Contents for December 30th, 2024
CONTENTS (please click on the links or scroll down for complete information on each post):
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Weekly Spotlight: Franklin Furnace, in collaboration with Oakwood Arts, presents American Aria, January 6, 2025.
1. Marty Pottenger, FF Alumn, now online at MaineArtsJournal.com
2. Linda Sibio/Bezerk Productions, FF Alumns, receive National Endowment for the Arts ArtsHERE Grant
3. Cheri Gaulke, FF Alumn, releases new documentary film
4. Micki Watanabe Spiller & Harley Spiller, FF Alumns, now online at Gothamist.com
5. Nicolás Dumit Estévez Raful Espejo Ovalles Morel, now online, at Hyperallergic.com
6. Mark Bloch, FF Alumn, now online at WhiteHotMagazine.com
7. Kenneth King, FF Member, now online at YouTube.com
8. Kathy Brew, FF Alumn, wins Best Short Documentary, Tokyo International Cinema Awards
9. John Fleck, FF Alumn, at The Odyssey Theatre, LA, CA, Jan. 11
10. Janet Henry, FF Alumn, now online at ArtNews.com
11. Claire Jeanine Satin, FF Alumn, at Main Library, Miami Dade, FL, opening Jan. 31
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Franklin Furnace, in collaboration with Oakwood Arts, presents American Aria
January 6, 2025 / 2:00PM EST / Virtual
https://franklinfurnace.org/americanaria/
American Aria is a durational video installation created by multimedia artist Kal Spelletich and filmmaker James Davis in partnership with Oakwood Arts JET Productions, inviting audiences to reflect on the transgressive nature of the January 6, 2021 insurrection on our nation’s capital. As our nation emerges from one of its most consequential presidential elections in modern history, American Aria reflects on surreal and horrifying aspects of that day and calls upon us to remain vigilant in upholding democracy.
Current political rhetoric suggests that the dangers of the insurrection have yet to pass, making this project urgently relevant. This piece serves as both a warning and a reflection on the volatile state of American democracy. Its visual and thematic content aligns with ongoing discussions about political accountability, free speech, and the fragility of democratic institutions in the face of rising extremism. American Aria catalyzed a nationwide screening of the project at venues including Oakwood Arts (Richmond, VA); Artists Television Access (San Francisco, CA); and Office Space Gallery (Detroit, MI).
Join us on Monday, January 6, 2025 for a screening and conversation on the anniversary of the insurrection. Franklin Furnace’s digital LOFT will host a full durational screening of American Aria – 6 hours and 11 minutes – the same length as the actual insurgence on our Capital. A Q&A session with the artists and a special guest will follow the screening.
Kal Spelletich is a San Francisco-based artist known for exploring the intersections of technology, politics, and art. His activist-oriented work critiques power structures and uses art as a tool for political commentary. Known for his pioneering work in robotic and mechanized art, American Aria builds upon his decades-long commitment to using art as a vehicle for social change.
James Davis, an Irish filmmaker and activist, collaborated with Spelletich on the creation of American Aria, overseeing the editing process and reviewing hundreds of hours of source footage to shape the final six-hour-and-eleven-minute film. His deep understanding of narrative and visual storytelling amplifies Spelletich’s vision, highlighting the political and cultural significance of the piece.
This project was inspired and informed by Spelletich’s conversations with Emmy-nominated journalist AC Thompson, whose investigations into American fascism for PBS and ProPublica have been crucial in shaping the thematic focus of the work.
This project was generously underwritten by Mike Schewel and facilitated by Oakwood Arts JET Productions. Oakwood Arts is a Richmond, Virginia-based nonprofit. Supporting creative opportunity for all, Oakwood Arts makes art and careers in creative industries accessible to all through community engagement, inspiring programming, and experiential education. Their programs include classes and workshops that focus on the digital and technical skills students need to succeed in the creative workforce. Oakwood Arts’ Fall semester interns and OA JET members contributed to this project through tasks such as video editing, 3D mock-ups, trailers, marketing design, website design, and planning for events and the online exhibition, while gaining insights into copyright laws and ethical sourcing.
