Zhang Hongtu in conversation with R.C. Baker
“dreaming of an old and naive dream — to be an artist!”
Saturday, September 23, 1PM at JENNIFER BAAHNG
Zhang Hongtu, in conversation with R.C. Baker, will discuss his life experiences under Mao’s dictatorship, the hardships of the Cultural Revolution, and the influences from both East and West that set him on his own, very distinct path, one where politics, Picasso, Pop Art, and more mixed with the “dreaming of an old and naive dream — to be an artist!” This talk is in conjunction with Picasso, Welcome to America at Jennifer Baahng Gallery, June 15 to September 30, 2023, with participating artists: R.C. Baker, Brandon Ballengée, Romare Bearden, Deborah Buck, Shijia Chen, Billy Copley, Eileen Foti, Björn Meyer-Ebrecht, Janet Taylor Pickett, Jaye Moon, Pablo Picasso, André Raffray.
America: Ideomerica and the Terminal Century
A Discussion with R.C. Baker and Sharon Butler
Saturday, February 18, 2PM at Jennifer Baahng Gallery
On Saturday, February 18, 2023, at 2 PM, gallery artists R.C. Baker and Sharon Butler will delve into the ways their work grapples with today’s digital miasma, as well as what culture critic Greil Marcus famously termed “the old, weird, America.” In Butler’s “Idiomerica” series, painted pixels collide with inkjet prints of household tools, layered images that conjure the capitalist sprawl of the suburbs. In his series “The Terminal Century,” Baker’s psychedelically bright, painted collages imagine how the Blues and the Bomb bookended history’s most — at least, so far — violent century.
Conjunctions, Addenda, Commutations
A Conversation with Raphael Rubinstein and Sharon Butler
Saturday, October 8, at 2PM at Jennifer Baahng Gallery
On October 8, 2022, noted poet and art critic Raphael Rubinstein sat down with gallery artist Sharon Butler to discuss “Next Moves” (Sept 15 – Nov 15, 2022) , Sharon Butler’s latest solo exhibition at JENNIFER BAAHNG. In this BAAHNG SPOTLIGHT, Rubinstein and Butler discuss Butler’s subtle explorations of painting vernacular, in particular, her use of digital sketches as the ground for a recent series of luminous, gridded works. Raphael Rubinstein is a professor of Critical Studies at the University of Houston School of Art.
L’Art de la Solitude (The Art of Loneliness)
The Artist Talk & Exhibition Walkthrough with Brandon Ballengée
Saturday, November 18, 2 PM at Jennifer Baahng Gallery
At the gallery on Saturday, November 18th at 2 PM for the Artist Talk and Exhibition Walkthrough of L’Art de la Solitude (The Art of Loneliness) of his solo show, Brandon Ballengée articulated reflections on the intersection of art and activism and the continuing artistic challenge of addressing environmental issues. Focusing on his ongoing “Frameworks of Absence” series and premiering in New York his recent works, “Crude Oil Paintings” and “SOS Paintings,” he also introduced Atelier de la Nature, co-founded an environmental education center in south Louisiana that combines art with science to inspire conservation.
INTO THE WILD: To Crash is Divine
A Discussion with Deborah Buck and Henry R. Munoz Ill
Thursday, October 19th, 2023, from 6 to 8 p.m at La MaMa Galleria
A dialogue between gallery artist Deborah Buck and Henry R. Munoz Ill centered on the solo exhibition “INTO THE WILD: To Crash is Divine”. The exhibition, guest-curated by Jennifer Baahng, is hosted at La MaMa Galleria and took place on Thursday, October 19th, 2023, from 6 to 8 p.m. Deborah Buck, renowned for her surrealist artistic approach infused with sardonic humor, delves into the daring artistic endeavors behind her recent mural works and the unique challenges faced as a mid-career female artist. Henry R. Munoz IlI, a multifaceted trailblazer in politics, philanthropy, design, cinema, and theater, is also a dedicated patron of the arts. The conversation between these two luminaries revolves around the intricate processes, pivotal decision-making, and the enchantment inherent in the creation and appreciation of art.
America: Ideomerica and the Terminal Century
A Discussion with R.C. Baker and Sharon Butler
Saturday, February 18, 2PM at Jennifer Baahng Gallery
On Saturday, February 18, 2023, at 2 PM, gallery artists R.C. Baker and Sharon Butler will delve into the ways their work grapples with today’s digital miasma, as well as what culture critic Greil Marcus famously termed “the old, weird, America.” In Butler’s “Idiomerica” series, painted pixels collide with inkjet prints of household tools, layered images that conjure the capitalist sprawl of the suburbs. In his series “The Terminal Century,” Baker’s psychedelically bright, painted collages imagine how the Blues and the Bomb bookended history’s most — at least, so far — violent century.
Conjunctions, Addenda, Commutations
A Conversation with Raphael Rubinstein and Sharon Butler
Saturday, October 8, at 2PM at Jennifer Baahng Gallery
On October 8, 2022, noted poet and art critic Raphael Rubinstein sat down with gallery artist Sharon Butler to discuss “Next Moves” (Sept 15 – Nov 15, 2022) , Sharon Butler’s latest solo exhibition at JENNIFER BAAHNG. In this BAAHNG SPOTLIGHT, Rubinstein and Butler discuss Butler’s subtle explorations of painting vernacular, in particular, her use of digital sketches as the ground for a recent series of luminous, gridded works. Raphael Rubinstein is a professor of Critical Studies at the University of Houston School of Art.
Wings of Desire
An Interview with Jaye Moon by Hyewon Yi
April 30, at 5PM at Jennifer Baahng Gallery
On April 30, 2022, in conjunction with the opening of gallery artist Jaye Moon’s solo exhibition “Wings of Desire” (March 25 – April 27, 2022), the artist was interviewed by Hyewon Yi, the Director of the Amelie A. Wallace Gallery at SUNY Westbury. The conversation between Yi and Moon covers Moon’s career trajectory from her days as an art student in Korea to her recent practice, which focuses on visual communication with particular references to film. “Wings of Desire” featured Moon’s ongoing body of conceptual work that utilizes a numerical system and the colors of Legos within the binary logic of Braille.
Necessary Memories
A Conversation with Marion K. Maneker and Janet Taylor Pickett
Tuesday, September 14, at 5PM at Jennifer Baahng Gallery
On September 14th, 2021, ARTnews President and Editorial Director Marion K. Maneker joined artist Janet Taylor Pickett for a discussion of “Necessary Memories” (Sept 14 – Nov 20, 2021), her solo exhibition at JENNIFER BAAHNG. The show chronicles Taylor Pickett’s journey as an artist, showcasing selected works from the 1980’s through 2021. In their conversation, Maneker and Taylor Pickett discuss how Blackness functions as what Taylor Pickett calls a “declarative statement” in her work, and the role that history and narrative play in her practice. Born in Ann Arbor Michigan, Taylor Pickett is a mixed media artist whose work is inspired by her life experience as an African American woman.
Podcast
“In Defense of Sloth: An Eclectic and Entertaining Series of Presentation About that Most Philosophical of Vices: A Primer”
CAGE NAM JUNE: Panel In New York
CAGE NAM JUNE: A Multimedia Friendship Panel Discussion
