Our Picks: Five Must-See Artists Featured In The 2012 Whitney Biennial

 

The 2012 Whitney Biennial kicked off on Thursday, and while the major art world shindig has already attracted its share of protest and controversy (it even got "punk'd" with a fake website mocking its corporate sponsorship), we're looking forward to checking out the 51 contemporary artists that curators Elisabeth Sussman and Jay Sanders have selected for the renowned showcase.

To give you a head start in your own biennial explorations, we've picked five participating artists whose work we're particularly excited to see (along with a small slice of trivia to accompany each one.) Check out the first two below and hit the jump for the rest.

Werner Herzog - The renowned filmmaker's contribution comes in the form of the multi-media installation Hearsay of the Soul, which incorporates the work 17-century Dutch printmaker Hercules Segers. 

Fun fact: At the biennial preview earlier this week, Herzog told Gallerist, "I don't go to museums because I don't like art. That's true. I don't like art."

Georgia Sagri - The provocative artist and political activist  presents an ongoing performance installation where you'll likely never know what to expect. 

Fun fact: Sagri played a role in early stages of Occupy Wall Street, which has called for an end to the biennial.

Mike Kelley - The recently-passed artist is represented by a series of films in which he chronicled his "Mobile Homestead," a replica of his childhood home in Detroit. 

Fun fact: The biennial has been dedicated to Kelley, who died of an apparent suicide on January 31.

The Red Krayola - The psychedelic rock band, which formed in Houston, Texas way back in 1966, will perform a "free-form freakout" on April 13 and collaborate with British conceptual artists Art & Language for an opera, Victorine, on April 14. 

Fun fact: While known as a rock group, The Red Krayola is no stranger to the art world. Founding member Mayo Thompson was a studio assistant for Robert Rauschenberg in the early '70s and renowned German artist Albert Oehlen has played with the band since the '90s.

Bess Forrest - The late "painter/fisherman" developed elaborate theories about united the male and female forms and operated on his own body to transform himself in a "pseudo-hermaphrodite." Fun fact: New York art critic Jerry Saltz almost got kicked off of Facebook for posting an image of Forrest self-surgery. 

Fun fact: New York magazine art critic Jerry Saltz almost got kicked off of Facebook earlier this week for posting an image of Forrest's self-surgery.

And of course don't limit yourself to these five. There is a lot of other amazing work to see at the Whitney, and you've got plenty of time experience all of it. The biennial runs through May 27.

-- John Ruscher

BIG DEAL // Museum of Art & Design Offers Discount for 3rd Ward Members

From MAD's upcoming "Hanging Around" show, by Giorgio Vigna, 2002. Gift of the artist, 2009.

Inspiration comes in all forms--books, mood boards, a really good sandwich if you're Liz Lemon. You can't force it, but strolling through a museum is a pretty surefire way to pump up your creativity. That goes double if the museum features handcrafts, functional items, electronics, and jewelry not too far off from what you're trying to create. If nothing else, a trip to a museum is an unimpeachable procastinatory device. 

Which is precisely why we're so excited to give 3rd Ward members 10% off a membership to the Museum of Art and Design (MAD) in Columbus Circle. In addition to free admission for you and reduced admission for your nonmember friends, you'll get invites to opening receptions and discounts on educational events and performances. And you'll ensure you never miss shows like "Crafting Modernism," with jewelry, furniture, and textiles by the likes of Alexander Calder and Lee Krazner (this one closes in a week, so run), "Swept Away: Dust, Ashes, and Dirt in Contemporary Art and design" (opening February 7), and "Hanging Around," a collection of innovative necklaces. 

For a visual idea of what can be seen at MAD, just pause for a moment and gaze at this gorgeously crafted Wendell Castle piece:

Music Rack Wendell Castle, 1964 Purchased by the American Craft Council, 1964This all brings to mind a fantastic overheard snippet from an early show at the New Museum. We caught a woman saying: "I could make this, but I didn't. I guess that's why it's art." While we don't necessarily agree with that sentiment in all circumstances, it does hold some resonance when you're in a museum that has a special interest in innovative design and construction. You didn't make an Eames chair, but maybe looking at its shape will inspire you to create the next iconic chair--or earring, or bar of soap. And your newfound world fame will be that much sweeter because you'll know it all started with a discount.

--Layla Schlack