Just Do It

"ART at LAVA"

by Will Dean

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Published: Nov 1, 2006

Opening reception Sat., Nov. 4, 5-9 p.m., free, ongoing, LAVA, 4134 Lancaster Ave., 215-387-6155, www.lavazone.org

LAVA Space, West Philly's radical media center, doesn't just give back to the community—it is the community.

The group, also known as Lancaster Avenue Autonomous Zone, regularly hosts meetings, lectures and concerts to benefit local residents, and this Saturday debuts its first permanent art collection, featuring pieces commenting on the theme "What Community Means to Me."

LAVA's mission to kickstart societal change is broad, but individual pieces point to more specific areas of concentration. Vermicast, for example, riffs on the ecological definition of community, with a dynamic, solar-powered sculpture that uses fake worms to represent the vermiculture that keeps our soil fertile. Other work deals with humanity: A colorful mural of kids playing fills one wall, while the opposite is covered with protest art from local social-justice groups. Participating artists include Harmony Thompson, Michael Schwartz, Bilwa and Elysa Voshell.

"This show," says organizer Zoë Cohen, "is about showing what a community can be—something great."

 

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