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THE NEW YORK TIMES By Monica Castillo Movie Poster Not many movies involve the everyday tasks of running a church, with priests rehearsing their Sunday sermons, eating together at staff dinners or dealing with the inner struggles of faith. It is in these mundane moments that the director and writer Paul Shoulberg finds a story. “The Good Catholic” is almost as strait-laced as its protagonist. As Jane develops a crush on Daniel, the movie starts to follow a conventional path. Fortunately, Mr. Spicer’s earnest performance bolsters many of the weaker spots in Mr. Shoulberg’s script. The conflicting dynamics among the three men of the cloth provide most of the movie’s punch lines. Mr. Glover and Mr. McGinley each have their own scene-stealing one-liners to bounce off Mr. Spicer’s deadpan delivery. Here, friendship is its own form of saving grace. [ More ]

THE INDIAN EXPRESS By Vandana Kalra Young Sri Chaitanya in front of Guru. While the Mughals were patrons of the arts in India, in the 19th century as the strength of the empire declined, artists began looking for outward benefaction. The European traders lent support, not without Western influence though — the masters, in fact, even felt it important to impart formal training, leading to the establishment of the Calcutta School of Art in 1854. One of its famous alumni, Annadaprasad Bagchi was to make realistic paintings more accessible to the masses through the institution of the Calcutta Art Studio, where along with oils and watercolors the artists also produced litho prints. “Their portfolio had patriotic paintings, besides mythological or religious paintings. [ More ]

THE NEW YORK TIMES Show Us Your Walls By Robin Pogrebin Ellen Stern in her living room, with an untitled work by the Surrealist artist Roland Penrose, above left. The shelf holds three Joseph Cornell boxes; above them is “To Better the Guarded” by the British-Ghanian painter Lynette Yiadom-Boakye, and, at right, “Vespers” by Ms. Yiadom-Boakye. Credit Vincent Tullo for The New York Time NEW YORK---Losing her husband, Jerome, in March was devastating for Ellen Stern. And preparing to part with much of their extensive art collection this fall is its own kind of grief. The Sterns’ Manhattan apartment is filled with paintings, sculpture and photography, as is the “art barn” on their 16-acre estate in Westhampton, N.Y. Valuable pieces from both locations will come up for sale at Sotheby’s starting in November. "We just had a lot of fun doing it. Jerome loved the chase, meeting the artists, getting to know the artists," said Stern. "Wangechi Mutu was married on our prope...

HYPERALLERGIC By Edward M. Gómez Olivia Munroe, Untitled, 2016, cloth, beeswax, string, aluminum panel, 48 x 48 inches (photo courtesy of Sundaram Tagore Gallery) NEW YORK -- If secrets and uncertainties lurk in the shadows, do truths about what is real and knowable reveal themselves, inevitably, in the light? If, as Buddhist teachings advise, perceived “reality” is merely a fleeting confluence of energies in a moment of infinite time, then what is there that is ever convincingly in our grasp — to be clutched in the hand, held in the mind, or squirreled away in that repository of spirits and memories that one might call the nurturing place — and refuge — of the soul? It’s in the spirit of all of these, well, spiritual themes that along comes the American artist Olivia Munroe with Archetypes, an exhibition of new mixed-media “paintings,” along with a selection of colorful drawings on paper, which is on view at Sundaram Tagore Gallery in Chelsea through October 7. [ More ]

THE DAILY SABAH NEW YORK---Some carpetbags, which date back to the 19th century and which were weaved by the nomadic Turkish tribes in Azerbaijan and Iran, will be exhibited at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York. The exhibition, which features 19 carpetbags that were weaved by nomadic women in the 19th century and that were used by mostly Turkish Tribes in Turkey, Iran and the South Caucasus, was opened for art lovers yesterday. The exhibition's works have been taken from the museum's William and Inger Ginsberg Collection with the support of Walter B. Denny, professor of Islamic Art at Massachusetts University in Amherst, and with the guidance of Turkish curator Deniz Beyazıt, who works in the Islamic Arts department of this museum. [ More ]

UW NEWS By Paul V.M. Flesher Artist Al Farrow’s “The Skull of Santo Guerro II,” a reliquary of an imagined saint, evokes both violence and the sacred. The skull rests on a bed of spent rifle shells. Farrow’s “Divine Ammunition” exhibition is on view at the UW Art Museum through Dec. 16. (Paul Flesher Photo) LARAMIE, Wyoming---Before the two reliquaries stands a model of a large Gothic cathedral. It is made mostly from ammunition, intricately put together. It is often difficult to interpret art, to find its meaning. But, one point is clear: The images are of the sacred and holy (saints’ remains, sacred texts and accouterments) contained within the symbols of violence, ammunition and weapons of death. Al Farrow’s artworks clearly juxtapose violence and the sacred. But, what is the message? He won’t say, so it remains unclear. Al Farrow’s exhibition, “Divine Ammunition,” is on view at the University of Wyoming Art Museum through Dec. 16.  [ More ]

