CMU Fires Curator of Miller Gallery, Shifts Program: My Mixed Feelings

Parts of Pittsburgh's art scene are buzzing with anger over the seemingly sudden firing of Astria Suparak, known for trendy, hip and often smart exhibits.

First thought is that CMU is just out to cut some costs, and my guess is that's a factor. A larger issue is that the students and faculty who drove dynamic concepts like Future Tenant, The Waffle Shop & Conflict Kitchen needed something beyond another passive college exhibit space. 

From The Tribune Review 

"In a prepared statement, College of Fine Arts Dean Dan Martin said the Miller Gallery will transform from a conventional gallery environment to a combined gallery. Plans include using the gallery for teaching and research space, with room for “installations, seminars, hands-on art-creating workshops, artist lectures and applied research in curatorial/exhibition practices.”

Programming, traditionally handled by the curator, will be determined by a faculty leadership committee representing all five CFA schools: art, architecture, design, music and drama. Associate dean for Interdisciplinary Initiatives Franco Sciannameo will chair the committee."

Sad, that Astria couldn't stick around town as a roving curator, putting together occasional shows @ The Warhol, Mattress Factory, The Miller Gallery and other venues. Pittsburgh lacks that kind of cross pollination.

Meet Baxter, the Trainable Manufacturing Robot Today @ CMU: He Works Cheap

Great news is that rising manufacturing wages in China and cheap natural gas energy are helping push more plants back to the states. The bad news that manufacturing employment is not going up, partly due to robots like Baxter. He doesn't need health insurance.

From the time the first "Ludite" smashed a loom competing for his job, workers have feared job losses from automation.




Check out Baxter today @ CMU

When: Wednesday, July 31. Media preview is at 11 a.m.; laboratory open house is from noon to 2 p.m.

Where: The Veloso Lab is in room 3201 of the Gates and Hillman centers on the Carnegie Mellon campus. From the Gates and Hillman elevators, make a U-turn to the left and follow the hallway to its end. Parking is available in the Gates Center parking garage. Because of construction, the Gates garage can no longer be accessed via Roberts Drive. Access now is via South Neville Street; call Byron Spice, 412-268-9068 for detailed directions.

Important Oakland Community Planning Meetings Kick Off Tomorrow Night

"The kickoff event this Thursday will introduce a series of five dialogue sessions that will take place between March 24 and the first week in May. Each session will include eight to ten community members discussing the issues they're passionate about in Oakland, and the changes they would like to see over the next fifteen years. These events, lead by a facilitator, will build upon each other in order to identify the most pressing concerns about the neighborhood, likely covering future development strategies, green initiatives, new multi-modal transportation opportunities, and public education enhancement."

As I recall, Lawrenceville went through this process-resulting in very few significant changes.

I have a pretty significant gripe here. We all know that Oakland, as the core area holding the bulk of the city's major educational and medical institutions, is critical to the city's future. We also, know that the major players already have major ideas which they likely will ram down our throats anyway-through eminent domain.

The problem here is that the major issues and thinking has to be done on a larger level--and at a minimum involve the major surrounding areas--South Oakland, Shadyside, Squirrel Hill, East Liberty and the Hill District. In the absence of this, no significant progress is likely and the self destructive trend towards traffic, sprawl and poor quality urban design will continue.

For a good example of how a broad planning process that might help shape major infrastructure in the city one has to go no further than Youngstown, Ohio.

From High Art to Low Art...From One "Ordinary Madness" to Another

That is "Ordinary Madness" at the Carnegie Museum of Art, and Steeler's Madness at the "Whatever It Takes" exhibit at Miller Gallery at CMU.
Ordinary Madness at the Carnegie is a terrific exhibit and high art in the best sense of the term. The exhibit is close to the end, only up through January 9th, so make haste to go if you want to see choice works by: Phillip Guston, Willem De Kooning, David Hockney,Tony Oursler, Charles Burchfield, Ed Ruscha and others, both well and less well-known. One hundred and seven works are included. Oridnary Madness refers to the premise that the "ordinary is in fact laced with the contradictory, uncanny, and surreal". I really enjoyed this exhibit. So much strong work by both famous and not so famous artists. For more information see

