ArtBeat: What To See

Bull’s Eye: New Photographs by Martin Benjamin @ Mandeville Gallery, Schenectady. An exhibition of over 80 recent photographs by noted photographer and Union College professor Martin Benjamin that examine his experiences as an artist living locally and abroad in Italy and Vietnam, evoking both nostalgic and emotional responses to the people and environments he encounters.

The title of the exhibition is drawn from an image of a Kodak Bull’s-Eye Brownie Camera, Benjamin’s first camera as a child. The image titled “My First Camera” is a photograph Benjamin took of this camera, a relic of his history as a photographer. There will be a full color catalog available including an essay by Shelby Lee Adams, a 2010 Guggenheim Photography Fellow. Artist Reception: Thursday, April 7, 5-7pm. (Through May 22)

Jessica M. Kaufman: Panopticon @ Gallery BMG, Woodstock. The exhibition title refers to a prison structure which allows unknown observation of those being watched. In these photographs, taken on the grounds of Nazi concentration camps, Jessica Kaufman uses her traditional landscape theme to show the natural world bearing witness to atrocities and “fusing indeterminate disturbance with transcendent beauty.” Artist’s Reception: Saturday, April 9, 5-7pm (Through May 23)

Tracy Helgeson @ The Harrison Gallery, Williamstown. Tracy Helgeson’s atmospheric oil paintings of rural buildings and landscapes are filled with golden light. Opening reception: Friday, April 8, 5-7pm. (Through April 30)

Photography Now 2011 @ The Center for Photography at Woodstock. A large group exhibition that examines the intersections of photography, drawing, painting, and printmaking featuring work by Rita Barros, Christa Kreeger Bowden, Matthew Dols, Mariah Doren & Johanna Pass, Robin Dru German, Mikhail Gubin, Yo Imae, Chad Kleitsch, Anne Arden McDonald and Bradly Dever Treadaway. Juror Vince Aletti notes what drew him to this year’s image-makers; “At a time when digitally captured and enhanced photographs can achieve new levels of flawlessness, I find myself increasingly drawn to handmade, inherently flawed images.” Opening reception: Saturday, April 9, 5-7pm. (Through May 30)

History of the World @ The Arts Center of the Capital Region, Troy. Illustrators and artists Owen Sherwood and Andrew DeGraff in an exhibition of drawings, paintings and site-specific wall-based works that incorporate humor, social commentary and personal experience to create connections and rivalries between the microcosms of a creative world. Reception: April 29, 5-9pm. (Through June 3)

Being Upstate @ The Center for Photography at Woodstock. This solo exhibition of work by Carlos Loret de Mola is an immersive stream-of-consciousness experience of the interior dialogue within the mind of a photographer, a husband, a father, a son, a man finding himself in the mid-stage of his life.

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Peter Liepke: Cityscapes @ Carrie Haddad Photographs, Hudson. Moody, atmospheric large-format photographs shot with a Graflex Super D. Also on exhibit: works by Ida Weygandt. (Through April 10)

Forty Shades of Green @ Lichenstein Center for the Arts, Pittsfield. Named after a song written by Johnny Cash after a visit to Ireland, this large group exhibition brings together over forty artists from Berkshire County and the surrounding region for a show of works inspired by Ireland and Irish culture. (Through April 12)

Blue Morph @ Gallery 111, RPI, Troy. A site-specific interactive installation that uses nanoscale images and sounds derived from the metamorphosis of a Blue Morpho chrysalis into a butterfly. (Through April 15)

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Paula Hayes: Understory @ The Tang Teaching Museum, Saratoga Springs. Paula Hayes has transformed the Tang’s Payne Room into an immersive environment brimming with life, including a forest of large silicone planters housing small trees, a series of her hand-blown grass terrariums and new custom-designed wallpaper and dinnerware. (Through April 17)

Marion Vinot: Interrupting the Game and Harry Orlyk: Winter Landscapes @ Carrie Haddad Gallery, Hudson. Two noted Hudson Valley painters, portraitist Marion Vinot and landscape artist Harry Orlyck, pair up for what should be masterful show. (Through April 17)

Objects of Wonder and Delight: Four Centuries of Still Life from the Norton Museum of Art @ The Hyde Collection, Glens Falls. Comprised of 51 works in a variety of media from the collection of the Norton Museum of Art in West Palm Beach, Florida, the exhibition features some of the most famous artists in Western art history such as Gustave Courbet, William Harnett, Henri Matisse, Pablo Picasso, Georgia O’Keeffe, Edward Steichen, Robert Mapplethorpe and Andy Warhol. (Through April 21)

