Cynthia Harvey, Player, pastel, Jazz Show at the Plastic Club

Alan Klawans, the Exhibitions Chair for the Plastic Club is stepping aside and Susan Stromquist is taking charge of the venerable art club’s exhibition calendar.  The art direction by Alan has been impeccable and the current art exhibition, Jazz Show, is a smash hit.

The theme challenged the artist membership to create new work related to Jazz.  The resulting collection of eighty artworks is a medley of soulful paintings, bebop abstracts, hip photographs of musicians lined up like a horn section and wild riffs on convoluted mixed media constructions.  At the awards President Bob Jackson noted how some artists couldn’t pull from their regular repertoire and make something old fit the theme.  Good thing. Because jazz needs extra space to be new, experiment and different each time it’s played, it’s never the same old thing.  The Jazz Show is smooth, moody and deep, the art spaced out so each piece gets it’s solo performance.

Michael Mastrogiovanni, New Orleans, photograph, Michael Mastrogiovanni, Jazz Fest, photograph, Jennifer Tsui, Leaving the Village Gate, 1976, collage (on mantle) and Joseph DeFay, Jazz on South Street, photograph at the Jazz Show at the Plastic Club.

Michael Mastrogiovanni, New Orleans, photograph, Jazz Show at the Plastic Club

Karen L. Freeman, Kind of Blue, mixed media, Jazz Show at the Plastic Club

Marcy Morris, Mo’s Band, acrylic, Jazz Show at the Plastic Club

April 1, 2012, the reception was packed like an underground club, the beat of drums and sizzling keyboards resonated from the Judy Shenkman Studio upstairs all the way to the Downstairs Gallery.  After the awards ceremony, the packed house opened up the floor and couples danced to the music, others tapped their toes and sipped wine.  The vibe of th Plastic Club was like a secret speakeasy and no one wanted to leave at closing.

The Plastic Club, 247 South Camac Street, Philadelphia PA – through April 27th.

Written and photographed by DoN Brewer

Read more at Side Arts Philadelphia Art Blog