NY Photo Exhibition by Udom Surangsophon
Posted on 30. Apr, 2012 by Ingrid David in Art at Roger Smith, Community, Events
Roger Smith Arts and Thai Artists Alliance present the second lobby series; a NY photo exhibition by Udom Surangsophon.
The Roger Smith Hotel is pleased to host Udom’s NY photo exhibition from May 1st to June 3oth, 2012. The opening reception will be on May 9th from 6pm to 8pm at the hotel’s lobby.
NY PHOTO EXHIBITION by Udom Surangsophon from Kanin Koonsumitawong on Vimeo.
Udom was born in Thailand and has been based in New York since 1985 where he graduated from Hunter College and earned a Master’s degree at the New York Institute of Technology. He specializes in architecture, interiors and portraits. His work has appeared in Architectural Record, Metropolitan Homes, Wallpaper (Thai Edition), Elle Decoration (Thai Edition), The New York Times and others.
A note from curator Ek Wongleecharoen; Assistant General Manager at the Roger Smith Hotel:
“My purpose of bringing Thai Artists Alliance to Roger Smith Hotel Lobby Series is to bring people awareness to the Thai Arts. I am a native of Thailand and even I have a limited knowledge in the Thai Arts. My only exposure of the Thai Arts is through the temple walls and I was fascinated by the intricate details that the artist put into the work. So I reached out to the Thai Artist Alliance to see if they will be interested to show some of their works in the lobby. As a result, we will have at least two shows dedicated to the Thai arts movement in NYC.”
Roger Smith Hotel 501 Lexington Ave. (btwn. 47 & 48 st.) New York, NY 10017 Phone: (212)755-1400
Christopher Ulrich at RSPop[+]
Posted on 27. Feb, 2012 by JohnKnowles in Art at Roger Smith, Arts
RSPop[+] the Roger Smith Hotel’s newest popup shop is now hosting the art work of Christopher Ulrich through the end of March, 2012. The show is curated by Molly Barnes who has brought many art conversations to the Roger Smith with her Brown Bag Lunches. All art is for sale.
Christopher Traedy Ulrich is a painter of surreal iconographic images. He is influenced by the richness of ancient mythology, the mystery of alchemy, and the vastness of cosmic reality. Illuminating this dark journey with insight, heart and determination he strives to understand the unraveling revelation that reveals itself in the work.
Aleister Crowley’s Last Words, Oil on canvas 48X60
For more information contact us at Jennifer@rogersmith.com
Pop[+] is located at 501 Lexington Avenue between the 47th and 48th next the the Lab Gallery.
THE LAB: GALLERY Presents Mickett Stackhouse January 13- February 3, 2012
Posted on 10. Jan, 2012 by danikadruttman in Arts, Hotel, LAB Gallery, the LAB
By Carol Mickett and Robert Stackhouse
Curated by Creighton Michael
January 13 – February 3 2012
THE LAB: GALLERY is pleased to present Breath of Water, an installation by Carol Mickett and Robert Stackhouse.
Breath of Water is part of the artist’s on-going exploration into the representation of water both two-dimensionally and three-dimensionally. Their work is framed by the ideas of two Presocratic philosophers: Thales and Heraclitus. Thales discusses the omnipresence of water and it’s shape-shifting ability when he claimed that everything is water. Heraclitus, by asserting that one can not step in the same river twice, argues that identity is deeply rooted in change. Breath of Water looks at winter water as an almost secret environment not unlike the world inside a snow globe.
Carol Mickett and Robert Stackhouse have been collaborating since 1999. During this time, they have produced large-scale sculpture, painting, and prints. Mickett comes to the collaboration from a background in philosophy, film, radio, poetry, and theater. Stackhouse followed a traditional visual arts path, and his individual work can be found in museum collections around the world including the Museum of Modern Art, The National Gallery of Australia, and the Corcoran Gallery of Art. Both Mickett and Stackhouse hold Ph.Ds: Mickett in philosophy and Stackhouse has an honorary doctorate from his alma mater, the University of South Florida.
All works of art and performances in THE LAB: GALLERY are shown within the confines of the space, and are intended to be viewed by the audience from the sidewalk. This event is free and viewable 24/7.
Meditation / Mediations A reflection on artistic collaborations with Daniel Rothbart by John Knowles
Posted on 06. Jan, 2012 by JohnKnowles in Arts, Community, Hotel
Video as an art-form was my creative indulgence in 2011. I have been testing visual concept through patterns and loops and have developed a style and method for my creative expression. It has inspired new collaborative projects that test my ability to mix and balance different elements of light, color, intent and other contributing inputs.
On November 20th 2011, I set up my projections with artist Daniel Rothbart to test out new forms of creative alchemy. The ingredients of the experiment consisted of my intent to drive future success and innovation combined with Daniels perspective as a conductor within the light.
Together we explored the dimension of the empty space in the bowls and played with the shadows as they appeared on the wall behind him. His calm and observant nature provided the an ideal collaborative chemistry.