Charles Steckler: Sketcher Recalls/Concerning the Art of Drawing @ The Arts Center of the Capital Region, Troy. A selection of pen and ink drawings from his series Per Passa il Tempo. Derived from a daily practice, the abstract markings in these experimental works suggest imaginary landscapes and fresh botanical inventions. (Through April 22)

Susan Klein @ Courthouse Gallery, Glens Falls. Susan Klein examines the intersection between painting, sculpture, collage and photography. Through a succession of experimentation and recycling, new work is created from old work, which may later become the source for future work. The exhibit will feature recent work in various media that combines both the contradictions and relationships between abstraction and representation, 2-dimensional and 3-dimensional, and what is “temporary” vs. “permanent.” (Through April 22)

Near, Far and In-between @ Mohawk Valley Center For The Arts, Little Falls. Paintings and prints by GG Stankiewicz bridging topographical and frontal landscape features of the Catskill Region, the Great Plains and the City grid through repeated patterns, line and vibrant color. (Through Sunday, April 23)

Recent Work: Aida Laleian and Steve Levin @ William College Museum of Art, Williamstown. Recent works by two studio art faculty members: Aida Laleian’s embroidered digital prints and Steven Levin’s oil paintings. (Through April 24)

Close Encounters @ MCLA Gallery 51, North Adams. Mixed media artwork including photography, painting, sculpture and video, that explores how people interact with each other and the world around the through emotional, physical, or even spiritual means. (Through April 24)

Susanna Heller: Painting @ John Davis Gallery, Hudson. (Through April 24)

Truro Light @ The Photography Center of the Capital District, Troy. Eric Lindbloom (working in traditional black and white prints) and Joseph Schuyler (working in color digital inkjet prints) exhibit their photographs of the town of Truro, Massachusetts, a summer vacation community on Cape Cod. Opens March 11. (Through April 25)

{sub/urban} @ The Clement Art Gallery, Troy. Photographs by Scott Nelson Foster and paintings by Ben Schwab. . (Through April 28)

Graham Parker: The Confidence Man @ EMPAC, Troy. New York-based artist Graham Parker has long been interested in spectrality—the concealing of one set of operations behind the appearance of another. His 2009 book Fair Use (Notes from Spam) explored spam emails as the latest manifestation of a longstanding mode of deception that has accompanied nearly all new developments in human transport and communication networks (the book touched on such phenomena as Nigerian spam, 19th century railroad cons and medieval beggar gangs). The Confidence Man features work that has grown out of that research—including hacked ATM machines, rogue WIFI networks, monologues drawn from spam emails, and a tribute to the 1973 film The Sting.

For three weeks starting on Monday, March 21, the artist will be working in the space for a few hours each day, using the exhibition as a studio and making ongoing alterations to the installation. Parker will be available for conversations with the public on a drop-in basis if he is onsite. To book or confirm a tour or conversation with the artist, please call the EMPAC box office at 518.276.3291. (Through April 30)

Sub Mirage Lignum @ MASS MoCA, North Adams. Encompassing an entire floor of MASS MoCA, Nari Ward’s dramatic sculptural installations are composed of material systematically collected from the neighborhoods where he lives and works or is personally connected to, including his birthplace and childhood home of Jamaica and the century-old restored capacitor factory that houses MASS MoCA.

Emerging Artists 2011 @ The Limner Gallery, Hudson. Twenty five contemporary artists, selected from an international call for entries, working in video, painting, photography and sculpture. (Through April 30)

The Reflections Series – Empire State Cars @ The Albany Barn, Albany. Photographer/designer Craig A. Shufelt’s photographic film portraits of classic automobiles as mirrors of the lives of their respective owners. (Through April 30)

Mercurial Objects: Luxuriant Obsession @ Schick Art Gallery, Skidmore College, Saratoga Springs. An invitational exhibition of artists working in three-dimensional media in a wide range of materials, including – but not limited to – porcelain, felted wool, carved wood, copper, pipe cleaners, and porcupine quills. Artists include Betsy Brandt, Sharon Church, Ginger Ertz, Rebecca Hutchinson, Terrence Lavin, Bruce Metcalf, Stephanie Metz, Annabeth Rosen and Anat Shiftan. (Through May 1)

