By Joseph D’Alessandro

Sculpting balloons, inspecting airplanes and making props for Hollywood movies —Renee Morgan has done it all.

Morgan, owner of Aviator Balloons in North Bellmore, makes large installations for graduations, proms, weddings, baby showers, fundraising events and more. The sculptures cover ceilings and walls, make tunnels, and take the form of dresses, cars, trucks and people. Her largest wonderland-like installations can use tens of thousands of balloons, all for a single grand exhibit. Her work can even be found decorating Sony Hall for New York Fashion Week twice a year.

“I’m heading to Indiana to do a big balloon ball for a charity sponsor, the Ronald McDonald House,” she said of an event that took place between April 22 and 25. “So we used 100,000 balloons to create this circus-like theme. So everything from tight ropes to giant elephants. I’m a team leader in that build, where I’ll be commanding a team of about 80 people to create this large scale wonderland of balloons.”

Morgan started doing balloon artistry 10 years ago. Her aunt needed a display for her bridal shower, but found the available options to be too expensive, including balloon-themed pieces.

“I was like, yeah, I could do that,” Morgan recounted. “So I tried it. And I epically failed my first time, because it wasn’t easy.”

She began to study balloon art more thoroughly, which brought her where she is today.

For Morgan, sustainability is key for her business and the environment. She uses biodegradable balloons and eco-friendly packaging, and does not use helium, which can cause fiery explosions if they contact outdoor power lines. She also educates each client on proper disposal and cleanup methods.

Aviator Balloons also has programs to educate aspiring artists on business and techniques in the inflatable industry.

“I have a mentorship program with 30-plus ladies internationally,” Morgan said. “We have a mentorship program that operates via Zoom where we’ll meet and we’ll discuss the business behind balloons as well as the artistry that fuels it.”

One former student, Brittany Richardson, is the production assistant for Aviator Balloons.

“I started as a student back at the end of 2020,” Richardson said. “She’s a mentor of mine. I can call her for anything. I do balloons as well, so if I’m stuck on something, she’s always one call away. She’s so sweet.”

Over the years, Morgan’s business has grown to accept international students and clients — she has associates who work from Jamaica, Barbados and Trinidad when there is an assignment.

Morgan has experience working internationally, sourced from her long career in aviation. She was an airport inspector at John F. Kennedy airport in Queens before retiring and pursuing her interest in balloon artistry.

Morgan has earned three undergraduate degrees as well as a master’s in aviation, with a unique expertise in meteorology. Over the course of her career, she carried out accident analysis, development research, and wrote award-winning industry papers.

Morgan worked in the aviation industry for about 15 years, and has worked at a multitude of different airports as an airport inspector.

“I’ve always been interested in it since I was a baby,” Morgan said. “Since I was a kid, I wanted to be a pilot. Once I achieved that dream, I wanted to do more. But then I felt like I was tapping out, I felt like I was at the apex of my career.

“I retired two years ago. I was doing both for a while; I’ve retired to do balloons full time,” Morgan said.

Morgan also currently works for Paramount Pictures as a contract prop and set designer for upcoming movies filmed in New York, which she could not comment on. 

Morgan balances the workload of an entrepreneur and contractor with motherhood.

“I’m a mom, to an autistic son, so it isn’t the easiest thing to balance, having a special needs child and working full time in your own business,” Morgan said. “And you don’t work your typical nine to five, sometimes it’s nine to 10 at night. It’s really understanding what you’re willing to sacrifice to make the amendments in your life, and what you’re willing to put first.”

Morgan’s hopes for the future are high. She has an interest in making an installation inside Roosevelt Field Mall. Her main priority is being able to be a full sustainable business, and potentially grab a Guinness World Record along the way.

Aviator Balloons has many local repeat clients including JD sports’ New York events, Long Island Harvest, and many school districts on Long Island, such as in Freeport and Merrick, as well as schools in Queens, Brooklyn and the Bronx.

If you are interested in a balloon sculpture, visit AviatorBalloons.com

On 24 April, the European festival “Ukrainian Spring 2024” opened in Stockholm, in Sweden, to bring together 12 cultural events and honor Ukrainian artists who were killed on the front lines fighting against Russian invaders.

“The festival’s concept is to present Ukraine as an integral part of the common European cultural heritage. This connection is emphasized by the ‘Reflection in each other’s eyes – Ukraine in Europe and Europe in Ukraine’ festival’s slogan,” the organizers noted.

