We told you about the Philadelphia Art Hotel, a super-short, quirky artist residency that breaks all kinds of rules, this summer. PAH’s proprietors, Krista and Zak Peel, have since moved into the Kenzo house they spoke about, complete with three floors for the married couple, live-in artists and a gallery, and — perhaps one day — an artist-made mini-golf course. They announced today that they’ll be holding a benefit/gallery exhibit at the Walking Fish Theater (2509 Frankford Ave., 215-427-2822) on Fri., Dec. 4 from 5:30 to 10 p.m., and OH MY GOD, can you please go and donate so they can get that golf course? HOW COOL WOULD THAT BE??
Anyway. The exhibit features “12 miraculous, miniature, museum models” by artists including Karl Erickson, Matt Bergstrom, Cara Levine and Ross Martens. The works have been photographed for a 2010 calendar, too, which will be available for $30 at the benefit and $40 online.
Every Tuesday, Critical Mass sifts through the art blog world so you don’t have to.
— One of the better things to come out of the Great Depression was the temporary public pursuit of what typically is part of the private sector: the arts. As part of Franklin D. Roosevelt’s New Deal, the Works Progress Administration helped stimulate the weak economy by funding artists of all shapes and styles. In honor of this pretty damn wonderful idea, Phillyistreports that the National Constitution Center is hosting a WPA poster contest, open to all ages.
— In conjunction with First Friday, FunnelPagescurated its own show … of Internet art. Pieces include a photographic storytelling of a whale hunt, a searchable, visual database of all of the nation’s business leaders, and an interactive color bar that changes along with your tweets. Now where’s the Internet wine and cheese?
— Something I’ve wanted for a really long time: a Fresh Prince and DJ Jazzy Jeff reunion. Unfortunately, according to Make Major Moves, Will Smith’s movie career keeps getting in the way. Maybe the two of them can find some time to sing the national anthem at Citizens Park during next year’s World Series.
— Leave it to Peter Dobrin, the Inky’s go-to music writer, to find a positive in the SEPTA strike. On his blog Arts Watch, Dobrin notes that there was one thing he really didn’t miss about the buses — the noise. But isn’t it a part of the city’s well-wrought orchestra? Almost like the low rumblings of timpani, if you will?
If you happened to be anywhere near the corner of Third and Race streets this morning at 8 a.m., you might have noticed Stephen and Ophelia Clark — the creators of AntiPop Ltd. — plastering boarded-up windows, guerrilla style, with their art. This week’s First Friday Focus gets into the meaning behind the mostly-black-and-white multimedia collages that have popped up in Old City and other neighborhoods as a fitting juxtaposition to gallery-bound First Friday. Here’s a snippet from the column:
“As experience tells us, art and creative expression suffer greatly under corporate control,” says Stephen. This is not a diss on First Friday but a call to action for artists living in a world where expression is trumped by advertising, capitalism and the Internet. “Our concern is for the next generation of artists, since we are witnessing individuality being co-opted by pre-packaged rebellion, creating youth that will be bereft of culture, independent thought and artistic intent.”
Our very own Neal Santos got up bright and early this morning to follow the Clarks as they installed their public exhibition. Watch the video below; then read a Q&A with the artists, who want to make sure you don’t get the wrong idea about what they’re doing. “We’re not political or anti-technology or anti-popular culture,” says Stephen. “What we’re trying to do is put these things into perspective in a world that is seemingly becoming more and more reliant upon them.”
Hannah, “An Exhibition of Nude Photography,” Proximity Gallery.
If you’re in need of First Friday suggestions, take a look at Carolyn Huckabay’s First Friday Focus column (and the slideshow that goes along with it). Then hit up our revamped gallery listings, which are complete with images from the shows, gallery hours, and summaries written up by City Paper staff members.
Afterward, if you think of a way to make the listings better, feel free to leave a comment below or e-mail holly.otterbein@citypaper.net.
For this week’s First Friday Focus column, I interviewed Daniel Heyman, one of 17 artists involved with the First Person Festival’s “Shelter” exhibit at the Painted Bride. (It’s not the first time City Paper’s featured Heyman’s work; Drew Lazor wrote a cover story about the artist’s interviews with Abu Ghraib torture victims and the complex work that followed.) For “Shelter,” Heyman visited a veterans’ house in North Philly and created works of art based on his interviews with two previously homeless men whose lives have been affected by war. In case you haven’t picked up a CP yet, here’s a clip:
“I wanted to make sure the project really fit in with my work,” says Heyman. “Since I already have a deep interest in issues surrounding war, and have worked with African-American men on other projects, the veterans house felt like a perfect fit.” For two very different men, Heyman created two very different pieces: Lonnie, a simple, respectful portrait done in gouache ink and pencil on Japanese mulberry fiber paper, and Tony’s Shelter, a tower of symbolic images on plywood, meant to resemble a house of sorts. The distinction with which Heyman represents these men — one stoic, straightforward portrait; one disjointed wood sculpture — is a testament to their individual struggles. “I think from the outside we view people in trouble as all the same,” he says. “But their lives and their personalities couldn’t be more different.”
