The Blogger Show @Panza Gallery - Reception 12/15

@Panza Gallery - Reception: December 15, 6-9PM

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In November, Digging Pitt (Pittsburgh PA) began a joint effort with Agni Gallery (New York, NY) and Panza Gallery (Millvale, PA) to present The Blogger Show. The exhibits showcase the work of over thirty artists whose common interest is in clarifying artistic discourse through their blogs. All of the exhibits will take place between November 3, 2007 and January 12, 2008. Preview the exhibits online at Fiji Island Mermaid Press, courtesy of Marc Snyder. Stay current with The Blogger Show artists on the blog or join us at MySpace.

The Blogger Show @Panza Gallery - November 10, 2007 - January 12, 2008
Public reception December 15
Panza Gallery - 115 Sedgwick Street - Millvale PA 15209
WE/Th/FR 10-5 SA 10-3 and by appointment - 412-821-0959

Panza Gallery will have a regional focus, showcasing Pittsburgh's local bloggers. There will also be a presentation of work created by artist journaling. Installation images from Panza
Gallery are available, so sneak a little peek. Read more

Appearing @Panza Gallery (Millvale PA)

Kevin Clancy (Boston MA and Pittsburgh PA) - soft soft pink pulls through the ivory void
Susan Constanse (Pittsburgh, PA) - Oranje
Christiane D (Pittsburgh PA) - Christiane D
David Grim (Pittsburgh, PA) - Serendipity
Sophie Klahr (Pittsburgh PA) - the story of how it is
John Morris (Pittsburgh, PA) - Digging Pittsburgh Arts
David Pohl (Pittsburgh, PA) - find the time to rhyme
Amy Wilson New York, NY) - working

The first tendril of The Blogger Show in physical space ended on November 30. If you missed the show you can still check out installation images here and reception images here and here. The installation images for Digging Pitt and Digging Pitt Too are available.

The artists in the exhibits at Agni, Digging Pitt and Panza Galleries represent a range of visual disciplines and aesthetics. The one commonality is active blogging. Some use blogging as a platform for discussing issues facing visual artists while others treat the blog as a public journal. Whatever approach or combination of approaches, all have brought a level of clarity to artistic discourse. These exhibits are a reflection, in physical space, of the ephemeral blogosphere. And by its very nature, an extension of the guiding philosophy behind Digging Pitt’s flat file archive. - Read more

Excerpt from Bill Gusky's article (Artblog Comments) Read more

This exhibition focuses on the work of artists who are active art blog writers. The work you see here emerged in the studio in near-simultaneity with the artist’s written expressions. These twin efforts – art making and blog writing -- sometimes appear to flow together and intertwine beautifully, and at other times almost seem to be in diametric opposition.

The Blogger Show - Artist reception Saturday 12/8 + 12/15

@Digging Pitt Gallery - Reception: December 8, 6-9PM

@Digging Pitt Too - Reception: December 8, 6-9PM

@Panza Gallery - Reception: December 15, 6-9PM

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In November, Digging Pitt (Pittsburgh PA) began a joint effort with Agni Gallery (New York, NY) and Panza Gallery (Millvale, PA) to present The Blogger Show. The exhibits showcase the work of over thirty artists whose common interest is in clarifying artistic discourse through their blogs. All of the exhibits will take place between November 3, 2007 and January 12, 2008. Preview the exhibits online at Fiji Island Mermaid Press, courtesy of Marc Snyder. Stay current with The Blogger Show artists on the blog or join us at MySpace.

The Blogger Show @Agni Gallery - November 3-30, 2007
The first tendril of The Blogger Show in physical space ends on November 30. If you missed the show you can still check out installation images here and reception images here and here.

The artists in the exhibits at Agni, Digging Pitt and Panza Galleries represent a range of visual disciplines and aesthetics. The one commonality is active blogging. Some use blogging as a platform for discussing issues facing visual artists while others treat the blog as a public journal. Whatever approach or combination of approaches, all have brought a level of clarity to artistic discourse. These exhibits are a reflection, in physical space, of the ephemeral blogosphere. And by its very nature, an extension of the guiding philosophy behind Digging Pitt’s flat file archive. - Read more

Excerpt from Bill Gusky's article (Artblog Comments) Read more

This exhibition focuses on the work of artists who are active art blog writers. The work you see here emerged in the studio in near-simultaneity with the artist’s written expressions. These twin efforts – art making and blog writing -- sometimes appear to flow together and intertwine beautifully, and at other times almost seem to be in diametric opposition.

