March 7–14, 2002

mix picks

Sweet and LowBrow

Outsider art is the new graffiti of the Philadelphia gallery scene. With the "East Meets West" summer takeover of the ICA and skate artists finding secure footing in local galleries, these kids are getting the best of both worlds: They have their establishment-sanctioned shows and they don’t have to change their work. "LowBrow" contains the contemporary folk fantasy of post-ironic curatorial wet dreams, while steering clear of the white cube. An ongoing project curated by artist Stephanie Corr, this extensive group show first reared its head at the Khyber and is now on quarterly rotation at the North Star. Culling artists from both local and national quarters, Corr presents work that sidesteps the accepted definition of fine art.

The tiny graphite utopias of Randall Sellers (pictured) depict, in obsessive detail, nonexistent fantasyscapes. Robert Brown’s digitally remastered hate letters to the art world read as pissed-off pop. Corr’s tweaked-out illustrative figures give traditional surrealism a new twist. DJs Nick, Curry and Brent will spin the tunes.

—Nikki Roszko

Opens Thu., March 7, North Star, 27th and Poplar sts., 215-922-LIVE, www.northstarbar.com.