But Heyman had a lot more to say. Read our Q&A below, and don’t forget that “Shelter” opens tomorrow at the Painted Bride.
Tony’s Shelter, by Daniel Heyman
(click for larger image)
City Paper: Why did these men’s stories speak to you? Daniel Heyman: When I met both Lonnie and Tony, I was interested in each of them because their lives are so different from my own in many ways, but very similar to my own in other ways. Both of them spent several years of their early adulthood overseas, and these experiences were formative ones, experiences that shaped and directed their lives in ways both forseen and unforseen. I found this very interesting, especially in the case of Lonnie, who spent years in Asia. They each had a feeling for instustice, as well, particularly Lonnie, who spoke plainly about the racism he was subjected to in the Army, and how that made him feel.
CP: Have they seen the work? What was their reaction?
DH: I believe that Tony saw the initial print of his portrait on paper, but he has not seen the structure, and I am both curious and nervous about his reaction. Lonnie saw his portrait as it was being done, and I think he liked it.
CP: Lonnie’s piece, in gouache, is hugely different from Tony’s. Why did you choose portraiture, which is much more traditional, for Lonnie? It seems like a very stoic choice, especially in comparison to Tony’s Shelter. DH: It just happened, I think. I did Tony’s first, and I had the idea of working in a print material. When I was done with it, I regretted not using color as Tony’s face and skin color fascinated me and was so rich in nuance. I think this is why I wanted to paint Lonnie, so I could capture the feel of human skin, or its vibrancy and vitality. … Also, as they are very different people, I really wanted to seperate the artwork and express that these are two people, thrown together out of circumstance, but really with very little in common. I think from the outside we view people in trouble as all the same. Yes, each of these guys had been homeless before they came to the vets transitional house, but their lives and their personalities couldn’t be more different. Also, and I doubt this was conscious, Lonnie is a generation older, and so out of respect I probably felt I needed a more “grown-up” kind of approach. Click For More »
First Friday Fete is a new Critical Mass feature where we tell you the galleries not only hosting the best First Friday shows, but also throwing the best parties. (And yes, “fete” is totally a snobby synonym for “party.” We gotta make this classy somehow.)
-2424 Studios (2424 E. York St., 215-423-1800) made the list for keeping it simple. Their opening of “Five Dudes” includes the two essential elements of a party: beer and music. Yards Brewing Co. will be serving up the booze, and Tantrum Tonic will provide the music. Plus, we’ve been told they’ll be anything but skimpy with the beer. The artwork featured includes Michael Xander’s comic illustrations (pictured) and paintings, which are influenced by local landscapes, as well as paintings and illustrations by Noel Hefele, Ron Johnson, Shane Leddy and Matt Maloney.
-The opening of Brave New Worlds’ (45 N. 2nd St., 215-925-6525) “What Makes a Man Dress Up Like a Bat?” gets a shout-out because of the free stuff they’ll be giving away. In addition to the normal First Friday goodies, attendees will be able to pick up the latest issue of Philly Comix Jam. The artwork featured includes comic illustrations by the PCJ.
-And finally Hudson Beach Glass(26 S. Strawberry St., 267-319-1887), who’ll be opening “Goofy Goblet Show,” featuring glass goblets in the shapes of shoes, watermelons and seed pods by several artists. They’ll also be opening their new bar tonight, filled to the brim with wine, snacks, coffee and tea. Plus, they’ll be showing their first video installation: Dale Inglett’s Transient Being. Oh yeah, and sometimes they do live glass-blowing. Which is pretty badass. And kind of hot.
Peep these watercolor, pen and ink pieces from Michele Melcher’s new exhibit, “Stomping Grounds,” which goes up at Proximity Gallery (2434 E. Dauphin St., 267-825-2949) on September 4. They all depict Philly bars and eateries — Johnny Brenda’s (pictured), Monk’s, Pat’s Steaks, Eulogy, Standard Tap — and most have a distinct seasonal feel. (This one, for example, with all its oranges and reds, gets me excited for autumn nights.) Proximity owner Janel Frey tells Critical Mass that original pieces will go for $150-$650, and prints may be available for cheaper. If not, Melcher’s got a bunch available on her Etsy site — for as little as $40. Click for more of Melcher’s favorite dives.
