Institute of Contemporary Art

The poster was everywhere evoking the calm, collected well-spoken presidential nominee. The ubiquitous image of the cool, elegant, post modern, 21st Century campaign image of Barack Obama was created by street artist/graphic designer/fine artist Shepherd Fairey. Boston's ICA correctly guessed that this 38 year old was worthy of a museum show. An artist of the people and for the people, Fairey wants his art to be affordable and prices it that way. His work has an appeal that resonates. Obama won, and Shepherd Fairey's portrait now hangs in the Smithsonian's National Portrait Gallery.

With the unanimous decision of the Board of Trustees, Jehuda Reinharz, the President of Brandeis University has decided to close the Rose Art Museum and sell its collection appraised at $350 million but worth about half of that estimate in the current art market. It is a desperate measure to stabalize the cash strapped university whose donors have been hit hard by the Bernard Madoff Ponzi scandal.

In 1977-1980 Cindy Sherman created the 69 photographs in the seminal "Complete Untitied Film Stills." Since then she has continued to use herself as a model for work that has created many themes and personas. The latest series for Metro Pictures explored society women of a certain age with scorching insight, irony and satire.

The materials in this Tara Donovan exhibition at the Institute of Contemporary Arts, Boston are as generic as styrofoam cups, drinking straws, compressed blocks of tooth picks and common pins. But the ideas and value of the work are beyond limits.

Between now and 2010 the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston is under construction with a massive renovation and additions designed by Lord Norman Foster. But for visitors it's business as usual with and enticing schedule of special exhibitions.

Simultaneous exhibitions of large scale digital images of piles of excrement were recently featured by Yvon Lambert Gallery in New York and Paris. It sustains the controversial reputation of Andres Serrano that started in 1987 when his "Piss Christ" was denounced from the floor of the U.S. Senate.

In the last decade, universities and museums have had star architects create and renovate. Several prominent projects are now underway with high expectations. They stretch from Boston to the Berkshires. Like the Field of Dreams film axiom, "if you build it, they will come," apparently, museums feel the same way. Part I of three parts.

Since opening in 1955, The Sterling and Francine Clark Art Institute has been distinguished by its quality collections, the depth of its research programs, and the natural beauty of its rustic setting. Working with Pritzker Prize–winning architect Tadao Ando to develop a campus plan that enhances the Institute's setting, expands facilities and reconfigures its galleries, the Clark has recently introduced a star museum building by a star architect.

When the spectacular new Institute of Contemporary Art building opened in 2006, a question arose: Would the art be as great as the building? The Anish Kapoor sculpture exhibit answers with a resounding Yes. This is a must see exhibit.

In 1990 Henry Schwartz was given a retrospective by the Fuller Museum of Art. This provoked a severe depression, ending his activity as an artist, from which he only recently has emerged. Gallery Naga is showing some of the last finished works he created in 1991. It is being described as one of the major gallery events of the season.

For the third year the New England School of Art & Design is hosting the annual exhibition of winners and finalists of the Stephen D. Paine Awards named in memory of a prominent Boston collector and supporter of emerging artists. The Paine Awards are organized by the Boston Art Dealers Association (BADA)

Mega-PBS/NPR Flagship Station WGBH had outgrown its facilities. Harvard University wanted the land and buildings back that the station rented or was lent in order to carry out its master planned Allston neighborhood expansion. The resulting 309,000 square foot structure and its 21st Century capabilities are both impressive and elegant.

In the last decade, London has become one of the major centers of world art. However, Thanksgiving Week 2007 demonstrated that there was not much to be thankful about. No exhibits at the ICA, the Royal Academy and warmed over shows at the Tate Modern and at various other museums and galleries. Not much was visually going on in Old Londontown. A stiff upper lip or a need to just go to the local pub and drink alone?

Sharing a Holiday abroad with ex-pats and services at St Paul's Cathedral while trying to have fun on a weak dollar. The writer's daughter was studying at University College, University of London.So what better way to get a little European culture over an extended holiday week? Their trip to Amsterdam had a few problems, surprises and treats.Part 1 of 2 Parts.

The French and British have been knocking heads across the channel since 1066. Here were compare and contrast the work of two women, Tracey Emin representing Great Britain and Sophie Calle in the French pavilion. Let the games begin.

The good news is that the ICA has a major design show. The bad news is that our critic wishes that this exhibition was better on many levels. However, that said, this is still a must see show for anyone working or interested in design.

The Canadian pranksters of Old Trout Puppet Theater condensed their life's work into Famous Puppet Death Scene. ICA/Boston audiences were treated to 22 ways to die, humorous morality tales, for a U.S. culture infamous for its twin addiction to death and denial of death. Death by lack of humor was not among the many vignettes.

After many years of working in Europe with opera and ballet Karole Armitage has retunred to New York and is touring with a company which visited Mass MoCA in a performance co presented with Jacobs Pillow.

Alice Neel, a great 20th century painter of raw, psychological portraits is the subject of a new genre of personal documentary by children and relatives of the artist.

Fear and Loathing over the 2012 London Olympics logo.Mark Favermann tries to make sense of the costly logo hated by almost everyone.

The 25th anniversary tour of the Mark Morris Dance Company is visiting the Institute of Contemporary Art from May 15 though 20. The program features the world premiere of "Looky" sponsored by the Poss Family Foundation.

With as many as four panels held simultaneously and numerous related events it is possible only to provide glimpses of and speculations about the impact of the seminal weekend long conference. The depth and range of information and resources is overwhelming.

After months of organization and planning mostly through the singular effort of the artist, Mary Sherman, Director of the TransCultural Exchange and a dedicated team of volunteers, a three day conference of global presenters and local moderators opened on Friday night with registration a reception and VIP dinner in the student center of Northeastern University. The conference continues through the weekend of April 28 and 29.

Originally when it was founded in 1903 the Busch Reisinger Museum used plaster casts of Gothic art and architecture, photographs and documents to teach Germanic culture to Harvard students. By the 1930s and 1940s it started to acquire original works. Today the museum represents one of the great collections of this Northern and Eastern European material.

The VU, the quintessential NYC band, is commemorated with this major exhibit of posters, recordings, photos, artifacts and ephemera. But to a Massachusetts club operator who booked the Velvets many times, it also details their close ties to that state.