Thursday, September 16, 2010
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Friday, October 9, 2009
Greetings, fellow cosmopolites! I trust your summer months were filled with adventures – near and far – and buckets of joy. Here at CAFAM, we celebrated the commencement of the harvest season by opening a 50-year retrospective exploring the work of ceramist Dora De Larios. Learn more about Dora’s pan-cultural, artistic vision below and check out the gallery photos for a blast of whimsy and feminine power today!  While Dora De Larios may have been born into a Mexican-American family, she is a true citizen of the world – a cosmopolite. Raised with a deep respect for her own cultural inheritance, Dora embraced the ethnic diversity of her native Los Angeles with delight and curiosity from an early age. She continued to feed her insatiable interest in world religions and culture through her studies and travel. Dora’s work reflects a deep reverence for our shared humanity as sublimely expressed in folk traditions and rituals from around our magnificent globe. Rooted in the belief that all cultures contain wisdom and beauty, Dora’s art is imbued with multiculturalism in both shape and spirit. Dora’s emotional intensity and connection to all elements of life – including its shadows – are revealed in her signature plaques, masks, totems, and intimate animal figurines. The Goddess, known by many names – Asarte, Isis, Ishtar – reigned supreme in the cradle of civilization for eons producing prosperity and peace. Worshipped for her fertility, the Goddess was revered as the wise creator, the source of universal order, and the provider of culture. While systematically marginalized in modern times or erased from written histories, the power of the Goddess, as embodied in the feminine form, lives on in ancient temples, objects, carvings and paintings throughout the world.  For Dora, the Goddess reflects “a life-long interest in the divine, the symbolism and its interpretation in various cultures.” As a college student in the mid 1950’s, Dora learned about “ancient times when women had temples dedicated to them” and pondered the current state of women’s power and societal roles. The thread of the feminine from Babylonian figurines, to pre-Columbian sculpture, to Mayan rituals, to a contemporary concern for “Mother Earth,” is evident in Dora’s devotion to the Goddess and the spiritual aspects of life.  While Dora knew early on that she was born to create beauty, it was not until her fingers touched the earthly offering of clay that she found her beloved medium. With the Goddess as muse, a vivid imagination, and a cosmopolitan worldview, Dora has created a vast array of dynamic ceramic and sculptural works in the course of her 50-year career. Possessing a deep understanding of her chosen medium, Dora is able to move from intimate clay sculptures to life-size totems and immense public installations with fluid grace. Besides her innovative designs, the vibrancy and sheer life-force of Dora’s glazes, which transmit unadulterated colors of planet Earth, effortlessly lure the viewer into a state of happiness. Dora’s works are joyful (with a few exceptions), bold, and memorable. And yes, Dora De Larios herself is joyful, bold, and memorable. Let the Goddess reign again! Ms. Cosmopolite
Check out these gallery shots!          
Friday, May 29, 2009
Although I have declared myself ageless, Ms. Cosmopolite still adores birthday presents! In May I celebrated my birth as I do most every year by acquiring a new piece of art. I had been coveting the work of Nancy Baker Cahill since February when I saw her art at the charity event FreshStART that benefits Para Los Niños. There were probably hundreds of works presented that night and I buzzed around the gallery space searching for my favourite. To my surprise, every piece I choose was a) by Nancy Cahill Baker and b) already sold! Undeterred, I contacted Nancy directly after the event to see more of her work and was immediately drawn to her Bullet Blossoms Series. At first sight, I wanted to touch these delicate and fierce works on paper that felt both cheery and slightly serious.  It took me a few minutes to incorporate the title of the series, Bullet Blossoms, into my psyche and for a spilt second I jumped back. It dawned on me that the beautiful, vibrant painted poppies I was admiring were created with bullets! Bullets that kill, maim, and destroy so many lives in the world! Honestly, I was not sure how to feel about a symbol of violence transformed into something so utterly beautiful. But the work got me THINKING and FEELING, so I knew I was on to something very special. Aesthetically I was completely awed by the work, but wanted to explore my feelings around the artistic process. I read Nancy’s artist statement and spent time talking to her and in the process learned more about my own view on guns. So you are probably wondering how a slight, young, pretty lady ended up creating fabulous art at the shooting range? Already a working artist, Nancy visited a shooting range with her father in 2007 and found the experience of operating a gun nerve racking and jarring, yet rather empowering. She was aware of the inherent danger around her, but also her increased sense of confidence. After the first experience, Nancy decided knowledge is power and started gun training with a professional. Just being a woman in the male dominated shooting range alerted her to issues of safety and trust (even as she endured some nasty behaviour). Since she was not interested in shooting targets of the human form, Nancy started painting her own targets of botanical objects. Eventually, this led to painting poppies both for their ripe and swollen features and their relation to the drug trade in Afghanistan. Her goal was not to erase the ugliness of violence, but to heal and transform it into something beautiful and productive. This work is, in my mind, truly performance art. Working with specialty paper, Nancy shoots the piece with a 9mm handgun (45 Kimber), standing about 10 yards away to insure accuracy. The “exit wounds” create 3 dimensional sculptures that form the poppies and allow for varying paintings.  I asked Nancy to create a petite version of the Bullet Blossoms and then frame it in a walnut shadow box to allow room for the 3D aspects of the work. It now hangs in my bedroom and I am touched by both its beauty and message daily. One of the interesting things about viewing Bullet Blossoms is the realization that the viewer is on the receiving end of the bullet. Looking at the work, I don’t think I have ever been in the line of fire of art in quite the same way... I, like many women, am intimidated and uncomfortable with guns and have never touched one. I abhor violence and war, and have expressed my views many times to lawmakers, politicians, and community leaders. Yet, I am not naïve to the fact that our society is being militarized in many aspects, and as a result our safety and privacy are in jeopardy. Just this week the issue of allowing guns in State parks was debated, and some are advocating for students to carry guns on University campuses. This all begs the question, do I stay fearful and uneducated about gun usage or do I bite the bullet? Curious to hear your thoughts on this important subject. In the meantime, explore the world of Nancy Cahill Baker at www.nancybakercahill.com/. Until next time, Ms Cosmopolite