The ultimate goal of all cultural events dedicated to Ukraine abroad, the festival’s team says, should be to focus society’s attention on Ukraine’s struggle and victory in the war unleashed by Russia, as well as to remind of the necessity to strengthen assistance for defense against the aggressor. Hence, this year, each of the 12 days of the festival will be dedicated to one of the Ukrainian artists who defended their homeland and died on the battlefield.

“Unfortunately, we didn’t have just one artist who took up arms to defend Ukraine and perished for each day. We had to make choices.

It’s a painful reminder to the world that Russia takes away the best from Ukraine. It’s a painful reminder to the world that Russia takes away some of Ukraine’s brightest talents.

Some had already built remarkable careers before the war, while others were just starting out, their paths cut short by Russian aggression,” noted Natalia Pasichnyk, a performing pianist and founder of the Ukrainian Institute in Sweden.

The festival opened at the Royal Concert Hall, Sweden’s main concert stage, with events honoring opera singer Vasyl Slipak, who had been killed in the war with Russia in 2016, as per UkrInform.

On 2 May, the festival will host a screening of the Swiss-Ukrainian film “Olha” and will commemorate actor Pavlo Li, who died in fighting for Irpin, the city in Kyiv Oblast, in 2022. The festival will also honor Hlib Babych, artist Serhii Pushchenko, and violinist Roman Barvinok. All of them were killed in a struggle against Russia’s occupiers.

The final concert will be the world premiere of a work of music inspired by Taras Shevchenko’s poem “Zore moya vechirniaia” (My Evening Star), composed by Bohdana Froliak, one of Ukraine’s foremost composers. This day will be dedicated to the memory of Kostiantyn Starovytskyi, a conductor in the State Academic Estrada-Symphonic Orchestra and the Kyiv Opera, who fought in the early days of Russia’s full-scale war and died on the Kramatorsk front.

The festival will unfold across ten different venues, including concert stages, museums, cultural embassy residences of European countries in Stockholm, cinemas, and churches.

The event is organized by the Association of Cultural Institutes of European Union Member States, the European Commission, the Ukrainian Institute in Sweden, and Konserthuset Stockholm.

Earlier, the General San Martín cinema in Buenos Aires hosted a special screening of two documentaries about the Russian war against Ukraine. One of them was “Chornobyl 22” by Ukrainian director Oleksii Radynsky, which tells the story of the occupation of the exclusion zone in Kyiv Oblast.

Ukrainian documentaries in Argentina unveil Russian war crimes

It was created with the help of The Reckoning Project: Ukraine Testifies, a non-profit organization that documents and investigates Russian war crimes in Ukraine.

Related:

Superfine Art Fair is coming to New York for its 30th Fair bringing 130 Artists for Gen Z + Millennial buyers who feel frozen out of Major Art Weeks.

Taking over the 3rd floor of a skyscraper building at 151 West 42nd (you might know it as the one with the giant H&M logo on the top), 30,000 square feet of emerging art, plus performance pieces curated by downtown stalwart and arts champion ChaShaMa, a smart mod-meets-retro musical backdrop selected by fair organizer Alex Mitow, a thoughtful local beer and wine list – all contributing to a warm, comfy art-shopping environment that serves to facilitate, lubricate, and encourage direct interactions (and transactions) between artist and audience. To wit: more than 40% of visitors who pass through Superfine’s doors walk out as collectors of one or more Superfine artists.

Termed FUTURE WONDERLAND, the fête marries glitz with a touch of whimsy. A wisp of cotton candy floats above flutes brimming with champagne in a nod to Superfine’s start as a cheeky Art Basel Miami outsider a decade ago. Variety entertainers clad in mirrorball gear wink knowingly at Times Square’s hedonistic era and perhaps even at Club USA, the Mugler/Gaultier designed boîte par perfection that once camped a few blocks north on 47th street during TSQ’s pre-Giuliani salad days. And most importantly, opening night represents a chance for those who are really there for the art to scope out the best pieces, chat up the artist they’ve been Insta-crushing on, and get a masterpiece off the walls and into the backseat of the cab before anyone else can.

With a fresh look and feel for 2024, Superfine’s brand has evolved thanks to creative director and co-founder James Miille. In honour of its 10th anniversary, Superfine has invited friends, curators, and rulebreakers of the art-verse to nominate artists and artworks from the fair’s preceding decade for an anthology book published by SNAP Collective, a San Francisco and Munich-based art book publisher.

