Aeqai’s back with its April issue, and we apologize that we’re about l0 days late. My computer broke for awhile–a few of this month’s columns were actually meant to be posted last month–and then I had to go on medical leave for about six weeks, but I’m back. I think our new issue is well worth the slight delay. April/May bring a plethora of interesting shows, and artists continue to find new spaces, collaborate in exciting ways, and work in old and new media effectively. Chris Carter returns this month to aeqai, with an astute and thorough review of “Subject Matter”, photographs by William Renschler and Harvey Osterhoudt at Iris Book Care in OTR, Cincinnati, curated, as always, by William Messer. Cynthia Kukla gives us two, or really three, reviews: she looks at the Japanese prints show at The Cincinnati Art Museum, and also at shows at ThunderSky Gallery Northside, a three-artist show, and a portrait show at Visionaries and Voices. Jonathan Kamholtz’s offering this month is a brilliant analysis of drawings at Manifest Gallery, a group show; we’ve learned to expect exciting shows from around the globe at Manifest. Chelsea Borgman’s review of a recent performance at The Black Box at Contemporary Arts Center is a terrific look at the world of gaming, through the work of artist Jisum Kim, called “Climax of the Next Scene”. The CAC performance series, curated by Drew Klein, remains one of the most exciting in the region. Marlene Steele’s review of Cedric Cox’s paintings at The Taft Museum is brilliant, as is Karen Chambers’ analysis of the Tiffany Glass show at Cincinnati Art Museum.
Jane Durrell’s profile/interview of/with area artist Leslie Shiels is very enlightening; Shiels has been painting here for decades, and her paintings, drawings and prints have garnered much deserved acclaim over the decades. Texas artist/reviewer Jack Wood has an interview in Q and A format with artist Sara Willadsen, and Kim Rae Taylor returns with her interview in Q and A format with artist Nishiki Sugawara-Beda (we note an increase in interest in Japanese art, lately). Megan Bickel, our Louisville critic, brings us three reviews this month, of Claire Sherman paintings at Kentucky Arts/Crafts Museum, a review of what appears to have been a terrific fashion sow , also at Kentucky Arts and Crafts Museum; and of work at Zephyr Gallery: Project l7,” Ritual Geography”. Joelle Jameson returns with a double review of two shows at Houston Museum of Fine Arts, one an overview of Cuban art, and the other of work by Ron Mueck. While on the topic of Cuba, Laura Hobson gives us a feature of a new collaborative project of cultural exchange, organized by Cincinnati artists Kay Hurley and Jens Rosenkrantz, Jr.; artwork from this region and paintings from Cuba will be exchanged and exhibited in both countries over the next months: the culminating show in this region will be held at The Art Academy of Cincinnati.
Anise Stevens returns with a review of work by Tony Pinto at Shoebox in Los Angeles, and LA critic Annabel Osberg offers a superb review of drawings by Jean Dubuffet at the Hammer Museum in LA. Jack Wood also offers a second review of work by Rachel Fischer in Houston. And Saad Ghosn’s back with his second of two “Letters from Lebanon”, where he continues to educate us about the art scene in that country, where he was born. Jennifer Perusek offers two fashion reviews; her analysis of the new highly charged world of liberal politics is informing the world of fashion increasingly, and very engagingly, particularly amongst younger designers.
I submit three book reviews, of new fiction by Margaret Drabble, Kate Carlson, and Parisa Reza, one English, one American, and one Iranian by birth, now living in Paris: the globalized world has definitely enriched the world of fiction.
We always welcome your comments, and donations to keep us afloat and our writers paid, if you’re inclined and have some rare extra monies. We hope that you find this issue stimulating, and we’ll be back at the very end of May with our next issue. If you click www.aeqai.org, it should take you directly to the site.
–Daniel Brown, Editor, www.aeqai.com