Friday, May 1, 2009
I received a curious call the other day from an art curator and museum director I had not previously known. His voice sounded urgent and excited - his words rolled at a brisk pace as his emotions elevated. Enthusiastically, he told me about an artist visit he just concluded, saying that it was the “most mesmerizing and surprising experience of his 30 year art career”. As I listened to this stranger describe an electrifying experience of seeing art that clearly moved him, I started to wonder why he had chosen to share it with me. Truthfully, I even started to zone out as he kept repeating his near religious experience until he got to the punch line, “I would give the artist an exhibit in a heartbeat but I don’t show FOLK ART.” I smiled to myself and politely asked him what exactly he thought “folk art” was. He rattled off a rather stale description using terms such as “untrained”, “primitive”, “naïve”, “cultural artifact”, blah, blah, blah.  Normally I don’t shy away from a good debate, but discussing what is high, low, good, or bad art is an empty exercise. My definition of good art is very simple -- it is art that moves my soul, inspires me to feel or think, and fills me with pure delight. I know the exact feeling of coming into contact with it and experience an instant high when I see it. Sadly, it seems the more “educated” one is on the subject of art, the more disconnected he/she is from the creative impulse that inspires great art. I joyfully spend every dollar I can on art and enjoy my collection daily - my art is part of my life. I personally prefer art created in the context of community or connected to tradition and ritual. Plastic pop art sculptures “fabricated” by machines may get millions at Sothebys, but leave me unmoved. They say that you are what you collect, and I guess that’s the real story. I am a folk… who are you? Now for those of you wondering, “what exactly is Folk Art?” Here’s one view: At CAFAM we view the term “folk art” in a contemporary and dynamic light that is not limited to one frame. We consider all art made in a cultural and social context as part of our domain. Our stance encompasses a wide breath of art and ideas ranging from Polynesian body tattoos that mark a tribe, whether traditional or urban, to the modern interpretation of ancient cave paintings from India that offer political commentary about a post-9/11 world, to a photojournalist’s observations of the complexity of contemporary Iranian society. Folk art offers cultural insights not readily seen in other art forms since it is created with an awareness of, and a connection to tradition and community. The process of creating folk art is a varied and dynamic one the builds on traditional methods or ideas, but also includes individual creativity and contemporary influences. This artistic merger of social order and individual creativity offers incredible insight into global and local values and beliefs. Perhaps the most fascinating aspect of folk art is how sublimely it reveals human similarities amongst diverse cultures. No song, no performance, no act of creation can be properly understood apart from the culture or subculture in which it is found and of which it is a part; nor should any ‘work of art’ be looked on as a thing in itself apart from the continuum of creation-consumption. - Edward D. Ives Until next time, Ms. Cosmopolite
Friday, April 3, 2009
 While the rather destructive effects of conspicuous consumption have been the hallmark of our culture in recent years, the meaningful exchange of one resource for another is the engine of any society. People have traded informally amongst themselves from the earliest times, however, the range and quality of goods exploded with the creation of the first permanent marketplace or bazaar. The word bazaar comes from the Persian word bāzār, meaning "the place of prices", which in our world means the mall (how unsexy!).  As someone who views unearthing worldly goods as a cultural adventure, I delight in visiting bazaars on my global travels and flea markets at home. My first visit to the Grand Bazaar, the world’s largest covered market, in Istanbul, Turkey, was both exhilarating and exhausting. Claiming over 4,000 shops, the Kapali Carsi boasts goods ranging from jewelry, leather goods, copper pots, cashmere shawls, incense, rare spices, and many other finds. The rather Byzantine layout of the market pretty much guarantees a new comer will get lost (which is of course part of the fun), making it a bit overwhelming but well worth it. The Bazaar is filled with charming and jovial merchants serving apple tea and offering a whiff of tobacco water pipes as they artfully show you their specialty goods. This sensual shopping experience also sharpens one’s negotiating skills as bargaining for the right price is a cultural necessity. Nothing is as it seems and prices are not exactly precise. The theatrical setting of the Bazaar has often led me to spend much more than I intended… Yet arriving home after the adventure, and unwrapping each one of my unique treasures, is priceless. On April 3rd and 4th I invite you to the LA version of a Global Bazaar at CAFAM. Local vendors and artisans will be selling their handmade goods in exchange for gold or perhaps an offer of barter. Take a look at the wealth of offerings at www.cafam.org/shop.html and indulge in the experience of coming face to face with the makers of beautiful objects. I am sure a very special treasure awaits you! Happy hunting! Ms Cosmopolite
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Cosmopolite \koz-MOP-uh-lyt\, noun:
1. One who is at home in every place; a citizen of the world; a cosmopolitan person.
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