The wonders of spring - magical gardens, colors, rabbits, eggs, serpents. What could be regarded as the most alchemical of the seasons, the spring equinox, celebrated as Ostara since the 8th century, awakens the world to light, birth, and frivolity. In the wise words from the late, great Robin Williams, “Spring is nature’s way of saying, ‘Let’s party!’”, and we did exactly on the vernal equinox at Dikeou Pop-Up on March 20. Denver artist Mario Zoots selected grooves from our vintage vinyl archive, Devon Dikeou’s “Donation” received a fresh bouquet of floral delights, Lizzi Bougatsos’ “Self-Portrait” ice sculpture dripped and glistened in the sun, folks adorned zingmagazine costumes, and photographer Anthony Camera was there to capture it all. See our Spring Equinox Reception photo highlights below!

A quick snapshot of what Dikeou Collection artists have been up to over the past month, and what to look forward to next month.

Devon Dikeou, Cajole: Oriental Opulence and Tropical Paradise, 1992 Ongoing, Artificial Flowers and Plants, Plant Identification Sign, Mirrored Planter Replicating Mall Ambiance, 3′ x 3′ x 8′ each, Unique, 2 AP′s; image courtesy artist and The Dikeou Collection

Devon Dikeou will infiltrate NADA New York 2022 at Basketball City with a number of her “Cajole” installations throughout the fair environment.

Anicka Yi: Force Majeure, 2017, plexiglass, aluminum, agar, bacteria, refrigeration system, LED lights, glass, epoxy resin, powder coated stainless steel, light bulbs, digital clocks, silicone, and silk flowers; image courtesy Guggenheim Museum, New York.

Anicka Yi was recently featured two Art in America articles about Bio Art by Claire Pentecost and Josie Thaddeus-Johns.  

Artwork by Chris Johnson; image courtesy the artist

Chris Johanson exhibited work in The Power of Pablo group art show and benefit at SOMArts in San Francisco.

Momoyo Torimitsu, Somehow I don’t feel comfortable, 2021, nylon, air blower, sound. At the Royal Hawaiian Center, Waikīkī; image courtesy of the artist and Hawai‘i Contemporary. © Momoyo Torimitsu. Photo: Lila Lee.

Momoyo Torimitsu’s “Somehow I Don’t Feel Comfortable” (a fan favorite at The Dikeou Collection!) is blowing up at the Hawai’i Triennial with mentions in The Art Newspaper, Town and Country Magazine, and Artsy

Margaret Lee, Inner Form, #1 (white, black, sliver), 2022, oil paint on canvas. Brushed alluminum frame, 60h x 48w in; image courtesy the artist and The Green Gallery

Margaret Lee is currently exhibiting a dual exhibition with Alex Kwartler, you make your pike, here, at The Green Gallery in Milwaukee, Wisconsin

Simon Periton and TfL's Eleanor Pinfield with the students of St Mary Magdalene Academy Islington in front of his work, Avalanche; image courtesy Callum Marius of My London News

Simon Periton contributed two installations to the new Elizabeth line station in London

Image courtesy Baader-Meinhof Gallery

Joshua Abelow opens a retrospective at not one, not two, but FIVE venues across the country (plus one in Copenhagen) this April through May. Full exhibition information can be found at joshuaabelow.com.

Wade Guyton, ‘Untitled Action Sculpture (Chair),’ 2001; image courtesy the artist and Luxembourg + Co.

Wade Guyton is exhibiting work in Bad Manners, a group show at Luxembourg + Co. 

A quick snapshot of what Dikeou Collection artists have been up to over the past month, and what to look forward to next month.

Devon Dikeou, Between the Acts (Virginia Woolf): Jay Leno, 2014 Ongoing; Devon Dikeou, “WHAT’S LOVE GOT TO DO WITH IT?”: From Sculpture, 1991 Ongoing. Image courtesy of the artist

Work by Devon Dikeou will be exhibited in “Unsafe at Any Speed” curated by Kenny Schachter, opening at Morton Street Partners on March 15

Image courtesy of V1 Gallery

“Hairy Tales,” a solo exhibition by Misaki Kawai opens at V1 Gallery in Copenhagen on March 4

Image courtesy of the artist and news.sky.com

Chris Gilmour’s incredible cardboard constructions are now being used to create sustainable set designs for film and television

Image courtesy of Instituto Cervantes NY

Work by Ester Partegas is currently on view in “That” at Instituto Cervantes NY through April 2