FAD has a sneak peek and has picked 8 artists you have got to see when you visit Superfine in Times Square next week.

Anthony Rondinone (b. 1984) is a Bronx-born American artist whose work delves into the raw emotions of his low-income immigrant upbringing. Through expressive painting, he reinterprets familiar pop culture characters like those from “The Simpsons” and “Sesame Street,” probing their unexamined traits to expose the darker aspects of humanity. For instance, his portrayal of Cookie Monster embodies the torment of addiction. Rondinone’s art confronts societal ugliness, urging self-reflection and empathy.

Alejandro Aboli’s work (Madrid-based in New York, 1980) transcends the boundaries of photography. Through digital tools and collage, Aboli creates unique characters and scenarios that would be impossible otherwise: “With my work, I develop an additional dimension that is also an extra layer of meaning.” His work, which draws inspiration from cinema – Lachapelle, Nolan, Wong Kar-Wai – and uses photography, tells stories that channel emotions and guide viewers towards deep reflection about the self.

Catalina Beres (b. 1992, Romania) is a visual artist who lives and works in Bucharest, Romania. She grew up in Eastern Europe and studied at George Enescu University of Visual Arts and Design in Iasi, Romania, graduating in 2014. Before settling in Paris for a couple of years, she worked in different locations within Europe and ran a design company for several years. Since then, she has shown her paintings in New York, Miami and Paris.

With no intentions of being esoteric or fraught with deep-seated riddles, the process of creating a picture nevertheless concludes with a manufacture that may embody some underlying meaning(s).   perhaps the work is haphazardly navigating between the manifesto of metamodernism and the creed of art for art’s sake, between meaning and unmeaning.   and of the latter, it may be impossible to establish an altogether vacancy in meaning, as art, as an import of feeling, as a symbolic device, as an exhibitionist to an audience, will struggle to keep quiet no matter how hard it tries.  regardless, what is most important is that whatever narrative shall associate itself with the picture being offered, it must be the consumer, not the work’s creator, who is the author.

Court Watson (he/they) is a co-host of the Doable Guys Art Collective in residency at the SoHo Project Space. He has exhibited in numerous group shows at the Leslie-Lohman Gay and Lesbian Art Museum as well as four Fire Island Pines Art Biennials, Superfine! Art Fair, Art Gaysel Miami, Art Gaysel Provincetown, Barnwood, Side Tracks Gallery, Salzburg’s Dark Eagle, Atlantic Gallery, Brooklyn Queer Flea, Dandyland. WANDERLUST at the SoHo Project Space was his first solo show in New York and first monograph.

TANI GOMEZ IS A CONCEPT DESIGNER WITH A FOCUS ON CHARACTER DESIGN AND ILLUSTRATION.

Drawing inspiration from the enchanting beauty of nature and the evocative memories of youth, Tani Gomez crafts a mesmerizing world through illustrations, sculptures, and paintings. With a whimsical touch and an occasional haunting allure, Tani Gomez invites viewers into a realm where imagination intertwines seamlessly with the essence of the past. Each creation becomes a unique journey, blending the ethereal and the nostalgic, leaving an indelible mark on the canvas.

Amy Rimmer’s artistic journey began at 12 when she entered an Andy Warhol-inspired sunflower pastel drawing into a County Fair Art Show, winning a blue ribbon. Despite her passion, she paused her art studies at Bethany College to care for her family when her grandfather fell ill. Transitioning to nursing, she worked for five years before reigniting her love for painting. Her show “Joy” in 2017 marked her return, followed by local exhibitions in Northwest Arkansas and participation in markets like The Little Craft Show. Fulfilling a dream, she’ll vend at the Smoky Hill River Festival in Salina, Kansas. She showcased her work at America’s first Biennial Art and Fashion show in 2023 and will be the featured artist at The Apollo on Emma in Springdale this fall. Amy lives in Fayetteville with her husband Thomas, their three children, and their dog Ellie.

Superfine is as committed as ever to artist independence, interconnection, and buyer empowerment. Booths are repped by the artists themselves, not dealers. 90% of the artwork on offer falls into a new-collector-friendly range from $150 and $3000. 100% of revenue from art sales goes directly to the artist.