The exhibit "Whatever It Takes" at the Regina Miller Gallery at Carnegie Mellon University draws from the everyday Steeler madness that is around us in Pittsburgh. The exhibit focuses on Steeler fan rituals, collections and obsessions. The exhibit is up through 1/30/11.The Steelers man cave, recreated from its basement home is amazing. A local cook? chef? Denny DeLuca who has painstakingly put his Steeler's memorabilia together in one room over the years recreated his space in the gallery.. It's fascinating. And the accompanying video of Mr. Deluca suggests that his collection is something he enjoys and has a sense of humor about. Whereas an item such as the Steeler's poodle....(a photo on exhibit) is much more...dark...in my view. For information on the exhibit,see

At Least One Thing Pittsburgh Can Learn from Portland, Oregon

I recently reconnected online with my old pal DJ Anjali. She’s a DJ in Portland, Oregon where she spins danceclub music heavy on South Asian beats and vocals, throws dance parties all over town, and hosts a Bollywood Bike In. She and her partner, The Incredible Kid, were the first ones to introduce the beats of “bhangra & Bollywood” to the dance floors of Portland.

The website for the India Cultural Association of Portland states, "Portland and neighboring suburbs currently boasts a thriving community of nearly 10,000 Indians, primarily in high-tech, engineering, medical, teaching, research and healthcare professions." It’s a very similar story in Pittsburgh. According to a Trib-Review article earlier this year, "about 14,000 [Indian-Americans] live in the Pittsburgh metropolitan area...predominantly white-collar professionals, doctors or workers in the high-tech sector." It was harder to find statistics on the per-capita DJ ratios, but I know that each city has a thriving underground dance scene.

So, why doesn’t Pittsburgh have a Bollywood party or bhangra-beat dance nights at clubs and dance halls? When is DJ Anjali going to fly in and show us how it’s done? I propose importing her to kick off a Bollywood movie and dance night, sponsored by Dollar Bank, co-hosted by Pittsburgh Filmmakers and CMU, held at Filmmakers’ Melwood theaters in (heavily Indian) North Oakland. The dancing could start at Filmmakers and maybe the late-night after-party could move on to Brillobox. Any counter proposals?

Conflict Kitchen on NPR

I admit to still not catching the food from Conflict Kitchen yet even though I live pretty close by. Once one gets past the increasingly lame is it art questions and takes it as mostly a new opportunity to experience new foods and perhaps cultures on a different level it's great.

You see, Conflict Kitchen only serves food from countries we currently are in some type of conflict with--although often short of outright war and it's a product to a large extent of CMU's Art and Design departments.

Listen to
NPR's story on Conflict Kitchen

"In a few months, the grant-funded restaurant will switch countries — and cuisines. In September, it will serve food from Afghanistan. After that, maybe Venezuela or North Korea.

"You know what, it's delicious," says Joni Perri, a Kitchen regular who works nearby. "Every bite full, delightful. And it's just smashing that stereotypical myth that just because there is conflict in those countries ... I don't let it stop me from buying good food."

Weleski says what most people know about the featured countries is through the media. To prompt the discussion, she will host events such as live webcam meals with diners in Tehran."

Also read, the great post about it on Reimagine an Urban Paradise where she advocates a violent conflict with somebody with great vegetarian food. (not)

Sadly, a huge amount of historic cultural exchange has come through war as surviving soldiers bring back wounds; internal scars; memories of lost friends and sometimes fond affection for the great food "over there."

Apparently it worked that way in Iraq.

"Minutes after the place opened, Travis Post, a Marine captain from Oklahoma who had been stationed in Iraq for seven months, pulled up in his car. "So you've really got shawarma back there?" Mr. Post asked, referring to the spicy grilled meat sandwich popular throughout the Middle East.

"You want one?" asked Ms. Hazime's husband, Crisantos Hajibrahim, who was working the cash register.

"Heck, yeah!" Mr. Post responded. While training Iraqi police, he had shared meals with locals daily. "There was a lot of lamb in my life," he says."

