Category Archives: Recycled Art

Art created with recycled materials

Video

Charles Clary: Be Kind Rewind

An immersive solo exhibition of new work

by Charles Clary


Exhibition Dates: June 26 –August 8, 2020

Charles Clary: Be Kind Rewind

Paradigm Gallery is pleased to announce Be Kind Rewind, an immersive solo exhibition of new works by Contemporary artist, Charles Clary, opening* on June 26, 2020 and remaining on view through August 8, 2020. Presented as an immersive video store installation, Be Kind Rewind is comprised of 1,000 new paper relief works from Clary’s ongoing VHS series, making it the largest showing of VHS since its inception in 2016, and explores the cathartic power of shared nostalgia.

Charles Clary: Be Kind Rewind

VHS is a reactionary body of work to the passing of Clary’s parents, both of whom he had a complicated relationship with growing up. As they were often absent during his childhood, movies acted as a surrogate babysitter. Clary began thinking about how his nostalgia for a happier childhood could be translated through his work and used as a way to channel his grief. A pop culture fanatic, Clary began to notice cheap, 50 cent VHS tape copies of his favorite movies at his local thrift stores. Analog and carelessly discarded, these films held a lot of emotional significance to Clary, who saw them as “beautiful scarifications”, a traumatic moment healed by a film.

Charles Clary: Be Kind Rewind

Clary sourced every one of Be Kind Rewind’s massive number of works at thrift stores or garage sales, with a large number being old copies of horror movies. A self described ‘horror nut’, Clary always felt a kindred spirit to the final person standing in a scary movie – surviving through the trauma. Not wanting to take away from the cover’s imagery, Clary will design around what he feels is important and then will carefully cut and layer 15 pieces of paper into the slipcase, salvaging and elevating the artifact with a newfound intricacy and depth. Viewers will recognize old favorites like Tron, Labyrinth and Dark Crystal, movies that have become synonymous with Clary’s childhood cinematic history. Lovingly handmade, Be Kind Rewind reimagines a mom and pop video store where visitors can take coordinating tabs to the register to “rent” a tape, making it an immersive and joyful experience. From a first date to the surprise twist ending of a thriller, watching movies has become a communal human experience. Be Kind Rewind reminds us of our collective human spirit through the power of nostalgic connection and in doing so, brings us all a little bit closer.

Charles Clary: Be Kind Rewind

*Due to COVID-19, “Be Kind Rewind” will be available for viewing by appointment only or on https://www.paradigmarts.org/ until further notice. These policies are dependent on the current policies of the CDC, WHO and the Governor and Mayor’s offices. Paradigm Gallery’s number one priority is the safety and wellness of their visitors. For live updates on the exhibition and appointments, please visit the Paradigm website and socials. For any questions on Paradigm’s current policies, please email info@paradigm-gallery.com.

Charles Clary: Be Kind Rewind

About Charles Clary
Charles Clary was born in 1980 in Morristown, Tennessee. He received his BFA in painting with honors from Middle Tennessee State University and his MFA in painting from the Savannah College of Art and Design. He has shown in exhibitions at Galerie EVOLUTION-Pierre Cardin in Paris, France, Pierogi Gallery and Nancy Margolis Gallery in New York, Spoke art in San Francisco, and museum shows at Mesa Contemporary Art Museum, Gadsten Museum of Art, and Cornell Museum of Art. He has also completed a three week residency in Lacoste France, completed a painting assistantship with Joe Amrhein of Pierogi Gallery in Brooklyn NYC, and had work acquired by
fashion designer Pierre Cardin and gallery owner James Cohan.

Clary has been featured in numerous print and Internet interviews including, This is Colossal, WIRED magazine (US and UK), Hi Fructose, Beautifuldecay.com, Bluecanvas Magazine, and This Is Colossal as well as a recent feature in American Craft Magazine. He was also featured in the Art On Paper Art Fair with Kenise Barnes Fine Art. He has also been featured in publications including 500 Paper Objects, Paper Works, Paper Art, Papercraft 2, PUSH: Paper, and The New Twenties. Charles has exhibited regionally, nationally, and internationally in numerous solo and group shows. Clary currently lives and works in Conway SC.

