Weekly Update: Art That’ll Make You Cry Edition

Our Weekly Update is here to bring you our favorite links from the past week: art and design news you might have missed, must-see stories, and the best new contests and calls for entry.

An exhibition designed to make you cry

Artist Tania Bruguera’s latest exhibition at London’s Tate Modern is intended to provoke a reaction of empathy in viewers, by actually forcing people to cry with an airborne organic compound. Bruguera’s work aims to call attention to the refugee crisis. Per Es bueno que: “10,142,926 sees Tania conducting a series of “stealth” interventions. These include a heat-sensitive floor which reveals the image of a Syrian refugee when subject to enough body heat, and a room in which a tearing agent in an attempt to “break down our usual social barriers and lead to an emotional shared response,” as the Tate put it.”

The story of Nancy Holt’s incredible Sun Tunnels in the Utah desert

At Artsy, Cat Kron takes a close look at Sun Tunnels (1973-76), a stunning work of land art created by Nancy Holt. The wife of iconic artist Robert Smithson, Holt was a groundbreaking artist in her own right, and this work is definitely worth a revisit: “Creating the work entailed hauling tons of concrete into the desert, working with engineers, astrologists, contractors, and crane operators. Unlike other land art artists, who tended to hide all traces of their work’s construction, Holt meticulously documented this labor in extensive notes, as well as a film of the same name.”

This year’s Frieze London focuses on female voices

El New York Times gives an inside look at this year’s edition of London’s major art fair, which currently has a predominantly female team and aimed to highlight female perspectives in programming as well: “Jo Stella-Sawicka, Frieze London’s artistic director, noted that the talks program for Frieze Masters exclusively featured female artists, marking the centenary of women’s suffrage in the United Kingdom.”

Want to own a small fraction of a Warhol?

El Periódico del Arte reports on the new investment platforms tempting art collectors with “fractional ownership:” dividing a work of art into tokens which investors can then purchase:

“But the most disruptive aspect of these businesses is the creation of exchanges on which investors can trade their ‘tokens’, which represent their shares in a work of art. These tokens, a form of derivative, will in theory increase in value as the underlying asset, the work of art, increases in value. So, it is not necessary to sell the work of art to make money, just to trade in the tokens themselves. But of course these can go down as well as up, just like the underlying asset… “

Photographer using the camera as a tool for therapy

Vice profiles six photographers worth getting to know, who all use their creative work as a means of expressing and dealing with depression. From highly colorful portraits to abstract black and white compositions, these creators explore the idea of what it means to be a depressed artist, and how making work can be a way of coping with mental health struggles.

Call for entry: Flux Factory Residency

Well-established New York City-based nonprofit Flux Factory is seeking “cultural producers of all kinds” to apply for their upcoming residencies. Length of the residency can vary from three to twelve months. While the residency does have a participation cost, Flux Factory can assist accepted artists in procuring grants, and you’ll have access to a large building-full of resources as well as great chances to network with like-minded creators and develop your practice. Applications are open until October 12.

Call for entry: SpallArt Prize Salzburg

Interested in a residency in Salzburg, Austria? Artists working in photography are invited to apply for a chance at a residency at the Salzburger Kunstverein and a €4,000 prize. You’ll have to get a relevant professional to nominate you, but if you’re a serious photographer, this could be a great opportunity to further your career.

Call for entry: Format Classics

This month the latest edition of our ongoing contest series asks you to share an artist who inspires you. Use the hashtag #FormatClassics and post your inspiration on social media for a chance to win cash prizes as well as a gift from ONA Bags. Entry is open until October 31.

Cover image of Tania Bruguera’s 10,142,926 via the Tate.

Have a tip or call for entry to share? Did you write an article or publish a project that you think we’d like? Let us know.