifteen U.S. artists abroad to work with local artists and young people around the world to create community-based art projects. Travel opportunities of up to 45 days will be awarded to selected artists to design and develop programs in cooperation with local arts organizations in host countries including China, Ecuador, Egypt, Ghana, India, Kosovo, Lebanon, Nepal, Nigeria, Pakistan, the Philippines, Kenya, Sri Lanka, Turkey, and Venezuela. smARTpower will support the development and implementation of community-based art projects that engage youth and other local residents, including artists. The projects are strongly encouraged to create a tangible legacy of the work accomplished through smARTpower in a variety of visual arts media, including but not limited to painting, sculpture, drawing, video, installation, photo-based work, public art, and interdisciplinary projects. Participatory work is strongly recommended and encouraged. Artists will address a full range of relevant subjects including, but not limited to, women's empowerment, the environment, health, education, and civic engagement.

Emerging to established artists are encouraged to apply. Finalists will be identified through open competition and selected by a national advisory panel of artists and art professionals. Each recipient will be provided with an honorarium, travel funding, a budget for materials, resources for documentation (including photography, video, and web posting), and on-site logistical support. Proposals must be submitted ONLINE ONLY by midnight, February 28, 2011. Please read all of the information below carefully before applying, to ensure eligibility and proper formatting of your proposal. Mailed applications will NOT be accepted.

smART Power is made possible by the U.S. Department of State's Bureau of Education and Cultural Affairs, and administered by the Bronx Museum of the Arts.

DEADLINE
• All applications and application materials must be received via the smARTpower website by midnight, February 28, 2011.
• Selected artists will be announced in Spring/Summer 2011, and the first round of projects will begin in Summer/Fall 2011.
• Apply online at http://smartpower.bronxmuseum.org/

And you writers out there, do not forget the NEA coming up soon!:

(WRITERS) National Endowment for the Arts: Literature Fellowships—The NEA Literature Fellowships program offers $25,000 grants in prose (fiction and creative nonfiction) and poetry to published creative writers that enable the recipients to set
aside time for writing, research, travel, and general career advancement. The NEA Literature Fellowships program operates on a two-year cycle with fellowships in prose and poetry available in alternating years. For FY 2012, which is covered by these guidelines, fellowships in prose are available. Fellowships in poetry will be offered in FY 2013 and guidelines
will be available in January 2012. Individuals may apply only once each year. Direct questions to the Literature staff at 202/682-5034 or e-mail LitFellowships@arts.gov. For more info, go to: http://www.nea.gov/grants/apply/Lit/index.html

geeky mona lisa

scroll over the above image or click here. some stuff is just cool & doesn't need too much explanation.
(via todayandtomorrow and reblololo)

street art: cali killa

the line "beware of hipsters", accompanied by a stenciled image of this swiftly replicating species ("hipsterus urbanus" ;-)) is one of the iconic works of street artist cali killa. the image appeared on the streets of major metropolitan cities in the usa, including los angeles, boston, san francisco and new york, as well as on many art sites, such as according2g.
many hipsters will now have the opportunity to buy a t-shirt depicting this image & acquire an extra cool aura of wit & self-relativation. irresistible.
unfortunately, urban outfitters, the company which happens to sell this t-shirt, never bothered seeking the artists' permission for using his work in a purely commercial context. not particularly 'cool', if u ask us...

jordan wolfson

we stumbled upon a great movie by jordan wolfson. after reading further about his work, we got even more intrigued by his ideas. an example: in 2009 he presented "your napoleon", a performance in which visitors were individually guided through the frieze art fair by a theoretical physicist who explained string theory for 45 minutes in front of other artists’ work. read more in a ny times style magazine interview with jordan wolfson or see more of his work at his berlin gallery johann könig.

what price the hipness of art ?

don't miss: in the january issue of art press
interesting discussion amongst 6 art critics on the topic of contemporary art in the last decade & its prospects for the coming years.
this is the first one in a series of debates between various stakeholders in the art world, reflecting on the topic from their viewpoint.
you can read part of the discussion online.