Post Secret Event at CMU 4/26/10

Wow, was this hard to get info on! I had been told by someone at work that this was happening Monday. Finally found the details....here they are:


PostSecret at Carnegie Mellon University
Date:
Monday, April 26, 2010
Time:
7:00pm - 9:00pm
Location:
Wiegand Gym
City/Town:
Pittsburgh, PA
Description
Come hear Frank Warren, Founder of PostSecret, share the inspiring and funny stories behind the 500,000 secrets he has received on postcards.
See secrets that were banned from the books by the publisher.
There will be two microphones for your classmates, audience members, or you, to share secrets live.
Meet Frank afterward during the book signing. Books will be available for purchase including the #1 New York Times Best Seller, "PostSecret Confessions on Life Death and God".RSVP on this page for updates on this event and surprises.---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Doors Open: 6:30pmEvent:7:00pmReception: 8:00-9:00pm, Connan Room,UC

Tickets are $9 for CMU students and $12 for the public.***All tickets will be sold at the University Center (this is the name of the building, otherwise known as the UC) Information Desk at Carnegie Mellon University.
One ticket per ID holder and two for the public.
Funded in part by The Activities Board and your student activities fee. Follow us on twitter!http://twitter.com/activitiesboard--------------------------------------------------------------

Yinz Cleveburgh And Random Art Links April1--4Th

Pittsburgh

Pittsburgh Technology Council Beating Off again. Time will tell, perhaps sooner than we think.

"Innovation and Collaboration equals continued growth for Pittsburgh’s tech sector in the new decade." Still, an article worth reading.

The Post profiles a the very influential composer and technical innovator, Paul Lansky.

Pittsburgh Artist, master woodworker blogs about month in India.

The artist and teacher Tadao Arimoto of Arimoto Design & Woodworking on the North Side will blog about his experiences conducting a monthlong workshop at the Indian Institute of Crafts & Design in the fabled "Pink City" of Jaipur.

Citywalkabout still talking about the Snow disaster--that shouldn't have been. A subject I still want to get back to.

Pitt hoops coach Jamie Dixon, signs two year contract extension.

Chris Briem of Null Space tries to tell some Pension Truth.

A new and probably amazing book out of W. Eugene Smith's New York photos focusing on the Jazz Scene so close by on Manhattan's West Side as well as the vibrant and ever changing life he saw from his streetfront window.


"Mr. Stephenson wrote "Dream Street: W. Eugene Smith's Pittsburgh Project" and was a co-curator of the 2001 exhibition of Mr. Smith's city photography at Carnegie Museum of Art.

He spent 11 years culling Mr. Smith's massive archives, including nearly 4,000 hours of tape. This labor of love culminated not only in the book but also in the creation of the Jazz Loft Project, hosted by the Center for Documentary Studies at Duke University. The website, www.jazzloftproject.org, continues to research Mr. Smith's New York years.

The highlight of the book is the photographs of musicians in the passions of playing. In one photo, Monk is leaning back -- cigarette dangling from his mouth -- just as he lifts his right hand off the keyboard. He is drenched in shadow, but the light catches his face creating the stark contrast that distinguishes Mr. Smith's work."

Like Teeny Harris, Smith shot what at that time might have been considered mundane.



Kent Ohio

Jah Roots Rock Reggae Meltdown in Kent Ohio next weekend, April 9 -10.



"On Friday, more than a dozen venues — all within easy walking distance in downtown Kent — will feature local reggae and reggae-influenced bands and DJs playing reggae.

Admission is free to all clubs

Among the higher profile acts are Jah Messengers at Ray’s Place, Outlaws I & I at Dominick’s, reggae/funk/Afrobeat fusionists the Terry Barrett Band at Mugs and former Michael Stanley Band singer/guitarist Jonah Koslen, playing his island-style acoustic music at Venice Café."

Akron

Bioscience a bright spot in Northeast Ohio economy. (some data not up to date)

Youngstown
Rust Wire revues Youngstown Still Standing documentary.

While others are just talking, Youngtown advertises itself as the center of Cleveburgh in Wall Street Journal.

Cleveland

Cleveland to create a new Croatian Cultural Garden.

Low relative speeds are seen as a big flaw in the Ohio Rail plan.

"And while Ohio officials are quick to point out how the 3C could pick up speed, they aren't as quick to acknowledge the difficulties in reaching speeds above 79 mph on the state's existing freight lines.

Increased maintenance, crossing and signal upgrades are all federally mandated as you increase train speeds, which could send costs soaring as the top speed of the 3C moved from 79 to 90 to 110 mph.

