February 2009 Archive

Craigslist–David Dunn’s tv of tvs at Copy

Copy Gallery has installed for the month of February a video called Craigslist, by Dave Dunn, one of the gallery’s organizers and curators. The video is of 1,100 images of tvs. The images are not his own. They are home-made photos of tvs uploaded to Craigs Lists around the world. Gotta sell your tv? You take a picture of it on its little tv table and upload it, hoping someone will pick yours from all the other tvs. David Dunn, Craig’s List, 30 seconds of the installation at Copy Gallery The tv portraits show a little of each seller’s house ... More » »

An Outsider on the Inside at Riverside Correctional Facility

Post by Ann Northrup Riverside Prison, Ann Northrup’s mural at the early stages (beige wall with white tornado shape in the middle). In 2005, already a seasoned muralist, I was offered a drawing class inside Riverside Correctional Facility, the women’s prison in Northeast Philadelphia, and the opportunity to paint the first outdoor prison mural. I jumped at the chance to see first-hand this usually off-limits underside of our many-tiered society. Beyond curiosity, I hoped to do some good, having strong feelings reinforced by years of teaching, that ordinary people have extraordinary talents, and it’s great to see them discover their ... More » »

Economics day on artblog — report on Paul Krugman’s talk Wednesday at Penn

We’re all a little (or a lot) flipped out about the economy these days so when Paul Krugman, liberal economist and Princeton prof, 2008 Nobel Prize winner in economics and widely-read columnist (and blogger) for the New York Times came to Penn to give the 2009 Goldstone Forum lecture last Wednesday, people (including me and Steve) turned out hungry for some words of wisdom to penetrate the gloom. There was plenty of wisdom, some quips and lots of economics explication from Krugman but optimism there was none.   And in the hour-long talk and Q&A the economist used It’s not ... More » »

Cash anxiety, fake money, etc.

A Mel Chin Fundred, image provided by Michael Kalmbach at DCAD Cate’s previous post from NYC is just the tip of the iceberg at this moment of acute economic distress. Here are a few more local things going on that seem related:Mel Chin’s FUNDREDS art project in Delaware This arrived from Michael Kalmbach–an exhibit of false money that will show at the Delaware College of Art & Design. Here’s the info: Mel Chin’s Fundred Dollar Bill Project is an effort to shame the government into releasing more money for post-disaster New Orleans. (Could they have picked a worse time to ... More » »

Athena Robles and Anna Stein’s Free Store – A Priceless Experience

Post by Cate Fallon Free Store, downtown Manhattan near Wall Street. Note the log cabin paneling–perfect for this old fashioned barter project. All photos in this post by Cate Fallon Athena Robles and Anna Stein (aka Double A Projects) have created a performance / environmental sculpture walk-through free store – something of a cultural pop-shop meets art installation of free trade just blocks away from Wall Street in lower Manhattan. Fits in seamlessly with its neighbors. Merch on the floor and walls of the Free Store Like a cross between a secondhand shop and a gallery space for odd lots, ... More » »

Free art-customized recycling bins at Pageant

I had to post this blast from Pageant, so sue me. Who wouldn’t want a free city recycling bins decorated by Chris Kline and Jason Hsu? Here’s what the press release said: PAPER CRYSTALS’CHRIS KLINE AND JASON HSUWANT YOU TO GET YOUR RECYCLE ON ALREADY CHRIS AND JASON put together this event in conjunction with Aryon Hoselton, who rounded up (legally, indeed with their blessing) 100 City of Philadelphia recycling bins. On Sunday February 22nd they will be giving them away here at Pageant:Soloveev Gallery and Chris, Jason and friends will be on hand customizing them with stencils, paint and ... More » »

Copyright ruckus: Creative Commons’ Lawrence Lessig and Shephard Fairey at the NY Public Library

Shephard Fairey’s poster of Barack Obama, here with the word progress.  You’ve all probably been following the sad tale of Shephard Fairey being sued by the AP over copyright infringement for the image that is the basis of the bigger than big Obama HOPE poster. Donn Zaretsky’s Art Law Blog has the track back info and a roundup of comments from lots of folks like Peter Schjeldahl whose world weary comment that he’s basically for the artists but bored with the issue is a little hard to take given that this a pitched battle with real money and property rights ... More » »

Fran Gallun at Fleisher: How far is heaven?

Fran Gallun, detail of “Earth and Sky”, Gouache with Painted Paper Collage, 2008 The movies and television have had an effect on us that’s so insidious that at times we’re not even aware of how it changes our vision. Fran Gallun‘s wonderful Faculty Fellowship Exhibit, Reflections on Landscape, in the Christian Street bulding of Fleisher Art Memorial, is proof positive of the influence of those media, although I don’t think they are primarily what my friend Fran had in mind. Fran Gallun, “Sunset Clouds: Loop”, Oil with Painted Paper Collage, 2008 But maybe she did have an inkling, because she ... More » »

Inbox incoming: Fantastic residency opportunity from Kutztown

This just in from Dan Talley, Director of Kutztown University’s Sharadin Art Gallery — a great place I visited in 2001, for a show I still remember because it was so good.  Here’s my Weekly review of Future Imperfect. Kutztown is a great hidden gem of a venue that’s in Philly’s back yard.  The gallery space is large and will be a wonderful place for a temporary site-specific work.   This is such feel-good news at a time of economic retrenchment that I almost can’t believe it.  So, get going all you kids — deadline for applications is June 12. ... More » »

Love! We feel the Love!!

Feel the Love Video:: gophila.com – The Official Visitor Site for Greater Philadelphia Original song composed by Anna Biller for her feature film, VIVA.Produced and Directed by: Ted Passon Thank you, Andrew Jeffrey Wright for the tip. And congratulations on your stand-out performance in this video!!