A link to the project’s website, including a short of the full-length durational video and links to upcoming screenings, can be found here: https://www.americanaria.com/
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1. Marty Pottenger, FF Alumn, now online at MaineArtsJournal.com
Please visit this link:
https://maineartsjournal.com/marty-pottenger/
Thank you.
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2. Linda Sibio/Bezerk Productions, FF Alumns, receive National Endowment for the Arts ArtsHERE Grant
Bezerk Productions to Receive $120,800 ArtsHERE Grant
Grant Projects Designed to Expand Access to
Arts Participation in Communities Nationwide
JOSHUA TREE, CA – Bezerk Productions is one of 112 organizations nationwide
selected to receive an ArtsHERE grant of $120,800 as part of a new pilot program from
the National Endowment for the Arts in partnership with South Arts and in collaboration
with the other five U.S. Regional Arts Organizations. These grants support specific
projects that will strengthen the organizations’ capacity to sustain meaningful
community engagement and increase arts participation for underserved groups and
communities.
“The National Endowment for the Arts is thrilled to provide resources to a group of
exceptional organizations through ArtsHERE, a program to help deepen meaningful and
lasting arts engagement in underserved communities,” said Maria Rosario Jackson,
PhD, chair of the National Endowment for the Arts. “Everyone should be able to live an
artful life, and ArtsHERE is an important step in ensuring we are strengthening our
nation’s arts ecosystem to make this a reality.”
Historically underserved groups and communities—those whose opportunities to
experience the arts have been limited by factors such as geography, race or ethnicity,
economics, or disability—frequently report lower rates of participation in various arts
activities than other groups do. ArtsHERE aims to address disparities in arts
participation through grants that help organizations better serve and reach their
communities.
The ArtsHERE grant will support Bezerk Productions in developing a strategic plan and
transitioning leadership. The project includes hiring a new Executive Director by July
2025, engaging an experienced consultant for strategic planning, and providing board
development and fundraising training to ensure future sustainability. Led by nationally
recognized artist Linda Sibio, Bezerk Productions has a 23-year history of offering art
workshops for mentally challenged individuals, helping them channel creativity
productively and manage behavior, ultimately improving their quality of life.
Sibio explains the genesis of her creative process: “I am a schizophrenic contemporary
artist who has a personal interest in Insanity and how it affects culture. I started working
with mentally challenged individuals in 1985 in a project with the homeless and mentally
challenged. I started my own group “Operation Hammer” in 1990. It went for six years
ending with an interdisciplinary piece on suicide called “Red Ant Cometh.” I was
hooked. The perceptions of the mentally challenged are unique and a vital part of the
global network that connects all creative endeavors. I have spent a great deal of time
creating a lesson plan: Cracked Eggs (mental health services act grant collaborating
with Department of Behavioral Health in San Bernardino/Innovation Division). On that
one I have spent 4 1/2 years that includes students’ perceptions and symptoms they
have from their challenges. This path is now culminating in interest in what Bezerk
Productions is doing: changing lives.”
“We are very excited to work with these organizations on their projects,” said Susie
Surkamer, president and CEO of South Arts. “The arts are essential to the fabric of our
nation, and at the heart of this necessity are the organizations and individuals who
champion them. Through ArtsHERE, we are excited to continue expanding and
enriching the arts landscape both nationally and within these unique local communities.”
In addition to grant awards, ArtsHERE grant recipients will also participate in quarterly
peer learning workshops, monthly cohort sessions, and one-on-one meetings with
technical assistance coaches and field experts. These meetings are designed for
knowledge sharing, learning, and capacity-building, to help reinforce the initiative’s
opportunities for cross-sector engagement.