So what can you as the objective observer take away from this experience? I believe that creative expressions of intent opens the door to new realizations and physical manifestations. By exploring the depths of your creative potential you can imagine and experience any reality you choose. My objective is to inspire and stimulate others to create and participate.
Stay tuned for collaborative art projects in 2012. We will soon be launching an Artist meetup at the Roger Smith where creative personalities be able to meet and experiment.
Reach out and engage to be part of the growing network.
Welcome to @pancity! Where all your dreams come true!
THE LAB: 2011, A Year in Art (VIDEO)
Posted on 21. Dec, 2011 by danikadruttman in Arts, Hotel, LAB Gallery, the LAB
Thank you to John Birdsong, for summing up another SUPERB year for us here at THE LAB.
Warmest wishes from us on the corner of 47th and Lex,
Matt and Danika
THE LAB
[a roger smith collaboration]
501 Lexington Ave NYC (map)
212.339.2092
email address
www.thelabgallery.com
www.rogersmithlife.com
ART: December at The LAB, Fantastic Lonely Heart 12.2.11-1.6.12
Posted on 30. Nov, 2011 by danikadruttman in Arts, LAB Gallery
Fantastic Lonely Heart
Installation by Hyong Nam Ahn Curator: Soojung Hyun December 2nd-January 6th 2012
The LAB (for installation + performance art) is pleased to present Fantastic Lonely Heart, a light based installation by the Korean artist Hyong Nam Ahn.
Ahn uses “the magical and transcendent” qualities of neon light as a way of exposing the arduous aspects of the human condition; much like the great Spanish philosopher Ortega Y Gasset did in the 1920′s writing on the conflicts intrinsic to modernity and the impact of industrialization’s rapid spread, specifically regarding the increasing disappearance of human values. Despite being separated by both decades and continents, the importance of maintaining an equal balance between spiritual and material realities is a philosophy shared by both the spaniard and this sculptor here.
Video: Studio Visit with Hyong Nam Ahn
This exhibition was made possible in part by the support of the AHL Foundation.
Hyong Nam Ahn has lived and worked in the United States since 1973. He holds an MFA (1980) in Sculpture with Kinetics and a BFA (1978) in Painting & Experimental Art from School of the Art Institute of Chicago. He has worked in the fields of sculpture, installation, and public art installation.He earned Illinois Project Completion Grant (1982), Wiebolt Artist Contest, Gold Key Award Scholastic National Drawing Contest, First Prize Award (1974). He has shown in many solo and group exhibitions in Museum of Contemporary Art in Chicago, Tweed Museum; MN, Jamaica Cultural Center in New York, and IHN Gallery (Korea). website
The AHL Foundation is a non-profit organization formed in 2003 by Sook Nyu Lee Kim to support Korean artists living in the United States and to promote exposure of their work in today’s highly competitive contemporary art world. In 2004, the foundation established an annual competition that is open to all artists of Korean ancestry living in the United States. AHL awards four monetary prizes each year and has been mounting bi-annual exhibitions to display the winning works. Since 2008, AHL has advanced to an annual exhibition, and this year, 2010, AHL has expanded its awards to honor five artists, thus broadening their scope of diversity and opportunity. website
The Roger Smith is a hub for social media in #NYC. People. Art. Food. Wine. For 10% off our best available rooms rate: bit.ly/RSrooms
twitter: twitter.com/rshotel
fb: facebook.com/rogersmithhotel
blog: bit.ly/RSlife
web: rogersmith.com/
Molly Barnes Art discussion with Mark Kostabi and Gail Levin (Video Archive 11/17/11 & 11/18/11)
Posted on 16. Nov, 2011 by Birdsong in Arts, Community, Events
Mark Kostabi talks about his art work and introduces his new game show “Title this“.
Gail Levin, a biographer, art historian and curator, discusses her new biography of Lee Krasner
The Roger Smith is a hub for social media in #NYC. People. Art. Food. Wine. For 10% off our best available rooms rate: bit.ly/RSrooms
twitter: twitter.com/rshotel
fb: facebook.com/rogersmithhotel
blog: bit.ly/RSlife
web: rogersmith.com/
The State of Now #140 Conf Recap, @RShotel #RogerSmithNews October 2009
Posted on 06. Nov, 2011 by JohnKnowles in Community, Hotel
#140conf Community is a loyal and tight network. Many People have been able to connect through the efforts and coordination of Jeff Pulver. Exploring the state of Now is always a great initiative. On Wednesday Nov, 9th our own Melissa Gonzalez will be speaking at #Brandsconf about the Pop up initiatives that have been going around the Roger Smith Hotel. It is great to have been able to participate as a member of this community.
Reach out to us. Let us know what you are up to and how we can help. The Roger Smith Hotel is not just a center for hospitality. It is place for experimentation in the arts, media, marketing and business. Our objective as a brand is to collaborate and grow our communities with a common interest in energizing our engagements.
If you are interested in learning about what is currently going on @RShotel, you can reach out to me on twitter @RShotel or @Pancity or leave a comment on this blog.