Image courtesy of Sadie Coles HQ

Jonathan Horowitz and Simon Periton have work on view in “Repeater” at Sadie Coles HQ, London, through March 26

Image courtesy of Drew Broderick, Hawaii Contemporary

Lawrence Seward and Momoyo Torimitsu photographed with their work (Seward’s “Seward Sun” and Torimitsu’s “Somehow I Don’t Feel Comfortable”) at the Hawaii Triennial

Vik Muniz, “The Birth of Venus, After Botticelli” Triptych from Pictures of Junk, 2008. Image courtesy of the artist and Ben Brown Fine Arts

Vik Muniz: A Brief History of Art is on view at Ben Brown Fine Arts London through March 11

Image courtesy of the artist

“The change in policy says that we want everyone to have access to art-making and it’s not the privilege of the wealthy to be able to afford good art supplies.” - Lisa Kereszi, senior critic and director of undergraduate studies in art, on Yale School of Art’s recent course fee elimination

Anicka Yi, “Le Pain Symbiotique” (detail), 2014. Image courtesy of the artist and Pirelli HangarBicocca

Anicka Yi “Metaspore” at Pirelli HangarBicocca, on view through July 24, features more than 20 installations spanning the last decade of her career

A quick snapshot of what Dikeou Collection artists have been up to over the past month, and what to look forward to next month.

[caption id="attachment_4984" align="alignnone" width="500"] © 2017 Scott Rudd
www.scottruddevents.com
scott.rudd@gmail.com
@scottruddevents[/caption]

Paul Ramírez Jonas, Alternative Facts, 2017. Spare change supplied by the public, notary public seal and stamp, signature, ledger, leather desk pad, gold electroplating kit, scale, pyrite, paper, a gold melting and casting kit, paper, and a folding table. Photo: Scott Rudd.

Paul Ramirez Jonas was recently interviewed by Art & Education about his experience and philosophy as a teacher

Lucky DeBellevue, Gives (2009), courtesy of Paula Cooper Gallery

Work by Lucky DeBellevue is currently on view in “Stitched” at Paula Cooper Gallery through February 19

Marcel Dzama. Courtesy of David Zwirner.

Artnet interviewed Marcel Dzama about indispensable items in his studio, his must-have snacks, and his social media favs

Misaki Kawai, Moja Moja

Misaki Kawai created a furry, colorful indoor playground for kids (and parents) called Moja Moja Life for Kids Summer Festival in Melbourne, Australia

Unknow Know What Is 3, 2021, by Chris Johanson © Courtesy of the artist and Mitchell-Innes & Nash, New York

Chris Johanson was featured in an article about meditative art in the Financial Times. He also recently published a book with Mitchell-Innes & Nash

 

Photo by Anthony Camera

The winter solstice is a time to reflect on the year that’s passed, and prepare for the new year ahead. Celebrated as Yule, an ancient pagan holiday, the solstice nestles itself between Hanukkah, Christmas, Kwanzaa and other year-end festivities to symbolically (and astronomically) observe the longest night with brighter days to come. Our new tradition at The Dikeou Collection is to commemorate the seasonal equinoxes and solstices with a reception at Dikeou Pop-Up: Colfax, so on December 21 we put on our dancing shoes and party hats, and lots of other pagan garb, and made the most out of the longest night of the year.

Photo by Anthony Camera

With its close proximity to Christmas, the solstice was the perfect opportunity to activate one of Devon Dikeou’s early performance pieces, “You Better Watch Out” (1991 Ongoing). Santa John was in attendance and pulled out all the stops - asking attendees if they’ve been naughty or nice, delighting in milk and cookies, and spiking the egg nog. Dikeou’s “Donation” was rejuvenated with an installation of fresh flowers, and was in good company with Lizzi Bougatsos’ “Self-Portrait.” DARIA Magazine founder and editor Genevieve Waller played festive selections from our vinyl archived, adorned in her finest gothic-wear for the dark night ahead.

Devon has been collecting costume materials over the last few months to match the groovy vintage photos that grace the cover of zingmagazine as solstice garb. Photographer Anthony Camera could not have been more excited to document all the action as we played dress up in the rock’n’roll basement. The results are nothing short of amazing…

All of the following images by Anthony Camera Photography. More selections can be found at www.dikeoucollection.org, and the full portfolio can be viewed at anthonycamera.com