Perhaps the current iteration of Superfine in New York can best be summed up in one of the fair’s new 2024 maxims:

We see art in your future. 

Superfine Art Fair’s 7th edition in New York City (30th overall) is open to the public at One Five One (151 W 42nd St) from Friday, May 3 to 5. The VIP and media opening takes place Thursday, May 2nd from 6pm-10pm. General Access and opening night/VIP passes are available here.

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Most Black art and culture spaces in Michigan, like the Black Arts and Cultural Center in the Epic Center, the Xperience by LuXury Escapes in Farmer’s Alley, and The Space at the very end of Michigan Avenue, are run by only one or two people — and usually, those people happen to be phenomenal women, women whose everyday jobs encompass roles such as accountant, founder, manager, owner and operator, and even custodian. 

Maya JamesInterior view of Imagine Art N Lee at Crossroads Mall.Often, these women set aside any personal tragedy, trauma, and turmoil they’ve experienced to achieve their dreams. A shining example of this type of commitment is Nicole Lee, the mastermind behind the newly launched Imagine Art N Lee in the Crossroads Mall.

Taking action to advocate for the underserved is a driving force for Nicole Lee, and her dream has been a long time coming, she says. In her new business, she wears many hats as the owner, operator, muralist, accountant, facilitator, curator, and manager of Imagine Art N Lee. 

Full disclosure: I have known Nicole since our first collaborations and social justice campaigns in 2020 following the murders of George Floyd (by Minneapolis police) and Cornelius Frederick, (a student placed in the custody of Lakeside Academy after his mother died). 

From struggle arose a vision

Amidst the outrage after George Floyd’s death, Lee showed up by using her voice and creative talents to advocate against the injustices around her. Despite the retaliation against peaceful protestors like Lee, she kept fighting from the inside with a vision of a place where local artists — especially artists of color — could showcase their work, sell their wares, and be celebrated. She imagined a place where non-artists could discover their inner creative abilities in a safe, non-judgmental, and equitable space.

When Lee established her business, located next to Claire’s in the Crossroads Mall, she was working full-time as a social worker and freshly processing the loss of her late father. For years, she had been dreaming of a space where she could unlock her community’s creative gifts, talents, and abilities. In our interview in mid-March, she recounted her journey to Imagine Art N Lee amidst her recent loss and the chronic demands of a full-time job in social services.

https://galleryrevieweurope.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/1714052505_79_Imagine-Art-N-Lee-provides-creative-space-for-budding-and.jpghttps://galleryrevieweurope.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/1714052505_79_Imagine-Art-N-Lee-provides-creative-space-for-budding-and.jpgArtist: Maya JamesMaya James painted this portrait of Imagine Art N Lee Owner Nicole Lee. Please see Artist Statement below.“The mission wasn’t just about me.” says Lee, “The space came out of a lot of grieving. In November of 2023, I lost my father. Nearly two months later, I got the keys to Imagine Art N Lee.”

Against the odds, she says, she accomplished her dream.

All are welcome at Imagine Art N Lee, says Lee adding that she intends to make Imagine Art N Lee a gesture of love to our community.

It won’t paint itself, Love

During the first six weeks of designing and furnishing her business space, Lee says she was nervous. But all of her small touches make the space personal and inviting. Anyone who knows Lee on a personal level knows the warmth and comfort she exudes when she calls you “love,” a term of endearment she uses frequently. The space features a beautiful purple, blue, brown, and yellow mural spanning across the wall (that she painted herself), and states in an inviting font: “It’s just art” and “It won’t paint itself, Love.” 

Art N Lee has dedicated space for everyone, from the all-gender restrooms to the “paintbrush salon” where her customers can clean their tools in an innovative way. Folks with all levels of experience in the arts have a safe space to create, she says. 

Those who are new to painting have the opportunity to start with simple pre-stenciled paint-by-numbers — or, if they’re feeling braver, to start from scratch on a blank canvas. Her nontraditional studio setup is not your auntie’s typical paint n’ sip. Non-alcoholic sparkling grape juice and mocktails provide a healthy alternative to alcohol and help make the space of creation and recreation open to all ages and backgrounds. 

Maya JamesInterior view of Imagine Art N Lee at Crossroads Mall“People can paint anything they want,” says Lee. But the space can be used for so much more including rentals for events like fundraisers, birthday and bachelorette parties. And if you’re a working artist, you can sell your work with a small shelving fee, as well as keep all the sales profits with no binding agreement.

