The Sixth Annual Altoids Curiously Strong Collection
Arthouse
9 April - 9 May 2004

This is the last weekend to catch the Altoids Collection at Arthouse which closes on Sunday. This year's collection features the work of 23 emerging artists chosen by a panel of artists, critics, curators and gallery owners (among them Austin's own Regine Bash!l). Highlights of the collection include work by Austin artist, Brad Tucker (featured in the current Arthouse Presents...). Hernan Bas, Conrad Bakker, Joe Fig, lona Rozeal Brown and Eli Sudbrack among others. Shows of this caliber are infrequent in Austin-this is one not to be missed!

Photography's Turning Point: The Journal "Camera Work"
Harry Ransom Center, University of Texas at Austin
20 April - 14 October 2004

Alfred Stieglitz's journal Camera Work (1903-1917) aimed to achieve two things: to raise photography to the status of "art" and to expose his American audience—more accustomed to safer academic work - to the current artistic trends in Europe. Besides photography. Camera Work introduced many Americans to the works of Picasso and Matisse, among others. The hand-made photographic prints from the book show photography's transformation from the self-conscious artiness of soft-focused history painting-style "fuzzygraphs" - as George Bernard Shaw derisively called them—to the razor sharp images of modern life that defined much of 20th century photography. An image of particular interest is a portrait printed on Japanese rice paper. The image is displayed vertically and is un-mounted allowing light to shine through the paper beautifully revealing the subtle but expressive etchings the artist made on the original negative.

Go out and Look: The Photography of Russell Lee
Harry Ransom Center, University of Texas at Austin
20 April -17 October 2004

The work of Russell Lee (1903-1986) begins in the Depression-era U. S. Farm Security Administration and continues through projects with the Army, various corporations, and the federal government. He also founded and set the direction of the Photography department at the University of Texas at Austin. Notably, he captures some memorable black & white images of the Japanese internment during WWII and some memorable early color images of the massive oil and petrochemical refineries around the Houston area.

Fresh Up Club in Chicago!
The Stray Show 2004
7 - 9 May 2004

If you are in Chicago this weekend for Art Chicago 2004, make time to stop by the Fresh Up Club's booth at The Stray Show. Dave Bryant and Peat Duggins have gathered work from 20 regional and national artists which they plan to hang salon-style with a featured solo-exhibition changing every hour. Though The Stray Show began in 2001 as a venue for contemporary arts organizations specific to Chicago, Texas has a strong presence this year! Participants include: The Cactus Bra Space, San Antonio; Sala Diaz, San Antonio; Three Walls, San Antonio, Plush, Dallas and Rudolph Projects, Houston.

Treble
Sculpture Center, Long Island City
16 May -1 August 2004

Austin-based independent curator Regine Basha has organized a new group exhibition at the Sculpture Center, LIC entitled Treble, showcasing sound as an integral part of contemporary art practice. Selected artists featured in this exhibition Include Joseph Beuys, Jim Hodges, Dario Robletto, Brad Tucker, Anton Vidokle + Cristlan Manzutto and Francis Alys + Rafael Ortega.