Tag Archive "nick-lenker"

Nick Lenker’s destruction and creation myths at Pageant

Nick Lenker transforms himself into a sacrificial druid at Pageant Gallery. In his exhibit The Destruction and Creation of Man, he stirs up a voodoo brew of digital and handmade, ceramic and video, fire and vomit and water. The mix might give the witches of Macbeth a case of envy.

NoLibs First Friday: Adventures (Mostly) in Clay

Several shows this month in NoLibs above Spring Garden step outside the norms of a medium, bringing new life to photos, prints and clay. At PPAC through May 15, .matrix includes work by artists interested in “pushing the limits of the printed image and how it is created, used and disseminated.” This isn’t your grandmother’s printmaking. Much of it purposefully challenges our perception of the single matrix, or surface onto which one unique print is impressed.

Fired up about clay, the tour — Part 2

This post continues the tale of our NCECA (National Council on Education for the Ceramic Arts) shuttle bus tour on Mar. 31 of ceramics exhibits in the Fishtown/Northern Liberties parts of town. Little Berlin “Scene,” an international show organized by Jennifer Woodin at Little Berlin is spare and a little chilly. The grid of ceramic knots held up by wire by Henny Linn Kjellberg (of Sweden) reminded us of how many other grids we had seen that day — at Tyler, up on Amber St. and elsewhere.  Grids are great, but we had trouble conversing with the ceramic knots in the ... More » »

Fired up about clay–we take a tour

We talk too much. So when we go out looking at art, we end up talking to everyone we see, which means we see less than we ought to. Imagine therefore how we jumped at the chance to take a bus ride and see lots of the NCECA clay shows on an enforced schedule. Otherwise we would never get around to them, given our propensity to stop and chat and the shows’ short duration. The Northern Liberties/Fishtown tour Wednesday was just the ticket. Our tour leader, Casey Porter, is part of the Claymobile posse. He was amazing–energetic, resourceful, and gracious. ... More » »

Department of clarification

Nick Lenker, The text from his piece Always Remember Your Place. I wondered about the source of the text on Nick Lenker’s urns (see my previous post on the show at Fleisher/Ollman). I even tried to Google it, in case the source was out there somewhere. Not that I really believe that. After all, the text is pretty much a perfect fit to the imagery, with suggestions of enslavement and powerlessness. Nick Lenker, the text from his piece Sacrifices Will be Made So I emailed Nick to get the scoop, and here’s some of his answer: The text is all ... More » »

New curator, new look, at Fleisher/Ollman

Nicholas Lenker, Sacrifices Will Be Made, 2008. clay, glaze, enamel, wood, metal. 16x8x8 inches “You Open so Late, You Close so Early” is Amy Adams first outing with the Fleisher/Ollman winter invitational, and although she is only one part of the curatorial team (see comment at end of post), there clearly is a difference. Previous shows were kind of like the show titles–daring you to figure out what the hell they meant, but invariably they showed you work you were really excited to see. In its place is a show that feels like it belongs in Fleisher/Ollman, for starters. For ... More » »

Weekly Update — Fleisher-Ollman’s Winter Invitational goodness

This week’s Weekly has my review of the winter invitational show at Fleisher-Ollman. Below is the copy with some pictures and a few changes. Shawn Thornton, one of five paintings in the show, oil on panel, 11×11″ Sly and serpentine works turn Fleisher-Ollman’s sixth annual emerging artist show into an Eden with bite. F-O is known for exhibiting the works of visionary outsider artists like James Castle.  But in this annual winter emerging artist exhibit it’s unusual to see a visionary.  So painter Shawn Thornton is the surprise.  Thornton at the opening reception, posing with two of his works. His ... 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 » »

Dreamy Erratic imagism

Christopher Davison Reclining Figure (Untitled) 30 x 40 in acrylic, gouache, micron, graphite, cut paper on Rives 2007 Erratic at 817 Gallery at UArts is a show that roams the territory of the id and dreams and asks you to wander with it. Get on over there because it’s great, and the show’s only up another little while. Animals, birds and humans seem to exchange body parts and roles and everyone’s a little grouchy — growling or staring ominously, all teeth and portent. Works by Christopher Davison, Nick Lenker and Caroline Santa, organized by Rebecca Saylor Sack, fill the tiny ... More » »

Weekly Update – Emerging artist shows highlight sculpture

This week’s Weekly has my review of two emerging artist shows — Street Button and Isskustvo Transmagica Provinces Animamina. Below is the copy with some pictures. More photos at flicker (street button, isskustvo ). And here are Libby’s street button post and Libby’s Isskustvo post. Happy Happy Joy ToyNew sculpture emphasizes friendliness. Jesse Greenberg’s installation at Pageant sprawls across the gallery. That’s Kate Norton’s piece to the right of the doorway. Two great sculptural installations push the emerging artist shows at Pageant and Fleisher-Ollman into the desirable (but often unachievable) zone of art as serious fun. It’s too soon to ... More » »