The Blogger Show @Digging Pitt Gallery - November 10, 2007 - January 12, 2008
Public reception December 8
Digging Pitt Gallery - 4417 Butler Street - Pittsburgh PA 15201
TH 12 - 8 FR 12 - 7 SA/SU 11 - 7 and by appointment 412-605-0450
Digging Pitt Gallery is exhibiting some of the artists in more depth, allowing a greater presentation of the artists' works. Read More

Installation images from Digging Pitt

Appearing @Digging Pitt Gallery (Pittsburgh PA)
Martin Bromirski – (Richmond VA) Anaba
Sharon Butler (Mystic, CT) – Two Coats of Paint
Lisa Call (Parker, CO) - New Work and Inspiration
F. Lennox Campello (Washington, DC) Mid Atlantic Art News"
Rose Clancy (Pittsburgh, PA) – paperWorks
Kevin Clancy (Boston MA and Pittsburgh PA) - soft soft pink pulls through the ivory void Warren Craghead - drawer
Roberta Fallon (Philadelphia PA) Fallon and Rosof's Artblog
Ann Gordon (Detroit MI) - Detroitarts
Cable Griffith (Seattle WA) - Cable Griffith
Tracy Helgeson - Works by Tracy Helgeson
Stephanie Lee Jackson (Brooklyn NY) - Pretty Lady
JT Kirkland (Washington, D.C.) - Thinking About Art
Mary Klein (Minneapolis, MN) - stillifes
Eva Lake (Portland, OR) -Eva Lake
Steven LaRose - (Ashland OR) Steven LaRose
Michael Lease (Richmond VA) - Annabelle's Aspirin
Jean McClung (Pittsburgh PA) Urban Bytes
John Morris (Pittsburgh, PA) - Digging Pittsburgh Arts
Elizabeth Perry (Pittsburgh, PA) - Woolgathering
Christopher Reiger (New York, NY) Hungry Hyaena
Libby Rosof (Philadelphia PA) Fallon and Rosof's Artblog
Marc Snyder (Pittsburgh, PA) - Fiji Island Mermaid Press

The Blogger Show @Digging Pitt Too - November 10, 2007 - January 12, 2008 - Public reception December 8
Digging Pitt Too - 45th & Plummer Streets - Pittsburgh PA 15201
SA 12 – 5 and by appointment - 412-605-0450
Susan Constanse and Bill Gusky will be sharing Digging Pitt Too. Read more

Installation images from Digging Pitt Too

Appearing @Digging Pitt Too (Pittsburgh PA)
Susan Constanse (Pittsburgh, PA) - Oranje
Bill Gusky (Canton, CT) - Artblog Comments

The Blogger Show @Panza Gallery - November 10, 2007 - January 12, 2008
Public reception December 15
Panza Gallery - 115 Sedgwick Street - Millvale PA 15209
WE/Th/FR 10-5 SA 10-3 and by appointment - 412-821-0959
Panza Gallery will have a regional focus, showcasing Pittsburgh's local bloggers. There will also be a presentation of work created by artist journaling. Read more

Appearing @Panza Gallery (Millvale PA)

Kevin Clancy (Boston MA and Pittsburgh PA) - soft soft pink pulls through the ivory void
Susan Constanse (Pittsburgh, PA) - Oranje
Christiane D (Pittsburgh PA) - Christiane D
David Grim (Pittsburgh, PA) - Serendipity
Sophie Klahr (Pittsburgh PA) - the story of how it is
John Morris (Pittsburgh, PA) - Digging Pittsburgh Arts
David Pohl (Pittsburgh, PA) - find the time to rhyme
Amy Wilson New York, NY) - working

Agni Gallery - Blogger Show ending Nov 30

Yes, the exhibit at Agni Gallery is indeed ending. If you missed it, you can always check out the preview of the artists’ works, hosted online by Fiji Island Mermaid Press. And if you want even more details about the exhibits and artists involved in the Blogger Show, check out the Blogger Show Blog.

