Dirt on Clay installation photo by Aaron Igler
Highlight of the year: The International Art Critics Association awarded the Institute of Contemporary Art first place for the year’s “Best Show in a University Gallery.” That show was Dirt on Delight: Impulses that Form Clay, on view Jan. 15-July 12, 2009 and organized by curators Ingrid Schaffner and Jenelle Porter. The exhibition presented the work of 22 artists, with pieces that “collectively suggest that clay appeals to basic human impulses, starting with the delight of building form, coupled with the anxiety of completion.” ICA officials will accept the award at a ceremony in February 2010 at the Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum in New York.
What’s coming in 2010: On Jan. 15, the ICA will present Maira Kalman: Various Illuminations (of a Crazy World) — the first major museum survey of works by the illustrator, author and designer. On view through June 6, the exhibition will feature a selection of the artist’s photography, embroidery, textiles and works on paper.
Penn Gazette Arts Blog 