Ronnie Bass, The Astronomer. Bass comforts a fearful friend afraid of the risky search for utopia

Bass, who is also a musician and composer, plays himself as a sad sack everyman, part of a group groping for a better life or maybe religious salvation. The tone reminds me of Moon, the recent movie in which Sam Rockwell plays a sad, lonely, cloned corporate pawn on the dark side of the moon, and also 2001: A Space Odyssey–with a Hal-ish disembodied voice-over giving orders. The mournful, frustrated utopianism of space exploration permeates Bass’ short suite of videos.

Bass, the astronomer/group leader searches the sky for a sign of the right moment. He is holed up in a shed with a woman and someone cowering under a blanket. Bass’ pulling out his guitar and singing is a ’60s moment, a throwback to another utopian time when fear spurred the desire for a better world. The mix of synthesizer and guitar seems like another metaphor for what is happening here–hi-tech, lo-tech, the future and times past, spacy and earthy.  But the search here is not for escape to the countryside, which is already besmirched by Big ‘n’ Large Industries (yeah this also made me think of Wall-E, too). Rather, it’s an escape to the skies. The departure is not marked by heroic eagerness or bravery, the usual approach of final frontier movies, but rather by fear and dejection, which is how it is for most people forced to make a change. It’s the story of human migration compressed into 9 minutes in a brief series of scenes that move quickly, skillfully communicating the situation. The artist projects two more parts to this piece.

Ronnie Bass (as the Astronomer) in his video installation Astronomer Part 1: Departure from Shed

The video is excellent for its pacing; for its open, metaphorical approach to storytelling; for its sound track and the music. It’s charming, rich with ideas, and moving. What a great beginning for this gallery and, on a more personal note, for our First Friday adventures!

Also part of the installation is a beautiful fountain inside the gallery that will grow and change as Bass assembles more materials from local yard sales and discount stores. On the night of the opening, it already was an imposing presence. The cosmic lava-lamp-like reflection from the water to the wall was a happy surprise, said director of Marginal Utility Yuka Yokoyama and co-founder David Dempewolf, who was a classmate of Bass’ in grad school.

Ronnie Bass, the fountain as it appeared opening night

Bass, in his role of the astronomer, will hold a celebratory musical performance upon the completion of the fountain (I’ll add the time and date when I get it: here it is–Friday, Dec. 4, 7 pm and again at 9 pm).

Bass is hardly an emerging artist. The native Texan (MFA Columbia, 2006, and BFA University of North Texas, 2003), among his many shows, had a solo show in 2009 in Germany at Art Forum Berlin and in 2008 in New York at I-20 Gallery. Other exhibits in 2009 include Mike Smith at the Building, a screening curated by Michael Smith, in Germany (Michael Smith’s own work has a similar ordinary Joe quality); in the show White Noise at James Cohan in New York; and in Time Out of Joint, Whitney ISP Curatorial Exhibition at The Kitchen. His musical compositions include the musical score for Rikrit Tiravanija’s Hugo Boss Prize exhibition at Serpentine Gallery in London in 2005.

The surprise reflection from the fountain's water twinkled on the wall, a moving mandala

Outside the gallery door were the first two editions of the publication machete, one of several efforts now underway in Philadelphia to bring a more theoretical cast to writing about art here. Dempewolf and his wife Yokoyama, both Basekamp affiliates, are behind this publication along with Alexi Kukuljevic. The couple has just moved the gallery from the Basekamp building on Chestnut Street (where they opened back in August), hoping that 319A N. 11th St. would provide the synergy of multiple galleries, said Yokoyama, who was happy about the numbers of people coming through on First Friday. The building is already home to Vox Populi, AHN/VHS and a number of other galleries, and as Roberta mentioned in her Weekly piece, this breakthrough stacked gallery space with hip contemporary art has relocated the locus of action for First Fridays away from Old City.