Freight company CSX showed a concern with passenger trains moving faster than 90 mph when it signed a memorandum of understanding with state rail officials that called for new tracks to be built if passenger trains want to break 90 mph."

"It escalates costs, there is no question," said Husted. "ODOT has been talking out of both sides of its mouth on this issue -- they say that the proposal is the first step to 110 mph trains, but you could never do 110 on these tracks."

Cleveland.com looks at the art studio and nature sanctuary of Victoria and Norbert Koehn.

Artistically acclaimed Cleveland Chamber Symphony struggles to survive.

Banff Mountain Film Festival brings a hard core adventure fix to the cushy seats @ The Allen Theatre.

Cleveburgh Collaboration Idea # 1 : Mega College Art Exhibit

This is a copy of a post I first did in 2006, very soon after I started this blog, when my gallery alive. It seemed pretty self evident, at least from a distance that the "Cleveburgh" region, spanning say, Morgantown/Wheeling/Pittsburgh//Youngstown, Akron/Cleveland/Erie gathered in a lot potentially deluxe and valuable assets. Why don't we use them better?

"When I came to Pittsburgh, I did so with the awareness that the region is home to a lot of respected art programs. CMU, WVU, Penn State, IUP, Edinboro, and Kent State come to mind. I knew a few great artists who had gone to these schools while living in NY and I hoped to be making it out to see a lot of the MFA shows but this has not happened. I was very lucky to catch LeRoy's great show at IUP almost by chance.

In NY right now it seems like the MFA shows are not to be missed part of the scene. Here is some blog buzz to give one an idea of the fever here, here, here, here, here, here, and in LA, -- here, here, here, and in San Francisco-- here, here and Philly--- here.

Now we are all by now aware and a lot of us are a bit mad about the almost pedaphilic interest that the current art world has for hot creative flesh and the MFA's evolution and merger with the debutante ball seems gross. But in this region one can see that the reverse is not good either. There are many serious artist's flowing through these schools whose work deserves to at least be seen. For many, the MFA show is the culmination of some of the most concentrated studio work they will ever have a chance to do. Unfortunatly, most of it will just be seen my a tiny number of academic insiders and students. This is wrong and a huge lost oportunity for the students.

Wouldn't it be so great if these schools started getting serious about interacting with the wider world and started working on joint MFA shows. For the last 2 years 8 schools in Southern California have worked thier MFA shows into a single art blitz called "Supersonic". ( here, here and here is more dope on Supersonic )Couldn't something like that be done in Pittsburgh, using empty spaces in the city?"


A great idea for any city in the Cleveburgh Region. I doubt you lack the space.

The Ballet Mecanique Robotic Orchestra: George Antheil's 1924 "Ballet Mecanique"

The Post has a great profile of a Eric Singer, a big player in Musical robots.

"The 1988 Carnegie Mellon University grad moved his wife, young daughter and in-laws here in August, and he has hooked up with local roboticists and musicians.

"If there's a brain drain going on it's in the direction of Pittsburgh right now, and I like that a lot," he says."

I'm finally starting to see the kind of trends I expected to see when I moved here.

More Pittsburgh Envy

With more and more people aware of Pittsburgh's relative (not absolute) economic strength, more and more are casting envious eyes at our cities deep stock of assets. Yes, we had slums and relatively poor neighborhoods and towns, but we also had a deep middle to wealthy housing stock and an array of majestic parks, museums, libraries, theaters and assets rare for a city of it's size. Pittsburgh in many ways was built to last.

Null Space has a link to an article in Arizona bemoaning the small number college choices in the Phoenix area and in the state as a whole. While, the state grew and grew and grew, few noticed or cared but now some (like me) wonder just how hollow that growth was. It's a slight exaggeration to say Florida, Arizona and Nevada have shell economies but the number of people in those states who built houses, or sold lumber, or made loans, or built stores or paved new roads based on the needs of new residents is pretty staggering. That's the nature of a bubble--no one thinks it will stop. Why look for alternative investments or different businesses to be in when it's so easy to concentrate on what's booming? Why build communities and wonder if your area is "sustainable'? It must be cause people keep comming.

