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Stay Educated: Seven art world events that promise to shift the kulture
The art world is forever evolving. With that said it’s necessary that we all stay educated about certain events that are shifting kulture. With social media platforms larger than ever it’s easy to miss out on a lot of things.
We constantly scroll through life not paying attention to the people or events that really matter. Trust, that once upon a time things were very different in the art world.
Ethnic creatives and artists from minority groups are just starting to receive the respect they finally deserve. Creatives are creating more. Plus, during these times nothing seems more important than an artist giving back to their hood.
Not to mention the feminist movement taking the art world by storm. Simply put we are at the edge of a new era.
With our attention spans forever diminishing, we had to keep you in the know and bless y’all with this list of seven art world events that could shift the culture.
1. Carlos Rolon pairs up with Project Backboard
The citizens of Puerto Rico are still feeling the devastating effects that Hurrican Maria had on the island. This is why the OG Carlos Rolon who is also of Puerto Rican descent had to use his artistic talents to help refurbish basketball courts destroyed by Hurrican Maria. He told the Financial Times,
“The design on this basketball is drawn from a new body of work created for my solo exhibition at the New Orleans Museum of Art, featuring paintings that pay homage to my Puerto Rican heritage”
Each limited edition basketball will go for $210 on eBay starting Feb. 18. The proceeds made will fund Project Backboard’s initiative. Let’s get it!
2. The Brant Foundation will share Basquiat’s legacy
The Brant Foundation in collaboration with the Fondation Louis Vuitton will put on an exhibition dedicated to the art master Jean Michel Basquiat, starting Mar. 6 and ending May 15.
We all know how much this means to the culture, especially because the Brant Foundation’s new location is smack-dab in the same area of NYC where the legend once lived, the East Village. Curator of the show and Brant Foundation co-founder, Peter Brant said in a statement,
“Basquiat has been a cornerstone of the East Village art scene for decades, and to bring his work back to the neighborhood that inspired it is a great privilege. Our family is thrilled to launch the Brant Foundation’s New York space with an artist who is central to the collection, and above all to share his legacy with the community that was fundamental in shaping it.”
3. Lagos, Nigeria is becoming a new art destination
Over here in the States, it’s important to keep your ear to the global streets. Last Fall, something special was happening as we all were over hyped about Miami Art Basel. A couple of months prior to the boujee festivities in Miami in there was an artsy volcano exploding in Lagos, Nigeria.
Art X Lagos an art festival which is only three years old was exploding with contemporary African art. In fact, in Lagos, during the whole pre-winter season there is a myriad of cultural events devoted to literature, poetry, photography, theater, and fashion.
This year the Art X festivities included an appearance by Kehinde Wiley who was flown in by the US consulate and a keynote talk by the distinguished British-Nigerian artist Yinka Shonibare. Read more about it here.
4. Brooklyn Museum hosts the largest Frida Khalo exhibition in over a decade
We all know who she is. Frida Khalo, through her artworks, defied the odds, shifted culture, and showed people the importance of ethnic culture. She will forever remain as a beacon of light for creatives from all walks of life.
In a new exhibit at the Brooklyn Museum titled Frida Kahlo: Appearances Can Be Deceiving not only will her legendary art be put on display but also her clothing and other personal possessions which were locked away since her untimely passing in 1954.
Khalo inspires us to tread on and having a female artist highlighted in this way, so intimately, only allows patrons to develop a deeper understanding of why she created, how she lived, and her image.
The exhibition started on Feb. 8 and will end on May 12. You have to pull up.
5. Swizz Beatz to highlight “Black Renaissance” works in LA
Swizz Beatz, Alicia Keys, and their Dean collection have always been avid supporters of underserved artists without a voice. As their collection continues to grow and their artsy campaigns evolve into an unstoppable force, this Dreamweavers exhibition only looks to inform the unknowing even further.
Curated by Nicola Vassell, the show opening Feb. 13 (today) will feature more than 20 leading contemporary African-American and African diaspora artists. Featured artworks from creatives like Kehinde Wiley, Kerry James Marshall, and Charles White look to prove that we are in the midst of a “black renaissance.”
If you’re heading to LA for Frieze, this is something that you definitely don’t want to miss out on. The exhibition will run through Apr. 13.
6. King Saladeen to drop Money Bear toy and Airmax sneakers in US
We’ve been following Saladeen’s career for some time now and we must say ‘Boy are we proud!’ Coming from Philly the mastermind artist has been through a lot and for us, he’s a source of overflowing inspiration.
He made moves in 2018; exhibiting art at the NYSE, collaborating with Champion Athletic Wear, hosting a solo show at The Compound, revealing a toy at Complex Con, giving back to his community. Truth be told he’s unstoppable.
Now at the beginning of 2019, he’s looking to drop his own Nike sneaker and do an official release for his JP the Money Bear in the US. This gives hope to Black artists everywhere. In fact, it gives hope to all artists everywhere, that is if you truly have the hustler gene in you.
Keep your eyes peeled for this drop, it’s finna be legendary.
7. An art dealer is showing 100% women for the next year
The race for gender equality amongst creatives is on. Starting next month (March), London based art dealer Richard Saltoun and his two directors Niamh Coghlan and Allison Thorpe will execute their plans on only showing a year’s worth of programming without a single man.
This couldn’t happen at a better time and proving that this can be done will be legendary. The mission: To protest the gender inequality that persists in the art world and encourage wider industry action through debate, dialogue, and collaboration. Saltoun told Artsy,
“There is so much great art that is being made by women that, in most cases, tends to be a lot more interesting to me than a lot of male art that gets rammed down your throat…”
BIG FACTS!