new whitney museum plans to open its door in 2015 in downtown, ny

plans for the new whitney museum, designed by renzo piano & situated in the meatpacking district, have been finalized & the construction works are to start in may this year. the museum will be situated right next to the pedestrians' high line, and one block from the standard hotel. something to look forward to, art lovers!

ny sub culinary

illustrator rick meyerowitz remapped the new york metro back in 2004. he and his partner in crime maira kalman, renamed all the neighborhoods, parks, cemeteries and waterways. read more about maps and culture on the blog of grant mccracken, the author of "chief culture officer".

ab fab: morcky's "faces on book"

a fabulous collection of redrawn facebook profile pics by morcky, an italian artist currently living & working in the nederlands. spending no more than 2 mins on each, he has drawn over 1000 of them so far.
we l-o-v-e!
(thnx for tip harlan)

we ♥ new york

amazing time-lapse video by josh owens of hfa's favorite city.

Top Ten New Facebook Tips

Painting by Leslie Saeta

Original Air Date: January 13, 2011
"Top Ten New Facebook Tips"
Join hosts Leslie Saeta and Dreama Tolle Perry as they highlight ways to sell your art. Today Leslie and Dreama will talk about all of the new tricks and ideas you can use on Facebook to promote your art. Would you like to know how to add "Like" buttons to every page of your website? Did you know you can capture the email addresses of all of your Facebook friends? Tune in as we share these and any more tips!
Use this link to follow the tips while listening to the show.
Click here to listen to this show.

Fresh Air Interview TOMORROW & more

Hi everyone,

So they rescheduled my interview with Terry Gross for tomorrow, Tuesday, Jan. 11th, on Fresh Air. But if you are able, please listen anyway to Terry talk with Washington Post investigator James Grimaldi discuss gun laws.

I will post about this when I get back from NY but just in case I forget: if any of you are in the Amherst, MA area this coming Friday, January 14th, come join me at Amherst Books at 8 Main St. in Amherst for a book launch party from 5 to 7 pm. It would be great to see some Mira’s List readers there. For more information about the event and other book events, just go to my website: www.thememorypalace.com and click on "events."

And don’t worry. I will get off this promotional horse when I return from NY because I have some cool things to tell you about that thankfully have nothing at all to do with me!

yours,
Mirabee

Fresh Air Interview with Mira Postponed

Hi everyone...just a quick note to say that due to the tragic shootings in Arizona, they are postponing my Fresh Air interview with Terry Gross until tomorrow, Tuesday the 11th or Wednesday, the 12th. I’m not sure about when it will be aired but I will try to keep you informed. You can also check the updated schedule on NPR. My sympathies go out to the families whose lives were shattered yesterday at that terrible event. I wonder how many tragedies have to occur before we change our gun laws here in the United States???

On another note, here is a review of my book from the Cleveland Plain Dealer that gets the art and heart of the book much more than the NYTimes (with all due respect!): http://www.cleveland.com/books/index.ssf/2011/01/in_the_memory_palace_mira_bart.html
Best to you all....and many arts opportunities coming down the road when I come back from NY.
Mirabee

The Memory Palace Book Launch!

Happy New Year everyone! I hope you all had a great holiday and that this new year brings you much success in all your creative endeavors. I apologize for being a bit out of touch. Things have gone a little wonky on the home front because of my book coming out all over the U.S., Canada and the U.K. this coming Tuesday, Jan. 11th. I am about to go on book tour starting Monday until late April. However, I will do my best to post opportunities during my down times. I promise!

So without further ado, please forgive my shameless self-promotion at the moment because I really need to rally all my readers and friends and tell them about my book—The Memory Palace. Please, if you feel so inclined, spread the word about it, share my website (which has up-to-date info on my readings, reader’s guide and info for book clubs, resources, a blog and more ) and if you can afford it, buy a book!