About Paradigm Gallery
Paradigm Gallery + Studio® exhibits contemporary artwork from around the world with a focus on Philadelphia-based artists. Established February 2010, the gallery began as a project between co-founders and curators, Jason Chen and Sara McCorriston, as a space in which to create artwork, to exhibit the work of their peers, and to invite the members of the community to create and collect in a welcoming gallery setting. Now open 10 years, the gallery still aims to welcome all collectors, from first time to lifelong, and continues to support accessible work that welcomes a wide audience.

Location:
746 S 4th St
Philadelphia, PA 19147
Media Contact:
Lainya Magaña, A&O PR
347 395 4155
lainya@aopublic.com

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Obsolescence

Ulla-Stina Wikander, Installation: After Work, 2018, Swan Chair, Table, Lamp, Shoes, Bag, Small Bag, Thermos, Books, Embroidery, Bag for Yarn, cross-stitch on found objects, mixed media.

Obsolescence, Ulla-Stina Wikander, Paradigm Gallery + Studio

Exhibition Dates: October 25 – November 23, 2019

Opening Reception: October 25th • 5:30 – 10pm

Paradigm Gallery + Studio (746 S 4th St) is pleased to present Obsolescence, a solo exhibition by Sweden-based artist Ulla-Stina Wikander, open October 25 – November 23, 2019. The artist’s first solo exhibition in the United States, Obsolescence, features new works from Wikander’s well-known series of household objects covered in colorful, vintage embroideries. Obsolescence will have a public opening reception on October 25 from 5:30 – 10:00pm.

Wikander began collecting vintage embroideries 15 years ago in antique stores and flea markets, initially attracted to the intricate designs of needlework textiles. Although Wikander was traditionally trained as a painter and sculptor, the unknown histories of the women who made the embroideries interested her and she began experimenting with her new collection.

Wikander’s earliest experimentation with textile began with covering a broken vacuum cleaner she had laying around in her home. Through a meticulous process of deconstruction and reassembly, she transformed the anachronistic tool into something visually absorbing and entirely new, giving the vacuum a new reason to exist. Although not all of the objects
Wikander covers are broken, they’re all out-dated. Through Wikander’s process, these retro items are transformed and recycled into fully contemporary sculptures.

On her practice Wikander says, “It is rather new for me to be a part of the textile community because I have always regarded myself as a painter and sculptor. While I do not embroider myself, I am always very meticulous when I choose my patterns. Embroidery is very hard to find nowadays, so I often travel to small towns in Sweden to find them. I have a big collection with hundreds of embroideries, organized into boxes by motif. I do not know if it is accepted among textile artists, to cut embroideries into pieces, but I think my work is a bit different. I always have a bad feeling that I am destroying a beautiful embroidery that someone else has made, but the recycling of something forgotten also feels current and good”.


The latest artworks included in Wikander’s Obsolescence exhibition are suffused with humor and critical explorations of feminism, domesticity, and upcycling. Her intricate textile constructions are shaped by the forms that lie underneath – including irons, blow dryers, shoes, bags, lamps, books, and phones. Freshly adorned in coverings of flowers, animals, and pastoral
scenes, the items transcend their former functionality and are simultaneously revelatory and recognizable. Wikander’s vibrant reappropriations are evocative formal studies that defy categorization and illicit equal parts dissonance and delight.

Obsolescence, Ulla-Stina Wikander, Paradigm Gallery + Studio

About Ulla-Stina Wikander
Ulla-Stina Wikander was born 1957 in Kungälv. She is currently living in Stockholm/Kullavik, Sweden and has been working as an artist since 1986. Wikander has shown extensively around the world in solo and group exhibitions including shows in the United States, Sweden and the UK.

