News

PennDesign has just released the schedule for the School’s Fall 2012 Lecture Series. All lectures (except ones noted otherwise) are held at 6PM at the University of Pennsylvania School of Design, Meyerson Hall, 210 South 34th Street, Philadelphia, PA. Check the schedule to see what exciting speakers they have on deck.

A bit of performance art brought to Philly: Butch Cordora’s been chosen to “live” in the window of Bo Concept at 17th & Chestnut for almost a week, in a repeat of a publicity stunt they tried in Chelsea that generated sales. He’s “moving in” on Sat, Sept 29, and staying til Thurs Oct 4, providing six days of Kafkaesque wonderment for passerby.

Blame Frank Hartman for raising the expectations placed on artists to astronomical heights. This University of the Arts alum (BFA ’92, Sculpture) has a job at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratories in California, driving the rover Curiosity across the surface of the Red Planet. For the past eight years, he’s driven the rovers Spirit and Opportunity. Godspeed, Frank: this is not typically what college guidebooks tell you you’ll be doing with your sculpture degree.

noname1 — Rendering of Virginia Commonwealth’s new Institute of Contemporary Art.

Congrats are in order for Virginia Commonwealth University! Since unveiling the building’s design in April 2012, they have surpassed the $20 million mark in support of their new Institute for Contemporary Art, which incorporates exhibition, performance, lab and incubator space for visual art, theater, music, dance and film. This promises to be quite an exceptional facility.

The Philadelphia Building at 1315 Walnut Street welcomes its newest tenant next month: CultureWorks Greater Philadelphia is opening the doors to its brand new coworking space, the first built to serve the arts and culture community. Like its forebear Indy Hall, CultureWorks Coworking is set to provide members – in this case artists, organizations, freelancers, and entrepreneurs – with ample resources for coming up with new wonderful things. Management Services and Fiscal Sponsorship are among the array of offerings, and if you’re looking to join up, founding members are being accepted through September 30, 2012. A major plus: for three months of membership fees Founding members receive input in the final decisions of how the space is set up. For more information, visit CultureWorks’ Coworking page.

Update – Following up on their successful August 14 pop-up show at 125 Bainbridge St, aka The Gallows, David Krevolin and David Markham-Gessner are holding a gathering at Markham-Gessner’s home once again. For one night only, the works of David Krevolin (sculptor), David Markham-Gessner (photographer/chef), Brian Patrick Smith (painter) and John Kofol (cellist) are on display. The event is tonight between 7PM and 1AM; email dkrevolin@gmail.com for a free ticket before you come check out the variety of inspiring works.

Opportunities

The Tribeca Film Institute has announced its guidelines for the Documentary Fund, in which grants of at least $10,000 go to filmmakers with character-driven, progressive, nonfiction works-in-progress. Check their site for full details. The deadline is November 5.

Tina Tranauskas, along with the County of Bucks on behalf of the Travis Manion Foundation, is coordinating the creation of a sculpture using a 20 foot steel I beam from the World Trade Center. The working title of the project is “Memorial to America’s Resiliency,” and she’s seeking artists to email her for application forms, which are being accepted from Sept 11 until Nov 11. Her email is tina@travismanion.com.

The Jersey Contemporary Photography Programme is accepting applications for the International Photographer in Residence Programme 2013. Beginning in April/May and running until September/October 2013, the residency enmeshes the photographer within the Jersey community through audience and participatory involvement. There are multiple benefits, including a £10,000 bursary for the commission/production of a body of work and solo exhibition, studio space, inkjet printing and office/internet resources, living accommodation and (limited) expenses, and travel costs. Applications can be made via post or email to Archisle Photographer in Residence Programme 2013 Société Jersiaise, 7 Pier Road, St Helier, Jersey, Channel Islands, JE2 4XW, or to archisle@societe-jersiaise.org. Visit the listing for full eligibility and application details. The deadline is October 15.

The Abington Art Center invites proposals for exhibitions in their Gallery, Sculpture Park and community venues. A full submission includes a $40 Fee (AAC members free); a CD with 10 jpgs no larger than 1.5 mb, including an image list with name, title, medium, date and dimensions; a current short resume; a one page artist’s statement about the works submitted; and an SASE. For a prospectus, click here. The deadline is September 30.

For skilled jewellers looking for exposure, the Emerging Artist Award (EAA) of the Art Jewelry Forum is seeking applicants. The $7,500 award comes with a show at SOFA NY or COLLECT in London, an AJF member gallery, a short talk as part of the lecture series, and a feature in an AJF advertisement. Click here for more information and award guidelines.

We haven’t come across any poetry news in some time, but here’s one very cool one for the young poets of Philly: The Office of Arts, Culture and the Creative Economy (OACCE) has established the city’s first Youth Poet Laureate, to both raise interest in poetry throughout the city and boost one young writer’s talent. The winner also gets to work with Philadelphia’s Poet Laureate, Sonia Sanchez, and make appearances as Youth Poet Laureate. The application process is open to any high school youth in Philadelphia. Applications are due October 19. More details on eligibility and the application process can be found at the OACCE site.

Artist News

Casper best copy — Matthew Cox, “Avatar #9, Casper/Eagle.”

Matthew Cox is exhibiting at Berlin Art Week next week with Widmer and Theodoridis Contemporary of Zurich. The fair, held in a hangar at the antique Tempelhof Airport, contains three of his new embroidered x-rays.

Erin Riley’s work has traveled cross-country to Lux/Eros Gallery in Los Angeles, where “Second Self” opens September 1. There’s an opening reception September 8 from 7-9pm, and “Second Self” continues until October 1st. Her new pieces Nudes 7and Webcam are included. Additionally, Erin’s also won a fellowship for an October residency at the Virginia Center for the Creative Arts in Amherst, VA, and her work’s been slated for an exhibition curated by Mr X Stitch at the Knitting and Stitching Shows 2012, a traveling show whose destinations include Alexandra Palace in London, RDS, Dublin and Harrogate International Centre. We’re thrilled to see Erin’s work jet-setting all over the place!

nancy agati fabric — Nancy Agati at work.

One of Nancy Agati’s recent mixed media piece (made with Mica on paper) is on exhibit this month at the Hillyer Art Space in Washington DC. “Lo Studio dei Nipoti” highlights work by recent artists in residence at Lo Studio dei Nipoti, Monasterace, Calabria, Italy. It opened Friday, September 7, and the show runs through September 28.

Update – Trevor Amery, whose Portable Sauna we featured a while back, is in the midst of two major foreign adventures. Currently, he’s on a Fulbright grant to Hungary to make sculptures and installation work, and has been invited to represent the U.S. at the Kathmandu International Art Festival in Nepal in November, exhibiting “Portable Sauna” once more. He’s currently raising the travel funds; you can find out more about his project here.