As a pilot program, ArtsHERE will be documented and evaluated by the NEA to better
understand the project activities supported by this program and how grantees
approached the work. These insights may inform the future of ArtsHERE and similar
funding programs in the future.
More than 4,000 organizations applied for ArtsHERE funding in late 2023 and early
2024. Applications were reviewed by multiple review panels based on published review
criteria, including the applicant’s organizational capacity and their capacity-building
project, alignment with ArtsHERE’s commitment to equity, and engagement with
historically underserved communities. The selected organizations will receive funding to
support their projects, which will take place between October 2024 through June 2026.
For more information on all of the ArtsHERE recommended grants, visit artsHERE.org.
ArtsHERE is also supported by The Wallace Foundation through matching funds to the
Regional Arts Organizations in support of this program.
Established in 2001, Bezerk Productions’ mission is to educate the public on the
interdisciplinary art of persons with severe mental differences, provide educational art
opportunities for this population and the public, and provide educational and career
opportunities for this disadvantaged population. Our vision is to heal through the
creative process.
About the National Endowment for the Arts
Established by Congress in 1965, the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) is an
independent federal agency that is the largest funder of the arts and arts education in
communities nationwide and a catalyst of public and private support for the arts. By
advancing equitable opportunities for arts participation and practice, the NEA fosters
and sustains an environment in which the arts benefit everyone in the United States. To
learn more, visit arts.gov or follow us on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube.
About South Arts
South Arts advances Southern vitality through the arts. The nonprofit regional arts
organization was founded in 1975 to build on the South’s unique heritage and enhance
the public value of the arts. South Arts’ work responds to the arts environment and
cultural trends with a regional perspective. South Arts offers an annual portfolio of
activities designed to support the success of artists and arts providers in the South,
address the needs of Southern communities through impactful arts-based programs,
and celebrate the excellence, innovation, value and power of the arts of the South. For
more information, visit www.southarts.org
About the U.S. Regional Arts Organizations
The United States Regional Arts Organizations (USRAOs)—Arts Midwest, Mid-America
Arts Alliance, Mid Atlantic Arts, New England Foundation for the Arts, South Arts, and
Western States Arts Federation—are a collective of six nonprofit arts service
organizations committed to strengthening America’s infrastructure by increasing access
to creativity for all Americans. They serve the nation’s artists, arts and culture
organizations, and creative communities with programs that reflect and celebrate the
diversity of the field in which they work. They partner with the National Endowment for
the Arts, state arts agencies, individuals, and other public and private funders to
develop and deliver programs, services, and products that advance arts and creativity.
Together, the USRAOs work to activate and operate national arts initiatives, encourage
and support collaboration across regions, states, and communities, and maximize the
coordination of public and private resources invested in arts programs. In Fiscal Year
2023, they invested over $18.4 million across the United States and Jurisdictions,
through nearly 2,400 grants that reached more than 1,000 communities. For more
information, visit https://usregionalarts.org
#ArtsHERE #USRegionalArts #USRAOs
For more information, photos, or an interview, please contact Green Galactic’s Lynn
Tejada at 213-840-1201 or lynn@greengalactic.com.
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3. Cheri Gaulke, FF Alumn, releases new documentary film
Cheri Gaulke has written, directed, produced and edited a new short documentary film, Old Girl in a Tutu: Susan Rennie Disrupts Art History. The film’s festival journey begins in January 2025 and will continue throughout the year. Upcoming screenings include Borrego Springs Film Festival (CA) 1/16, New Filmmakers LA 1/18, and Desperado LGBTQ Festival (Phoenix) late Jan. Read more about the film and find a screening near you at the website https://oldgirlinatutu.com/
Synopsis:
Feminist scholar, Susan Rennie, seizes her iPhone and sneaks her queer, octogenarian body into master works of art, disrupting the narrative of the male gaze.
This 8-minute film focuses on a gallery showcase of Susan Rennie’s delightful art with unfiltered commentary from the artist, as well as words from exhibition curator Kirsten Grimstad.