About Paradigm
Paradigm Gallery + Studio® exhibits contemporary artwork from around the world with a focus on Philadelphia-based artists. Established February 2010, the gallery began as a project between co-founders and curators, Jason Chen and Sara McCorriston, as a space in which to create artwork, to exhibit the work of their peers, and to invite the members of the community to create and collect in a welcoming gallery setting. To this day the gallery still aims to welcome all collectors, from first time to lifelong, and continues to support accessible work that welcomes a wide audience.

Location: Paradigm Gallery + Studio®, 746 S 4th St., Philadelphia, PA, 19147
Media Contact: Lainya Magaña, A&O PR lainya@aopublic.com

Thank you to Madison Fishman for the content of this post.

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2019

2019 AUTUMN INVITATIONAL, Off the Wall Gallery at Dirty Frank’s

2019 Annual Autumn Invitational at Off the Wall Gallery at Dirty Frank’s

The annual AUTUMN INVITATIONAL, which officially opens THIS THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 26, 7-10 PM, is one of our favorite shows. For good reason.

By showcasing the artists who have achieved notable success over the past year, measured by sales and jury awards, it welcomes back artists who are truly fan favorites. And with this year’s edition in particular, it gives us a more in-depth look at the work of three exceptional artists:

* This marks the fourth time CAROL TASHJIAN has shown her work in our space. Across different media and subject matters, a common thread has emerged: a disciplined approach to her craft, which strips away the extraneous in favor of essence. When Carol has shown one or two works, viewers sometimes have to seek out the quiet refuge of her art. This time, with 19 works, we are happily immersed in her approach, with the litho crayon rubbings of trees on the right side of the Wall practically creating a meditative arboretum of sorts (to the extent that’s possible at Dirty Frank’s!).

* For WILD TYPE, aka, ORI ROE, the Invitational marks a third turn at OFF THE WALL and this time is indeed the charm, with 13 works that, as with Carol, finally create a critical mass and enable us to enter her unique worlds at the intersection of science and art. Wild Type takes her nom d’artiste from a wild-type strain — there are ori sequences in the mitochondrial DNA of such a mutated strain; similarly, Wild Type’s art-making practice applies fundamentals of organic chemistry to create “worlds with X, Y and Z coordinate space,” and to begin answering such deep questions as “What does it mean to exist in space?”

* As we count down, RUSTY EVELAND is returning for just the second time, after a tour de force debut in BREAKTHROUGHS FOR SHEILA. His art runs a wide gamut. Across eight pieces, spanning figure studies, an animated short projected in our 3D space, and mixed-media and found-object assemblages, Rusty never aspires to Carol’s introspection or Wild Type’s exploration but rather embraces an energy and enthusiasm that naturally draws audiences into his work.

* And it’s worth noting that while this show’s headliner is usually the winner of the Mary-Rowe Memorial Jury Prize, last year’s honoree, LINDSEY WAVREK, will next be on the Wall this coming March and April as a MARY LIZ FELLOW, the highest honor we bestow on any artist in our community.

We look forward to seeing you THURSDAY EVENING, and for those of you who would like to transcend mere attendance and become a PARTICIPATING ARTIST at our next Opening Reception, on November 17, please make sure to pick up an entry form for UNDER $100, our upcoming JURIED EXHIBITION.

We are accepting entries for the show — which invites any and all media and subject matters, priced at $95 or less — now through October 17. Take the top prize and you’ll not only be in that show; per the above note about Lindsey Wavrek, you’ll automatically be part of the 2020 AUTUMN INVITATIONAL!

UNDER 100 Entry Guidelines Poster, OTWGallery, September 2019
15th Annual Juried Exhibition, Off the Wall Gallery at Dirty Frank’s

Thank you to Togo Travalia, Manager, OFF THE WALL GALLERY at Dirty Frank’s for the content of this post. (He’s a really good writer!)