The exhibits at Digging Pitt, Digging Pitt Too and Panza Galleries opened on November 10, with all of the shows closing on January 12. Join us for the artists receptions -

Digging Pitt and Digging Pitt Too

November 10 - January 12 - Public Reception: December 8, 2007: 6-9pm

Panza

November 10 - January 12 - Public Reception: December 15: 6-9pm

A preview of the artists’ works are hosted online.

Conceived Bully in City Paper

Conceived Bully, curated by JC One, has been reviewed by Lissa Brennan in the City Paper. To our great delight! The exhibit really is phenomenal. Stay tuned, we have a special event in the works.

Following is an excerpt from A Digging Pitt exhibit highlights street art as a cooperative form.

Conceived Bully, on view at Digging Pitt Gallery, is an outstanding example of American urban art realized to its fullest potential. The yield of each of the three artists featured -- JC One (who also curated), MCA/Evil Design and MAGMO -- embodies the fundamentals of street art that herald urban aesthetic as a cooperative form. At once, each emerges as a distinctly individual creator while participating in a global artistic movement that gravitates more toward concrete than marble. And while all the stimulus bestowed by the relatively young traditions of their forbears is evident, that history has been digested and built upon rather than merely echoed. Read article

Conceived Bully, through October 27. Join us for the closing reception.

EVIL DESIGN - Boston MA
I've heard some of the kids talkin' on the bus an' I just wanna set the record straight. Evil Design is not a band of Blood Sucking Son-Of-A-Guns that like to make babies cry, they're just some kids that like to draw pictures is all.

JC One - NYC/PGH
Cultures come and cultures go. Some we remember and some we don't know.

MAGMO - The Destroyer - Rhode Island
Magmo is here to help. Magmo is here to destroy.

Opening Reception @Digging Pitt

JC One
Magmo the Destroyer
Jean McClung
Sherry Rusinick
MCA/Evil Design
Jon Anderson

Opening Saturday September 8 @Digging Pitt

Save the Date!
Opening: September 8, 6-9PM

Conceived Bully - Side I

The raw installment and tough works of urban design.
Featuring the works of --

EVIL DESIGN - Boston MA
I've heard some of the kids talkin' on the bus an' I just wanna set the record straight. Evil Design is not a band of Blood Sucking Son-Of-A-Guns that like to make babies cry, they're just some kids that like to draw pictures is all.

ExperiBreed - NYC/PGH
Cultures come and cultures go. Some we remember and some we don't know.

MAGMO - The Destroyer - Rhode Island
Magmo is here to help. Magmo is here to destroy.

More information

Same Frequency - Side II

An exhibit of paintings and mixed media works by three very different artists...who are nonetheless on the Same Frequency. More information

Jon Anderson - Paintings on Paper
Jean McClung - Mixed media on Paper and Illuminated Sculptures.
Sherry Rusinack- Mixed Media on Canvas

ExperiBreed @Digging Pitt Too

In his exhibit at Digging Pitt Too, JC one will present works from ExperiBreed, his most recent cycle of expression. Join us in September in welcoming JC one to the walls at Digging Pitt Too. More information

Closing on August 18th @Digging Pitt and Diggng Pitt Too

Save the Date
Saturday, August 18
6PM - 9PM
Closing Reception at Digging Pitt Gallery and Digging Pitt Too


Maggy Aston: Drawings and Constructions - Side I more information

Maggy Aston works with naturally occurring forms rendered with sensitivity to line and form. Maggy Aston earned her B.F.A. from Maryland Institute and her M.F.A. in printmaking from West Virginia University in 1995. She currently lives on the banks of the Monongahela River in a small rural town south of Pittsburgh, PA. Aston teaches drawing and design at the California University of Pennsylvania. Tour the exhibit



Inside Out Six: Selections from the Flat Files - Side II more information

Digging Pitt Gallery welcomes new artists to its flat file archive on a continuing basis. Every once in a while we like to let every one know whose work can be found by digging through the flat files. Currently, Digging Pitt Gallery represents over 190 local, regional and national artists. The archive houses hundreds of works, from the experimental to the whimsical.


Big F***ing Thing @Digging Pitt Too more information and here
John Eastman

John Eastman is a painter, writer, and mixed media artist. His education of abstract art and skills are self-taught.



