The other day I made an afternoon tour of a few art spots in Amsterdam—my list made manageable by the fact that it was a Tuesday and many galleries were closed—and wanted to give a brief report.

My stops:

1) Stedelijk Museum Bureau Amsterdam (the museum’s project space) to see Alfredo Jaar’s The Marx Lounge, a reading room in which to peruse books by, about, or relating to Karl Marx, Marxist theory, capitalism, and post-colonialism. Jaar’s curated selection is laid out in a neat grid on a vast table, surrounded by red walls and carpet, along with couches, lamps, and neon lettering quietly humming the project’s title. As I do whenever I encounter a work by Jaar, I braced myself to be overwhelmed and to feel the enormity of that which I do not know, but should. You would think this would be a negative experience, but somehow, with Jaar’s work, it is not. I spent a while here, picking up books I wish I’ve read, browsing a few, making notes of books I plan to read, and feeling relief when encountering books I have read. Handily, the website provides a reading list, in case you’re feeling ambitious.

Another iteration of the lounge was part of the 2010 Liverpool Biennial, bringing to mind how site-determined the work is, that the reading list alters in each location, and that the social and political histories of each site, city, and nation come to bear on the interpretation of the piece. While the installation could have had a little more teeth for me if installed in a commercial gallery space, The Marx Lounge felt concise, sobering, and relevant—a plea for literacy and academicism in a time in which folks aren’t acting so literate or academic. Like all Jaar pieces, I felt like he was telling me to think and to remember. And I always appreciate that reminder.

2) Then to see Ryan Gander’s show at Annet Gelink Gallery. The gallery is in the midst of a Venice Biennale bonanza, with a number of their artists in this year’s event: Yael Bartana representing Poland, Barbara Visser jointly representing The Netherlands, and Ryan Gander participating in Bice Curiger’s exhibition ILLUMInazioni – ILLUMInations at the 54th International Art Exhibition. Gander’s installation at Annet Gelink shows he is clearly thinking about art history—in particular Modernism, de Stijl, and one of its leading figures Piet Mondrian. His installation Your present time orientation (Second Act) – Random abstraction is composed of an array of monochromatic, reflective planes that engage the colors and geometries of Mondrian and other de Stijl artists in their iconic abstract paintings. Resting on the floor in a way we are led to believe is random, the installation constitutes an interesting reflection on abstraction—it’s history and how it is manifested today.

Also on the floor of the gallery is a sculpture (You Ruin Everything (The Economy of Zeros), 2011) that takes as its point of departure Edgar Degas’ La Petite Danseuse de Quatorze Ans, which I am told has always engendered pity in Gander when he encounters the sculpture. The dancer, in Gander’s figuration, has shed her pedestal and taken up a variety of actions and positions, in this case she lies on her belly on the floor, gaze directed at a small blue cube resting upon its own minute white pedestal, which she is poised and ready to flick with her finger. Another of the sculptures (not at Gelink) shows the dancer leaning against a pedestal and smoking a cigarette. More than Modernism, the work made me think about sculpture, and how glad I am to be part of the post-70s world of art production that takes for granted the expanded field.

3) My last stop was a survey of Mika Rottenberg’s recent work at de Appel Boys’ School, a perfectly un-museum-like setting for the artist’s superbly bizarre video installations. With installations that mimic the elaborate structures and assembly lines that set the stage for her videos, Rottenberg’s presentation at de Appel (titled Dough cheese squeeze and tropical breeze) offers a gloriously intensive survey of the artist’s highly imaginative and elaborate narrative videos. Once I recover from the initial revulsion of the human oddities on display—women (mostly) of all sizes and proportions struggling, sweating, working, secreting, producing— I am able to fully bask in the gloriousness of Rottenberg’s vision. I had seen Rottenberg’s work before, but never so many of the works together—and the effect is impressive.

Her narrative loops present seemingly unending assembly and production lines, the characters expending huge amounts of energy to produce items such as maraschino cherries out of magically regenerating red fingernails, or (my personal favorite) Tropical Breeze Lemon Scented Moist Tissues made from the sweat of a professional female bodybuilder.

The focus on labor and industry so central to Rottenberg’s work called to mind not only the seeming arbitrariness of art production, but also couldn’t help but remind of my visit to The Marx Lounge earlier in the day. A coincidental alignment only possible in a city with as rich of a cultural life as Amsterdam.

Folks are working there daily with very good progress occurring. The rain has put a bit of a kink in the system as it has prevented the laying of the sod for the interior of Alfredo Jaar’s the Park of the Laments. Once that sod is in place things will move along swiftly to finish this major piece by the 19^th. We begin planting the area around the Visitors Pavilion next week (including two all staff planting opportunities).

