News

James Dupree, amidst his works in the studio. Courtesy of the artist.

In a contemptible move perfectly in keeping with prior contemptible moves, the city of Philadelphia is continuing its quest to use eminent domain to turn the studio of James Dupree into a parking lot and supermarket. Detailed in a Forbes article this week, two-thirds of the building in which Dupree’s studio resides have been condemned, and the studio was seized by the Philadelphia Redevelopment Authority on December 27, just four days before an eminent domain loophole was closed by the state. Since the PRA got approval to take over 17 Mantua properties for this purpose in November 2012, Dupree has been fighting to keep his studio, which contains over 5000 pieces of artwork and four decades of renovations. Fortunately, because PA now has tighter eminent domain laws, there is still hope for saving his work. You can help, too: Dupree is working with the Institute for Justice and change.org to get his deed back. Visit the site to add your signature and message.

via Curbed Philly – By 2014, a familiar South Street storefront could look dramatically different. The Pearl Arts and Crafts building at 417 South Street was bought recently, and the new owner sees a bright future: 85 art studios, a rooftop restaurant, a sculpture garden, a ground floor gallery and retail space are in the works for the newly-dubbed South Street Arts Center. Rent for studios is projected to start at $250 a month and go up to $1,500 a month, which includes the gallery and retail space.

A vignette of home for one of Philly's biggest indie artists. Courtesy of Pitchfork Media. — A vignette of home for one of Philly’s biggest indie artists. Courtesy of Pitchfork Media.

Pitchfork is unpacking its end-of-year-lists, and some adored Philly homeboys have been doing quite well. One of the winners of the Top 25 Album Covers of 2013 is bucolic indie rocker Kurt Vile’s “Wakin’ on a Pretty Daze,” with instantly-recognizable artwork by Steve ‘ESPO’ Powers. The photo, showing KV in front of a building covered in Powers’ art, is bound to strike a chord with anyone who takes the El. Thanks, Pitchfork – we can always go for seeing more ESPO around.

In honor of recently deceased alumnus and long-time professor of painting Murray Dessner, PAFA has created a new travel prize. Dessner himself was tremendously influenced by travel prizes he won, using them to make the island of Patmos, Greece a summer destination for almost every year of his career. The recipient of the the Murray Dessner Graduate Travel Prize (the first for PAFA’s graduate level) is to be selected during the 113th Annual Student Exhibition (ASE) in May, winning 5,000 USD for a travel fellowship after graduation.

Opportunities

The Mason Gross School of the Arts at Rutgers University seeks to fill two full-time, tenure track positions beginning in fall 2014. One is an Associate Professor of Art, and the other is a Media and Assistant Professor of Art in Sculpture. The application deadline is January 2, 2014; visit Mason Gross’ site for a full description, including qualifications and application instructions.

Saint Joseph’s University Gallery is hosting an open call for artists to submit work in all media and all subjects for their 2014-2015 exhibition season. If you’re interested, submit twenty JPEGS, no more than five detail shots, each file titled with your last name followed by the number in which you wish you images to be viewed (e.g. Smith1, Smith2, Smith3, etc. Image list with numbers that correspond with your JPEGS. In your list, include title, size, medium and year, and make sure it’s all on the disc and a hard copy as well. Next, your resume with mailing address, email address and phone number and artist’s statement, also to be included on the disc and a hard copy as well. Include a self-addressed stamped envelope only if you would like your disc returned. No Powerpoint presentations are accepted. Mail to Saint Joseph’s University, University Gallery, Boland Hall, 5600 City Avenue, Philadelphia, PA 19131-1395; the deadline is January 31.

Artist News

Philly girls gotta stick together: we caught wind that Melissa Maddonni Haims and Constance Culpepper are stationed next to Paradigm Gallery at SELECT Fair in Miami. With Haims and Culpepper in Booth 111 and Paradigm in 112, it must feel like a piece of Philly has come to Miami whole cloth. The fair is open until December 8.

Leeway alumna Nanci Hersh (ACG ’13, ’10) and Gina Michaels are on view in the exhibition Paper Work: The Many Ways Artists Use Paper in their Work at The City Museum of Trenton (Ellarslie Mansion in Cadwalader Park, Trenton, New Jersey). The exhibition is up through January 5.

New work by Britt Miller, revisiting some familiar haunts. Courtesy of the artist.

Britt Miller is the December featured artist at The Studio gallery in New Hope, PA, showing over 20 original artworks including several gorgeous new scenes of Bucks County, New Hope, and Philadelphia cityscapes. There is an opening reception tomorrow, December 7, from 6pm to 9pm, so venture on in.