This N' That: Keep In The Know With Photography News
By Ashley Yu
Costume Institute’s “Camp: Notes on Fashion” exhibition. Courtesy of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, BFA.com/Zach Hilty
MET Exhibition on “Camp” Post-Gala
All ridiculous red carpet shenanigans aside, the Metropolitan Museum of Art released their latest Costume Institute exhibition after the infamous MET Gala on the official definition of ‘camp’. Coalescing the different definitions of what that verb means, the museum pays tribute to both Susan Sontag and Christopher Isherwood by dedicating two different sections--two camps, if you may--for their distinct writings on that word.
The museum takes you on a tour on the underground origins of camp and camp fashion. From Robert Mapplethorpe’s scandalous images to portraits of King Louis XIV, the entryway of the exhibition is slathered in salmon-pink.
Chief curator of the Costume Institute, Andrew Bolton, defined ‘camp’ during the press preview, stating that “camp is like trying to sit in the corner of a circular room.” The exhibition will run from May 8 to September 8, 2019.
Courtesy of Discover LA
Indigenous Now: Native American Art Event in LA
Before Los Angeles was the hub of Hollywood, green smoothies, and Instagram girls, the LA basin was inhabited by the Tongva, Chumash, and other indigenous peoples. These young artists of local Native American communities are hosting their second year of Indigenous Now. A four-hour immersive program that honors the land that was originally theirs, Indigenous Now highlights the historical violence and oppression inflicted upon these people. The event is happening on May 11.
The Tongva word Kuuyan, meaning “guest”, is the theme for this event, in which visitors are openly blessed by the Tongva hosts before they step into the reserve. Throughout Tongva Park are art installations and performances that will be repeated during the day. From singer Kelly Caballero to photographer Cara Romero, young indigenous artists are focused on creating visibility and space for artistic expression.
Read more about Indigenous Now here
Police escort detained Reuters journalist Wa Lone. Courtesy Wikimedia Commons
Reuter Journalists Freed in Myanmar
Reuter Journalists Wa Lone and Kyaw See Oo were imprisoned for their coverage of the Rohingya crisis in 2017, in which 10 Rohingya men were murdered by the army in the village of Inn Dinn. The Rohingya people are a stateless ethnic group that had a population of 1 million in Myanmar before the crisis, though now a majority of them have fled to Bangladesh. After spending 500 days in prison, the two were released following a presidential amnesty, even though they were sentenced to 7 years in prison for violating the Official Secrets Act.
This is not the first time that freedom of the press in Myanmar has been challenged internationally. The current de-facto leader Aung San Suu Kyi was herself a political prisoner and was sentenced to a total of 15 years of house arrest. Her justification of imprisoning Lone and Oo has caused internationally lashback on her hypocrisy.
Though 7 soldiers were sentenced to prison for the killings, internal investigations in the military have exonerated them from any wrongdoing, despite eye-witness testimonies. Regardless, the two journalists have been reunited with their family and will continue their work with international news agencies.
Mark Manders, Venice Biennial 2013.
MoMa’s New Immersive Installation
The Museum of Modern Art is hopping on the bandwagon for new immersive art installations. Named “Surrounds: 11 Installations”, the exhibition will present 11 watershed installations by artists from the last 20 years on the relationship between intimate experiences and engagement with the world.
“Surrounds” will feature artists, such as the duo Jennifer Allora and Guillermo Calzadilla, Sadie Benning and Mark Manders. Ranging from massive imposing installations to smaller works across a large space to delineate the passing of time, “Surround” is opening up in October 21, 2019.
Anna Sorokin following her sentencing on May 9, 2019. Photo by Timothy A. Clary/AFP/Getty Images.
Scammer Anna Delvey Imprisoned 4-12 Years
After a highly-publicized trial in New York, scammer Anna “Delvey” Sorokin has been sentenced to 4 to 12 years in prison, including the 500 days that she has already served at Riker’s Island. After pretending to be a German heiress to an oil tycoon, she conned various members of the art community and committed bank fraud. She is found guilty on almost 8 counts of theft and grand larceny.
Judge Diane Kiesel remarked that Delvey showed no remorse for lying about the existence of her massive arts club on Park Avenue. Delvey was also blatantly contempt and vain throughout court procedures. Assistant District Attorney Catherine McCaw stated that “she repeatedly delayed proceedings because she was unhappy with the clothing on offer” for her court appearances.
The Venezuelan Pavilion. Photo: Ben Davis.
Venezuela and Algeria Gets Rocky at Venice Biennial
During this edition of the prestigious Venice Biennial, the Venezuelan Pavilion postpones their opening while the Algerian Pavilion was abruptly canceled. Mired in an economic and humanitarian crisis over disputing President Maduro’s legitimacy, the Venezuelan Pavilion was left abandoned on opening day. The Pavilion’s doors were reportedly padlocked and trash was piling up outside. At a press conference, the president of the Venice Biennial is scheduled to be opened on May 13 instead.
This year’s Venezuelan Pavilion is curated by Oscar Sotillo, a left-wing journalist, and is due to present work by artists Natalie Rocha Capiello, Ricardo García, Gabriel López, and Nelson Rangelosky.
Meanwhile, the Algerian government cut funding for the Algerian Pavilion after the sudden resignation of President Abdelaziz Bouteflika following protests condemning Bouteflika for rigging the election system and the constitution in attempts to run for the fifth term. This decision was made by the ministry of culture without consulting the curator and artists. The interim Algerian government announced that the country’s first pavilion at the Biennial will be postponed until 2021.
However, the five participating artists, which are Amina Zoubir, Rachida Azadou, Hamza Bounoua, Mourad Krinah, and Oussama Tabti, have launched an alternate funding campaign to create an unofficial Algeria pavilion, titled “Time to Shine Bright”. All of the artists are part of a generation who took part in the “Hirak” movement, a series of protests demanding democratic change.
