Art In The Time of Corona→
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Global online exhibition curated by Yessica Torres titled, “Art In The Time of Corona”.
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Image above can be purchased at Artsy.net
"SCRIPTURE, AKA PEACE IS A FUZZY BALL"
Jesus in this drawing is sending Judas holy thought balls of love and comfort to prevent him from taking matters into his own hands because of the guilt he probably felt after betraying Jesus, a.k.a. God, for a measly 30 pieces of silver.
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The Dab Art Co. has launched an exclusive and unprecedented art project called ART IN THE TIME OF CORONA™. This 3 year long comprehensive project includes an ongoing online exhibition, a full color publication of all selected works (published yearly), a multi-gallery international exhibition and a documentary film on the first year of the project (the film will be screened in Los Angeles).
Director and curator in chief Yessíca Torres wrote and released an essay about the importance of art and artists in a turbulent time. For almost 10 years Yessíca’s passion for contemporary art and commitment to the exploration of the artist process have been reflected in her gallery program, taking a progressive and in some ways rebellious approach to art exhibitions. Her mission with ART IN THE TIME OF CORONA™ proposes an unconventional solution to keeping contemporary art relevant, propelling the art experience forward and promoting the valuable role artists will play in this time of global crisis.
The goal of this innovative project is to record and exhibit (in real time) defining artwork created during civil uncertainty. Her hope is to unite viewers and help them find the sanctity, comfort and inspiration needed to heal a world in turmoil.
We are hopeful as a company and as members of our respective communities, that when current mandates and quarantines are lifted, our resilience as artists will be the foundation for social unity.
This project consists of 3 phases and will be ongoing from 2020 thru 2023.
PHASE 3
Once the online exhibit concludes in December, the Dab Art Co. curators will collectively make selections for a multi gallery 8 week exhibition to be held simultaneously in 3 cities at all the Dab Art Co. Galleries; Los Angeles, Ventura and Mexico City. Our gallery exhibitions for VOL.3 (Year 3) will begin in May 2022.
The Dab Art Co. film production team has already started working on the Year 3 documentary film accompanying this project. We will be asking for artist participation, gathering footage and stories as the year progresses. Dab Art Co. is committed to completing this art documentary in time hold a special screening in March when the gallery exhibits are on display. The debut screening will be an event open to public and held in Los Angeles, California.
SHOUTOUT ATLANTA
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Meet
Pamela Diaz Martinez:
artist, art instructor
We had the good fortune of connecting with Pamela Diaz Martinez and we’ve shared our conversation below.
Hi Pamela, do you disagree with some advice that is more or less universally accepted?
It’s very acceptable and often encouraged to get out of art/grad school and not get a job, live off parents and friends or to have this vagabond, abstract personae-lifestyle. It is a luxury for only a certain few. I believe an artist should make money first and then make art.
Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
I never expected a few things to happen in my career…
1. I never thought that I would be making biblical art, and
2. That I would have taken a detour from being a studio artist to work in fashion.
My Artwork
My work is about the least known person of the Trinity, the Holy Spirit. The Father and Son get a lot of exposure and are spoken about a lot, however, I find the Holy Spirit to be the most personal and yet esoteric part of the Trinity. In my mind He/She is the greatest super hero. During biblical times the Holy Spirit took the form of wind and fire while entering a room in Jerusalem, and currently still works in similar ways.
The Detour
In fact, right out of grad school, my ambitions were to make art and keep showing my work in galleries and new places, like pop ups and such.
However, my life took a different turn than expected. My marriage shattered while finishing my MFA, I moved to Laguna Beach to recover and start a new life with art at the center. Which lead me to working with a luxury shoe designer as a Design Assistant. It was a game changer for me. Learning how to design for very discerning men at a high price point completely changed how I see and make art now. It changed how I handle business and clients and how I start a deal and close one. I learned how to deal with money, pricing and witnessed just about everything I needed to know about running a business. It truly changed my art life.
Was it easy? It was excruciating. Studio art is usually self-focused expression, a luxury brand is the designer’s personal expression, however, ultimately to please a client. My ego took a major beating, but it was for the better. I had to learn how to work with what was best for the client rather than what I thought was cool or interesting.
How did I overcome the challenges?