Talk to you soon,
John Knowles
Director of Digital Marketing
The Roger Smith is a hub for social media in #NYC. People. Art. Food. Wine. For 10% off our best available rooms rate: bit.ly/RSrooms
twitter: twitter.com/rshotel
fb: facebook.com/rogersmithhotel
blog: bit.ly/RSlife
web: rogersmith.com/
Steinunn Thórarinsdóttir BORDERS Installation: an Interview with the Artist (Video)
Posted on 28. Oct, 2011 by Birdsong in Arts, Community
BORDERS by Steinunn Thórarinsdóttir was installed in Dag Hammarskjöld Plaza from March 24 through September 30, 2011. The installation featured twenty-six androgynous, life-size sculptures, thirteen aluminum and thirteen cast iron, which extended throughout the park from First to Second Avenue on East 47th Street. BORDERS was the park’s largest exhibition to date and the first exhibition to incorporate the entire park.
“Dag Hammarskjold Plaza is the gateway to the United Nations and a hub of international activity that serves thousands of people and hosts hundreds of political events each year,” said Parks & Recreation Commissioner Adrian Benepe. “The new public art installation, BORDERS, will connect many diverse constituencies to new artistic experiences. It will foster conversation and provide a significant backdrop for daily events at this public space.”
video by: John Birdsong
BORDERS was created specifically for Dag Hammarskjöld Plaza and directly responds to the park’s design and infrastructure, as well as the United Nations headquarters located at the eastern end of the park. Thórarinsdóttir’s figures, standing along the main park corridor and seated on park benches, mirror each other in silent conversation and form unseen borders that visitors are welcome to cross—serving as ambassadors between sculptures. The exhibition addresses humanity and cultural diversity, an exceptionally appropriate theme for one of the most culturally and politically active sites in all of New York City.
The Roger Smith is a hub for social media in #NYC. People. Art. Food. Wine. For 10% off our best available rooms rate: http://bit.ly/RSrooms
web: http://rogersmith.com/
blog: http://rogersmithlife.com/
fb: http://facebook.com/rogersmithhotel
twitter: http://twitter.com/rshotel
My $100 Art Collection. By John Knowles
Posted on 08. Sep, 2011 by JohnKnowles in Art at Roger Smith, Arts, Community, Hotel
In an effort to stimulate a collector’s mentality, we at the Roger Smith have initiated, under the motivation and guidance of James Knowles, an art collectors program.
Over coffee at Lily’s, with myself, Danika Druttman and James Knowles, we tossed around the idea of building a young collectors art program. To be honest the idea might have been in circulation for sometime (you never know where the origin of these things comes from). Whether we came up with it or it had been a rolling stone, nothing is new, just rearranged…

James Knowles as Ben Franklin #RogersRewards
Anyway, out of his wallet he pulls two crisp $100 bills and presents them to the both of us.
The objective is to build a body of work with the intent of capturing and stimulating a collector’s imagination. For a long time our efforts have been focused on the subject and perspective of the artist and their motivations. This new initiative takes into account the mind and eye of the collector, the stories and perspectives of the people who purchase works of art.
Sent into the summer months with an idea, we now revisit the concept with newly acquired works of art. After spending a couple weeks at the Vermont Studio Center, I returned to New York with two works from a fellow artist in residence, Ester Hasskamp.
As I canvassed her studio during the open studio visit, my eye was drawn to a small black piece of paper with a threaded outline of a blue moon and its rays. Without receiving a formal title from the artist, I call it “Blue Moon & Ray”.

The second work that caught my attention was a gravestone rubbing with the name Alice. This stimulated a funny memory that involves my sister Phoebe. Phoebe and I went to support the new Bier Garden that had just opened in our neighborhood. There was a live band that was playing one of those songs similar to “Sweet Caroline” where a full crowded bar participate in the chorus… This song, which neither of us had ever heard, has burned itself into my memory as a bar room classic and will always stimulate the question, “Who the fuck is Alice?”

“Who the fuck is Alice?”
As we begin to build our collectors’ portfolios we have a confidence that our decisions have the potential to appreciate in value with each contribution. The stories that motivate the purchase and relationships that we build with the artist become long-lasting.
This is just the beginning.
As we grow this collection, we embrace artists and collectors alike to participate. As the collector has his/her own identity and personality, so will the collection. I have created my own personal blog that will follow my contributions to the overall collection and will also be providing updates to Roger Smith Life as the project grows.
Not to make it too much of a competition, but I am interested to see what Danika brings to the table.
Cheerio.
Be well,
John Knowles
a.k.a Panman
Follow @pancity on twitter.
Other related links
My100artcollection.tumblr.com
Panmanmixtapes.tumblr.com
The Roger Smith is a hub for social media in #NYC. People. Art. Food. Wine. For 10% off our best available rooms rate: bit.ly/RSrooms
twitter: twitter.com/rshotel
fb: facebook.com/rogersmithhotel
blog: bit.ly/RSlife
web: rogersmith.com/