Digging Pitt Gallery
MySpace
Pittsburgh Arts - Digging Pitt Gallery
4417 Butler St.
Pittsburgh, PA 15201
p 412.605.0450
f 412.605.0451 Gallery Hours
TH 12 - 9
FR 12 - 7
SA 11 - 7
SU 11 - 7

Digging Pitt Too
45th and Plummer
Pittsburgh PA 15201
p 412-605.0450
SA 12 - 5
by appointment and other random times

Blogger Show Artists

>FLASH<

We have just finished putting up a blog for the upcoming Blogger exhibit. Your one-stop page for information about the show and the exhibiting artists.

We will be including links to venue information, artists web projects and more. Right now, we have assembled RSS feeds to all of the exhibiting artists' blogs.

Go check it out.

Maggy Aston - Tour the exhibit

Tour Maggy Aston: Drawings and Constructions, currently installed at Digging Pitt Gallery.

Opening reception on June 16!

Join us tonight -
Opening reception on June 16
6-9pm


Maggy Aston: Drawings and Constructions - Side I more information

In June, Digging Pitt will present a solo exhibit of the work of Maggy Aston. Maggy works with naturally occurring forms rendered with sensitivity to line and form. Maggy Aston earned her B.F.A. from Maryland Institute and her M.F.A. in printmaking from West Virginia University in 1995. She currently lives on the banks of the Monongahela River in a small rural town south of Pittsburgh, PA. Aston teaches drawing and design at the California University of Pennsylvania.



Inside Out Six: Selections from the Flat Files - Side II more information

Digging Pitt Gallery welcomes new artists to its flat file archive on a continuing basis. Every once in a while we like to let every one know whose work can be found by digging through the flat files. Currently, Digging Pitt Gallery represents over 190 local, regional and national artists. The archive houses hundreds of works, from the experimental to the whimsical.


Big F***ing Thing @Digging Pitt Too more information
John Eastman

In June, Digging Pitt will present Big F**king Thing: John Eastman @Digging Pitt Too. John Eastman is a painter, writer, and mixed media artist. His education of abstract art and skills are self-taught.

Digging Pitt Gallery 4417 Butler St. Pittsburgh, PA 15201 p 412.605.0450 f 412.605.0451	Gallery Hours TH 12 - 9 FR 12 - 7 SA 11 - 7 SU 11 - 7
Digging Pitt Too 45th and Plummer Pittsburgh PA 15201 p 412-605.0450	SA 12 - 5 by appointment and other random times

Digging Pitt
Digging Pittsburgh Arts
Digging Pitt, MySpace

News and events at Digging Pitt Gallery

Stay current with events at the gallery through Digging Pitt Arts and on MySpace.



1. Closing reception on June 2!

2. Opening reception on June 16!

3. A brief hiatus

4. Digging Pitt wants you

5. Welcome to our new additions from California Universty of Pennsylvania


1. Closing reception on June 2!

June 2, 2007: 6-9pm

Marci Gehring: Flat Line (Side I) more information

Selene dePackh: The Graphic Tales of Prodiga diNero (Side II) more information

Spotlight on George Kollar - Side II more information

Photographic Showcase Exhibit @Digging Pitt Too more information



2. Opening reception on June 16!

June 16, 2007: 6-9pm

Maggy Aston: Drawings and Constructions - Side I more information

Inside Out Six: Selections from the Flat Files - Side II more information

Big F***ing Thing @Digging Pitt Too more information



3. A brief hiatus

Digging Pitt is taking a brief hiatus from June 3-June 15. Although we won't have regular gallery hours, we will be open by appointment. Call 412-605-0450 or email John to set up a time.



4. Digging Pitt wants you

Digging Pitt Gallery and Digging Pitt Too are looking for volunteers to help out at the gallery and at special events. Digging Pitt takes a 30% commission on sales, with the artist receiving 70%. Although Digging Pitt is not a non-profit, many of our events and initiatives serve the public and the arts community. If you want to help out, or if you have some other ideas, get in touch with us. Contact us by phone at 412-605-0450 or by email. more information


5. Welcome to our new additions from California Universty of Pennsylvania

Digging Pitt Gallery welcomes students from CUP in our flat file. Twenty-five students are participating in a new program to bring fresh young voices to our flat files. Students include in CUP's drawer 12 are:



