Ladies, DoN knows you will LoVe, lOvE, LoVe this show. Shoes, nothing but shoes – hundreds of them. This little number, “In Bloom“, is by Kathryn Myers Gilbert. Moore College of Art & Design is on the Parkway @ 20th Street.
Introductions 09 at The Galleries at Moore College of Art & Design, Widener Foundation Memorial Gallery, 20th Street and Benjamin Franklin Parkway, Philadelphia is just so amazing lots of wild mixed metaphors, deep narrative streams of consciousness and memes within memes within memes. Brenna K Murphys Roots #3 is a prime example of an artwork weaving multiple meanings of normal images, encountered daily, into an interesting story that plays in your mind like a movie. Brennas roots are wrapped in human hair, completely encasing real tree roots, which are arranged lovingly on a large white wall. DoN asked Murphy about the origins of the work, Wrapping the roots is about home and the body. Growing up as a nomad, to Brenna the hair represents the body as home. Donald Carter, who is rooted in Philadelphia, asked Brenna how she would sell the work. Good question: the piece has already been exhibited at Eileen Togninis house but hanging from the ceiling, so the piece is growing and changing all the time. Time, growth, security, luxury and fun all swirling together like twisted dreadlocks, representing culture and sub-culture, luxury and lunacy, safety and insanity all wrapped up in hair. “Roots #3” is an adventurous idea, realized with meticulous craft, enthusiasm and industriousness – what more can we ask of art?
Brooke Hines ceramic mixed media sculpture also has slippery hidden narratives, These are a Few of My Favorite Things is composed of ceramic, slip, stains, glaze and whiskers. Real cat whiskers.
Daniel Traubs large format c-print is hyper-realism with a hypnotic story to tell about Chinese Cities Edge; the incomplete skeletons of future luxury housing is occupied by industrious people gleaning the pervasive demolition of old China and reselling to the secondary market. An amusement park is on the horizon while stacks of doors and windows, each a metaphor, lean against the concrete. Fabric and plywood fill the vacant windows like layers of pages from a book.
Diane Savona, “Sewing Bag Number One“.
Brenna K Murphy, “Roots #3“.
Brooke Hines sculpture, Danielle Bursk, drawing.
Daniel Traub, photograph.
Ben Volta @ Introductions ’09.
Through My Window at Smile Gallery @ 22nd & Chestnut Streets is a concept show involving repurposing old window frames donated by Lantern Theater Companys Charles McMahon. Member artists of Da Vinci Art Alliance were asked to take a window and create a work of art instead of the frames ending up in a dump. Each artist presented art as diverse as drawings, paintings, photos, weaving and collage, creating a conundrum for jurors Brenda and Matt Lyons. Each piece is desirable and delightful in theyre own right: Betsy Alexander based her composition on science fiction, Burnell Yow! created an homage to Buddha, Mike Sweeny dressed his frame in gold and silver communicating a comment on Americas current economic situation, Alden Coles ethereal painting draws the viewer into the spiritual realm, Girard DiFalcos photograph of a tree is simple and serene, DoN Brewer recreated the view from the apartment he rented in Paris, Ona Kalstein based her mixed media piece on the fable of the ant and the cicada and Lilliana Didovic designed a mixed media work depicting Phillys famous Boat House Row using, of all things. Swarovski Crystals.
Other artists in the show include Bobbie Adams, Kim Alsbrook, Rachel Citrino, Carl Johnson, Ted Warchal, Nicole Koenitzer, Rikard Larma, Gail Kotel, Tim McKenna, Lee Muslin, Liz Niklus, Michelle Post, Gavid Carrow and Carol Wisker.
Karen McDonnell and Anthony Cortosi’s “Old Woman Looking Out the Window“. The duo currently have work on display at Rodger Lapelle Gallery in Old City through Feb.1, 2009.
Alden Cole @ Smile. Cole is included in a Dumpster Diver show at New Jersey’s Noyes Museum.
Mike Sweeney‘s award winner @ Smile’s “Through My Window.”
Burnell Yow!‘s award winning composition will allow him to be part of a group show @ Smile in January 2010 – get to work Burnell!!