In the future, Lee hopes to see “Imagine Art N’ Lee” grow and perhaps move into an even larger space that can shelve all types of artists’ work, host master classes, and spread her message of healing through the arts into an even wider sphere. During our interview, she reflected on her journey, sharing an invitation to all who have waited to take a chance on their gifts. “My only wish,” says Lee, “is that my Dad could see this.”

If you or someone you love is creative — or has creative tendencies — stop by and chat with Lee at the Crossroads Mall at Imagine Art N’ Lee next to Claire’s between 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday through Wednesday, 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. Thursday through Saturday, and 12 p.m to 6 p.m. on Sundays.

Artist Statement:  ‘Nicole Lee,’  8 1/2”x 11” Watercolor and Acrylic on canvas. In crafting the portrait of Nicole Lee, I sought to encapsulate her embodiment of boundless creativity and inclusivity within her own artistic expression. This piece is a tribute to her vision and the nurturing environment she cultivates at Imagine Art n Lee.  The goal was to evoke Nicole’s welcoming spirit and the vibrant tapestry of her creative endeavors.

CLIFTON SPRINGS — A new exhibition will open at Main Street Arts with a reception planned for 3-6 p.m. April 27.

The event is free and open to the public and will coincide with Independent Bookstore Day, which will be celebrated at Sulfur Books, the bookstore at 18 E. Main St. owned by Main Street Arts.

“Made From Clay” is a group exhibition of 13 ceramic artists from across the Upstate region, and is a true celebration of ceramic art in its many forms.

The exhibition is a mix of sculptural and functional works, a display abundant with diverse colors and textures, perspectives and passions. Encompassed within the same room you will find beautifully made pottery: cups, bowls, plates, large vessels, and stunningly crafted sculptural pieces ranging from abstracted natural forms to playful figurative works. The collection of work gathered in this exhibition represents a range in material, style, and subject matter; and presents a cross-section of work being made in contemporary ceramics in the region.

The following artists are featured: Mike Griffin of Naples; David MacDonald of Syracuse; Mitch Messina of Pittsford; Brooke Millechia of Fairport; Chatham Monk of Shortsville; Dejan Pejovic of Rochester; Justin Rice of Shortsville; Amanda Schober of Buffalo; Jane Shellenbarger of Mount Morris; Hannah Thompsett of Scio; James Tingey Alfred of Station; Colleen Toledano of Buffalo; and Robin Whiteman of Springwater.

“Made from Clay” remains on display through May 29. Gallery hours are Tuesdays and Wednesdays, 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., and Thursday to Saturday, 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Artwork in the exhibition can be previewed and purchased at MainStreetArtsCS.org.

The South Arkansas Arts Center in El Dorado welcomes contemporary artist Oluwatobi Adewumi and his exhibition “Journey to the Unknown” to the Merkle and Price Galleries April 29-June 12, 2024.

Adewumi is originally from Nigeria but now calls South Arkansas his home.

There will be an artist’s reception from 5:30-7 p.m. Thursday, May 2, 2024.

Adewumi focuses on the sociocultural aspect of the subject through his multimedia drawings. His work explores his personal journey of having been born in Nigeria and then moving and assimilating into American Culture in conservative Arkansas.

His drawings are between realism/abstract figures and portraits layered out to make it simple for his audience by telling a story in a story. Some of his best tools are charcoal, and acrylic paint, which he can manipulate and use freely to bring the depth of the subject as he tackles the story behind each piece.

“The exhibition narrates my experience as a black man in the US or as a black man in an arduous society. From the lens of an immigrant, my art frames new stories about an epic experience that has been playing like a film for the past five hundred years. The stories remind us that we are one people who must live together and learn about love and harmony, despite the differences in the colors of our skins,” said Adewumi.

When Adewumi first migrated to America, he never considered himself “black” since he came from a country where the idea of skin color was never reflective of his identity. In Nigeria, ethnicity, religion, social class, and gender defines who a person is in society. To be called black had never been part of the conversation, since the social construct in Nigeria was not based on race. He would travel to any part of the country without worrying that someone was going to judge him or not afford him the imperative opportunity based on his skin color.

When he migrated to America, he realized that his race and his ethnicity as an African immigrant would define the space that society afforded him. Adewumi and his wife, an Arkansas native, live in McNeil.