Katt Berdine PA

Matt Brinkman PA

Angela Capuzzi PA

Erica Clipper PA

Kris Dowling PA

Brad Felix PA

Felicia Flick PA

Andrea Haselhuff PA

Andrew Herwig PA

Ashley Hickey PA

Justin Hill PA

Mick Kellerman PA

Laura Lapacik PA

Seth LeDonne PA

Kayla Leventry PA

Jessica Lotman PA

Kristen McNeil PA

Collin Medved PA

Robert Morrow PA

Jenna Mosse PA

Joe Mruk PA

Courtney Richards PA

Melanie Ruch PA

Hector Santos PA

Melissa Settle PA

Sherrie' Silvio PA

Dennis Stolke PA

Rachel Strind PA

Emily Wolfe PA

Marci Gehring

Closing's Tonight

The Pittsburgh Tribune Review has listed the closing in their top picks for the weekend. Check it out here.

Closing reception for Lush Life, Visual Abstraction and Regenesis
April 7, 6-9PM

Lush Life - Side I --more information
Paul LeRoy
Todd Pinkham
Jessica Sommer
Katherine Young


Visual Grammar: Five Approaches to Abstraction-- more information
Curated by Gary Jurysta
Charles Andresen
Glen Brunken
Joren Dykstra
Patrick Schmidt

Regenesis: David Grim @Digging Pitt Too-- more information
David Grim

Flat Line @Digging Pitt

Marci Gehring: Flat Line (Side I)

Pittsburgh … Digging Pitt welcomes Marci Gehring to the gallery. In April, Digging Pitt will hand the gallery over to Gehring for Flat Line. An opening reception takes place on April 14, 2007 from 6-9pm. A closing reception takes place on June 2, 2007 from 6-9pm. Free and open to the public.

Marci Gehring: Flat Line (Side I)

In April, Digging Pitt will hand the gallery over to Marci Gehring for Flat Line. An opening reception takes place on April 14, 2007 from 6-9pm. A closing reception takes place on June 2, 2007 from 6-9pm. Free and open to the public.

It has been several years since Pittsburgh has had an opportunity to view Marci Gehring's large-scale paintings. Gehring's richly ornate canvases closely reflect a philosophy crowded with figures both mythical and common. The detail of this figured work is overwhelming in its scale.

"My idea is to have everyone's inner gold come forth, and show how we are one, we're connected," says Gehring in her interview with Bill O'Driscoll.

Wanna be friends?

Visit us at our new home on MySpace.
A place where you can find out about what's happening at Digging Pitt and why you should dig pitt too.

Digging Pitt Gallery small works

While you're out and about, checking in with the galleries here in the 'burgh, make sure that Digging Pitt Gallery is on your list of stops. The current small works exhibit amasses a varity of work that shows to great advantage artists represented in Digging Pitt's flat file archive.

At no other time has Digging Pitt's ideology been so apparent as with this show. The work is consistently good, ranging from the truly bizarre to the deeply beautiful. Digging Pitt is the antithesis of the white-box gallery. While the work presented in traditional galleries are without doubt of high quality, there is also no doubt about who is in charge in these presentations. The artist has, at best, a secondary role with the curator or director the real star. This includes a number of so-called alternative spaces whose presentations, while challenging, are far from democratic or inclusive. While many make the effort to present challenges to the viewer, they share the same insider bias that is prevalent within the traditional gallery system. In addition, viewing is limited since many of these venues have erratic or limited hours.

The gallery was started by John Morris, who moved here from New York in 2004 with the express purpose of opening a gallery. Digging Pitt is modeled after the Pierogi Gallery, located in Brooklyn. Digging Pitt, much like the Pierogi gallery, brings a wide range of works from a vast array of artists, into one small area. Several articles have been written about Pierogi. You can read more on their site. Following is an excerpt from Gregory Volk's essay on Pierogi's flat files:

Moreover, there seems to be a vast gulf between this era and others when
galleries—in addition to their major business of selling or merchandising
art—were also cathartic arenas where people met, exchanged ideas, mixed it up,
formed friendships, engaged in foolishness and exploration, and where other
genres like music and literature made frequent appearances.

The gallery itself is dominated by large flat files, the drawers of which contain folios of carefully stored artwork. Perusing the collection of artwork gives one a sense of discovery, delving into unknown depths in search of some hidden gem. When you walk into the gallery you get such a sense of discovery, with a feeling that there are no wrong choices.