THE NEW YORK TIMES Show Us Your Walls By FRANK ROSE The artist Mel Ziegler in Nashville, with his wall of Mount Rushmore-related souvenirs collected there and across the United States. Credit Jake Giles Netter for The New York Times NASHVILLE--They call Mount Rushmore the “Shrine of Democracy”: four presidents blasted out of the face of a granite escarpment in the Black Hills of South Dakota. For the artist Mel Ziegler , it’s literally a touchstone. In the mid-1980s, he and his partner, Kate Ericson , stopped there on a cross-country trip and returned home with the four rocks off the rubble at the base of the mountain that would comprise “ From the Making of Mount Rushmore ,” one of their signature works. His obsession fits the locale: For all of Mount Rushmore’s patriotic themes, tourism is its reason for being. The mountain’s 60-foot faces were the work of Gutzon Borglum , who led the team chiseling and blasting the faces of George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Theodore Roos...

C & G NEWSPAPERS By K. Michelle Moran “Song of Praise No. 8 (Violets in Field),” by Lori Zurvalec, is part of her nine-part “Songs of Praise” watercolor series. (Photo provided by Lori Zurvalec) GROSSE POINTE FARMS — Art with religious themes is a long-standing tradition — think Michaelangelo’s painting of the Sistine Chapel ceiling, for example. But art that comes from a base of faith doesn’t have to be a painting of a religious figure. “Songs of Praise & Peace,” an exhibition of nearly 30 works by Lori Zurvalec and Tamm Whitty on display through Nov. 12 at Grosse Pointe Congregational Church, is a collection of imagery that speaks to the artists’ shared Christianity in a subtle way. Zurvalec — who has described her work as “gestural, with a quality of neo-expressionism” — said that many of her pieces in this show are from her “Songs of Praise” painting series, which was inspired by Biblical passages. [ More ]

ALPHA OMEGA ARTS Shoshannah Brombacher's "Golem" NEW YORK -- Who hasn't heard the word Golem ? The word means an embryo or unformed mass and is used in popular speech for a big, dumb or stupid person who obeys but can't think independently. Artist Shoshannah Brombacher has assembled over forty original works from twenty-nine artists to celebrate all things Golem at the  Brooklyn Jewish Art Gallery . For centuries the legend of the Golden has grown, frightening some, protecting some, and inspiring artists, writers, and filmmakers. The artists include Cheselyn Amato , Joel Silverstein , and curator Shoshannah Brombacher. The gallery at Congregation KOL Israel is a nonprofit that seeks to give a showcase for Jewish artists and all artists who work in universal, uplifting themes.

ALPHA OMEGA ARTS Ghiora Aharoni's "The Road to Sanchi," 2016, vintage Indian taxi meters with screens displaying videos by the artist filmed in Sanchi, Nizamuddin West, Varanasi, and Mattancherry, India, as installed in the artist’s studio; each 55 inches high x 11 5/8 inches in diameter; ©2016 Ghiora Aharoni NEW YORK — In the next iteration of its ongoing “Sacred Spaces” exhibition, the Rubin Museum of Art will invite visitors to confront contemporary artists’ perspectives on pilgrimage to holy sites. Featuring artist Ghiora Aharoni’s series “The Road to Sanchi” and two video works by artist Arthur Liou, the exhibition engages time as a medium and challenges viewers to consider the sacred and think about their own experiences with meaningful journeys. These installations continue the exhibition’s focus on devotional activities in awe-inspiring places. “ Sacred Spaces: The Road To… and the Tibetan Buddhist Shrine Room ” opens November 17, 2017 and closes October 15,...

ALPHA OMEGA ARTS "Behold, the Lamb of MAGA, who takes away the sins of the world" (2017) by Katie Brooks GRAND RAPIDS -- Kentucky-native  Katie Brooks is a MFA Painting candidate at Kendall College of Art and Design, and her series of religious-themed works is currently on display at the Alluvian Gallery in downtown Grand Rapids. Alluvium Gallery is a professional gallery space being organized, utilized, and curated by students in the Kendall College of Art and Design of Ferris State University (KCAD) graduate programs. The name, Alluvium, is a geological term that refers to loose material and sediment that has been eroded and washed away, reshaped by water, and then re-deposited in another place.

INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS TIMES By Samhati Bhattacharjya An electrician hangs decorative lights on an idol of the Hindu goddess Durga at a pandal, or a temporary platform, for the upcoming festival of Durga Puja in Kolkata, India, September 18, 2017. Reuters KOLKATA, India---The much-awaited Navaratri celebrations have already kick-started across the globe on September 19, but for the Bengalis it's the time to celebrate Durga Puja. The festival marks the home coming of Goddess Durga. Talking about Durga Puja, one can easily say that for the Bengalis it's not just an auspicious festival, but an emotion. This year, Durga Puja will start from September 25 to September 30. The important days of the festival are Maha Panchami, Maha Sasthi, Maha Saptami, Maha Ashtami and Maha Navami. The annual Durga Puja festival that coincides with Vijayadashami (Dussehra) will be celebrated on September 30, this year. [ more ]

ALPHA OMEGA ARTS Tonight, the ArtPrize Nine Category Award Jurors present and discuss their Top 20 picks at the Jurors’ Shortlist Event . ArtPrize is an open, independently organized international art competition which takes place for 19 days each fall in Grand Rapids, Michigan. More than five hundred thousand dollars in prizes are awarded each year, which include a $200,000 prize awarded entirely by public vote and another $200,000 prize awarded by a jury of art experts. The event began last Wednesday, September 22 with 1,346 artist entries into one of four categories including 2-D, 3-D, Time-Based, and Installation. What makes up your shortlist? Below is our shortlist:

BLOG VIACOM Detail of “Kaleidoscope” by Ogulcan Kush. Photo by Studio Brooke. NEW YORK -- The creation of Turkish-born, New York City based  Ogulcan Kush (who goes by “OG”), the medley of precision-measured shapes and symbolism is a deliberate synthesis of Eastern, Islamic art and Western modern art. This fusion of artforms is both a tribute to OG’s principal influences and a therapeutic articulation of his frustration that his U.S. work visa will soon expire, forcing him to leave New York. “I decided to be okay with leaving the U.S., and use whatever time I had left to react to the situation with my art,” OG told Art at Viacom, which is hosting the artist’s first solo U.S. exhibition, American Daydream. [ More ]

MLIVE - GRAND RAPIDS By Cole Waterman Listen to Alpha Omega Arts commentary on Instagram GRAND RAPIDS -- If a function of art is to reflect society's failings, a sure-to-be-controversial exhibit of this year's ArtPrize fits the bill. Succinctly titled "Flint," the sculpture piece consists of a drinking fountain with yellow water arching from the spigot. A brick wall above it bears the word " Colored ," harkening back to the days of segregation. The work is the creation of activist-artist Ti-Rock Moore. It is being presented by Fountain Street Church, 24 St. NE in Grand Rapids, for the ninth year of the massive art competition. This marks the first time the work has been displayed in Michigan, "just two hours away from the city of Flint, whose drinking water has been contaminated since 2014 due to ill-conceived cost-saving measures," the church stated in a press release. [ More ]

HYPERALLERGIC By Mengna Da Takashi Murakami, “Isle of the Dead” (1994)  CHICAGO --- You’re probably familiar with Takashi Murakami’s smiling flowers and eccentric paintings of Buddhist monks, but you might have never seen his earlier works, which looks drastically different from the joyful, luxurious style associated with his name. With 50 works spanning 1982 to 2017, the current Murakami retrospective at the Museum of Contemporary Art Chicago (MCA) is visually and thematically rich. Its title, The Octopus Eats Its Own Leg , evokes a doomed atmosphere and refers to an old Japanese saying that, according to the artist, suggests that in times of despair, one has to be fed by oneself to survive. [ More ]

ALPHA OMEGA ARTS By  Gregory  &  Ernest Disney-Britton "The Martyr" (2014) by John Hooker John Hooker has a way with sculpture. We’re calling him emotional, an artist that carves surfaces and contours with a high impact on the viewer. He is one of 17 contemporary sculptors featured in the ArtPrize Nine exhibition titled “ Rodin and the Contemporary Figurative Tradition ” in Grand Rapids, MI. Hooker’s "The Martyr" is constructed of foam and arrows, but his works are sometimes comical blobs or blocks of wood. It is inspired by Saint Sebastian, the subject of generations of artists. Hooker explores this religious story in the tradition of Auguste Rodin , and like Rodin, he created his sculpture as if he’d been a witness to the event. "The Martyr" is on view at the Meijer Gardens and Sculpture Park in Grand Rapids through January 2018 .

