Arts In The City
PERFORMANCE PAINT
Michael Alan’s “Tea Party”
DRAWING ON THEATER
As an art student, Michael Alan
hated life drawing classes. It was always
uncomfortable, with the nude model
coldly posing for a room of quiet
students. Now his Draw-a-thon Theater
is changing that. Each installment of
the theater is a marathon; last week
about 100 people came to the Teatro
Circulo for an eight-hour life drawing
session that lasted until 2 a.m. The
bimonthly events started in October
2005, when Alan and friends Matt
Brennan and Diana Gurfel staged
their first alternative life drawing class.
Now, the draw-a-thon is equal parts
artists’ salon and performance art.
Professional artists and hobbyists alike
come to draw the elaborately staged,
surreal scenes with distinct characters,
SPOTLIGHT
Cautionary tales come in the
form of burning Roman cities
and scenes of British colonialism
in the new exhibition at John
Connelly Presents. The new
works from Westchester-raised
painter Michael Wetzel satirize
the America class system through
paintings in the style of Imperialist
Europe. The quiet paintings speak
loudly, like poignant artifacts of a
not-to-distant time, and memories
of a falling empire. Now through
March 17. – H.C.
12 • Resident The Week Of February 19, 2007
WEEKLY PICKS
Tibetan artist Pema Rinzin thinks
Western scholars looking at the art of New Pornographers
Tibet miss the big picture. “It’s high time chanteuse Neko
to talk about art and individuals,” said Case plays the Jazz at
Rinzin. “And New York is the city of art.” Lincoln Center’s Allen
Now, at the Rubin Museum, a different Room as part of the
approach to looking at Himalayan American Songbook
art is being presented. Through the Series on Feb. 23.
museum’s artist-in-residence program,
music
visitors to the RMA can watch as Rinzin
Courtesy Michael Alan
works on two murals in the traditional The new play from
tangka style of painting. One, “The Sam Mark, “Nelson,”
Four Guardian Kings” is nearing its follows the quirky ad-
colorful completion, while the other, ventures of a talent
“The Eight Great Bodhisattvas,” shows agency assistant with
the earliest charcoal and pencil marks. a secret after-work life.
As Rinzin carefully outlines his figures, Through March 3 at
loosely defined scripts and even the museum-goers can try their hand and the Lion Theater.
occasional original soundtrack. “Some drawing Tibetan motifs at a low table
of the ideas that come from the draw- surrounded by pillows, chatting with
theater
a-thon are similar to my art, as far the artist as he progresses. Throughout The Whitney Museum
as abstracting the figure and trying the rest of the dimly lit gallery, examples of American Art revis-
to create random environments and of Tibetan paintings hang on the wall, its the work of Gor-
distraction and confusion,” said Alan. with traditional explanations from the don Matta Clark, an
Along with the salons of the Dadaists curator and more informal responses to artist who used New
and Surrealists, Alan’s past as a graffiti the work from Rinzin himself. His quotes York City’s abandoned
artist inspired the draw-a-thons. “Graffiti comparing a contemporary painting spaces as his canvas.
artists do something different that other created for tourists and an older, more Through June 7.
artists don’t – they get together and jam thoughtful version reveal the work of an
out. It’s kind of what I was missing in artisan versus the work of a true artist.
art school, a room full of like-minded And when it comes to finding the best,
individuals drawing. I really like that “One leaf will tell the whole story,” said Choreographer Vicky
Shick takes on the
art
energy – the community of people.” If Rinzin. —H.C.
you missed it this time, the next draw- Dance Theater Work-
Evi Abeler, Rubin Museum of Art.
a-thon is planned for April. For more shop with “Plum
information visit michaelalanart.com. House (A Cartoon)”her
—Heather Corcoran collaboration with art-
ist Barbara Kilpat-
rick. The performance
also marks the return
of the acclaimed duet
“Repair.” Feb. 20-24.
Artist Pema Rinzin
dance
STOLEN GOYA RETURNS
Stolen on the way to the Guggenheim Take a crash course in
Courtesy John Connelly Presents
Museum in November, the 1778 speedy cinema at the
painting “Children with a Cart” IFC Center, which is
has finished its journey to join an playing each of the 10
exhibit of Spanish paintings. The FBI Academy Award-nomi-
recovered the million-dollar painting nees for best short film
in New Jersey weeks after it was stolen – animated and live
comedy
and returned it to the Toledo Museum action.
in Ohio. It will be on display at the
Michael Wetzel, “Macaque III”
Guggenheim through March 28. – H.C.