LAURIE ZUCKERMAN'S ALTAR EXHIBIT OPENS AT LOVELAND ART MUSEUM AUGUST 29, 2009

Laurie Zuckerman's solo exhibit at the Loveland Museum/Gallery opens Saturday, August 29, 2009 with an artist's reception from 6-9 pm. Please join me at the opening of my exhibit, MEMENTO MORI: Deconstructing the Nuclear Family, honoring my family during my Cold War era childhood. The show will be chocked full of home altars and huge altar installations, a Day of the Dead ofrenda, 14 memory jugs, and dozens of shrine photographs from Mexico and the Southwest. I have created nearly all of the work in this exhibit since 2001, and much of it has never been on view in Northern Colorado or anywhere else. It is my most extensive exhibit to date, as the Main Gallery of the Loveland Museum is a huge exhibition space at 3750 square feet.

I do hope to see you at my opening of "MEMENTO MORI: Deconstructing the Nuclear Family. If you miss the opening, then you'll still have until November 1, 2009 to catch my exhibit. I will be giving two lectures in conjunction with the show, so watch for posts announcing the Gallery Talk and the Day of the Dead Lecture. The museum newsletter, posters, and showcard are due out anyday.

The Loveland Museum/Gallery has posted this announcement and press release at these two links:

http://www.ci.loveland.co.us/Cultural_Services/cultural_services_museum_tempexh_upcoming.htm

http://www.ci.loveland.co.us/news/CultSvc_09Laurie%20Zuckerman.htm

LAURIE ZUCKERMAN PHOTOGRAPHS SANCTUARIO DE CHIMAYO IN NEW MEXICO

Laurie Zuckerman visited the Sanctuario de Chimayo in Northern New Mexico, northeast of Santa Fe during Spring Break. They now have regulations against photographing inside the churches, but it is still okay to photography outside in the courtyard below the church. Here are two shots of the wooden crucifix that is so laden with rosaries, petitions, and christmas lights, it is almost unrecognizable as a Christ. The last shot is of one of the cyclone fences surrounding the courtyard. The entire fence is threaded with handmade wooden crosses. The Sanctuario is a world famous shrine. Not to be missed!! It is my personal favorite place in New Mexico.

LAURIE ZUCKERMAN PHOTOGRAPHS HISTORIC FOLK ART SITES IN CENTRAL NEW MEXICO

Laurie Zuckerman traveled to New Mexico in March in came across an historic ranch called Pueblo Bonito, just south of Mountaineer. This property built and designed by Pop Schaefer in the 1920s and 30s is listed on the National Historic Register of Places.

LAURIE ZUCKERMAN PHOTOGRAPHS UNUSUAL NEW MEXICAN BOTTLE TREE

Laurie Zuckerman's March visit to New Mexico uncovered a classic folk art bottle tree in the middle of a remote area southeast of Albuquerque. But look carefully. Those aren't blue glass bottles as are typically seen in the South. Those are aluminum beer cans! Someone did a lot of drinking in order to construct this tree. Still it looks pretty good.

LAURIE ZUCKERMAN CREATES MINIATURE FORGET-ME-NOT ALTARS

Laurie Zuckerman has been working on a large series of tiny altars she calls Forget-Me-Not boxes for the past couple of years. These three photos are examples from the set that I have completed this winter, most of which will be included in my solo altar exhibit at the Loveland Art Museum, as they accompany a full-size altar of the same name. Let me know what you think? Never worked this small before. My show opens August 29-November 1, 2009. Watch for new posts!

LAURIE ZUCKERMAN PHOTOGRAPHS NEW MEXICAN CHURCHES, CEMETERIES, AND ROADSIDE SHRINES DURING 2009 SPRING BREAK TRIP

Laurie Zuckerman just returned from this year's Spring Break adventure to New Mexico to photograph the St. Augustine Church at the Isleta Pueblo, the Salinas Pueblo Mission National Monument, and a host of remote cemeteries and churches in the Spanish Land Grant communities southeast of Albuquerque. It is always a treat to find beautiful statuary in the churches, so I am posting a few of the best pieces from the Isleta Pueblo. Below is a shot from the large shrine on the church plaza. St. Augustine was established in 1613. It is one of the oldest mission churches in the United States.

Discovered the Salinas Pueblo Mission ruins on the internet, having never heard about them prior. All three of the distinct sites were stunning, my favorite was the Quarai Ruins. The scale of this early 17th century Spanish Franciscan Church was magnificent. At least four stories high.


One of my favorite churches along our route was built in 1829 in the village of Manzano. I received special access to the church by the metalsmith who had designed the gates to the cemetery surrounding the church.


As always, the condition of the cemeteries is one of neglect, vandalism, and deterioration. I have been documenting the Hispanic cemeteries of New Mexico and Southern Colorado for at least six years now, in pursuit of publishing a photography book. I found some wonderful folk art graves on this journey to the eastside of the Manzano Mountains. Here are two out of the hundreds of pictures I am sorting through this week.