I had to be willing to hear hard truths about myself, my ability to design for a client, and I had to be willing to revise until I was blue in the face and then some.
What do you want the world to know about you or your brand and story?
That I will never make anything that will have the appeal, power or beauty of a puppy or a sunset and my best ideas come from God. Secondly, I would highly suggest taking a career detour, even if it seems inconvenient. My experience working in fashion was like getting a real-world business degree which I have found has only helped me in the long run with my studio practice. Lastly, take viable opportunities that present themselves, when they present themselves and learn from them, even if they seem hard or even boring.
Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
One day in Atlanta I would start the day with an early morning 3 mile hike at Chattahoochee River National Recreation Area, Cochran Shoals Trail. Followed up by mid-morning breakfast on the patio at Good Kitchen + Market for beautifully plated scrambled eggs, potato hash and chicken sausage. As for the beverage selection, I would suggest sparkling water and an incredibly decadent iced Honey, Orange Latte. Can’t have too many drinks.
After our delicious breakfast, we would head to Ponce City Market; sit on the lawn people watching and when our eyes have been fully saturated, we would walk to the top floor to buy art from local artists out of an old-fashioned cigarette machine. Next, a quick contemplative trip to The High Museum of Art to see the Contemporary Collection and marvel at the architecture.
Then, a little boutique shopping at Sid and Ann Mashburn local ateliers with an easy stroll to JCT kitchen to eat a late lunch/early dinner at the outside bar/patio to watch the graffiti’d trains head off into the sunset. Shortly thereafter, we would head to the Goat Farm to tour artist studios and watch performance art outside under the stars. Lastly, late night Latin Dancing at El Super Pan and a break mid evening to eat their Chocolate chunk, spicy chili cookies to sustain our movement momentum.
Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
God, Dad and Mom as a single entity, and my sisters have been the most important catalysts in my life. I have had so much support from my entire community; art community and amazing friends. Ultimately, the bible has transformed my life plus my work and grad school profs Henry Leo Schoebel, Anthony Pessler and Curator, Carl Berg have helped shape my voice and approach to art making.
Website: Pameladiazmartinez.com
Instagram: pameladiazmartinez
Twitter: postpostmoderna
Facebook: pamela diaz martinez
Image Credits
Mitchell Griest: photo of me in front of photos and closeup photo of me with glasses Ben Steele: photo of me sitting on a chair with my photographer Michael Reese Michael Reese: photo Detail of Nascent Totem, Observed and Recorded Permutation of The Holy Spirit XV Vern Breitenbucher: photos of pastel drawings titled: Observed and Recorded Permutation of The Holy Spirit XI, X
Nominate Someone: ShoutoutAtlanta.com is built on recommendations and shoutouts from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you or someone you know deserves recognition please let us know here.
MOCA GA Instagram Takeover
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The Museum of Contemporary Art of Georgia (MOCA GA) is hosting the Celebrating Georgia Artists of Hispanic/Latinx Origin Series exhibition. Pamela Diaz Martinez was selected to be a featured artist in the exhibition out of 160 applicants. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, artists and visitors can’t physically go to the museum. MOCA GA has adapted to this circumstance by turning to a virtual exhibition and Instagram takeovers to celebrate the artists and their work.
On July 8 (between 3 - 7 pm), Martinez took over the MOCA GA Instagram posts and stories to exhibit her featured piece in the exhibition as well as provide insight into her career and current works. She posted pictures of her work, the process behind it, and the inspiration for it. For the Instagram stories, Martinez created original content by filming two videos to share. One video was an interview with Carol and Worth Talley, collectors of the artwork featured in the show. The other video was an interview with Cecilia Montalvo and Charlie McCullers, her current collaborators. Below are pictures from Martinez’s Instagram posts on the MOCA GA account and a screen recording of her Instagram story takeover. The official exhibition statement from MOCA GA, along with links to each of the featured artists, is attached at the bottom of the post.
Celebrating Georgia Artists of Hispanic/Latinx Origin Series
Sep 5, 2020 - Oct 31, 2020
11pm - 5pm
Prior to the Covid 19 virus, the Museum of Contemporary Art of Georgia (MOCA GA) in partnership with the Latin American Association organized the exhibition Celebrating Georgia Artists of Hispanic/Latinx Origin to spotlight significant contributions to contemporary art by 37 talented Georgia artists. MOCA GA is committed to showcasing these artists within the physical gallery space. We are currently working on a plan to feature 3-4 consecutive exhibitions in our entrance gallery. More information will be added to the website as plans move forward.