Pittsfield 250 @ The Berkshire Museum, Pittsfield. As part of the City of Pittsfield’s year-long celebration of its 250th birthday, this collection of artworks and artifacts offer a priceless view back through history at the fascinating story of the city. Also on display is Two Centuries of Dutch and Flemish Art, a carefully chosen collection of artwork culled mainly from Berkshire Museum’s extensive collection. ($13 for adults and $6 for children.) (Through May 8)

Brian Reed: A Matter of Heart @ Gallery 135, Hudson. The second in a series of planned exhibits, this mystical installation of spirit staffs melds the ancient and contemporary, the interpretative and expressionistist. (Through May 8)

The Art and Animations of Elwood H. Smith @ The Norman Rockwell Museum, Stockbridge. Enter the wild and wonderful world of illustrator Elwood Smith, with a look at his 40-year career producing energetic illustrations for The New York Times, Wall Street Journal, and Time, and such favorite children’s books as “Hot Diggity Dog” and “Stalling.” (Through May 15)

M.C. Escher: Seeing The Unseen @ The Berkshire Museum, Pittsfield. Wrap your brain around one of the 20th century’s most popular artists including an up-close look at several rarely displayed original woodblocks, watercolors, drawings and prints. (Through May 22)

CLAP @ CCS Bard Hessel Museum of Art, Annandale-on-Hudson. CLAP is a curatorial collaboration between CCS Bard graduate students Nova Benway, Michelle Hyun, Nathan Lee, Dylan Peet, and CCS Bard Executive Director Tom Eccles featuring art from the Marieluise Hessel Collection, including works by Rita Ackermann, Nicolas Africano, Janine Antoni, Ida Applebroog, Siah Armajani, John Baldessari, Georg Baselitz, James Bayard, Joseph Beuys, Bik Van der Pol, John Bock, Cosima von Bonin, Richard Bosman, Manuel Álvarez Bravo, Roger Brown, Michael Buthe, Paul Chan, Liz Deschenes, Roe Ethridge, Tony Feher, Saul Fletcher, Robert Gober, Félix González-Torres, Wade Guyton, Mona Hatoum, Eberhard Havekost, Richard Hawkins, Charline von Heyl, Jim Hodges, Rebecca Horn, Alfredo Jaar, Neil Jenney, Joan Jonas, On Kawara, Jannis Kounellis, Sean Landers, Robert Mapplethorpe, Christian Marclay, Virgil Marti, Paul McCarthy, Allan McCollum, Mario Merz, Bruce Nauman, Gabriel Orozco, Tony Oursler, Giulio Paolini, Raymond Pettibon, William Pope.L, Lisi Raskin, Steve Reich, Jason Rhoades, Aïda Ruilova, Carolee Schneemann, David Shrigley, Lorna Simpson, Ryan Trecartin, Nicola Tyson, Kara Walker, Lawrence Weiner, Mark Winetrout, and Andrea Zittel. (Through May 22)

Willie Marlow – A Survey: 1977-2010 @ The Arkell Museum, Canajoharie. If you missed the Opalka’s huge retrospective of Willie Marlowe’s dazzling, saturated paintings this past winter, you’re still in luck: the touring exhibition, pared down a bit, makes a stop at the Arkell Museum. (Through May 25)

The Visual Dynamic @ @ Saratoga Arts, Saratoga Springs. Jennifer Hunold’s sewn images and Jason Paradis’ installations explore the dichotomy between societal relationships and our perceived environment. (Through May 28)

Meg Birnbaum and Howard Saunders @ Davis Orton Gallery, Hudson. Meg Birnbaum’s “Person/Persona” is a series of diptychs exploring the transformative power of costume-wearing and the creation of alter egos. Howard Saunders’ “Axeman” is comprised of mixed-media pieces based on his faux graphic memoir “Axeman Who Will Be 70 In The Year 2010.” Also on view at the gallery are electronic and hands-on portfolio presentations of photographers Robert Kalman and Gordon Stettinius & Terry Brown. (Through May 28)

Witness: The Art of Jerry Pinkney @ Norman Rockwell Museum, Stockbridge. Opening Saturday, November 13, the first major retrospective exhibition of the award-winning children’s book illustrator and designer will feature more than 140 watercolor illustrations spanning his 50-year career, touching on such personal and cultural themes as the African-American experience, the wonders of classic literature and the wisdom in well-loved folk tales. (Through May 30)