VOX By Tara Isabella Burton The Oscar Wilde Temple in the West Village NEW YORK---Hidden in the basement of New York’s Church of the Village, a Methodist church in Greenwich Village, is an entirely unconventional worship space. The aesthetic — a neo-Gothic stained glass window, a devotional statue, a series of paintings depicting the life and suffering of a martyr — is perfectly familiar. At the Oscar Wilde Temple, a religiously themed installation project by McDermott & McGough, the art-world tag of artists David McDermott and Peter McGough, the central statue and the figure of worship is of Wilde himself: the 19th-century Anglo-Irish novelist and playwright whose name has become synonymous with LGBTQ liberation. [ More ]

ARTPRIZE By Deborah Rockman , the artist "Companions" by Deborah Rockman | Two-Dimensional | Vote Code: 66402 GRAND RAPIDS -- Companions is an ongoing series of low-tech digital drawings that explores inequity and injustice across the globe. This is achieved by juxtaposing images of children and/or adults that often include similarities in visual terms, but most importantly reflect tremendous disparity in living conditions and individual circumstances. This references the widely held belief that your prayers will be answered only if you subscribe to Christian beliefs, but otherwise your plea will not be heard. What forces are at work in the belief held by many who call themselves Christians that God is not available to anyone who does not embrace Christianity? Fountain Street Church,  24 Fountain Street NE, Grand Rapids, MI [ More ]

MMEGI ONLINE By Mompati Tlahankane Dr Gopals paintings managed to capture the Hinduisim Yogic spiritual practices in an impressive way P GABERONE, India -- An exhibition of Indian Art Works titled, ‘Time and Space’ is being scheduled at the Thapong Visual Art Centre, Gaborone. The exhibition is showcasing unique and special art works by 10 Indian artists under the aegis of “I” Art Research Foundation in Pondicherry, India. Time and Space show is an example of art exhibition that has professional standard. While there are 10 artists exhibiting their works, one of them, Gopal, has interesting paintings that show human emotions and their spiritual connection with the surroundings. Being a man who has researched on spiritual attributes and new thoughts, Gopal’s paintings at Thapong draw attention because of their appealing and peaceful presentation. [ More ]

USA TODAY By Brian Truitt, USA TODAY Movie poster starring Jennifer Lawrence Darren Aronofsky unleashes the mother of audacious art films this year, and mother ! is bound to polarize the masses who give this slice of winning insanity a go. The latest in a filmography that also includes a terrifyingly dark ballerina (Black Swan) and a downward-spiraling pro grappler (The Wrestler), mother! (*** out of four; rated R; in theaters nationwide Friday) manages to be the writer/director's boldest yet: a tale of relationship turmoil and a genre-exploding showcase for its star Jennifer Lawrence. But Aronofsky isn’t subtle with the deeper meanings. Impending motherhood is seen through a horror-movie lens, there are enough religious metaphors for a particularly strange Sunday school class, and mother! thrives most as a thoughtful and angry look at modern society. [ More ]

ALPHA OMEGA ARTS Charles White's "Black Pope (Sandwich Board Man)," 1973, oil wash on board. NEW YORK--- Charles White (1918–1979) taught drawing in Los Angeles from the mid-1960s until the end of his life, and mentored a generation of students. Among them is David Hammons (American, born 1943), who studied with White early in his career. This exhibition, curated by Hammons, includes White's monumental work Black Pope (Sandwich Board Man) (1973), from The Museum of Modern Art’s collection, and a brush and ink drawing on blue prepared paper by the Renaissance artist Leonardo da Vinci , lent by Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II from the British Royal Collection. [ More ]

THE NEWS ON SUNDAY By Quddus Mirza Ijtima, the name of the exhibition which opened on September 6, alludes to religion being a term usually associated with religious gatherings. The curator, Sundas Azfar, describes the reason for choosing the title Ijtima, an Arabic word, “derived from the word Jama; the opposite of Wahid (means, Singular in English)”. She says, the “exhibition ‘Ijtima’, shows works across mediums of ten artists”; and explains the selection of participants: “The presence of one male artist in an otherwise female artist show opens new possibilities of classification and grouping in a social and political domain.” The exhibition that ended on September 9 was all about identities — religious, national and gender status. The last one includes sexual preference/history, not easily accepted in a conventional society. [ More ]

ARTPRIZE By Jack Moga, the artist "Lucky's Place" (2017) by Jack Moga | Installation | Vote Code: 65785 GRAND RAPIDS, MI -- " Lucky's Place " reflects the light hearted scene of the restaurant patrons, best presented in the style of the American comic book. The work's composition in the main dining area is loosely (perhaps not so loosely) based on DaVinci's "Last Supper," with vignettes suggested by the art of Paul Cadmus. The painted characters portray the variety of those who are Grand Rapids. Jack's background in scenic painting for stage has taught him the necessary skills for large scale mural work. "Lucky's Place" is an example of such, drawing the art directly to the wall and using interior latex for color, with black acrylic as outline. Lucky Luciano's Pizza 15 Ionia Ave SW Suite 140, Grand Rapids, MI 49503 [ More ]

