News
This just in from Libby and Roberta — We learned today that Curator of Contemporary Art Julien Robson will no longer be at the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts as of the end of the month. What’s next for the risk-taking curator who brought contemporary art from Philadelphia and the hinterlands into PAFA’s exhibition spaces? Other projects, he said, including bringing artist Mel Chin to “curated by-Vienna,” an international art exhibit in its fourth year. Julien was one of 25 curators invited to participate in the 22-gallery art festival, which opens Sept. 20, 2012. The show this year has a political theme. Here are just a few of the reasons we will miss him: Here, Hiro Sakaguchi, Roxana Perez-Mendez, Bill Viola, Jayson Scott Musson, and so many more surprises.
From Bruce Hoffman and Amy Orr, directors of FiberPhiladelphia, we are saddened to note the passing of Deborah Courtney Warner. A longtime member of the fiber and textile community of Philadelphia, and known as a teacher, mentor and great friend to many, Warner will be greatly missed. A public memorial has been scheduled for Saturday, September 15 at Germantown Friends Meeting. FiberPhiladelphia’s message about Warner can be found on their Twitter account, and an oral history project from Moore College of Art featuring Warner can be seen here.
It’s out with the old school curator and in with the corporate bottom liners at LAMOCA, it appears. After clashing with the museum over his creative vision, Paul Schimmel’s departure as Chief Curator and replacement with director Jeffrey Deitch has been the source of furious speculation – was he forced to resign? Did he choose to leave? In a rebuttal to reports that LAMOCA forced Schimmel (CP Bruce Schimmel’s brother) to step down, MOCA founder Eli Broad wrote a July 8 op-ed indicating that Schimmel left of his own accord. The museum’s future, as before, is uncertain.
via art fag city – In a bit of great news for arts activists, last week Council members, along with a staunch group of arts advocates, succeeding in restoring the cuts proposed by Mayor Bloombergfor the fifth year in a row, raising half a million dollars in the process. A welcome breath of fresh air.
The Nicola Midnight St. Claire and Fjord Gallery have a new joint undertaking – to deconstruct the artist residency – and they invite you to join them as they discuss what makes artist residencies great and not-so-great. “Reimagining the Artist Residency” takes place at Fjord Gallery (2419 Frankford Ave) on Thursday, July 19 at 8 PM. Find out more at the St. Claire. This open community meeting is a spin-off of an artist’s residency program at City Hall that left some disappointed and wanting less about what’s out there and more blue sky re-imaginings of how residencies could be better.
Opportunities
Abstract painter Robert Goodman, in partnership with Mural Arts Program artist David Guinn, is raising funds for Freewall, a new temporary public art project. For its first project Goodman is doing a large painting on the side of Fergie’s Pub in Center City; to find out more about Freewall, donate to Goodman’s mural, and submit ideas for future projects, email Guinn at dgmurals@gmail.com
via Wooloo – One Life is a photo contest presented by PDN Magazine and Artist Wanted, seeking work that reflects personal experience. With a jury of world-class photo editors of magazines (including People and Esquire), the winner of One Life receives $75,000 in grant money, awards and publicity. The deadline is July 31. Find the full listing here.
The Clay Studio is seeking a Director of Development to spearhead their fundraising, community awareness and growth. The application deadline is today, but the Studio is willing to accept applications past the weekend. A full application includes a cover letter outlining qualifications and salary expectations, resume, three relevant references, and a sample letter outlining your case for support for ceramic arts and/or ceramic art education. Email your materials to Michelle Miller, Executive Assistant, at michelle@theclaystudio.org.
via Marsha Moss – The SEPTA Art in Transit Program’s next project is a permanent public art commission for a sculpture at the 33rd and Dauphin Bus Loop Project (budget of $85,000). Sculptors who live and work in the Greater Philadelphia area and are interested in this opportunity can find the guidelines and the application here; the deadline is August 6.
via James Kingston – Seeds Gallery, a new space located at 5011 Baltimore Avenue, is looking for local artists who would like to have their work displayed for their opening at the end of July. Their name is indicative of their mission: to “seed” local artists into the community through a hands-on approach to helping their clients market their work. Email them at artists@seedsgallery.com, call 267.289.2705, or visit their site to find out more.
Artist News
Keith Breitfeller, Gregory Brellochs, Deb Imler and Allen Spencer have a show at the Perkins Center For The Arts in Collingswood, NJ. Abstractions is up from July 14 – August 11, 2012, with an opening Reception: July 14, 6 – 9 PM. Here is a short film about the artists and the exhibition.
Josette Urso has been hard at work since landing a spot in Our Picks last month, with numerous group shows ranging from Amsterdam to NYC and favorable mentions in the press. She’s in a group show at the Painting Center in New York, and her collages can be seen at the Schweinfurth Memorial Art Center in Auburn, New York as part of Super Saturated: Pigment and Pattern, to August 19, 2012. Locally, Urso’s “Here and Now” at 110 Church Gallery was covered by Philly Side Arts’ DoN Brewer (read it here), and by Edith Newhall for the Philadelphia Inquirer (find that article here). Congratulations to Josette!
Philly artists at DCCA – David Stephens, Nick Kripal and Nadia Hironaka & Matthew Suib all have thought-provoking work at the Delaware Center for the Contemporary Arts this summer and fall. The video installation by Hironaka & Suib, Right Here, Out There, (Nowhere) is on view in the DuPont I Gallery through September 30, 2012. Another show, And the Word Is, is in the DuPont II Gallery until October 14. This exhibition has David Stephens and Nick Kripal of Philadelphia, and Stephanie Kirk of Westchester along with Martin Brief from St. Louis, MO. Visit the DCCA site to learn more about these shows.
Former Philly artist Adam Parker Smith is part of a group show at the Carmichael Gallery in Los Angeles. “A Gleeful and Relentless Forward Moving of Time” consists of works by Smith, Shane Hope, Husmann/Tschaeni, Evan Nesbit, and Lola Rose Thompson and runs until August 4. Visit the gallery’s site for details.
Samantha Simpson is having a show at Firecat Projects in Chicago.” More Than I Had To Say: New Paintings by Samantha Simpson” opens August 3 and runs through August 24. Check out the full press release here.
Jayson Musson has a solo show at Salon 94 in NYC from July 11-Aug 17. “Halcyon Days,” in which he shows paintings made from Coogi sweaters, that icon of 80s style.