LAURIE ZUCKERMAN'S SOLO ALTAR AND MEMORY JUG EXHIBITION AT LOVELAND ART MUSEUM OPENS AUGUST 29, 2009

Laurie Zuckerman is working furiously on new artwork for her upcoming solo exhibition at the Loveland Art Museum in Northern Colorado. I am working on altar installations, memory jugs, memory boxes, and shrine photography, most of which has never been exhibited before or in Northern Colorado. Almost all of the three-dimensional assemblages have been created to memorialize each of my deceased parents, Blanche and George Zuckerman. The show is entitled Memento Mori: The Deconstruction of the Nuclear Family.

It'll take me two weeks just to set up the show, as the gallery is nearly 4000 square feet. That kind of space holds a lot of altars. The museum curator and her new exhibits curator are coming to my studio at the end of this month to finalize the construction details for the exhibition. I have everything laid out on a floor plan for them to review, although I keep erasing things and shuffling them around.

The opening reception is set for Saturday, August 29, 2009 from 6-9 pm. The show closes on The Day of the Dead—November 2, 2009. I have friends and family flying in from around the country. Loveland is only a few stunning miles up the Big Thompson Canyon to Estes Park and the Rocky Mountain National Park.

LAURIE ZUCKERMAN PHOTOGRAPHS CHRISTMAS FESTIVALS IN OAXACA, MX: EL NOCHÉ DE LOS RABANOS, aka THE NIGHT OF THE RADISHES

Laurie Zuckerman spent two weeks photographing the 2008 Christmas holiday festivals in sunny Oaxaca, the highlight of which is El Noché de los Rabanos. Here are my favorite radish displays from the Night of the Radish Festival in Oaxaca, Mexico. I was fascinated by the traditional religious themes carved out of hugh gnarly radishes that begin drying out the minute the artists start carving. These are my picks for the most magical of these spiritual displays, including the birth of Jesus, Oaxaca's patron saint—the Virgen de Soledad, a Mexican funeral, and a nativity scene.





These next photos are the two most complex cornhusk creations, known as Totomoxtle. I was completely amazed by the intricate details in this first creation showing a procession of Jesuses in front of the Catedral. I am hoping that this artist won the contest. I spent hours photographing the man setting up this installation.







My next favorite cornhusk creation is this tableau of Christian themes, including the Crucifixion and the Last Supper.



And this little display of is Jesus on a donkey or a horse, at least I think it is Jesus, was very touching. I never saw anything like these for sale, but I would have bought this one.


Here are my favorites from the strawflower, or immortal flower competition. The first photo shows the Crucifixion. The next three figures are the three most popular Virgins of Oaxaca: the Virgin of Guadalupe, the Virgin of Soledad, and the Virgin of Juquila. A little abstract perhaps, but sweet and colorful.

LAURIE ZUCKERMAN'S MEMORY JUG "A BONE TO PICK" APPEARS IN PASTICCIO QUARTZ #5

Laurie Zuckerman's new memory jug, "A Bone to Pick," is featured in the gallery section of Pasticcio Quartz #5, a 72-page Holiday Mosaic Extravaganza published by artists Sarah Fishburn and Angela Cartwright. This jug and many other new and never before exhibited memory jugs will be on display next summer at the Loveland Museum & Gallery, when Laurie Zuckerman fills the museum with home altars, memory jugs, and shrine photography. The exhibit opens on August 29, 2009.

In the tradition of the finest art salons, each issue of Pasticcio Quartz offers a "panoply of new art, books, food, history, movies, people, photographs, products, quotes, music, thought, and words served up as a delectable printed pastiche."

To purchase a copy of this issue or other back issues, log onto: http://stores.lulu.com/cartwrightandfishburn

LAURIE ZUCKERMAN'S DIA DE LOS MUERTOS ALTAR ON DISPLAY AT THE ARTISTS' NOOK AND THE BELLVUE STORE THRU NOVEMBER 2

A simple Diá de los Muertos Ofrenda altar by Laurie Zuckerman is on display at the historic Bellvue Store. The altar was up for the 1st Annual Dia de los Muertos Celebration in conjunction with Bev Perina's monthly Fine Art & Antique Shows and The Artists' Nook Diá de los Muertos Art Challenge, October 10-November 2. The community was invited to participate in this ofrenda ritual by bringing offerings and photos to celebrate the lives of their loved ones, and a couple of artists brought photos at the opening. I created a nicho in honor of the "Mexican Kitchen" to top the altar. The altar is not dedicated to anyone in my family, as I wanted it to be a neutral space for people to contribute to.


The Coloradoan newspaper's entertainment Ticket editor, Stacy Nick, interviewed me by phone for her article on Day of the Dead art and altar events in Northern Colorado this week. Here's the text of the article. The newspaper version included a photo of my Day of the Dead altar installation that was on display at the Loveland Art Museum's Grave Matters exhibit in the summer of 2006.