David True & Trevor Winkfield: Paintings @ The Charles B. Benenson Visitors Center Gallery, Art Omi, Ghent. While their sources and techniques are various, and often incongruous, True and Winkfield share certain common characteristics in their painterly pursuits: most significant, the use of recognizable still objects, symbols and figures, which, combined, present an enigmatic, depthless environment of meanings – as well as the free use of color. (Through June 5)

Travels With Norman @ The Norman Rockwell Museum, Stockbridge. Between 1962 and 1975, Norman and Molly Rockwell traveled together to twenty-eight countries, including the U.S.S.R., India, Columbia, and Mexico. Molly’s slides documenting their travels are shared publicly for the first time in this exhibition, displayed alongside the related work of her husband. (Through June 19)

1911 Capitol Fire @ The New York State Museum, Albany. In the early morning hours of March 29, 1911, a fire broke out in the northwest corner of the New York State Capitol. The fast-moving flames claimed the life of an elderly night watchman and destroyed much of the State Library and irreplaceable collections of the State Museum. The 100th anniversary of the Great Fire of 1911 is commemorated through historic photographs, dramatic eyewitness accounts, and important objects that survived the inferno. (Through June 18)

David Hinchen: Cityscapes @ The Stockade Inn, Schenectady. David Hinchen’s colorful paintings, mostly of Albany, focus squarely on buildings, skylines and architectural details. (Through June 30)

Environment and Object: Recent African Art @ The Tang, Saratoga Springs. A show of recent African art that examines the impact of the environment on contemporary African life as well as the use of found objects and appropriated materials as a recurring presence in current African art. Artists include El Anatsui, Zwelethu Mthethwa and Yinka Shonibare as well as emerging artists such as Bright Ugochukwu Eke, George Osodi, and Nnenna Okore, among others. (Through July 31)

Memery: Imitation, Memory, and Internet Culture @ MASS MoCA, North Adams. Meme + Memory = Memery. Featuring nine artists who extract lasting forms of expression from a seemingly impermanent and ever-evolving online world, this exhibition will debut a new work by Penelope Umbrico and feature new installations in continuing series by Oliver Laric and Martijn Hendriks. Other artists include: AIDS-3D, John Michael Boling, Mark Callahan, Constant Dullaart, Brian Kane, and Rob Matthews. (Through July 31)

Alumni Invitational 3 @ The Tang Teaching Museum, Skidmore College, Saratoga Springs. Artwork that spans four decades—from the late 1960s through the late ’90s—and artists that bring a range of approaches and techniques to their work, from large-scale color photography to recycled furniture design. The four featured artists are Bradley Castellanos, Josh Dorman, Johnny Swing, and Shellburne Thurber. (Through August 14)

Frida Kahlo: Through the Lens of Nickolas Muray @ Fenimore Art Museum, Cooperstown. Photographer Nickolas Muray (1892-1965) came to America in 1913 from Hungary and began a forty-five year career as a photographer. He began photographing Frida Kahlo in color in the winter of 1938, when Muray and Kahlo were at the height of an on-again, off-again ten-year love affair, and continued to do so until 1948. (Through September 5)

Keeping Time @ Albany International Airport, Albany. Artists navigate the collective and individual mythology of nostalgia with an eye for its humorous, deceptive and often bittersweet nature. Featuring Joel Griffith, Stevan Jennis, Matt LaFleur, Leslie Lew, Michael MIllspaugh, Ken Ragsdale and Randy Regier. Opens April 2. Reception: Friday, April 8, 5:30-7:30pm. (Through September 5)

Katharina Grosse: One Floor Up More Highly @ MASS MoCA, North Adams. Katharina Grosse’s new installation fills with massive Building 5 gallery with her largest commission to date. Cool video here showing the ingenious way the MASS MoCA folks managed to get 700 cubic yards of soil into Building 5. (Through October 30)

Shadow Catcher: Edward Curtis Among the Kwakiutl @ Fenimore Art Museum, Cooperstown. Edward Curtis (1868-1954) devoted over 20 years to photographing and documenting over 80 American Indian tribes. After receiving a commission from financier J.P. Morgan, he produced a 20 volume series called The North American Indian, with each volume comprising 75 photogravures and 300 pages of text. The exhibition features the complete Portfolio Number 10, entitled The Kwakiutl. Paired with the Eugene and Clare Thaw Collection of American Indian Art, which includes numerous Kwakiutl artworks, the exhibition allows visitors to see the masterpieces of the Thaw collection be brought to life in the ceremonies and lives of the Kwakiutl people. (Through December 31)