CATEGORY

"A compendium of cutting-edge art." - Miami HeraldThe summer forecast for contemporary art is decidedly "cooler" thanexpected.Massive cutting-edge international exhibitions including TheVenice Biennale, Documenta 12 in Kassel, Germany and Sculpture ProjectsMuenster are all scheduled for June 2007 and the art world will be abuzz. But what if you can't make it to these events and you want a piece of theaction?ICE CREAM: CONTEMPORARY ART IN CULTURE is an up to the minute collection ofthe most exceptional contemporary artists of tomorrow.It presents 100 ofthe world's top emerging artists selected by 10 esteemed curators includingJens Hoffman, Director of the CCA Wattis Institute in San Francisco; ShamimMomin, Associate Curator at the Whitney; Philippe Vergne, Chief Curator atthe Walker Art Center; and The Wrong Gallery, formally "the smallestexhibition space in New York" that is now housed within the Tate Modern.Continuing the phenomenon established by its predecessors Cream (1998)Fresh Cream (2000) and Cream 3 (2003) as in "one that rises to the top,"ICE CREAM identifies the cutting edge artists to watch in the future.Theprevious titles were a favorite among collectors as they accuratelypredicted a number of art stars including Tacita Dean, Olafur Eliasson andThomas Hirschhorn.Stylishly designed, ICE CREAM also upholds the series'heritage of innovative packaging by featuring a shiny iridescent cover. In ICE CREAM, each curator has selected 10 important new artists who haveeither emerged internationally over the past five years, or are stillrelatively unknown.Their definition of emerged means that an artist hashad solo shows, but nothing large-scale in a major institution (apart froma couple recent exceptions), has been reviewed in the international artpress, but not been the subject of a major monograph, and has been givensufficient exposure without yet becoming fully established. In the selection process, no limitations on geography or media wereimposed. Over 25 countries are represented including China (a currentfavorite with collectors), Brazil Russia, Canada, Slovenia, Korea, Israel,Kenya, Mexico and the U.S.Age was also not a factor.The Wrong Galleryeven went so far as to select the "most unlikely candidates."MassimilianoGioni explained, "In other words, we went for the wrong ones: artists whoare more than 60 years old; artists who are not emerging, but have emergedor simply stuck around long enough to make their voices heard by anyone whowould listen."They selected artists such as Maria Lassnig, David Medallaand Jiri Kovanda.ICE CREAM opens with a conversation between the contributors as they debatethe changing role of the curator and current trends in contemporary art,including: *The blurring of roles between artist and curator demonstrated by thefact that artists have recently been invited to make selections inexhibitions. For example, The Wrong Gallery curated the 4th Berlin Biennialfor Contemporary Art (2006) and presented an exhibition within the 2006Whitney Biennial. The ICA London also exhibited the "Artist's Favorites"show in 2004.*The shift in the conception of the exhibition that expands beyondmuseum walls. Inserting art in different environments.*The effect of private art spaces that are run by collectors todisplay their own collections.Jens Hoffman states, "This will have astrong impact on the overall landscape of contemporary art, since many ofthose collectors who are opening spaces are also the people who give moneyto public institutions, which they'll probably cease to do (once they havetheir own location)." *The impact of the booming art market on artists who seem deeplyaffected by the pressure to conform to market forces and adapt their work.Each of the 100 artists is featured over four pages with a selection oftheir work together with a commentary by the curator who selected them, anexhibition history, and a bibliography.Every curator also selects aSource Artist, namely any artist from any previous generation whom theyfeel remains of key significance either to art at large or to his or herown thinking.ICE CREAM is a dynamic showcase of the next big flavors of the year.Itprovides a glimpse of what the future may hold and is a must-have forcollectors and for anyone who follows or is beginning to explore thecontemporary art scene.