Tag Archive "pifas"

No, It’s Not a Real Wii™ Game, It’s John Karel Making Macaroni and Cheese

I have been a fan of John Karel’s work ever since I met him in 2007. His animations, drawings, and paintings are literally and metaphorically reflections of him, his friends, and the vloggs/vloggers (video blogs/bloggers) he finds on the internet. John infuses his artwork with horizontal-lipped humor and a fantastic sense of color and drawing. Clearly he has grown up “studying” Sunday comics. What I find most interesting is how John’s artwork pulls you aside and whispers a critical gesture at avatar culture, that exhibitionist style of interacting with the world that was solely bred of the internet. In his show ... More » »

Pifas is the place to redefine DIY

As jumble sales and neighborhood carnivals go, The current Pifas Place exhibit (at Pifas, doh) is a bit surreal. But as art goes, it’s a barrel of fun–a mix of performances and installations.

Wanted: a few good artists…and a few good laughs

Some events on our minds for this week: Thursday, July 16 Sage Projects on South Street, one of the new temporary artist-run spaces,  has an open call for your art for their unjuried show up and show exhibit Dragnet.  Stuff is due in Thursday, 4-8 pm.  No slides or CDs; bring the real stuff.

The Architecture of Inflated Spaces

Artblog last covered the grandly-named Philadelphia Institute For Advanced Studies (PIFAS) during ‘Each One Teach One’ this summer. Among other virtues, the Institute subcontracts out their event-planning to enthusiastic involvees. Melissa J. Frost, a 26-year-old architecture student and West Philly homeowner, has organized a lecture series called ‘Architecture without Architects’ for several Thursdays beginning last month and continuing TONIGHT (the architecture of inflatable forms). The title suggests, yes, a challenge to the dominant mode of authoring buildings. But it also describes these lectures themselves: “a bunch of people who aren’t architects, sitting around and talking about architecture,” says Melissa. They ... More » »

Each One Teach One at PIFAS

Special Report on the lecture/discussion series organized by The Temporary Department for Academic Research (TDAR)  By K-Fai Steele  TDAR, The Temporary Department for Academic Research is a collective of Sarah Jacoby, James Weissinger, and Oliver Wunsch. For August 2008 they are PIFAS’s Artists-In-Residence. The Eric James Johnson Memorial Artist Residency coordinated by PIFAS faculty member Constance Mensh, has brought both national and international artists to Philadelphia since 2007. TDAR is the first group to hail from Philadelphia itself. The front of the dioramic classroom: Richard Davis, Oliver Wunsch (on screen), Brandon Joyce, James Weissinger, and Sarah Jacoby (all with name ... More » »

Indoor fireworks at PIFAS

Dearraindrop’s Fun wall It looked like a paint storm had hit when Andrea and I wandered into PIFAS‘s exhibition space on the 4th of July. Dearraindrop‘s blast of perky colors in paintings, electronics displays and a “Fun Wall” of found toys, posters, record album jackets and advertisements was perfect for the holiday — raucous and celebratory with little bursts of silliness and most of all color. The Washington Monument (detail) in the foreground with the colored boom circling overhead and almost hitting it. Everywhere you looked, including up in the rafters of the high-ceilinged warehouse were Dearraindrop’s objects–they completely immersed ... 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 » »

Metro love

Libby and Roberta in the Metro?!!! It’s in today’s edition. Yipppeeee! A humungithumpus thanks to freelance writer Eric Sullivan, who did a great job of capturing the Philly art scene, and why we write the blog in about 500 words! Plus the pictures–us peering out of little portholes next to Sophia Wang’s installation at PIFAS–were great choices.

About confidence and No Confidence

Candida Pagan, at her No Confidence Party HQ at PIFAS last Sunday. She’ll be having office hours M-F this week from 6-10 PM. One of Philly’s hotbeds of art, music, pedagogy and collaboration — PIFAS — had an opening Sunday for its two current artists in residence, Candida Pagan and Sophia Wang. Pagan, on leave from UArts MFA program for a whirlwind year of art and music activities** concocted an installation called the No Confidence Party, something that looks like a political office and feels like …well it does feel a little like a political campaign office. (If you’ve ever ... More » »

Cat Woman of PIFAS: K-Fai Steele

K-Fai Steele in her installation at PIFAS. She’s holding one of her papier mache pigeons which, like the cat-people in her self-created feline-human universe, is white and has long black hair. I heard about PIFAS, Philadelphia Institute for Advanced Studies, a couple months ago from from Jesse Greenberg, who has a studio there (See post) and from the Bobo’s on 9th crew who are also affiliated, so when I got an email from K-Fai Steele, artist in residence at PIFAS I was intrigued. Greenberg had mentioned the PIFAS artist in residence program but it seemed highly improbable given the rough-hewn ... More » »