The March issue of Aeqai has just posted, and the offerings in the visual arts this month have been outstanding, all over the region. As Spring finally arrived, people have been eager to get out, see art, regroup, and be part of an increasingly large number of special events, lectures, adjunct programming. Aeqai also welcomes several new writers this month, who have joined us on a regular basis, and we hope that you enjoy the addition of these excellent writers and critics.
The Cincinnati Art Museum has a number of shows that are new, and we asked Cincinnati artist Frank Satogata who is half Japanese by birth, and whose own paintings manifest a lot of Japanese techniques and influences, to review the 300 Years of Japanese Art exhibition there, which we urge our readers to visit. Its companion show, Contemporary Japanese Prints and Ceramics, is reviewed by Karen Chambers, who also reviews the Art Museum’s analysis of clothing and fashion design by Rudi Gernreich, whose designs helped define the 1970’s, and whose muse was model Peggy Moffitt. The Taft Museum, continuing its tradition of offering choice 19th and 20th century American landscape exhibitions, is represented by its exhibition of paintings from The Santa Barbara Museum of Art, and reviewed by Jonathan Kamholtz. We commend The Taft for its ongoing superiority in these exhibitions, and Curator Lynne Ambrosini for her phenomenal eye in seeing America’s evolution, and its changing identity, through these exhibitions.
New Aeqai writer Zack Hatfield offers a brilliant, sensitively interpreted review of Curator Matt Distel’s exhibition at The Carnegie, Theoretical Landscapes, in which the work of 21 regional artists appears. Hatfield’s review follows Kamholtz’s so our readers can see two totally different landscape inspired reviews back to back. Marlene Steele offers two reviews this month, one of four women abstract artists at Phyllis Weston Gallery in O’Bryonville, and the other a look at an exciting show at Covington Arts, curated by Selena Reder, who has the distinct joy to include her own mother’s work (sculptor Stephanie Cooper) in this excellent figurative show.
Jane Durrell returns with two reviews, one a look at Northern Kentucky painter Susan Schuler’s new abstractions at Malton Gallery, not part of a show, but reflect Schuler’s new home in New Mexico. Durrell also reviews a show of work by Evan Hildebrandt and Alison Shepard, who offer individual works, and collaborations (they are also married to each other). The show is at a new gallery called Wash Park Art in Over the Rhine, which promises to be an exciting new venue in the visual arts. Keith Banner reviews another show in a new space, at Pear Gallery in Brighton, and Aeqai is delighted to see these two new galleries open. Another new Aeqai writer, Maggie Heath, offers a splendid review and analysis of a just opened show at The Kennedy Heights Arts Center, wherein nine area Jewish women artists interpret their faith through their artwork, and includes area artists such as Debbie Brod and Pam Kravetz.
Aeqai has several letters this month, two from New York, one by Emil Robinson, and the other by Katie Dreyer; both reflect the enormous range of art in that great city. Cynthia Kukla sends “A Letter From Springfield” (Ill.), in which she examines an exhibition about the use of text in art. Aeqai also introduces Venise Keys, who is a graduate student under Cynthia Kukla, who writes a highly intelligent and topical essay about the identity of African American women artists, particularly abstract artists, in today’s often charged climate. It’s refreshing and smart (by terrance). Saad Ghosn offers his monthly “Art for a Better World” featuring the work of literary artist Mary Jane Newborn and visual artist Carole Winters. Laura Hobson gives us a sensitive profile of long time Cincinnati artist Joyce Phillips Young, whose exhibition at The Weston Gallery downtown just took place.
Aeqai also welcomes our new fashion critic and analyst, Jennifer Perusek, who will be writing for us regularly; her first offering is an analysis of the new Gucci line shown at Fashion Week in Milan, and how new Gucci head designer Alessandro Michele is helping to create a new woman, more liberated and less “in your face” (Perusek) than ever before. Aeqai believes that contemporary fashion is central to visual culture, and Perusek will be writing about fashion for us monthly.
We’ve received an unsolicited letter, of sorts, from area writer and educator Dan Burr, offering an overview of area artist Tom Towhey’s paintings, which we offer our readers as Towhey is about to open a one person show of his work in Columbus. Burr, who works at the UC Medical School, will also be writing for Aeqai regularly.
Four new poems by Huck Fairman are offered, along with two by Louis Zoellar Bickett, and I offer two book reviews, of new fiction by Christopher Scotton and Rachel Cusk. It’s a large issue of Aeqai, and we hope that it reflects a wide range of offerings in the visual arts in our region. We’ll be back in a month.
Daniel Brown, Editor