To January 10, 2010.
Marginal Utility Inc.
Location: 319 N. 11th Street, Second Floor, Philadelphia, PA 19107
Phone: 917-355-4487
Gallery hours: Fridays 5-8pm, Saturdays 12-5pm, Sundays 12-5pm

performance by the artist Friday, Dec. 4, 7 pm and again at 9 pm.

Big news this First Friday: A new gallery, Marginal Utility , is opening in the Vox building. The six-story former factory building already houses Vox Populi , Copy , AHN/VHS , Progressive Sharing , Jeffrey Stockbridge Fine Art and Tiger Strikes Asteroid . With the addition of Marginal Utility on the second floor, the alternative art scene truly has a new center of gravity.

Ronnie Bass, still from The Astronomer, at Marginal Utility opening Nov. 6

Founded by Basekamp ’s David Dempewolf and Yuka Yokoyama —who also launched the recent art theory zine Machete—Marginal Utility has 700 square feet of space including a 500-square-foot gallery and a separate work space for artists in residence.

First up in the new space is “The Astronomer, Part 1: Departure From Shed , ” a nine-minute video projection and sculpture project by New York artist Ronnie Bass . The video—still in production—is a yarn about oppression and a better future acted out by a small cast which includes the artist. The piece is rooted in 19th-century French philosopher Charles Fourier’s writings on utopian societies.

Ronnie Bass, The Astronomer

Still images show the actors highlighted against a black background giving a sense of disembodiment and foreboding. Bass’ sculpture project, which will grow and change during the show’s two-month run, is a water fountain made with garage sale and dollar store 
purchases—highly un-utopian.

P. Timothy Gierschick, Golem, from his show at Tiger Strikes Asteroid

P. Timothy Gierschick ’s abstract paintings at Tiger Strikes Asteroid whisper like Morse Code tapping a quiet but insistent message. The works in ”Patch and Plot” subvert universal signs and symbols like rainbows and geometrical shapes twisting them into new designs that suggest something familiar without being clear. Is the rainbow edge around a cloverleaf pattern happy? Geirschick — a member of Tiger Strikes Asteroid collective — uses spray paint, house paint, enamel and collage on found furniture, scrap wood and cardboard.

Daniel Heyman, from the Shelter show at the Painted Bride

From the impresario of ”Welcome House , ” the recent temporary public art project in Love Park, comes ”Shelter , ” at the Painted Bride Art Center . Marianne Bernstein , an artist and activist, organized the group show to foster a dialog between artists and the public about social issues. Before the show, 14 artists were paired with 10 Philadelphia families to make art dealing with issues of family crisis and homelessness. The photography, painting, video and drawings that resulted are art as social activism by artists known for great empathy in their art. Printmaker Daniel Heyman created word-and-image portraits of veterans in transitional housing. Ricardo Rivera of the Klip Collective made a documentary video of a dying and bedridden woman, Gloria, and her devoted husband.

Bernstein, a filmmaker and photographer, also has great empathy for people.  Her new photo book, “Tatted,” shows tattooed strangers she photographed in the alleyways behind the South Street tattoo shops.  The works capture the personalities of the tattooed men and women with great care and love. Tatted, published by Grit City Inc, launches Dec. 4 at Pure Gold Gallery.

Jeffro Kilpatrick's The Nearness of You, in the Creature show at Brave New Worlds

Need more Halloween imagery? Check out ”Creature Double Feature” at Brave New Worlds . The show features original works by 20 artists who are affiliated with the Philadelphia Cartoonist Society. Concetta Barbera and Christian Patchell curated the show which will have small scale prints, drawings and books at reasonable 
prices

Ronnie Bass: “ The Astronomer, Part 1: Departure From Shed ,” Through Jan. 10. Reception: Fri., Nov. 6, 6-9pm. Marginal Utility, 319 N. 11th St., second fl. 917.355.4487.

Philadelphia Cartoonist Society: “ Creature Double Feature ,” Through Nov. 25. Reception: Fri., Nov. 6, 6-9pm. Brave New Worlds, 45 N. Second St. 215.925.6525.