Gallery Goals & Vision

CurratorsMy next show is a big holiday season spetacular, open to all the artist's affiliated with my gallery and many others, So I figured It would be a good idea to post my gallery vision and goals as they are on my website.

Digging Pitt was started by New York artist, John Morris, with these goals
1) To create an open-ended, accessible way to introduce the creative output of the region.
2) To create an affordable and practical way for people to see and buy the works of emerging artists.
3) To create a viable way to introduce work to audiences outside of the region.
4) To create a forum for experimentation and artistic collaboration between artists.
Too often galleries and museums act as the places where a passive art "audience" is force-fed the work they "should see" as determined by a small base of curators, dealers, critics and collectors. The logic is inexorable and brutal: shows are expensive-therefore only certain artists can be worthy of the huge investment. How are these artists found? In previous shows dictated by the same logic. The result is a largely closed loop with few entrances. (Such as coming through the "right MFA" program.)
Outside are the huge bulk of artists, often with very worthy work for whom the system is almost impenetrable.
Digging Pitt is meant to act as a one of the new holes in the gallery system. A place where the works of new emerging and under recognized artists can be seen. It is modeled after the legendary Pierogi2000 gallery in Brooklyn. It is a do it yourself gallery, requiring the viewers active involvement to come to life.

Flat File

Digging Pitt was started by New York artist, John Morris, to create an open-ended, accessible way to showcase the creative output of artists. Digging Pitt is meant to act as one of the new holes in the gallery system, a place where the works of new, emerging and under recognized artists can be seen. It is modeled after the legendary Pierogi gallery in Brooklyn, which has been the source for curators, critics, collectors and dealers to draw engaging and promising work. It is a do-it-yourself gallery, requiring the viewers' active involvement to come to life.
The flat file archive is easily accessible to the general public and Digging Pitt wants to extend an invitation to you to explore the portfolios. Digging Pitt has recently installed shelving and bins so that larger and framed works can also be stored at the gallery. Digging Pitt welcomes you, the art lover, the curator and the curious, to explore the archives, digging through the files to find that special work that engages your mind and your spirit.
Digging Pitt Gallery welcomes new artists to the flat file archive on a continuing basis. Every once in a while we like to let every one know whose work can be found by digging through the flat files. Currently, Digging Pitt Gallery represents over 140 local, regional and national artists. The archive houses hundreds of works, from the experimental to the whimsical. The works include digital prints, monoprints, etchings, collage, photography, watercolor paintings and mixed medium works: anything that can fit into the flat file. Over the past year, Digging Pitt Gallery featured works from the flat files in its continuing Inside Out series. In April, Digging Pitt Gallery continues to draw from the flat file archives for the Welcome Back exhibit. Over the last several months, Digging Pitt Gallery has hosted solo, group and survey exhibits on the gallery walls. In October, Digging Pitt Gallery began the Flat-out exhibit series and the eye-site series, all of which focus on the creative spirit of the gallery artists.

I Hear The Boiling Frogs

The few people who knew me in NY, sort of knew that I had a sleeping problem and a slight problem with Anxiety and like now it is much worse and I don't know why? I mean everything is going fine right? Now at night, I think that I am hearing frogs or that's what I thought at first.
It's like a sound from underwater or something and it is faintly familiar.

Seems like the frogs have always liked NY, they liked the warmth. It used to be really warm but in a cool way and I feel that it was the frogs who were making it warm and every year it got hotter. The sounds the frogs made then was a lot of spashing and rythmic croaking like to all kinds of beats and it flowed together into a pusing croaking sound. If you would talk too one they would say like wow it's hot here, but they loved it-- the work was hot , the parties were too. There really were a few frogs who faintly felt that something was wrong, I mean who controlled the heat. Years ago it seemed like the frogs did, now your like not sure.

But the sound I hear now is only faintly familiar. There's some kind of pulse and it's maybe louder than ever, but the other sounds are just not frog sounds anymore. Do they cry? It's now like a lot of loud sound but thats being muffled by deep water. I think i can hear sort of screaming and bitter fighting among the frogs. Some are on the surface and they still seam able to take the heat. Theres also a sound like laughing but that's coming from somwhere else.

Every day the few frogs that can cluster in hoards around the galleries. A bitter pick me, pick me coming from thier parched mouths. You can here the words clearly. Many frogs have only one limb and all kinds of boils and scars. A lot are from fights with each other.

