First Friday Focus

Tie-dying, patches, airbrushing, silk-screening, appliqué, photo transfer and of course, the '70s favorite, iron-ons -- the possibilities are endless for designing T-shirts, and Matt Pruden has a healthy respect for the art form. For a new exhibit at Nexus, "Iron On!," he's asked people to submit favorite T-shirts from their wardrobes to show on the gallery walls ("The T-shirt Museum"), and artists to create their own to be people's new favorites ("The T-shirt Boutique," where the designs will be on sale). Pruden got the idea for the exhibit while, well, making his own T-shirts for his band. "We don't really have coats of arms and mottos anymore," says Pruden. "Our T-shirt collection is our jury-rigged substitute in some ways: self-made, personal, keepsakes of our history, markers of our attitudes -- individualistic sentiments in a public form." So far, people as far as New York and Boston have been willing to loan the shirts off their backs, whether they tout bands, softball teams or political causes, but we're pretty sure Philly loves its ratty unshrinkables, too.

Reception Fri., Feb. 7, 5-9 p.m. Exhibition runs through March 2. Live performance by Ghost Room (members of Bardo Pond), Bitter, Bitter Weeks and Marc Manning, Sat., Feb. 22, 7 p.m., $7. 137 N. Second St., 215-629-1103.

The Painted Bride

Sometimes it's intentional, done for dramatic effect, and sometimes it's accidental, a mistake of the tongue, and still other times it's simply unconscious. Whatever the case, guest curator Corey Armpriester and the Bride believe that repetition -- from cellular division to the cycles of the moon to the concept of reincarnation -- remains a mysterious and attractive phenomenon. "Repetition: Day After Day" brings together 12 artists whose work reflects these occurrences in our universe. Jon Manteau has said that his constructions are influenced by sampling in music and merchandising of artwork, as well as "the idea of a story being told and retold," and his work employs the art of photocopying, one simple technological example of repetition. Caroline Furr's paintings explore geometric repetition on solid, colorful grounds. Frank LaMonica's photographs reveal the repetition of folds of skin when our bodies bend and reach, while Leah Reynolds' Polaroids are assembled in grids to intensify the repetition in the images themselves.

Reception Fri., Feb. 7, 5-7 p.m. Exhibition runs through March 22. 230 Vine St., 215-925-9914.

Gallery Joe

David Stephens is interested more in religion academically than spiritually, and he's especially interested in what the cross as a symbol has meant over time. His new show, "144 Crosses for the 144,000," represents all manner of crosses: ornate Celtic-like crosses, thin and unadorned Ts, some turned to look like Xs, some rounded off at the edges. Stephens installed the exhibit himself, with crosses propped up, leaning or hanging against a wall, and set in the middle of the floor. Constructed of wood -- painted, wrapped in burlap and otherwise manipulated to simulate steel or concrete -- the crosses have beams that are bent back to look broken, but dozens of smaller crosses are hiding there too. Stephens, who is blind, incorporates Braille, which at first glance simply looks like fasteners that appear to be holding the beams of the crosses together. The number 144,000 has Biblical roots, and can be interpreted on several levels, but the curious can simply ask Stephens himself: He will discuss his work on First Friday at the gallery. Also on view is "Drawing on Landscape," with the work of Jennifer Macdonald, Ati Maier, Tom Burckhardt and Samantha Simpson.

Stephens will speak Fri., Feb. 7 at 6:30 p.m. Exhibition runs through March 8. 302 Arch St., 215-592-7752.

And Then There’s …

Ursinus College's Berman Museum of Art is planning a gallery talk (Wed., Feb. 12, 7 p.m.) and a concert (with mezzo-soprano performance artist Martha McDonald on Thu., March 20, 7:30 p.m.) to coincide with its exhibit "The Human Factor: Figuration in American Art, 1950-1995." Opens Fri., Feb. 7. Exhibition runs through March 30. 601 E. Main St., Collegeville, 610-409-3500. Photographer Sarah A. Barr and painter P. Timothy Gierschick II have a dual show at University City Arts League called "Indelible Marks." Reception Fri., Feb. 7, 5:30 p.m. Exhibition runs through March 7. 4226 Spruce St., 215-382-7811. Continuing at Wexler Gallery is furniture maker Andy Buck's show of stylish, modernist duck decoys. Exhibition runs through Feb. 22. 201 N. Third St., 215-923-7030.