QCONLINE By Jonathan Turner, jturner@qconline.com Edouard Duval-Carrié's "My Life as a Tree" (2015), mixed media on aluminum. MOLINE, Illinois---Home to one of the largest collections of Haitian art in the nation, the Figge Art Museum on Saturday opens an exhibit by Haitian-born artist Edouard Duval-Carrié , "Endless Flight." "Endless Flight" (last displayed in 2007), acquired by the Figge through the generosity of Dr. Walter Neiswanger and other donors, is a multi-part altarpiece that combines Christian and Vodou religious imagery and allegorical paintings and sculptures to create an otherworldly environment, according to the museum. The piece was created at a time of increased migration to the U.S. by Haitians fleeing the political oppression and poverty in their homeland. For more information, call 563-326-7804, or visit figgeartmuseum.org. [ More ]

ARTPRIZE By Ramon Espantaleon, artist Ramon Espantaleon's "Adam and Eve in New York: The original sin and expulsion from paradise" (2016) | Two-Dimensional | Vote Code: 65219 GRAND RAPIDS -- “Adam and Eve in New York: the original sin and expulsion from paradise” is the latest art piece that belongs to my art project “First Apple”, especially created to be exhibited during my solo show at the prestigious Patricia and Phillip Frost Art Museum (Miami, Florida) during the Art Basel Week 2016. First Apple started after a rigorous volumetric study of Manhattan. This study showed that the width of each street is half the width of each block. Manhattan is also known as the Big Apple, fruit of discord associated with the creation of mankind through Adam and Eve. For that reason, I chose one of Michelangelo´s most famous work on the Sistine chapel ceiling, "The original sin and expulsion from paradise", and painted over Manhattan, a vigorous, dynamic, powerful, cha...

THE DAILY SABAH By Matt Hanson Nicholas Stavroulakis, Woodcut from the Book of the Jeremiah. NEW YORK---New York City is almost synonymous with modern Jewish prosperity. It has become a physical and spiritual refuge for an ancient religious minority descended from a nation that barely survived modernity, and for its secular and faith-based traditions now preserved on an urban foundation unmatched in its forward speculation. Nicholas Stavroulakis was born in the American Midwest and lived mostly in England, Israel and Greece. Following his passing on May 19 at the age of 84, eulogists from Gabriel Negrin, the Chief Rabbi of Athens to The New York Times, remembered his life in great detail. Relatively little, though, is relayed about the special relationship he had to New York during his life, and that New York continues to have with him and his artistic legacy. [ More ]

THE JEWISH CHRONICLE By Zak Mazur "Rainbow Shabbat" by Judy Chicago (1992); Style: Feminist Art; Genre: figurative; Location: Brooklyn Museum, New York City, NY, US File Source: www.brooklynmuseum.org MILWAUKEE – It is said that Shabbat is the most important ritual observance in Judaism and is the only ritual observance instituted in the Ten Commandments. Halakha — Jewish law — describes how Shabbat should be observed in precise detail, which is how Orthodox Jews observe the day of rest. What does Shabbat look like and how is it observed?” You’ll be able to explore that complex question at an upcoming Jewish Museum Milwaukee exhibit, “ The Seventh Day: Revisiting Shabbat .” The exhibit runs through Dec. 31 at the museum, 1360 N. Prospect Ave. For museum hours and special programming visit JewishMuseumMilwaukee.org. [ More ]

ARTNET NEWS By Sarah Cascone Crayola’s World Record-setting crayon was unveiled in celebration of the naming of Bluetiful, a new shade based on the recently discovered YInMn Blue. Courtesy of Bennett Raglin/Getty Images for Crayola. The newest addition to crayon boxes everywhere is Bluetiful. The color, inspired by YInMn Blue, the new blue pigment accidentally discovered in 2009 by chemist Mas Subramanian and his team at Oregon State University (OSU), was christened by Crayola at a colorful press conference in New York City on Thursday morning. “Because our company is all about creativity and innovation… introducing a new shade based on this pigment just seemed like a natural next step,” Melanie Boulden, senior vice president of marketing at Crayola, told artnet News at the unveiling. [ More ]

ART PRIZE "The Next Supper" by (2014) by William Fritsch | Two-Dimensional | Vote Code: 65021 GRAND RAPIDS -- While the setting may be familiar - based on Leonardo da Vinci's famous mural - the individuals at the table are people from the artist's faith community. They are from a world of all ages and ways of life coming together, not to reenact "The Last Supper" from the past, but to create today "The Next Supper" with others they embrace and hold dear. The languages on the "Welcome Banner" are Arabic, Thai, Hmong, English, Khmer, Vietnamese, Spanish, Hebrew, Russian, German, and Greek. The remaining panels in the background are - left to right - Sir Thomas More, Archbishop Emeritus Desmond Tutu, Dorothy Day, Thomas Merton, Mother Theresa, Archbishop Oscar Romero, and the Peace Dove. Monroe Community Church , 800 Monroe NW, Grand Rapids, MI [ More ]

