A&D NEWS

May 2, 2012

MoMA Acquires Matt Kenyon’s Notepad

A&D Associate Professor Matt Kenyon’s work NOTEPAD has been acquired by the permanent collection of The Museum of Modern Art New York (MoMA), New York City. This was the same work featured in last summer’s “Talk To Me design” exhibition.

http://www.moma.org/interactives/exhibitions/2011/talktome/
http://www.swamp.nu

May 2, 2012

Matt Kenyon Featured: Adversarial Design

Matt Kenyon’s work is featured in the recently published book titled “Adversarial Design” by Carl DiSalvo (MIT Press) In Adversarial Design, Carl DiSalvo examines the ways that technology design can provoke and engage the political. He describes a practice, which he terms “adversarial design,” that uses the means and forms of design to challenge beliefs, values, and what is taken to be fact. It is not simply applying design to politics—attempting to improve governance, for example, by redesigning ballots and polling places; it is implicitly contestational and strives to question conventional approaches to political issues Chapter 4 titled Devices of Articulation: `Ubiquitous Computing and Agonistic Collectives focuses on Kenyon’s work SPORE.

http://www.swamp.nu
http://www.amazon.com/Adversarial-Design-Thinking-Theory/dp/0262017385

May 2, 2012

Matt Kenyon: Art and Artificial Life in Madrid

Matt Kenyon’s work featured at the first major international retrospective of Art and Artificial Life award winners in Madrid Spain. Kenyon will be exhibiting a new version of SPORE that he has built since joining A&D. This new version of SPORE is powered in part by microbial fuel cells. SPORE is a self-sustaining ecosystem for a rubber tree plant purchased at Home Depot. In this project, Home Depot is responsible for the plant in two ways: first, an unconditional guarantee to replace any plant they sell, for up to one year; second through an implied cybernetic contract. This second responsibility is the creative content for the work, where the economic health of Home Depot is transitioned through a series of physical computing techniques to a mechanism for controlling the watering of the rubber tree. The exhibition opens May 8th VIDA retrospective exhibition will coincide with the reopening of the Fundación Telefónica new cultural centre in the Telefónica´s historic headquarters. Other artists included in the exhibition include: Eduardo Kac, Ken Rinaldo, Philip Beesley and Rafael Lozano-hemmer.

http://www.swamp.nu
http://www.fundacion.telefonica.com

April 27, 2012

Holly Hughes: Standing Heat opens in Chicago

“Standing Heat,” produced and curated by Holly Hughes, opens at Links Hall in Chicago on May 4th. The series of animal themed performances runs Friday through Sunday at Chicago’s premiere performance space in Wrigleyville, and features an array of nationally known artists. Chicago based storyteller Kestutis Nakas will open the series with “No Bees for Bridgeport,’ an exploration of urban bee-keeping set against the shifting demographics of a South Side neighborhood and “Other Animals” by multi media artist and eco-activist, Deke Weaver. Week two features Kevin Kling, a Minneapolis based story teller and frequent NPR contributor in a world premiere of “Chicken Soup for the Chickens.” Finally, the last week features performances by Kim Marra in “Horseback Views,” which recounts her journey to the 1980 Olympic equestrian competition, and a performance by U of M’s Dance Department’s Amy Chavasse in “Girldogsongs.”

Hughes was selected as a curator after a national call for submissions.

Tickets for the event are available at http://www.linkshall.org .

April 23, 2012

Without Walls: Works from the muraLAB/Breadboard Residency

Work created by Chris Landau (MFA 2006) as part of his muraLAB/Breadboard Residency is now on display at Philadelphia’s Esther M. Klein Art Gallery at the Science Center.

Without Walls at Esther Klein Gallery in Philadelphia explores new modes of public art and muralism through a unique collaborative residency between Breadboard and muraLAB, an experimental hub at The City of Philadelphia Mural Arts Program. Six Philadelphia Artists were selected for a six-month residency at NextFab Studio, a high-tech workshop and prototyping center located at the University City Science Center. muraLAB is a laboratory for exploring muralism in the 21st century – as artistic mediums evolve, technologies emerge, and the concepts of real/virtual communities merge. As the world changes, we want to stay true to our roots in muralism. These roots include a dedication to using art to give voice to disadvantaged communities and marginalized populations, engaging communities in deep and meaningful ways, and exploring issues that are timely and relevant to people’s lives.

