April 2008 Archive

Trenton Doyle Hancock’s world, Mike’s World, at the ICA

Doug and Mike’s Adult Entertainment, 1991-98, stage, puppets, backdrop and misc. props w/ video compilation, 19 mins. If Mike’s World makes you think Wayne’s World, you’re not so far off. Like L for Loser. “Mike,” like the two guys in Wayne’s World, is sooo not cool and at some level doesn’t really get what he’s up to. But there he is, in video after video, not really prospering in the middle of the SoHo real estate boom, losing money in an psychedelic lighting supply business for musical events, looking like a ne’er-do-well salesman peddling a New Age wellness center. Mike’s ... More » »

Road trip, see you

Mike belt buckle from the Mike immersion at ICA. Lots of fun at the ICA last night with the opening of the Spring shows–Mike Smith’s welcome to Mike’s world immersion downstairs and Trenton Doyle Hancock’s welcome to Trenton’s world immersion in the ramp and Project Space. Meanwhile I’m off to Pittsburgh today to retrieve the Stella from her first year at college. Hope to see you Sunday night at 7 pm at the Zero .1% for Art extravaganza at PIFAS. We’ll be giving away stuff from the Commission’s archives and celebrating artblog‘s 5th birthday! There will be cake…and more!

What color is your obsession?

Tyler Kline, skull made of solid aluminum foil. The finish on the piece made it look like it was antique tooled silver. Quite amazing. Art is a particular kind of self-indulgent activity that encourages an artist to play with their own personal fires. Two shows I saw last weekend reminded me of how personal obsessions and the art explorations that go with them are a good thing. While one artist’s obsessions may seem off point to an audience of non-like-minded viewers if there’s enough there there you’ll find a way in to the work. And if you do It’s like ... More » »

Live & local at the PMA

Matthew Neff, Sugar Chandelier,” one of the current CFEVA artists on exhibit at the Philadelphia Museum of art in honor of CFEVA’s 25th anniversary. Nearly everyone in Philadelphia gripes about how the best way for a local artist to get in the Philadelphia Museum of Art is to die. But there’s a works on paper show up right now–Emerging to Established: Twenty-five Years of the Center for Emerging Visual Artists–the first ever CFEVA exhibit there, that belies the gripe. Serena Perrone, I.II, another current CFEVA artist in the exhibit. The exhibit, which looks great, is of 49 works by 25 ... More » »

Weekly Update – Heartworks Sizzles

This week’s Weekly has my review of the Mazzoni Center fundraiser, Heartworks, the exhibit and auction at the Icebox. The auction is Saturday night. More photos at flickr Anne Magnusen’s faux Basquiat painting made specially to be auctioned this weekend at the Heartworks fundraiser. Though many artists donate art to worthy causes, they don’t always donate brand-new work or favorite pieces. Christopher Veit, organizer of “HeartWorks,” the week-long art show and auction, got a tsunami of dazzling works by more than 80 artists (many of them with national and international reputations) to land in Philadelphia. Proceeds from the auction Saturday ... More » »

Zero .1% for Art Commission stages giveaway at PIFAS!

Plan for the Zero .1% for Art Commission Reading Room and Fire Sale What is 26x18x16″ and open Sunday, April 27, from 7-9 pm? It’s the Zero .1% For Art Commission Reading Room and Fire Sale!!   The one night stand exhibit, produced by Commissioners Roberta Fallon and Libby Rosof is at Gallery Under the Stairs at PIFAS. GUS is unusually small as galleries go. We think it should be called the Zero .1% Gallery! You’ve probably never experienced one of the Commission’s fabulous street giveaways in action. Here’s your chance to get in on the Commission’s bargain basement prices– ... More » »

Totemic Whammy whammy whammy at FLUXspace

Alan Prazniak (l) and curator Dustin Metz with Prazniak’s Bite, oil and charcoal on canvas at FLUXspace. Alan Prazniak‘s paintings and drawings erupt like volcanos and challenge you to a stare-down. There’s passion and thought behind the seductive works, which are now on view in Totemic Whammy at FLUXspace (he’s also got work in There will be Animals at Bambi — see Libby’s post) — and if you pick up a Willem DeKooning vibe, it’s there, although the artist told me it’s not a conscious quoting but more just what comes out when he paints and draws. WILLEM OF KOONING ... More » »

Heartworks for Mazzoni Center’s AIDS work

Heartworks, the big fundraiser for the Mazzoni Center and its work helping people with AIDS, is just a heartbeat away. The thing includes a number of events, including a huge exhibit of about 70 artists and an auction of their artwork. But the place to see and be seen, the hot ticket for my money, is the kick-off event, featuring Brooklyn indie-rock band Gang Gang Dance, tomorrow at Johnny Brenda’s. More info on that here. I’m sorry I’m going to miss this (I have a house full of guests and no can do; I do think Roberta is planning to ... More » »

Philly hits the road

Here are a few of the Philly artists who you can see in places far and wide: Nick Lenker at Artspace/Stonefox Nick Lenker’s disturbing photocollages of hybrid man-beasts open at a hybrid New York gallery Artspace/Stonefox, Opening April 22 to July 1. New work by Anthony Campuzano at White Columns The fabulous words-as-art guy, Anthony Campuzo is part of a group show at White Columns, April 3 through May 2. The group is 11 artists who have participated in White Columns programs during the past three years. Here’s who: Anthony Campuzano, Carter, Jennifer Cohen, Peter Gallo, Tamar Halpern, Colter Jacobsen, ... More » »

Soft Epic redux and Grothusen’s memory house

Nadia Hironaka and Matthew Suib’s Soft Epic (detail) at the Icebox. I caught Nadia Hironaka and Matthew Suib‘s Soft Epic video projection at the Icebox on the last day of its run and want to add my appreciation here to what Andrea wrote previously. Deep into a seemingly endless war and at a time of severe ecological peril, The Soft Epic rides both those waves of anxiety and yet, with its sweep of imagery and magical sound, the work has beauty as well. The post-apocalyptic panorama, with fires consuming the urban landscape and animal-headed avatars watching, had a kind of ... More » »