"That doesn't sit well with Mayor Scott Smith, who is working to lure a major medical school or other college to the nation's 38th-largest city.

"We could put five colleges in here and we wouldn't even begin to match what cities our size in other areas of the country have," Smith said.

He cited Pittsburgh, which boasts a population of slightly more than 300,000 - 160,000 fewer than Mesa - but which is home to prestigious schools such as Carnegie Mellon University, Duquesne University and the University of Pittsburgh, as well as several smaller schools."

This is the comment I left on Null Space.

"I think shows that our much maligned "robber barons" and early Pittsburgh leaders made some pretty sound investments in Pittsburgh's colleges, museums, parks and other city assets. (They also left us some very profitable companies)

Say what you will about Carnegie, He didn't skimp on leading edge technology and efficiency upgrades in his plants and he left a flawed but fairly wise legacy."

What's happened since is very much another story.

Rust Belt bloggers Public Art Post: Waffle Shop: A Reality Show

Josh Rubin's contextual art class at CMU struggles to find new and interesting ways to combine "art" and ordinary life. Each Semester, the class has been renting a different storefront in town as a base for an art project. See the projects on the Tent Show site.

The current one seems like a home run combination of yummy food and Reality TV and actually seems like a decent business model(it's CMU!). Of course one can sit there and ask if it's art, but that is hardly the point.

"Waffle Shop: A Reality Show," is truly a working waffle shop, offering plain and chocolate waffles garlanded in whipped cream for $3. But the interior also features a brightly lit photo booth and, at any given time, there might be a discussion being filmed on the week's chosen theme.

I haven't yet experienced this. Waffle Shop is well located next to The Shadow Lounge in East Liberty. Videos of the discussions will eventually be posted on line and are shown in the window.

"As for where this particular idea came from, Rubin says that as with a good waffle, when it comes to art, "We start from scratch. There's no syllabus. We research the area, pay attention to the surrounding culture and what else is going on around us. Students go with ideas -- it's a classroom in the world."

The waffle shop is just the latest version of what Rubin calls the "Tent Show." According to its Web site, www.tentshow.org, it's "a forum for experimental public projects that respond to the social, physical, and cultural dynamics of specific contexts and audiences." Previously, the class has operated a coffee shop, hodgepodge storefront and taco stand.

East Liberty was an appealing place to explore, Rubin says. The Penn Circle area crumbled decades ago due to a combination of bad luck and bad planning. But today it's re-emerging as a tony shopping district. As a result, Rubin says, the waffle shop is located on the site of "two different ecosystems."

And it draws energy from both. Steve Pham and Jennifer Lin of Shadyside still wore the telltale wristbands from just having danced their faces off at the packed Girl Talk show, the evening's earlier and sweatier entertainment at Club Gravity in Cheswick. What brought them in?"

Posting this a day early and I may post another tomorrow.

Moving Party for Future Tennant

Future Tenant, the free form art space run by the Institute For the Management Of Creative Enterprises at CMU will be having to move out of it's current space. It will be having a big moving out party on August 2nd.

Name: Future Tenant Moving Out Party
Tagline: It's going to freaking ROCK
Host: Future Tenant
Type: Party - Goodbye Party
Time and Place Date: Thursday, August 2, 2007
Time: 7:00pm - 10:00pm
Location: Future Tenant
Street: 801 Liberty Avenue
City/Town: Pittsburgh, PA

View Map

Future Tenant is an idea, not a location

"This fall, Future Tenant will be moving to a new location in Pittsburgh's Cultural District. After six years at 801 Liberty Avenue, Future Tenant will be fulfilling a vital part of its mission, that of the mobile laboratory. On August 2, 2007, Future Tenant will be shutting the doors of 801 Liberty Avenue and opening the doors to new opportunities. As our name suggests, Future Tenant has always believed that our presence could attract new tenants (local businesses) to the vacant spaces of Downtown Pittsburgh and serve as a tool for revitalization. That time has come and as one previously empty venue is filled, we will move onto another.

Future Tenant will never be tied to any one physical venue, but will take up its work wherever there is access to suitable space. While it may not have a specific address in hand, the Pittsburgh audience will know that wherever Future Tenant gathers a group of artists, there will be found a constantly changing menu of vibrant, provocative new work.."