Below are a couple things coming up. I am also sharing with you the book trailer I did with my husband, Doug Plavin, for the book. And please check my calendar on my website to see if I will be reading anywhere near you. It would be so great to meet some of you! I will definitely be reading in: LA, Pasadena, San Francisco and Berkeley, Chicago, Cleveland, Boston, and a bunch of Northeastern towns in the U.S.

Thanks for supporting me so much the last couple years and I hope to see you at one of my events. And don’t worry—I will keep on posting about grants, fellowships and residencies. Read on below....xox Mirabee

Tomorrow, Sunday, January 9th, New York Times Book Review: get the real thing or read it here: http://www.nytimes.com/2011/01/09/books/review/Thernstrom-t.html

Monday, January 10th, listen to me on NPR’s Fresh Air with Terry Gross! Check their website for local times and also when you can stream it online: http://www.npr.org

Tuesday, January 11th, my book comes out in stores! And I’ll also be on the radio, live on WNYC, talking with Leonard Lopate on his show: http://www.wnyc.org/shows/lopate/

Check out the review of The Memory Palace in O Magazine: http://www.oprah.com/book/The-Memory-Palace-by-Mira-Bartok, listed as one of fifteen books to read in 2011. There are lots more reviews out there available and on the way: Elle, Bust, Bitch, Whole Living, Psychology Today, Washington Post, Cleveland Plain Dealer, More, and a bunch of others that frankly, I can’t recall where and when. Some have already been out there and some are coming soon. I’ll try to post links on my memory palace site when I can. It’s all been a bit overwhelming, to say the least!

Here’s the book trailer as promised, made thanks to my new venture called North of Radio, a multi-media collaborative I just started with my husband (the website is going up in a day or so so if it’s not up yet, please check back). Thanks and I will post again as soon as I can! Wish me luck!
Mira

fyodor pavlov andreevich: the great vodka river

premiered on art basel miami this year, the great vodka river installation by young russian artist fyodor pavlov andreevich was definitely one of the most popular outdoor public artworks. and understandably. enabling public to walk up and down the stairs of the installation in order to “experience it in their own way,” while beautifully dressed “nymphs” carried buckets of vodka - courtesy of beluga - from the bottom and back to the top of the stairs must have created quite an impact...

adiós los angeles

jon jackson has spent nearly his entire life living in la. he is now moving east to work as a creative director in brooklyn. before his departure, he decided to create an unusual farewell message in the form of 5 billboards put up in 5 different la locations. a gesture which will inspire and live on far past his departure date!
(via unurth)

silvio giordano & stefano boring: tank man 2

a while ago we posted silvio giordano's video packaging's life on the blog, now we came across his new photo work. the picture is realized together with stefano boring & titled 'tank man 2'. a parody on the famous 'tank man' (a photograph by jeff widener from 1989, depicting an anonymous protester stopping a row of tanks on the beijing's tiananmen square), tank man 2 - by staging the original scene, but replacing the row of tanks by row of shiny hummers - contemplates on the dictatorship of 'big, beautiful & costly' machines, the tanks of our era.

showtime: attila csörgő @ mudam

although luxembourg might not be the hippest place around, it's still worth visiting thanks to 2 gems of contemporary art musea: mudam & casino luxembourg. on display in mudam right now is - amongst others - archimedean point, show by hungarian artist attila csörgő, exploring the adjoining territories of art and science. looks like something that should not be missed & we're planning to have a closer look this w/e. & while in the city, it's also the last chance to see the brilliant bruno peinado in casino luxembourg.
(photo above by andrés lejona; you can see more pics from mudam on flickr, & soon our own photos will be added as well ;-))

Taking the Art World By Storm

Painting by Dreama Tolle Perry

Original Air Date: January 6, 2011
"Taking the Art World By Storm"
Join hosts Leslie Saeta and Dreama Tolle Perry as they highlight ways to sell your art. On today's show our guest Randy Higbee, owner of Randy Higbee Gallery and kingofframe.com, shares with us how he created the now infamous 6" Squared Art Exhibition and promoted it via facebook.

Click here to listen to this show.

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