I have a few shots of us planting the exterior of Jaar from a few weeks back.

Removing the burlap from some large Viburnum trilobum. You dull a knife blade really quick on burlap by the way. Volunteers have put in many hours on this project too.

The artist wants the stone walls to be hidden as quickly as possible so we are planting trees and shrubs along the wall and vines on top of the wall. Here Neil and Josh cut holes in the gabion baskets to plant some Campsis radicans (trumpet vine).

We put in at least three cultivars, including yellow and red ones, along with the straight species. We also used two cultivars of native wisteria. It is going to be beautiful. I will try to post pictures when they bloom. I’m quite anxious to see the different colors of trumpet vines.

Here’s a whole group of pictures of us busy planting. Note the incredible soil. Thankfully we had giant augers for digging the big planting holes.

That’s it for now. I will try to post something again next week on 100 Acres since we are only two weeks from opening. Build that buzz.

Let’s take a look at the vomitorium (I hear that is the term being used in meetings). That would be the exit. Or egress if you wanna get all fancy with your talk and use two-dollar words. We’ve balanced like mountain goats on the slopes of the entrance to Jaar’s piece, tucking our toes into the soil as we planted the grasses and sumac.

Heading down the entrance path.

In the tunnel (a little X Files feel here).

The 45 degree slopes. Covered in plastic to keep them dry prior to planting.

Katie clinging to the wall with one hand while removing the plastic.

Removing excess soil.

Planting Panicum virgatum ‘Rotstrahlbusch’ (switch grass).

This is actually a different side from the next image so just pretend it’s the same. Work with me people. I don’t really have time for blogging this spring.

Panicum all along the top of the bank just behind the benches where you can relax (after they are built and the Park is ready – June 20).

Planting the Rhus aromatica ‘Grow-Lo’. This cultivar of fragrant sumac gets about 2-3 feet tall and roots along its stems. That along with the geo-webbing will help hold the steep banks. It has very fragrant foliage when bruised – the foliage not you. And good fall color tending toward the reds and oranges.

A mostly finished bank.

We have just a little more planting to do in the vomitorium this week. Planting the interior of this piece is well underway. We have quite a bit planted on the exterior as well. Maybe I can get something to you about that real soon. Maybe not.

To find some extra motivation for my long runs, I signed up for a Mini Marathon training program with a local runners’ organization. What I didn’t realize at the time is that the training run they sponsor each week uses the White River Tow Path which runs right through the IMA campus. Bonus!

I’m always a little nervous for the long runs; I worry about not being able to run the full distance, getting attacked by geese, or tripping off the path and falling into the Canal (it could happen!) What I never have to worry about, thanks to that interlude between Michigan Road and 38th Street, is being bored. The view of the IMA campus from the Tow Path feels like a little secret that not many people are in on. That little stretch of path is witness to one of the most alive places in the whole city!

On the west side of the path, I’ve been watching the construction in 100 Acres Art Park really start to heat up. In January and February the Visitor’s Pavilion started to take shape, a shape that for me conjures thoughts of Amazon stilt houses. A few footfalls further south along the path I could see a major excavation and mysterious wall being put it. I solved the mystery by going to the 100 Acres web page and looking at the proposals for the art installations, confirming my suspicion that the work is for Alfredo Jaar’s Park of Laments. I can’t wait to meditate on Jaar’s work when it is complete. To be honest, thoughts of laments while attempting to endure my very first ten mile run were a little heavy, it’s better to keep positive…

As winter’s bareness melted into spring, my view of the 100 Acres action became obscured in green. I shifted my attention to the east side of the path. I’ve been watching in wonder as the Oldfields-Lilly House and gardens come to life. I love imagining the amazing parties that might have taken place on the back patio of the Lilly house. In my mind there is always live music, tons of lanterns and comely ladies in pretty dresses. I like thinking about young couples getting wedding pictures taken with the spring brilliance as their backdrop.

My own memories come to mind as I look up at the main building. I fondly recall watching a movie on the terrace with friends on a hot Friday night a couple of summers ago, and an electric kiss I once received in the contemporary glass gallery on the third floor. Usually I visit the museum to make memories, but when I run by I feel as though I’m visiting my memories.

Now I’ve been to the IMA countless times, as a student, an art lover, shopper, and even as a movie buff. I’ve seen artist talks, gone to special exhibits, been on romantic dates and have picnicked in the gardens. The key thing about all of my past experiences is that the IMA has been my destination. On my training runs I am merely a passer-by, and a sweaty, tired, half delirious passer-by at that. It turns out that novel perspective has become an experience all its own.