The bright colors and mocking skeletons used to celebrate Dia de los Muertos (the Day of the Dead) may seem a tad morbid but it's that artwork that has captured the interest of people around the world.

Art has been heavily tied to the Day of the Dead (Nov. 1 and 2, when people erect altars to honor and communicate with deceased family members), especially after artist Jose Guadalupe Posada (1851-1913) created his cartoonish skeleton characters, said Laurie Zuckerman, a local altar installation artist and photographer.

"Folk artists kind of jumped on that whimsical art work," said Zuckerman, who for years has travelled to regions in Mexico to see the various ways they celebrate the holiday.

Day of the Dead altars, featuring flowers, photos, food and drinks, traditionally were used as a way to encourage the souls of deceased family members to visit. But they have also come to highlight a unique niche in the art world.

Many local museums host their own Day of the Dead celebrations this week to examine the cultural and spiritual significance as well as the artistic expressions.

There is a strong American fascination with Day of the Dead celebrations and art, said Zuckerman, who puts a less religious take on her altars, using them as both creative outlets and as a way to honor her family rather than to communicate with them.

"The thing that caught me was just the attitude about celebrating death in such a way, really mocking death," she said. "Then there's this belief that the Mexican people believe the souls are really coming back once a year and they better throw them a pretty damn good party.

"I don't know that many Americans can go quite that far, but I think they're intrigued by it," Zuckerman added. "It's so opposite from anything we do here. It's so colorful and positive, and I think it really flies in the face of how our culture deals with death and mourning."

Check out this on-line version of the article.
http://www.coloradoan.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20081030/ENTERTAINMENT/810300302



Had a wonderful write up on Leaua Phillips blogsite in response to my Dia de los Muertos altar at the Bellvue Store. Check out her blog at: http://leauaphillips.blogspot.com/2008/10/tis-season.html

LAURIE ZUCKERMAN'S DAY OF THE DEAD ALTARS AND PHOTOGRAPHY AT VIRGINIA TECH UNIVERSITY, OCTOBER-NOVEMBER 2008

Laurie Zuckerman currently has an installation of three Day of the Dead altars in Virginia Tech's Diá de los Muertos exhibit at the Perspectives Gallery in Squires Student Union. It is a colorful and lively show, excellently curated by Mary Tartaro, director of the gallery. The show was mounted to coincide with Hispanic Awaremess Month.

Best of all, my bestfriend and altarmaking pal in Blacksburg, Kathy Pinkerton, is also featured in this exhibit and has a spectacular altar display as the centerpiece of the show. It is the closet thing I have ever seen to the over-the-top exuberance of Oaxacan Day of the Dead ofrendas. Below is a wide-shot of Kathy's installation.



The gallery invited me to fly out to give the keynote lecture on my travels to photograph Colonial Mexico's Day of the Dead altars, prior to the opening on October 3, 2008. I shipped all the myriad pieces of the altars and set-up my detailed installation the day before the show opened. (14 hours and many gallery helpers later, it was complete.) I also have 25 of my Day of the Dead photos from San Miguel de Allende, Guanujuato, and Oaxaca included in this exhibit. Three of my photos are used on the show announcement included with this post above.


The News Messenger of Montgomery County, Virginia published this front page article on October 8, 2008. Here are some quotes from the article by reporter Lauren Page, who interviewed myself and Kathy Pinkerton.

"Zuckerman describes her altar as more mournful that the rest of the pieces on display at the the exhibit. The altar, entitled "Devil May Care", is mostly black with an orange background. Zuckerman said the altar contains many references to Hallowe'en, including vintage American Hallowe'en decorations beside Mexican Day of the Dead artifacts. The black and orange color scheme has a three-fold meaning, she said. First, orange and black are the colors of Hallowe'en. Second, the orange represents the marigolds traditionally used at Mexican Day of the Dead festivals. Third, since it is next to [Kathy] Pinkerton's fuchsia altar, the two colors side by side look like the signature VT maroon and orange, Zuckerman said." [Actually this is bit of a misquote, as I was referring to the maroon and orange colors within my own altar installation being chosen in homage to Tech's school colors.]

"I like puns and double-entendres," Zuckerman said. "I like things to have a lot of different [visual] meanings.

"Devil May Care" is an homage to Zuckerman's parents. There is a large altar in the center, flanked by two smaller ones. The left side memorializes her mother. The right side memorializes her father. Zuckerman described her parents as "difficult and contentious."

"It was very painful dealing with their anger and bitterness," Zuckerman said. "This altar...represents the lighter side of what I kept bottled up inside."

The following web article at Virginia Tech University announced Laurie Zuckerman's altar installation, photography, and slide lecture in conjunction with the Perspectives Gallery group exhibition of Diá de los Muertos, October 3-November 8, 2008. The other artists included in the show are The Artgirlz group, Mindy & Baldwin True North, and Gilda Machin-Scarpaci, who all created wonderful altars for the show.

http://www.uusa.vt.edu/news/dayofthedead.php