Critical Mass finally found its way to the Caterpillar, that Design Philadelphia installation/outdoor venue we told you about months ago, this Friday. Shot x Shot, Eric Carbonara, Lillie Ruth Bussey, Druid Circles (pictured) and The Spooks all played, with the jazzy, Sci-Fi Philly regulars Shot x Shot being the best performers of the bunch. (Though, if you dig metal, Druid Circles drew a dedicated, albeit small crowd toward the end.) I was mostly impressed by how seriously fun the venue was, though — it felt like the musicians were playing in a giant, cut-apart accordion, and it’s always a joy to drink outside — so it’s awfully sad that it’ll be taken down soon to prevent wear and tear. Sigh.
In this week’s Agenda section, Kristen Humbert clued you in on the exhibit “8 Bit & Beyond”:
Curated by local illustrators’ collective The Autumn Society, the show features more than 50 pieces inspired by early video games. Joseph Game, one of the Society’s founders, created wood-mounted paintings that showcase prominent video game characters, like Link in Zelda: A Link to the Past (pictured). Similarly, Pat Kinsella’s digital works cleverly depict Mario’s day job — fixing bathroom sinks. And Tim Durning illustrated a parody of N.C. Wyeth’s The Giant, placing one of the Colossi from Shadow of the Colossus in the clouds.
To see images from the exhibit before you dedicate yourself to a night away from World of Warcraft, check out our online gallery here. While there’s tons of great work all around, we have to say, the acrylic painting below by Anthony Pedro is definitely of our favorite. ‘Cause you’re all like, what is that? This has nothing to do with video games. It just looks like a quaint little painting that’d be hanging on my mom’s wall …
Anthony Pedro
OH SHIT! It’s about DUCK HUNT! Oh man, the days …
Opening reception Fri,. Aug. 7, 6-10 p.m., free, through Aug. 31, Brave New Worlds, 45 N. Second St., 215-925-6525, bravenewworldscomics.com.
Since First Friday fell on the front end of a holiday weekend, many of Philly’s biggest art-gallery contenders held their horses till today to unveil their July offerings. Here’s what’s up:
As Lauren Fleming (or, “Flem” as we like to call her) shouted out in this week’s CP, Sande Webster Gallery is playing host to a south-of-the-Mason-Dixon fundraiser. “At the Virginia Center for the Creative Arts, artists, musicians and writers take advantage of residential fellowships — two-week to two-month stints to explore their creative psyches,” Flem writes. “But fellowships don’t grow on trees.” And that’s where A Cause for Art comes in — a juried exhibit of 31 artists’ work, all of which are for sale and all of which benefit the Alonzo Davis Fellowship Fund. We’re particular fans of Tatana Kellner’s work (pictured), but there’s so much pretty stuff to look at, you won’t have trouble emptying your pockets. Opening reception Fri., July 10, 6-8 p.m., free, exhibit through Aug. 29, Sande Webster Gallery, 2006 Walnut St., 215-636-9003, sandewebstergallery.com. For additional images, visit citypaper.net/arts.
Ever since we photographed Amber Lynn Thompson for our most recent Style Issue, we’ve been kinda crushing on the proprietor of just-opened Amberella Gallery. Her debut exhibit, “Ma Vie en Rose,” features the work of Kime Buzzelli (pictured), Kris Chau, J.L. Schnabel and Derek Ihnat. According to Shopping Spree columnist Felicia D’Ambrosio, “Amberella is what happened when owner/artist Amber Lynn Thompson turned herself inside out, revealing a pink paradise with a punk heart.” Which makes us heart her even more. Amberella, Piazza at Schmidts, 1050 N. Hancock St., Suite 62, 610-283-5669, amberellagallery.com.
Speaking of women we’re into, James Oliver Gallery — for the first time in its history — is hosting an all-female group show. “Bodies” includes the work of Julia Day, Brooke Hine, Sky McDonagh and Dallas Shaw, whose work is inspired by everything from pop culture to the human heart. We’re drawn to the very image they used for their flier — Shaw’s Necklace (pictured) — which, as JOG’s Web site states, is “unapologetically commercial and stylish.” Doesn’t mean we don’t want it hanging on our wall. Opening reception Sat., July 11, 6-1- p.m., free, exhibit runs through Aug. 22, James Oliver Gallery, 723 Chestnut St., 2nd Floor, 267-918-7432, jamesolivergallery.com.
Staff Blog
Philadelphia Art Hotel to hold benefit exhibit at Walking Fish Theater