(via indianadisabilityawareness.org)

Last year my blog at this time concentrated on what we do in the gardens to make them accessible to as many people as possible. All of that information is still relevant so check it here.

With 100 Acres – The Virginia B. Fairbanks Art and Nature Park opening June 20 I decided to take a look at it this year. Since it does not have an asphalt road running through it, or concrete walks, it won’t be as easily accessed for those with mobility issues as the rest of our gardens and grounds. But there will still be much to experience and enjoy.

First you have to get there. One of the main access points will be the 38th street loop just west of the IMA’s 38th Street entrance. The parking area there will put you right at the Park. However, once there, you do have to cross a one lane road. On the other side an ADA compliant ramp will lead visitors down into the Park. Other access points will be crossing over the Pony Truss Bridge from the main IMA campus and, of course, the Canal Path that runs along the edge of the Park. Once inside, many areas in the 100 Acres will be accessible by way of crushed stone paths. Not as ideal as concrete, but much better than mulch or turf. These will lead you to the visitors’ center and some of the inaugural art pieces. Several mulch paths will give people even more opportunities to interact with nature and art. Those paths will quite simply require a different level of mobility.

I really want to emphasize the nature side of the Art and Nature Park. At this point we cannot get everybody to all areas of 100 Acres. However, you will be immersed in nature no matter where you go. Native trees, shrubs, vines, grasses, and perennials will abound. We began replacing the exotic invasives two years ago with a major tree planting. This year over 70 species and cultivars will be planted in and around Alfredo Jaar’s Park of the Laments.

Animals like beaver, squirrels, and turtles are common sights. Occasionally you might even glimpse a red fox or mink. Above all, it will be a great place to experience the joy of birdwatching. Waterfowl such as ducks and herons can be found on the lake, the canal, and the White River. Great Blue Herons show up regularly in the shallows of the lake. Birds of prey soar in the skies. Songbirds can be found throughout.

I have been crazy-mad about pileated woodpeckers (Dryocopus pileatus) from childhood as they were frequent inhabitants of the creek-bottom woods where I grew up. We have at least a pair of these brightly colored crow-sized birds in the 100 Acres.

It’s not all about seeing the birds, listen for their fascinating calls as well.

Our newly revamped website will also give folks multiple ways of getting information about the site, the nature, and the art. You can begin accessing information before you leave home! Heck, you can get information right now, over three months before the official opening day. Check out the 100 Acres page to learn about the geology of the site (work done with the US Geological Survey), the first eight commissions, or details of the opening week-end. Access is about more than physical attributes.

The visitors’ center will be fully accessible with ramps leading to a surrounding deck. Drinking fountains and bathroom facilities are located in this building. Educational materials to be housed here are still being developed. The Visitor’s Center will also give shelter from the elements – like our sudden Midwest thunderstorms.

Be sure and mark June 20 on your calendars. Free Your Mind and see you there.

New Media will be pretty busy starting today and into the weekend.  We’ll be documenting both days of the symposium and grabbing interviews with some of the biggest names in the Design world.  Pretty cool.  Now that we’re running ArtBabble, we need to work harder and smarter to bring you the best possible video content.  The European Design Symposium is a perfect opportunity to do add to the ArtBabble selections.

Juli Capella's Homepage

Also participating in the Symposium is designer and architect Juli Capella.   His site is delightful, playful, surreal, funny and professional (all things I hold in high regard).  It’s hard to pull that off, but Juli manages to do that in the physical and online world.  His site is a must see and you can stop by the Symposium to hear from him directly.  I promise its worth it.  So why am I singling him out?

This past fall, I had the opportunity to interview Juli for our In the Factory series.  This series can be found on our iTunes U page or on ArtBabble and focuses on direct interviews with artists and designers.  Dan Dark and Danny Beyer in the Nugget Factory, shoot and edit this series in the same style and we use the same line of questioning for every interview.  I love ITF and once ArtBabble gets out of the beta phase (I promise, very soon), anyone with an internet connection can hear directly from people like Juli Capella, Maya Lin, Emily Kennerk, Alfredo Jaar, Orly Genger and more.  It’s about artists talking directly and honestly about their creative processes, experience in the art world and the act of creating.  Dan and Danny do a fabulous job of revealing these insights through their own creative approach to video editing.  It’s the type of content we should all be focusing on.

So I leave you with Juli’s In the Factory (one of my faves).  It may be Thursday, but it already feels like a Friday.  See you at the IMA?