When Rennie retired from academia, she returned to her first love – photography. With humor and wit, Rennie’s photographic interventions offer a feminist critique of the conventional canon of art history, and an unabashed embrace of her elder, queer identity. The results are juicy, eye-opening, and often hilarious.
Writer/Director/Producer/Editor Cheri Gaulke has created an entertaining journey into the mind of an elder, queer artist through a whirlwind of images and ideas.
Thanks!
Cheri
-Cheri Gaulke
Artist/Filmmaker/Educator/Activist
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4. Micki Watanabe Spiller & Harley Spiller, FF Alumns, now online at Gothamist.com
Please visit this link:
Thank you.
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5. Nicolás Dumit Estévez Raful Espejo Ovalles Morel, now online, at Hyperallergic.com
Banana Company Artwashes Its Bloody Legacy at Art Basel Miami Beach
Chiquita has no place in the arts, let alone at an art fair with deep ties to Latin America.
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6. Mark Bloch, FF Alumn, now online at WhiteHotMagazine.com
Hi! I did not want to end this year of the Surrealist Centennial—the Surrealist Manifesto was published in 1924— without giving a shout out to, yes, André Breton, but also to Mr. Kurt Seligmann who I think deserves a new title or at least a second, third and fourth look in December 2024 and beyond into the approaching New Year. Seligmann was a great painter and an interesting character and so I survey the Seligmann landscape in this, the sixty second year since he mysteriously died on January 2, 1962 at age 62.
https://whitehotmagazine.com/articles/kurt-seligmann-1900-1962-/6743
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7. Kenneth King, FF Member, now online at YouTube.com
Happy New Year At Happy Valley Retirement Village (Comedy) – The gang is back and as the celebrations begin so do the shenanigans! B.B.C. reporter Basil Wraithbone emcees the occasion with actresses Katherine Heartburn and Tallulah Bankhead,152-year-old Ole’ Grandpa, Russian spy defector Boris Badenoff, gourmet chef Foo Chi, construction worker Buddy, and Cockney TV fanatic Randy Pincer trade barbs and intrigues in this virtual soap opera! (17:35′) Here’s the link:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=393jnSxCoDI
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8. Kathy Brew, FF Alumn, wins Best Short Documentary, Tokyo International Cinema Awards
Just received news that FOLLOWING THE THREAD won the award for Best Short Documentary at the Tokyo International CInema Awards. As I wrote a few days ago when I learned the film had been selected to the festival, it’s gratifying that the work of these Peruvian weavers from the Sacred Valley is being seen by others around the globe. If interested to see the film, it’s available for streaming through my educational distributor, Documentary Educational Resources.
Thank you
Kathy Brew
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9. John Fleck, FF Alumn, at The Odyssey Theatre, LA, CA, Jan. 11
Thresholds of Invention presents a new work by John Fleck. There are FAIRIES at the Bottom of our Garden. Sat. Jan. 11 at 8 pm at The Odyssey Theatre, 2055 S Sepulveda Blvd. LA, CA 90025
Tickets $28
@https://odysseytheatre.com 310-477-2055
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10. Janet Henry, FF Alumn, now online at ArtNews.com
Please visit this link:
Thank you.
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11. Claire Jeanine Satin, FF Alumn, at Main Library, Miami Dade, FL, opening Jan. 31
CLAIRE JEANINE SATIN FF ALUMN
WILL HAVE A ONE PERSON EXHIBITION
at the MAIN LIBRARY MIAMI DADE
Miami, Florida.
Opening January 31, 2025-April 17, 2025.
TYPEWRITER BOOKS: by CLAIRE JEANINE SATIN.
free all invited
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For subscriptions, un-subscriptions, queries and comments, please email mail@franklinfurnace.org
Join Franklin Furnace today:
https://franklinfurnace.org/membership/
Goings On for Artists is compiled weekly by Rohan Subramaniam, FF Intern, Summer/Fall/Winter 2024/2025
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