Head on over to Art and Object and read all about how NFTs are rocking the art world, plus some pointers on how to collect these digital pieces.
The NFT Art Market Explained & How to Participate Safely
Exhibition for Exiled Artists Takes Place in Gardens and Living Rooms of Paris
On July 8, the AA-E wrapped up a free two-week festival dedicated to educating the neighborhood (the working-class 18th arrondissement) about the people who participate in AA-E programming by hosting a selection of workshops, demonstrations, and exhibitions while also saying “merci” to the locals who welcomed the AA-E in 2017.
Highlights included a solo concert by Samih Choukier, a musician and activist who left Syria for good in 2010 to be able to perform as he pleased while also protesting the Assad regime. Congolese writer and performer Perlige Sita-Kouikani staged a one-man show full of stories from his childhood, and Ukranian refugee and choreographer Cleve Nitoumbi performed a vibrant fusion of hip-hop and street jazz.
The catch? The festival was held not at AA-E headquarters, but in gardens and salons offered as impromptu performance space by residents of the 18th arrondissement. “It [the AA-E] suffers from a lack of visibility in the neighborhood,” explained festival organizer François Kalinowski in a recent interview with Le Monde, “We want to tell our neighbors that the Atelier des Artistes en Exil is here, in your neighborhood, with you!” Here’s hoping the festival helped bridge the divide and encouraged greater awareness and hospitality for the people finding solace and a creative outlet at the AA-E.
As always, the organization is looking for support and donations, detailed here.
This story appeared on the July 13, 2018 Fine Books Blog.
Pictured: Sudanese refugee Mohamed Nour Wana. Image courtesy of Sébastien Jédor.
Exiled Artists Find Footing in France
Europe is in the throes of a massive refugee crisis with millions of asylum-seekers fleeing war-torn lands like Syria, Afghanistan, and Somalia. Among those forced from their homeland include writers, artists, singers, and other creatives who now can find refuge and a place to practice their craft in Paris.
Since November 2017, the Atelier des Artistes en Exil (AA-E), or atelier for exiled artists, has welcomed painters, poets, writers, and musicians to its 10,000 square foot space on rue des Poissonniers in the densely populated 18th arrondissement, where immigrants, blue-collar workers and artists live and work side-by-side. The organization is the brainchild of Judith Depaule and Ariel Cypel, a pair known for piloting engaged communal artistic spaces throughout Paris.
The AA-E provides WiFi-enabled workspace and fully-equipped workshops and sound studios where displaced artists have the opportunity to return to their professions and to also regain a sense of stability during a most difficult and stressful time in their lives.
Additionally, the AA-E organizes French language courses, meetings with other artists, assists with resumé writing, facilitates contacts with fellow professionals in France and throughout Europe, and guides asylum seekers through lengthy and confusing French bureaucracy processes.
COURTESY AA-E, PHOTO BY MEDHAT SOODY
An artist in their AA-E studio
As a nonprofit, the AA-E is constantly looking for assistance from educators, artists, curators, teachers, psychiatrists, and librarians, as well as financial support and donations. The AA-E’s current wish list includes tables, chairs, notebooks, drawing supplies, and even food and temporary housing for its displaced patrons. To raise funds, the organization will be launching a crowdfunding campaign in January.
The AA-E lists over two hundred current members. Some work or practice in the studios every day, while others visit when they’re completing projects. Others stop by for meetings, workshops, or to receive legal advice. New visitors are always welcome. Learn more at http://aa-e.org/fr/category/atelier/ and check out some of the artists’ work on the AA-E instagram at https://www.instagram.com/atelierartistesexil/ .
This story appeared on January 20th at Art & Object.
Outsider Art Fair Returns to NYC
It’s always hip to be an outsider, especially when we’re talking about art. So, mark your calendars for the Outsider Art Fair (OAF) which returns to New York City for the 26th year in a row from January 19th through the 21st. This year the OAF welcomes artists from all walks of life to submit a piece or two to the Fair.
Never heard of the OAF ? Learn everything you need to know in my story over at Art&Object.
Day for Night Lights up Houston
Did anyone make it to Houston’s Day For Night Experiential Art and Music Festival last week? Former Army intelligence analyst and convicted spy Chelsea Manning was there. Read all about the immersive festival here—
A New Light: Louvre Abu Dhabi Ushers a Global Focus on Shared Stories of Humanity
On November 11th, a museum opened in Abu Dhabi. And as is fitting for a city known for its glittering skyscrapers and luxury accommodations, it wasn’t just any museum. A collaboration with the Louvre in Paris, the Louvre Abu Dhabi is being billed as a new culture hub for the Middle East.
Read all about this new desert art palace over at the Art & Object website.
image: © Louvre Abu Dhabi – Photography Roland Halbe
Limited Edition MetroCards designed by Barbara Kruger Hit NYC Turnstiles
The New York Metro Transit Authority (MTA) is upping the MetroCard’s style cachet in 2017, even in the wake of the recent announcement that the transit authority will be phasing out the physical payment system in near future. For now, some MetroCards will be turned into modern art. Read more at Art&Object.
Welcome Art & Object!
I am now writing regular features for the recently launched Art & Object, a website dedicated to covering the art world and the secondary art market. Current stories include a look at the Houston arts scene post-Harvey, a preview of the forthcoming Salon Art + Design Show in Manhattan, and a lot more. Please check it out, and check back often!
Literary Features Syndicate 