THE NATION By Kitchana Lersakvanitchakul Songdej Thipthong's “Thewa Pha Khu Fun” (“Dream of Love, Dream of You”). THAILAND---With the people of Thailand preparing to bid a final farewell to His Majesty the late King Bhumibol Adulyadej next month, the Kitarat Foundation is joining venues around the country in celebrating the much-loved monarch’s musical and artistic talent with the exhibition, “Music & Art from the Land of Prosperity”. Part of “The Royal Legacy – 365 Days of Remembrance” project, the exhibition at the Quartier Gallery features oils by 19 artists inspired by 19 of the late King’s musical compositions. Chiang Rai-based artist Songdej Thipthong is best known for his Buddhist art and has stuck to this style in interpreting “Thewa Pha Khu Fun” (“Dream of Love, Dream of You”).[ More ]

THE STATEMAN By Zohreen Murtaza Joyce Kozloff, If I Were a Botanist (Gaza) FRANCE---Amongst contemporary artists Joyce Kozloff — one of the founders of the Pattern and Decoration Movement in the 1970s is also drawn to the beauty and potential of art from other cultures such as Morocco, Egypt and Turkey. Joyce studied books on geometric Islamic patterns and believes that the decorated arts have the potential to eradicate Western notions of high and low art whilst offering engaging critique on our lives, cultures and even our current geopolitical scenario. In her works, “If I were a Botanist (Gaza)” and “If I were a Botanist (Pale of Settlement)” created in 2015 we see a similar format where the world of aesthetics, order and celestial beauty is haunted by the ghost of conflict and difference. [ More ]

WOOD8.TV "The Martyr" (2014) by John Hooker GRAND RAPIDS, Michigan -- The official start of ArtPrize Nine is just days away, Marvis Herring was given an early look inside Frederik Meijer Gardens and Sculpture Park , which made the Jurors’ most outstanding venue Shortlist last year. Visitors will find 17 sculptors featured at the venue this year for the exhibition titled “ Rodin and the Contemporary Figurative Tradition ” (Through Saturday, January 7, 2018). The display is timed to honor the 100th anniversary of Auguste Rodin’s death. He was an avant-garde sculptor who made a major impact in the contemporary sculpture world. Meijer Gardens was loaned some of Rodin’s pieces from several other art museums, including the Detroit Institute of Art and Indianapolis Museum of Art. [ More ]

THE NEW YORK TIMES By John Koblin The Emmy winner Elisabeth Moss said she had never seen an Emmys quite this political. “But I’ve also never seen anything like where our country is right now,” she added. Credit George Kraychyk/Hulu LOS ANGELES — In any other year, big-hearted dramas like “Stranger Things” or “This Is Us” or a period drama like “The Crown” would dominate the Emmys. But this was no normal year. This is a moment in which the partisan chasm has widened and political discourse has taken on a greater sense of urgency. “Handmaid’s,” which was in development long before the Trump administration, struck a chord with viewers concerned about women’s rights, and its creators proudly embraced the fact that some regarded their show as eerily timely. “We got a Trump bump!” said Daniel Wilson, a producer behind both the movie and the TV show. “Timing is everything. If we didn’t have the president we have now, I don’t know if it would have been this successful.” [ More ]

THE NEW YORK TIMES By Adam Liptak “Because of my faith, I believe the Bible teaches clearly that it’s a man and a woman,” Jack Phillips said. Making a cake to celebrate something different, he said, “causes me to use the talents that I have to create an artistic expression that violates that faith.” LAKEWOOD, Colo. — Jack Phillips bakes beautiful cakes, and it is not a stretch to call him an artist. Five years ago, in a decision that has led to a Supreme Court showdown, he refused to use his skills to make a wedding cake to celebrate a same-sex marriage, saying it would violate his Christian faith and hijack his right to express himself. “It’s more than just a cake,” he said at his bakery one recent morning. “It’s a piece of art in so many ways.” At first blush, the case looked like a conflict between a state law banning discrimination and the First Amendment’s protection of religious freedom. But when the Supreme Court hears the case this fall, the arguments will mostly center o...