We are thrilled to have had approximately 650 artworks submitted by 160 artists from 51 Georgia cities and towns across 27 Georgia counties. While we remain closed, please find below links to images and artists’ information for this exhibition so that you may enjoy this exhibition remotely until the current health crisis subsides.
Cuban-born, Atlanta artist Alexi Torres, in conjunction with MOCA GA Director Annette Cone-Skelton had the difficult task of jurying this highly competitive call. Each juror diligently examined all entries and carefully selected artists to best represent the diversity and expertise inherent in this community.
The Artists:
Alvaro Alvillar / Stefania Antonucci / Jessica Caldas / Yehimi Cambrón Alvarez / Nicolas Canal Tinius / Ferney Coy / Franklin Delgado / Pedro Fuertes / Eloisa Gallegos Hernandez / Catalina Gomez-Beuth / Ana Guzman / Gonzalo Hernandez / Saul Hernandez / Izabella Herrera / María Korol / Emily Llamazales / Morgan Lugo / Alexandra Marrero / Pamela Diaz Martinez / Kengel Maysonet Baerga / Wilay Méndez Páez / Alex Mikev / Graciela Núñez Bedoya / Mario Padilla / Rachel Padilla / Esteban Patino / Tameka Phillips / Paula Reynaldi / Lucha Rodriguez / Ferdinand Rosa / Sara Santamaria / Maria Sarmiento / Carlos Solis / Sergio Suarez / Melvin Toledo / Reinaldo Vargas / Myrtha Vega
Manifest Gallery : "Transcendence"
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Manifest Gallery is a non-profit neighborhood gallery located in Cincinnati, Ohio that strives to make a positive community impact and engage both artists and the public in visual arts. Manifest had an open call for artists to submit work to be a part of an exhibition titled “Transcendence.” The show centered around works of art that addressed transcendence, subjects/forms that go beyond the ordinary. 83 artists responded to the open call by submitting 292 works from 29 states, Washington D.C., and 8 countries, including Canada, Denmark, England, Puerto Rico, Russia, Singapore, Ukraine, and the United States to be judged by a blind jury to be featured in the gallery and the Manifest Exhibition Annual publication. The jury selected 20 works by 13 artists from 8 states, Canada, and Denmark to be featured in the show. “Transcendence” was shown from November 8 - December 6, 2019 in the main gallery and drawing room of Manifest Gallery. Pamela Martinez’s art was shown along with the works of Helmut Amann, Cameran Ashraf, Camilla Augustinus, Kevin Dotson, Richard Ferncase, Hannah K. Freeman, Eric Heffington, Clive Moloney, Laura Noel, Holly Pennington, Snail Scott, and Jennifer Wilson.
Martinez’s piece, titled “Observed and Recorded Permutations of The Holy Spirit XI” (shortened as OARPOTHS) was selected and featured in the “Transcendence” exhibition at Manifest Gallery. This is a series of works focused around portraits of the Holy Spirit, the third person of the trinity. Each piece within the series literally depicts the abstract Holy Spirit as forms inspired by the weather. Martinez chose to approach her art with a subtractive process to symbolize the “permanent, yet invisible, Holy Spirit” (termed by art writer Roberta Carasso). Her process moves between building up form, linear marks with Pan Pastels on Duralar, an industrial paper referred to as film, then using various erasers to subtract. Each large image within the series takes one month to create, working for 8 hours a day for 6 days of the week.
“Observed and Recorded Permutations of The Holy Spirit XI” is a 36 inch x 81 inch pastel and powdered graphite erasing on Duralar. This piece was inspired by the movement of plants underwater along with coral. OARPOTHS XI depicts the form and presence of the Holy Spirit as a form of wind. Martinez’s piece displays how the Holy Spirit can transcend beyond Christian theology and text by being present on Earth amongst and within people. The Holy Spirit is typically thought of as invisible. Martinez explores what the Holy Spirit would look like if he was visible and how his form can transcend traditional notions.