In Absentia

Art or Idiocy? was in Cleveland this past weekend and had a chance to visit two of the city’s art venues. First was the Cleveland Museum of Art, which is partially closed for a major renovation and addition. The project is more drastic and expansive than Chicago’s Art Institute. As a result, many galleries of it’s encyclopedic permanent collection have been closed and deinstalled, with the museum’s total closure for a temporary period coming later this year. But what is currently on view is amazing. The NEO show, akin to the Greater New York, and the extinct Chicago and Vicinity exhibitions, highlights contemporary work from northeast Ohio. Also there is an exhibition of meticulous works on paper by Belgian artist Michaël Borremans. It is his first museum show and the CMA venue is its only stop in America. Borremans’ Hallucination and Reality is quite the sleeper hit.

A short distance from CMA is the Museum of Contemporary Art Cleveland. MoCA Cleveland is tucked away in the humble locale of the 2nd floor of the Cleveland Play House Complex. But it more than makes full use of its environment. MoCA presents works of local artists and internationals in four special exhibitions.

Reviews on all this forthcoming.


And as filler:

Hear Ye, Hear Ye!

Bridge Magazine has called a town hall meeting! By chance we came across it on their website, and are guessing not many people frequently swing by, as it is not regularly updated. At any rate, the meeting Wednesday, August 17th, at 7pm at the NOVA Studio and Exhibition space. This should be interesting. Hopefully they are not announcing plans to start a museum.

Also Not to be Missed:

Foundation Gallery Moving • Report From 3Oaks • Fort Munch •

On View at AIC • Agnes Martin Remembered


Contact by electronic mail? • artoridiocy@yahoo.com