THE HINDU By Shilpa R The artist with his "The Last Supper" painting at the National Gallery of Modern Art  When he had to make a choice between art and theatre, he chose the former because this was something one could still pursue even if employed. At 78, Manu Parekh’s retrospective showcasing his 60 years of practice at the National Gallery of Modern Art has given the artist a moment to deliberate about the choices he made in life and their impressions on his oeuvre. Along with this, a coffee table book titled ‘ Manu Parekh: 60 Years of Selected Works ’ (Aleph) features his celebrated works. (‘Manu Parekh: 60 Years of Selected Works’ is on till September 24 at the NGMA) [ More ]

THE NEW YORK TIMES By Marella Caraccola The curator Peter Benson Miller at home in Puglia, lounging on an 18th-century claw-foot Chippendale sofa and surrounded by some of his many objects, including a lamp made from a pineapple-shaped ice bucket. Credit Simon Upton The art historian and curator Peter Benson Miller was 13 when his parents began taking him to antiques markets and junk shops near their weekend house in Litchfield County, Conn. By the time he moved for good to Italy almost 30 years later, in 2009 — he is now in charge of the exhibition program and special events at the American Academy in Rome — he had amassed a huge number of objects, or, to be precise, collections of objects: 30 prints depicting Mary, Queen of Scots (‘‘I am attracted to the history of English female martyrs,’’ he says).... He had hundreds of pieces in storage, and several hundred more jammed into the rented apartment in central Rome he shared with his partner, Giovanni Panebianco, a civil servant....

ALPHA OMEGA ARTS By  Gregory  &  Ernest Disney-Britton " Gethsemane" by Michael Cook: acrylic and oil pastel on paper Each of the Gospel writers describes that fateful night in Gethsemane (Matthew 26:36-56, Mark 14:32-52, Luke 22:40-53 and John 18:1-11). British artist Michael Cook captures their spirit. And in turn, he makes it personal for today. In his "Gethsemane," a solitary figure wearing a blue hoodie clutches a tree stump. But take a closer look at the painting and you'll pick-up that its also a garden drawing layered in shades of verdant green, blue and bronze. Poring over other figures by Michael Cook, we're awash with the feeling that we are witnesses to spiritual struggles. Find Michael Cook's work at his Manger Gallery in the UK and online at hallowed-art.co.uk.

THE NEW YORK TIMES By Andrew R. Chow SHIRIN NESHAT From 'Soliloquy' series, 1999 Black and white photograph 11 x 14 in.  Courtesy of Paddle 8 The dancer Mikhail Baryshnikov and the visual artist Shirin Neshat are among the five winners of this year’s prestigious Praemium Imperiale award given by the Japan Art Association. This award, for lifetime achievement, carries a prize of 15 million yen (approximately $137,000) and will be presented at a ceremony in Tokyo on Oct. 18. Each recipient is from a different country: In addition to Ms. Neshat of Iran and Mr. Baryshnikov, who is Russian American, the other winners are the Ghanaian sculptor El Anatsui, the Spanish architect Rafael Moneo and the Senegalese musician Youssou N’Dour. [ More ]

RTE NEWS “Oscar Wilde in Prison” by McDermott & McGough NEW YORK---A secular temple devoted to Oscar Wilde has been opened in the basement of a New York church. It is crammed with devotional-style religious art to honour the Irish playwright, author and wit as a trailblazer of gay rights. Those involved in the project said it had been 20 years in the making but with transgender rights under threat from President Donald Trump's administration and gays feeling more discrimination, it was more timely than ever. Conceived by artists David McDermott and Peter McGough at The Church of the Village , the space will be open to members of the public five days a week and available for private ceremonies, including weddings. [ More ]

THE NEW YORK TIMES Show Us Your Walls By Kathryn Shattuck Linda Fairstein, the former sex-crimes prosecutor turned crime novelist, with mug shots of early 20th-century Westchester County criminals. Credit Stephanie Diani for The New York Times NEW YORK---Each morning Linda Fairstein, the former sex-crimes prosecutor turned crime novelist, glances at the mug shots of early 20th-century Westchester County criminals lurking in her bathroom and grins. “I bought a collection of 100 at auction in 2012,” she said of the motley crew. “I always get myself a Christmas present so I’m not disappointed.” Ms. Fairstein has lived for less than two years in the Upper East Side duplex penthouse she shares with her second husband, Michael Goldberg, whom she met in 1969 on her first day at the University of Virginia law school and married in 2014. Read what you will into their living room, punctuated on one end by “Hurricane III,” an immense Clifford Ross photograph of churning waves, and on the ...

