Herb and Dorothy Trailer

Studio Synopsis:
HERB & DOROTHY tells the extraordinary story of Herbert Vogel, a postal clerk, and Dorothy Vogel, a librarian, who managed to build one of the most important contemporary art collections in history with very modest means.

In the early 1960s, when very little attention was paid to Minimalist and Conceptual Art, Herb and Dorothy Vogel quietly began purchasing the works of unknown artists. Devoting all of Herb’s salary to purchase art they liked, and living on Dorothy’s paycheck alone, they continued collecting artworks guided by two rules: the piece had to be affordable, and it had to be small enough to fit in their one-bedroom Manhattan apartment. Within these limitations, they proved themselves curatorial visionaries; most of those they supported and befriended went on to become world-renowned artists including Sol LeWitt, Christo and Jeanne-Claude, Richard Tuttle, Chuck Close, Robert Mangold, Sylvia Plimack Mangold, Lynda Benglis, Pat Steir, Robert Barry, Lucio Pozzi, and Lawrence Weiner.

After thirty years of meticulous collecting and buying, the Vogels managed to accumulate over 2,000 pieces, filling every corner of their tiny one bedroom apartment. “Not even a toothpick could be squeezed into the apartment,” recalls Dorothy. In 1992, the Vogels decided to move their entire collection to the National Gallery of Art in Washington, DC. The vast majority of their collection was given as a gift to the institution. Many of the works they acquired appreciated so significantly over the years that their collection today is worth millions of dollars. Still, the Vogels never sold a single piece.

Today Herb and Dorothy still live in the same apartment in New York with 19 turtles, lots of fish, and one cat. They’ve refilled it with piles of new art they’ve acquired.

To learn more about Herb & Dorothy or to find a screening near you click here

posted by: Harold Johns III

Shank You Very Much

Flier designed by Kenneth Kupfer of Fag Cop

Wanna be part of Lawrence’s printmaking Cobra gang? Gotta stick your hand in acid for 5 seconds. Wanna spare your hand and just see some of the Cobra’s art? Go to the opening of their show titled Shank You Very Much this Friday, June 19th from 6-9pm at Love Garden Sounds (936 1/2 Massachusetts in Lawrence, KS).

The Cobras started working together in early 2009. As a gang they of course have gang names (which they take very seriously), but for those of you on the outs I’ll go ahead and give you their real names:

Kristi Arnold
Jason Barr
Shawn Bitters
Erin Bratzler
Thayer Bray
Andy Burkitt
George DeMoura
Tim Dwyer
Andrew Jilka
Kelly Kearns
Alicia Kelly
Michael Krueger
Mari LaCure
Erin McColey
Yoonmi Nam
Sam Owen
Clint Ricketts

Shank You Very Much will be a salon style show with t-shirts on sale and lots of goodies around every corner. Fag Cop will also be playing at 8pm.

posted by: Tricia Rock

Chomp Womp Soda Fest

CHOMP WOMP SODA FEST JUNE 19TH
@ THE PISTOL & FOUNDATION (1219 UNION and 1221 UNION, WEST BOTTOMS KCMO)

The Chomp Womp Soda Fest will be an over-caffeinated celebration of all things rad. Fourteen bands, ranging in style from shoegazey indie pop to punky bluegrass, will alternate twenty minute sets on stages housed at The Pistol and Foundation. All the while Scott Starrett (Rathaus contributor/graphic designer), Scott Stewart (Artstew Magazine), Jouvelt, and b. d. eek will try to make art among the rock and roll induced insanity. Plus there will be free cake, soda and freedom for all. That’s right, you heard me, free freedom. (Suck on that Toby Keith, you ass.) The show starts at 8:30pm and if you can’t make it, check back with The Rathaus for a recap.

Soda Fest Lineup:
HIGH DIVING PONIES
BURGER KINGDOM
ROOFTOP VIGILANTES
BOO AND BOO TOO
FORTUNING
BLEACHBLOODZ
GOODWILLIES
WRONG CROWD!
THE CALAMITY CUBES
SPELL MASTER
THE FACTORY WORKERS
DEMON HORSE
ECHO OF THE ELMS
NONRETURNER

posted by: Harold Johns III

Artist Shout Out: Barrett Emke

Boo and Boo Too guitarist, Lawrencian and emerging photographer Barrett Emke has recently updated his site with his new work. We’re passing the link on to our readers so you can view Emke’s small but nonetheless awesome collection of photographs.

posted by: Brent Carter

Shut Up and Do It: Light Painting

If you’re trying to explain the medium of light painting to someone these days, the easiest way is to bring up “those Sprint commercials.” Not to take away from the incredible work done by the Brickyard VFX team that created the ad spots, but Sprint’s advertisement agencies did not invent light painting. Although I couldn’t discover the origins of the process, Pablo Picasso made light paintings as early as 1949 and the medium has been utilized ever since.

Pablo Picasso Light Painting

A few weeks ago some of us from The Rathaus, and Rathaus friends, collaborated on some light paintings of our own (the angel and devil above). We decided to focus on human models and use the light as adornment. A fire provided us with our primary light source and the rest was left up to the models and the painters.

If you’re looking for a way to create art outdoors after dark, try the light painting medium. And if you get any keepers send ‘em in to The Rathaus (info@therathaus.com), we’d love to see what you all come up with. If we get enough images we might just have a follow up post to work with.

For some amazing examples and variations on the theme of light painting check out this site and these videos:

Fiveprime.org