For more information on the Oluwatobi Adewumi exhibit at the South Arkansas Arts Center, call the SAAC office at 870-862-5474 or visit the website.

CLICK HERE to see the website.

SAAC is located at 110 East Fifth Street, El Dorado.

CLICK HERE to see the artist’s website.

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PORTSMOUTH — The City’s Public Art Review Committee is seeking artists to design a piece of art for Peirce Island.

The committee recently issued a request for proposals (RFP) for the project.

The RFP states they are requesting “proposals from artists in all media, including but not limited to sculpture, reliefs, mosaics, landforms, lighting and sound” for a “permanent work-of-art on Peirce Island.

The group previously held three community input sessions to discuss the history of Pierce Island and the process for determining a location for the art project.

The Peirce Island Art Project will be funded through Portsmouth’s Percent-for-Art program, established in 2006 to increase the number of significant works of art in the city. The Portsmouth public art ordinance is modeled on the state of New Hampshire’s Percent-for-Art program. For each publicly funded construction project, Portsmouth allocates 1% of the project budget up to $150,000.

I usually find myself writing about established artists who continually evolve in their music or take it to the streets with big tours. Sometimes I get a little wrapped up in aspiring artists who make it to the TV talent shows in the hope of getting noticed. But once in a while, I’m drawn to those who go it alone, trying to carve their own niche in the industry.

Jubae is one of those shining hopefuls with a world of possibilities before him.

I was introduced to Jubae and his journey from a mutual friend. The young artist hails from Elkhart, Ind., and is already making waves locally with his music. His passion didn’t happen immediately but was borne from his life experiences.

He was born Jubae Augustine. His life wasn’t easy as the young man endured a rough childhood, living in government housing and witnessing substance and domestic abuse frequently. He gives himself much credit for not following in that direction.

Music came to light when he moved in with his father at age 11, he said about his earliest memories with rap.

It’s not every day that high school students get the opportunity to showcase their art alongside working artists in a gallery. Brand Library & Art Center’s new exhibit does just that. “Summertime” brings together artworks from Glendale Unified School District students and artists in Supercollider, an art, science and tech Los Angeles-based artist collective. The show is ongoing through Saturday, May 18.

Curated by Marcela Vieira, the collaborative project features artworks by Andrea Ganuza, Beatriz Toledo, Berfin Ataman, Brice Bischoff, Carolina Caycedo and David de Rozas, Edgar Fabián Frías, Isabel Beavers, Janaina Wagner, Joel Kuennen, Lauren Bon, Maurício Chades, Noara Quintana, Sofia Borges, Star Feliz and Wallace Masuko and over 50 student artists presented by GUSD representing Anderson W. Clark High School, Crescenta Valley High School, Daily High School, Glendale High School and Herbert Hoover High School. The show includes around 85 works in various mediums: video, painting, sculpture, photography, drawing, projection, ceramics, fiber artwork and robotics.

“Summertime” delves into the landscape as a product of human intervention, reflecting its evolution from its original state. Over time, the terrain has been delineated, fragmented and altered to align with social, economic and aesthetic objectives. Through diverse mediums, the artists featured in the exhibition explore unconventional compositions, establishing dialogues between their creations and the gallery environment. “Summertime” charts a course aimed at exploring the actuality and potential of depiction, employing fiction to envision alternative landscapes.

Tied together by thematic elements, the artworks flow and form a cohesive front.

“All the works touch on landscape and our relationship to the landscape,” said Stephanie Sherwood, exhibition coordinator. “(The exhibit) recognizes the negative impacts that humanity has had, but there’s also this kind of fictional landscape or imagined future landscape. It’s this idea of turning to artists to imagine a future relationship with the environment that’s more hopeful.”

The title draws inspiration from George Gershwin’s song “Summertime,” notably Ella Fitzgerald and Louis Armstrong’s rendition. Infused with nostalgia yet tinged with surrealism, the song was a guiding beacon for the thematic inquiries in the showcased artworks.

“(‘Summertime’) is beautiful, dreamy and kind of stylistic, but there’s also this kind of a little bit of surreal undertone to it,” Sherwood said. “(The exhibit) has very lively and great, engaging elements, but there are also elements of darkness and death, and this sadness and longing about our planet and how humanity has changed it.”

