Art Blog - Maria Williams-Russell

If you read my last post, you will see Ron English's Abraham Obama , an image that blends the faces of Senator Obama and Abraham Lincoln. In response, artist and featured ArtId blogger Michael Mize asked which United States president could we blend McCain with. My answer was Bush. Here's his rendition of what I call John McBush! Thanks Michael. I think this is so appropriate… Continue reading… 0 comments

It seems appropriate to show you the latest work by artist Ron English, "Abraham Obama". I don't know where to begin except to say I like the piece alot. This artwork brings up so many questions that I suggest you buy a couple of bottles of wine and get together with your friends and talk about it. Loudly. But, here a few quick thoughts that come to my mind: 1.The American divide on moral issues is akin to the divide which caused the civil war. (that's a biggy) 2. American needs to gain back its freedom from a tyranical administration. 3.Obama and Lincoln make a good couple. 4.Will Obama's role in the future of our nation be anywhere as important as Lincoln's was? 5. What does Andy Warhol have to do with it? 6. Love public art. 7… Continue reading… 4 comments

!IMAGE164 !It's not often that I have difficulty justifying to myself my own reaction to a piece of art, but I have come upon this dilemma recently when I saw The Full Body Project by Leonard Nimoy at the Michelson Gallery" in Northampton, MA. The Full Body Project is a collection of black and white photographs depicting a group of morbidly obese women in various poses and dance shots, nude and sometimes in skimpy outfits. The women, in real life, are members of a burlesque dance troupe called the Full-Bottom Revue which challenges audiences to understand what Nimoy calls "fat liberation"… Continue reading… 2 comments

I recently read the article in The New Statesman "Too Much Information" about the current installation at the Tate Museum entitled "Shibboleth" by the Colombian artist Doris Salcedo. Shibboleth is a large, open crack in the cement floor of the Tate resembling lightening or a fissure in the earth one can imagine encountering during an earthquake. I haven't seen it in person, but from the picture I can imagine I would like it. I like conceptual art in general and would appreciate contemplating the possible meanings or connections this installation might elicit. However, Alice O'Keefe, author of the article "Too Much Information", has an interesting complaint with Shibboleth:its title and the explanations both the artist and the Tate give to viewers about the piece… Continue reading… 2 comments