Does anyone have any idea what this dream means? Does anyone care?

Carnivalesque: A Grim Guignol

Carnivalesque: A Grim Guignol
June 8 - July 8, 2006
Opening Reception: Saturday June 10 - 6-9pm
Closing reception: saturday, July 8 - 6-9pm

View carnival images by David Grim
View other carnival images

Carnivalesque: A Grim GuignolCarnival - a burlesque world of the odd, the unique, the strange, the macabre' and the fun. Have some fun with Digging Pitt Gallery and the Carnival exhibit. Shills and carneys, barkers and roustabouts jigging to the blatting of the cally-ope. Come one, come all! Digging Pitt Gallery invites you to submit your art for the gallery exhibition. The exhibit will be curated by Digging Pitt artist David Grim.

Join us at the opening reception for special performances by:
Phat ManDee
Andrew the ImpaledOriginal
music composition by Andres Ortiz-Ferrari

Artists included in the exhibit
Florence Barry
Kate Bechak
Christine Bethea
Nicholas Vincent Brungo
JJ Burns
Chuck Busha
John Calandra
Connie Cantor
Victoria Cessna
Francis Crisafio
John Eastman
Gus Fink
Marci Ghering
Carl Goldman
Gloria Gomez
David Gonzalez
David Grim
Jennifer Howison
Jeff Katrencik
Thad Kellstadt
Paula Garrick Klein
George Kollar
Sarah Emily Kuntz
Ladyboy
LeRoy, King of Art
Laura Jean McLaughlin
Chris Mozley
Michael Ortoski
Kyle Pattison
Todd Pinkham
Karri Roberts
Reverend Daisher Rocket
Richard Schnap
Bruce Siskawicz
Jessica Sommer
Kathryn Strutz
Laura Stuart
Jim Towns
Robert Villamagna
April West
Alice Winn
Chris Zarchansky
Bob Ziller

Curator, David Grim
The traveling carnival reached it's archetypal form between the two world wars. Originally they were included as part of the midway of a traveling show or circus, but due to the economic malaise of the country were scaled down to truck-convoy sized proportions. There were dozens of companies plying this trade at each and every crossroads, junction and pisspot across the land.

Of course the impetus of each and every carnival operation was the need to separate the rube or mark from his/her money. In order to do this all manner of con games and amusements were employed. The sleight-of-hand, manipulation and distortion belied the expectation of magic in the hearts of the non-suspecting.

The lures of the carnival were varied, but they can generally be considered in categories. There was the glitz of the rides... the ferris wheel and merry-go-round for the kiddies... There were the games of "chance" which were, without exception, rigged. And there was the haven of the true artists and performers... the sideshow (also known as freakshow, or "ten-in-one"). No doubt there were the grindshows (cooch shows) for the adult men to tuck surreptitiously in, as their children gorged themselves on cheap unwholesome food. But for our purposes, the "ten-in-one" must gather our focus.

A traditional "ten-in-one" was contained under a tent with a platform outside, at its entrance. On the platform, the "talker" would unravel his spellbinding spiel of sensationalism, weaving strange stories into the sensibilities of the spectators. His job was to "turn the tip", which simply meant to generate a paying audience for the show inside the tent. Of course the promise was the product, not the reality. Once the crowd had been admitted, an emcee would introduce the acts, one-by-one. These included all sorts of natural born human oddities as well as "working" attractions (those type of practitioners like mentalists, contortionists, sword-eaters, strongmen, etc, that could be easily replaced).

The sideshow invariably culminated with the blow-off. It's purpose was to get the crowd out of the tent, and the next group of rubes in. For a nominal additional fee, the audience would be offered a phenomena SO STRANGE and MIRACULOUS that they would NEVER FORGET it AS LONG AS THEY LIVED!!! This was usually a "pickled punk" (fetus in a jar, malformed or not), or a hermaphrodite (sometimes even authentic!). Of course those who took the bait were sworn to secrecy so that they would taunt their friends into sharing the experience of being fleeced for the additional blow-off fee.The more I think about the entire phenomena, the more parallels between the carnival and art worlds become painfully obvious. I'll spare you the hopefully unnecessary and long-winded elucidations. Curator's statement - David Grim