Supercollider crafts immersive experiences that merge science and art, curating nationally and internationally recognized pop-ups, festivals and research institute exhibits that redefine the future and challenge the present. Nestled within the Beacon Arts Building in LA, Supercollider serves as the headquarters for sci-art-tech exhibitions in the greater LA area and beyond. With rotating showcases on-site and curated satellite displays in both local and international venues, Supercollider pushes the boundaries of creative exploration.

The Brand Library and Art Center has hosted GUSD student artwork in the past, but the shows were always short-lived. Sherwood wanted to find a way to have student works on view for much longer. Partnering with the collective was the perfect opportunity to display student art for a full run of a show, usually a couple of months, while allowing students to exhibit next to professional working artists and learn from them.

What’s the deal with Leonardo’s harpsichord-viola? Why were Impressionists obsessed with the color purple? Art Bites brings you a surprising fact, lesser-known anecdote, or curious event from art history. These delightful nuggets shed light on the lives of famed artists and decode their practices, while adding new layers of intrigue to celebrated masterpieces.

Hôtel Biron in Paris’ seventh arrondissement is something a misnomer. Over the past 300 years, it has been an ambassador’s villa, the seat of a papal representative, a girl’s boarding school, and an artist’s commune. Today, it houses the Rodin Museum, its surrounding gardens offering visitors an island of green in the heart of the French capital.

When Henri Matisse moved into Hôtel Biron in 1908, the early 18th-century mansion was derelict. Moss covered the front steps, walls were faded yellow, and windows were hard to open on account of the flora pressed up against them.

The nuns were partly to blame. After converting it into a school in 1820, they’d sold it for parts. They stripped and flogged its mirrors, banisters, paneling, and any other symptoms of rocaille exuberance. The state kicked the nuns out in 1907 and the building’s liquidator offered cut-rate rent ahead of what seemed an inevitable demolition.

Rodin’s The Thinker in front of Hôtel Biron in 1957. Photo: Getty Images.

But where some saw squalor, artists saw cheap rent and dilapidated charm. Soon, Hôtel Biron was abuzz with a shabby clique of the city’s creatives.

Matisse was an early resident, moving in around 1906. Though well-regarded abroad, his reputation in France lagged behind his contemporaries and space in the mansion was the best he could afford for his fledgling art academy. Students arrived from the United States, Russia, Romania, and beyond. They took classes in a courtyard pavilion and slept in the attic. They complained, not about the living quarters, but that their teacher’s focus was too traditional.

Henri Matisse, Joy of Life (Bonheur de Vivre) (1905–6). Collection of the Barnes Foundation.

A young Jean Cocteau happened upon the mansion’s garden while skipping school one day. To Cocteau, it seemed like something out of Baudelaire—he could see moonlit parties waltzing though the gardens and séances conducted in its darkened interiors. By evening, he’d installed himself in a second-floor room (he brought a piano). From his bedroom, Cocteau would launch Scheherazade, a magazine filled with contributions from Paris’ brightest.

The artists kept coming. Jeanne Bloch, a cabaret singer and cross-dressing comic actress, arrived. Edouard de Max, the tragedian actor known for his frequent partnerships with Sarah Bernhardt, moved into the chapel. Isadora Duncan, the American pioneer who helped unshackled ballet, found Hôtel Biron the ideal place for dance to meld with poetry and sculpture. German sculptor Clara Westhoff came along with her husband Rainer Maria Rilke—though unlike his sociable neighbors, the poet kept largely to himself.

Poet Rainer Maria Rilke with his wife, sculptress Clara Westhoff, circa 1910. Photo: Keystone/Hulton Archive/Getty Images.

The arrival of Auguste Rodin cemented the mansion’s reputation. By this stage in his career, Rodin was affluent and celebrated as the era’s greatest sculptor. He scattered his works around the garden and since he already boasted a production base in Meudon, he converted the first-floor rooms he took into a showroom to host collectors and journalists. The salon was sparse, nothing more than a table, bowl of fruit, and a Renoir painting.

Auguste Rodin, Isadora Duncan (ca. 20th century). Photo: Universal History Archive/Universal Images Group via Getty Images.

Rodin filled the quiet with Gregorian chants flayed on a gramophone and liked to watch his young contemporaries dance and sing and party. Hôtel Biron offered Rodin an escape, a place of reprieve far from the demands of the public. Once he took over the entire building in 1917, however, he worked to turn it into a museum, a place the public could find him and all of his masterpieces.

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