Exhibition opening: April 27, 2012

http://muralarts.org/interact/blog/without-walls-works-muralab-breadboard-residency

April 16, 2012

Motawi Featured on Arab-American Stories

Detroit Public Television premiered its 13-part series Arab-American Stories at the end of March. Hosted by NPR’s Neda Ulaby, the series profiles Arab-Americans making an impact in their communities, professions, families, and the world at large. The series is a national partnership with PBS, but its production was initiated by the Michigan Arab-American community.

Nawal Motawi, the founder and owner of Motawi Tileworks, is featured in the episode airing on Monday, April 16, at 7:30pm. Filmmaker Sarah Zientarski and her crew spent a day at the Tileworks in late November 2011 filming Nawal and the production staff. “I’m incredibly proud of our staff and what we’ve achieved,” says Nawal, “and I’m delighted that we get to share it with the rest of the country.”

Tune into Detroit PBS Channel 56 on Monday, April 16th, at 7:30pm to see Motawi Tileworks on ‘Arab-American Stories’.

Not in Southeast Michigan? No problem! Watch the series online here, and stay tuned for the national PBS launch later this year.

http://www.motawi.com/

April 16, 2012

Looping Detroit, Nick Tobier’s People Mover

Looping, Detroit is a collection assembled by Nick Tobier of visual artists, MC’s, poets , radio producers and novelists with the People Mover as its organizing spine. Each contributor selected a station of the People Mover to explore it. The radius was up to them from the platform to the next stop. Looping Detroit is the collected creative responses to Detroit’s elevated monorail—a brief ride in time to be sure, but these stops and their surroundings are filled with lives past and present, provocation and candor. Think of it as a journal for eccentric explorations, a Situationist rant, a poetic ramble. Just not anything that would be, say in an inflight magazine of what to do and see in Detroit. Contributors include: Chace MCWrite Morris Airea Dee Matthews David Gluckman Francine Harris Lolita Hernandez Cornelius Harris Walter Lacy Justin Langlois Mary Lum Patrick Morris Zak Rosen Stacey Malasky Nick Tobier Cee Ann Yates Michael Zadoorian Every third Sunday of the month UDM sponsors Broadside Press Poets´ Theatre on the U of Detroit/Mercy Livernois campus. The event lasts from 3-6pm and has a featured reader or group of readers followed by a discussion and an open mic session. Broadside Press was started in the 1960s in Detroit by Dudley Randall (best known for his poem, “The Ballad of Birmingham”). For the last 45 years Broadside has been publishing outstanding work by African American authors such as Gwendolyn Brooks, Audre Lourde, Haki Madhabuti, and many others. The Press also has a very strong commitment to Detroit and community activism, viewing publishing as a way to build and empower community. (image: Broadway PM, by Stacey Malasky)

April 16, 2012

Lindsay Stern to Speak on Museum Work at U of M

Lindsay Stern (MFA 2009) has been invited to be a speaker at the MSP@10 Celebration. This symposium is being held in honor the University of Michigan Museum Studies Program’s 10th anniversary, and will explore current practical and theoretical issues in museums. Lindsay will present on her current work as the Education Coordinator at the Center for Photography at Woodstock during the Engaging Museums segment of the program. This event will take place in the Rackham Amphitheater on Friday, April 20 from 1pm-5pm, and is free and open to the public.

http://ummsp.lsa.umich.edu/newsandevents/currentevents/lectures_detail/msp10_celebration

April 16, 2012

Katie Halton: Stations of the Cross Commission

Katie Halton (BFA 2004) will discuss her latest work, a 14-piece depiction of the Stations of the Cross for Huron Hills Church, with an artist’s talk at the Ann Arbor Art Center, Mon, April 16 at 7:30 pm. 

Katie discusses her progression, influences, and newest series at her artist’s talk: 
7:30pm, Monday, Apr 16
Ann Arbor Art Center (2nd floor) 117 W Liberty St

See the work in person at Katie’s opening reception: all new pieces will be on display!
7:00 pm. Thursday,  Apr 26
Huron Hills Church Coffee Shop,  3150 Glazier Way

April 16, 2012

Ruth Taubman: Spring Line Premieres in California

Ruth Taubman (BFA 1981) will present her 2012 spring jewelry line at a series of trunk shows in the San Francisco Bay area. Taubman’s newest pieces will be featured April 19th-21th in Marin County, and April 23rd-25th in San Francisco. For more information, please visit http://www.ruthtaubman.com and click on “Contact Us.”

http://ruthtaubman.com/events