Author: Darko Topalski

MONTREAL.- In Etienne Zack’s innovative and vibrant paintings, the
viewer’s eye is led every which way over the canvas. Like a modern-day maze,
each of his works draws us into a multilayered labyrinth. The
Musée d’art contemporain de Montréal presents the exhibition Etienne Zack from
February 4 to April 25, 2010. Etienne Zack was previously featured in
The Québec Triennial. Now the Musée has mounted a solo exhibition comprising
twenty-two paintings produced over the last six years, including two major new
works Formalities and Proceeding to Irrevocability, 2009 created specifically
for the show. This is the artist’s first solo museum exhibition.

MADRID.- From February 4 and until March 20, La
Fabrica Galeria presents the work by Shirin Neshat, who will
show, at her first solo exhibition at La Fabrica Galeria, “Faezeh” (2008) and
the serie “Games of Desire” (2009). Neshat’s work engages the viewer
through powerful images, sweeping scores, and evocations of human passions and
desires, while examining the social tropes that both stratify and unite. Neshat
pitches these dialectics of East/West, man/woman, and oppressor /oppressed, to
such a degree that these seemingly immutable polarities become malleable
locations for query.

BASEL.- The Basel Fasnacht (commonly called
Carnival) in its present form is a development of the past hundred years or so.
Piccolo players, drummers, drum majors, vanguard, outriders, small wagons,
Guggenmusik (often deliberately discordant variations on popular songs played on
brass instruments) and cliques (club-like groups that during Fasnacht dress in
costume on a particular theme and march to drums and piccolos).
Although the individual elements already existed in the nineteenth century,
their present combination and the role of themes in the Fasnacht only
crystallised in the twentieth century – i.e. since the Fasnacht Committee has
existed to provide a certain organisational framework. As a tribute to the
Fasnacht Committee in its centenary year, the Museum Tinguely is staging an
exhibition on “the art” of the Basel Fasnacht.

NEW YORK, NY.- Attracting both new and seasoned
collectors alike, Christie’s First Open sale of Post-War and
Contemporary Art will offer a stimulating selection of paintings, prints,
photographs, and sculptures on March 11. Presenting an exciting
mid-season collecting opportunity, First Open showcases works by some of the
most desired contemporary artists of our time, including Helen Frankenthaler,
Barbara Kruger, Yayoi Kusama, Glenn Ligon, Gabriel Orozco, Cindy Sherman, Wayne
Thiebaud, Fred Tomaselli, and Andy Warhol among many others. The sale
will be preceded by a public exhibition at Christie’s Rockefeller Center
Galleries from 6-10 March.

PHILADELPHIA, PA.- On February 12th, Freeman’s Auctioneers will
offer for sale at auction 374 lots of contemporary artworks of the former global
financial services firm, Lehman Brothers Holdings Inc. (LBHI).
The artworks are from the offices of the former global financial
services firm and the sale represents the remainder of the Lehman property to be
sold by the Philadelphia auctioneer. As with the other Lehman material
sold by Freeman’s, all of the artwork was acquired by Lehman Brothers from
respected galleries and nearly all of it remains, as when displayed in the
consignor’s offices in New York, Boston and Delaware, in excellent condition,
professionally framed and matted – often to museum specification.

NEW YORK, NY.- This group exhibition features the
work of some of the Gallery’s established artists in addition to their talented
emerging artists. This eclectic group includes Cathy Daley, Chen Qiang,
Hung Tung-lu, Jiang Huan, Liu Yan, Luo Qing, Meeson Pae Yang, Miao Xiaochun,
Sophie De Francesca, Wei Dong, Zhang Lujiang, Zhao Kailin, and Zhang Dali. Thus,
this show celebrates our past while looking toward the future. Eli Klein Fine
Art remains steadfast in its promotion of contemporary Chinese art. The
exhibition will be on view from Wednesday, February 3, 2010 through Monday,
March 1, 2010. Please join us for the opening reception on Wednesday, February
3rd from 6 – 9 PM