Betsy Alexander‘s sci-fi inspired mixed media collage was a hit with the crowd creating a vibrant conversation about everyone’s fantasy favorites. Betsy’s home was recently featured in the Philadelphia Inquirer’s Design section, you can read the story here. Betsy is also the mom of the famous Nora the Piano Playing Cat – check out Nora’s latest videos on YouTube.
Kathryn Pannepacker’s simple yet elegant mixed media piece incorporates weaving. Pannepacker recently completed an amazing mural @ Broad and Lehigh Streets depicting textile styles of the world for the Mural Arts Program.
DoN Brewer’s “Vue de la Rue Rambuteau, Paris“, colored pencil on paper at Smile Gallery.
Through My Window is on display through February 7th, 2009 and by the by Smiles Thai food restaurant is probably the best in the city BYOB and stay a while.
The Center for Emerging Visual Artists continues to match up artists with complementary sensibilities as with the current exhibit Tales of the Beginning featuring Julia Blaukopf and Elizabeth Crisman. Each artist uses photographic techniques in intense and intriguing methodologies which exude mystery, artistry and skill. Beth Crisman’s The Fossil Series are based on actual x-rays which she digitally photographed on a light table then printed on six foot high fabric panels in rich inky black. Crisman is interested in representing future fossils and how bits of information are usually all an archeologist would find at a dig; one panel only depicts a single tooth. Beth told DoN that teeth are often the only things found at a dig and the scientist must extrapolate information from minimal resources. Even today dental records are used to resolve mysteries which may otherwise go unsolved.
Elizabeth Crisman‘s The Fossil Series @ CFEVA.
Julia Blaukopf‘s Cape Girl @ CFEVA.
Blaukopf surprised DoN when she explained that the astonishing images were not created in Photoshop but in the wet darkroom by photographing and re-photographing the images then having the resulting compositions printed on fabric. DoN was particularly impressed by the decision to hang the fabric from wood branches giving the images a feel of naturalness despite the obvious amount of technical work going into each collaged image. The exhibit is open through 1/15 at the beautiful Felicity R. “Bebe” Benoliel Gallery in the Barclay building on Rittenhouse Square.
Julia Blaukopf’s Melody Maker, Gifty 2’x2′ and Melody of Place, Gifty, 2’x2′, photographic collages printed on fabric hanging from tree branches.
The art parties at CFEVA are always fun and fascinating with fine wine and tasty treats; DoN was happy to see Donald Carter, Jean-Paul, Bob Wallner, Brooke Hine, Faith Corman, Andrew Pirie, Holly Kleeman (CFEVA director), Charlene Nolten (office manager) and Robert Smith (development director).
It feels appropriate to post this story on Thanksgiving since tonight DoN ate many of the native foods these two very interesting and entertaining historians described. Sunday, October 23rd, Alden Cole and DoN attended a splendid lecture by Carla and Allan Messinger who presented fascinating information about the Lenape Tribe, “The Original People“. The hour was packed with so much information so pertinent to our current situation in America including the notion that by Autumn the people would have stored enough food to last until June of the following year (Economist Suzy Ormond recommends one have enough funds stashed to last eight months – hmmmm), that in 1737 the Indians were perpetrated a hoax when they were promised land forever (sounds like Bush’s ownership society hoax – hmmm), 45% of modern medicine is derived from native American plants (hmmm) and that if it were not for the Indians we wouldn’t know about beans, squash, tomatoes, chocolate or corn (yummm!).
Carla & Allan Messinger @ Da Vinci Art Alliance.
Indian artifacts on display @ Lenape Lifeways lecture. The Messingers described a full cultural life that worked with the land and respected its resources and explained lessons remembered from the people who originally occupied the banks of the Delaware. A people who mastered the art of survival.
Carla Messinger (a Lenape descendant) displaying authentic garb. The lecture was sponsored by the Pennsylvania Humanities Council, you can learn more at www.lenapeprograms.info.
Carla Messinger and David Foss @ Da Vinci Art Alliance.
Happy Thanksgiving.
LoVe
DoN