I will try to do some posts on the history of the place and all the past events-- but, like Artists Upstairs-- they failed to do a great job of documenting things. For the most part, the place has been run very sincerly by the students, with very little support from either CMU as a major institution or the wider community. Or at least it seems that way.

They promise to cary on.

ART & TECHNOLOGY WORKSHOPS
Thursday Evenings in June and July7:00 - 9:00 pmStephen Foster Community Center286 Main St., Lawrenceville
June 7, June 14, June 21, June 28July 5, July 12, July 19
FREE AND OPEN TO ALL !
for more information contactCarl DiSalvocarl.disalvo[at]gmail.com

I bitch a lot about what seems to be the lack of ground level interaction between Pittsburgh's universities and the general community. This looks like a good chance to tap into some of the CMU geek energy.

Global RISD @ Winkleman

What does this post about a Providence school having an MFA show at a New York gallery have to do with Pittsburgh? Kids paying for top MFA programs, have an interest in having their efforts seen and in entering the international dialog of the art world. Do you think CMU will ever do something like this?

Even more impressive is that it looks like the kids took things into their own hands by proposing the show themselves."Organized by MFA candidate Cortney Andrews, whose work will be shown along with the photography of candidates Jonathan Cana, Maureen Keaveny, Amy Lovera, Patrick Madigan and Millee Tibbs."

Artscan CMU

ARTSCAN

When I started this blog, I had the grand intention of covering not only the Pittsburgh shows, but also the activities of artist's that are connected to pittsburgh in some way. I was nuts! And, at least so far I haven't gotten the kind of help I would need to make a dent in that goal.

One place to go to try to keep up with the CMU alumni and faculty is Artscan. Every month they give at least a narrow snapshot of some of the shows and activities that the CMU alum are in. I talked to the person who was in charge of this and it's far to big a job for one person to do on a part time basis. Isn't this a great project for the alumni association to get involved in?

Dana Schutz talk @ CMU

Well here's one of those fancy young art stars passing through town and on her way to her solo museum show in Cleveland.

School of Art Lecture Series
Each semester the School of Art offers a series of lectures. All lectures are free and open to the public. Lectures are announced via e-mail, flyers, bulletin boards, calendars, and on this web site. Students are strongly encouraged to attend these events. In some courses, attendance at these lectures is required. This series of bi-weekly lectures by artists and other art professionals is made possible in part by The Elizabeth (Thompson) and Thomas M. Cox, A’29, Distinguished Artist Fund. Lectures usually occur on Thursdays at 5pm, often in McConomy Auditorium in the University Center.

Dana is actually from Detroit and thanks to Detroit Arts, I have some nice shots from her show in Cleveland. Calling work that often plays with ugliness eye candy is wierd, but often Dana pulls it off.

MFA Thoughts

When I came to Pittsburgh, I did so with the awareness that the region is home to a lot of respected art programs. CMU, WVU, Penn State, IUP, Edinboro, and Kent State come to mind. I knew a few great artists who had gone to these schools while living in NY and I hoped to be making it out to see a lot of the MFA shows but this has not happened. I was very lucky to catch LeRoy's great show at IUP almost by chance.

In NY right now it seems like the MFA shows are not to be missed part of the scene. Here is some blog buzz to give one an idea of the fever here, here, here, here, here, here, and in LA, -- here, here, here, and in San Francisco-- here, here and Philly--- here.

Now we are all by now aware and a lot of us are a bit mad about the almost pedaphilic interest that the current art world has for hot creative flesh and the MFA's evolution and merger with the debutante ball seems gross. But in this region one can see that the reverse is not good either. There are many serious artist's flowing through these schools whose work deserves to at least be seen. For many, the MFA show is the culmination of some of the most concentrated studio work they will ever have a chance to do. Unfortunatly, most of it will just be seen my a tiny number of academic insiders and students. This is wrong and a huge lost oportunity for the students.

Wouldn't it be so great if these schools started getting serious about interacting with the wider world and started working on joint MFA shows. For the last 2 years 8 schools in Southern California have worked thier MFA shows into a single art blitz called "Supersonic". ( here, here and here is more dope on Supersonic )Couldn't something like that be done in Pittsburgh, using empty spaces in the city?