NE Corner, 13th & Pine Streets, Philadelphia, PA, 19107

offthewallgallery@gmail.com

facebook.com/OTWDirtyFranks

@OTWDirtyFranks

(215) 732-5010 (bar)(484) 357-6440 (cell)

Celebrating 40 years of revolutionary art

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Blood

Russell Craig, Philadelphia Magic Gardens

POWERFUL ARTWORK ADVOCATES FOR SOCIAL CHANGE
Blood, Sweat, and Tears: Works by Russell Craig

An Exhibition at Philadelphia’s Magic Gardens: March 2 – April 29, 2018

PUBLIC OPENING RECEPTION: Friday, March 2, 2018; 6:00 – 9:00 PM

SOUTH STREET, PHILADELPHIA – Philadelphia’s Magic Gardens’ exhibition, Blood, Sweat, and Tears, highlights the provocative works of self-taught artist Russell Craig. His artistic style and stirring imagery were developed during his seven-year incarceration. Featured in this exhibition are Craig’s large-scale portraits, which are made from prison paperwork, court documents, and discarded materials.

Russell Craig‘s work offers an opportunity to talk about the justice system in the United States by chronicling his life and honoring the people that share his story. Through confrontation and contemplation, Craig’s pieces create a platform to help unify all who have struggled through trauma and advocate for positive change within ourselves and our communities. Craig’s work has been shown in numerous solo and group exhibitions. He has also worked with Mural Arts
Philadelphia through their Restorative Justice program, and is a “Right of Return” fellow – a program that invests in formerly incarcerated artists to create original works of art that can further propel criminal justice reform efforts.

He is a mentor for those who are currently incarcerated and works with communities who are
often affected by the criminal justice system. Philadelphia’s Magic Gardens is excited to host this show and other exhibitions that use art to address current social concerns and spark conversations that help ignite change within our city. Through these unique curated experiences, PMG aspires to promote meaningful engagement with visitors and community
stakeholders and to project its values of inclusion and community out to Philadelphia.

Philadelphia’s Magic Gardens and Russell Craig welcome you to a night of art and conversation during the opening reception on Friday, March 2, 2018, from 6:00 – 9:00 PM.

PHILADELPHIA’S MAGIC GARDENS

Philadelphia’s Magic Gardens (PMG) is a nonprofit visionary art environment and community arts center located in Isaiah Zagars largest public artwork. Spanning half a block on Philadelphia’s famous South Street, the museum includes an immersive outdoor art installation and indoor galleries.

Zagar created the space using nontraditional materials such as folk art statues, found objects, bicycle wheels, colorful glass bottles, hand-made tiles, and thousands of glittering mirrors. The site is enveloped in visual anecdotes and personal narratives that refer to Zagar’s life, family, and community, as well as references from the wider world such as influential art history figures and other visionary artists and environments.

PMG is a unique Philadelphia destination that inspires creativity and community engagement by providing educational opportunities and diverse public programming to thousands of visitors each year. For more information, visit www.phillymagicgardens.org.

Thank you to Allison Boyle, Events & Marketing Manager, for the content of this post. Philadelphia’s Magic Gardens, 1020 South Street, Philadelphia PA 19147,

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Gerbstadt

David GerbstadtDavid Gerbstadt, Artist Shopping for a New Art Gallery

Artist and author David Gerbstadt of Berwyn, Pennsylvania is shopping for a new art gallery to handle his artwork as a stable artist.   David has been in galleries, solo, and group shows worldwide since 1993. Now in over 15 countries and most of the United States.

Lower Schoool Making Buttons with visiting artist David Gerbstadt from Westtown School on Vimeo.

“My vocabulary is full of creatures – both real and imagined.  I often incorporate words phrases and doodles into my paintings.  I recycle materials found on the street that become part of and inspire my work.       

“After my near death experience on December, 28 2007 my life changed.  My hospital chart read, man on bicycle vs. 14 wheeled tracker trailer truck.  The doctor’s told me they don’t know why I am here but I am. I believe I was spared to continue to make art, make people happy, and to let people know they are loved.  Since then life has been a consent struggle.  I get through the day with my doctors, art, friends, and my three legged rescue dog Noel.”   

“Art heals me on a daily basis”.

David Gerbstadt, 484-995-1541                                                                                                              davidgerbstadt@gmail.com                                                                              www.facebook.com/david.gerbstadt

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