PASTE MAGAZINE By Jeff Loveness Taken on purely literary merits, the Christian Bible flaunts a staggering number of complex characters worthy of further exploration. What makes these archetypal sinners so worthy of our fascination? They’re certainly more relatable, but they also tend to offer a more layered look into morality—spectrums of bittersweet grey more than binary black and white. And Judas Iscariot embraces that ambiguity more than any of his nefarious peers. Exclusively announced today, writer Jeff Loveness and artist Jakub Rebelka will tackle that question in a gorgeous four-issue comic miniseries published by BOOM! Studios, set to start this December. [ More ]

THE NEW YORK TIMES By Eli Hager Michelle Jones, a Ph.D. candidate at N.Y.U., was released from prison in August after serving 20 years. Credit Damon Winter/The New York Times NEW YORK---Michelle Jones was released last month after serving more than two decades in an Indiana prison for the murder of her 4-year-old son. The very next day, she arrived at New York University, a promising Ph.D. candidate in American studies. In a breathtaking feat of rehabilitation, Ms. Jones, now 45, became a published scholar of American history while behind bars, and presented her work by videoconference to historians’ conclaves and the Indiana General Assembly. With no internet access and a prison library that hewed toward romance novels, she led a team of inmates that pored through reams of photocopied documents from the Indiana State Archives to produce the Indiana Historical Society’s best research project last year. As prisoner No. 970554, Ms. Jones also wrote several dance compositions and h...

NUVO MAGAZINE By Dan Grossman Valadezza's "The Protector" INDIANAPOLIS---The painting is entitled “Protector.” On the canvas: a coyote holding two infant children in his arms, a crucifix dangling from his neck. In the background, a fence straddles the Mexican-American border, stretching across the desert into the mountains under a blue sky. The painting, by Valadezza, is part of a group exhibition entitled Lienzos Americanos — at Circle South Gallery, in Fountain Square up through Sept. 26 — and it depicts an episode in the early life of this Indianapolis-based painter. The fact that Valadezza and her brother — both are depicted in the painting — made it across the border unharmed figures into the title, but there are other factors that it addresses as well. [ More ]

THE HINDU By Nivedita Ganguly A 1.2 mm artwork of miniature artist S. Chinnayachari. | Photo Credit: Special Arangement At S. Chinnayachari’s humble art space in Etikoppaka village of Visakhapatnam district, there’s barely any art visible, at least to the naked eye. But peer into one of the magnifying glasses, and you will be rewarded with a tiny portrait of ‘Ram Sita Pattabhishekam’ marvelously set on half a poppy seed, or parrots perched on a strand of human hair. Over the past 25 years, he has crafted several pieces of micro-miniatures, some of which are reportedly the world’s smallest. Undeterred by the challenges, he has pushed his creative limits further to make the most challenging work of his life with a 1.2 mm artwork of ‘Ram Sita Pattabhishekam’ set on half a poppy seed. [ More ]

ALPHA OMEGA ARTS "Gethsemane" by Michael Cook. Acrylic and oil paster on paper Michael Cook's paintings and drawings move between the Romantic and Visionary traditions in British art. This week, his work is featured at the  Melbourne Festival as part of The Adam & Eve Project, with thirteen regional artists addressing the theme of the creation story. His Manger Gallery is a small, atmospheric gallery housed in a 19th century stable of his family home. It is located in Kings Newton, near the historic U.K. town of Melbourne, Derbyshire. Manger Gallery  will soon host a mixed exhibition ‘Seeing Stars’ beginning with Advent (December 1, 2017), and ending at Candlemas (February 2, 2018). Visit mangergallery.co.uk  for more on the gallery.

GMA NEWS ONLINE LordDigs | C-Print | 5X7 inches | 2017 soon to be available | pm for reservation volume 1 | edition of 100 | signed P100 each + P120 domestic shipping MANILA---On August 29, artist Mideo Cruz released a curious portrait on his social media accounts. It’s a photo of President Duterte’s face photoshopped into what Catholics will recognize as a portrait of the Sacred Heart. In his left hand is a gun, instead of the earth, and quickly you’ll notice something’s amiss: It’s the Sacred Heart without the heart. At the bottom it says “Our Father.” According to Cruz, “LordDigs” is the latest of his neo deities series, which was triggered by a meme about 17-year-old Kian delos Santos. “People are mobilizing for his sainthood. Of course it was fake news pero siguro ito din yung nag motivate na ilabas ko na itong LordDigs,” Cruz says. [ More ]

MINNEAPOLIS STAR TRIBUNE By Alicia Eler "Eyewitness Views: Making History in 18th-Century Europe" through December 31, 2017 MINNEAPOLIS---Hundreds of years ago in Europe, long before the time of selfie sticks and digital cameras and the internet, artists were commissioned to document major rituals, religious processions and events of the day. “Eyewitness Views: Making History in 18th-Century Europe,” a big exhibition that opened Sunday at the Minneapolis Institute of Art , focuses on the epic works of celebrated view painters such as Canaletto, Giovanni Paolo Panini, Francesco Guardi, Bernardo Bellotto, Hubert Robert and Luca Carlevarijs. The second section, “Civic and Religious Ritual,” captures events such as a religious procession. [ More ]