Great weekend for touring the galleries

It was a great weekend for touring the downtown galleries. The weather was warm, a respite from this long winter. Touring the galleries made me wish I had made it downtown for the last gallery crawl. There were some very strong shows, one of which closed this past weekend.

Terry Boyd and the echoes seemed to cry savagely

Terry Boyd's show at 709 Gallery was so serene. Intricate, detailed ink drawings that subtly incorporated thread and mylar fill the gallery. I particularly liked and the echoes seemed to cry savagely, which had this one tiny layer of mylar. The show reflected the season, in its starkness. Totally a subjective reaction on my part, and there is definitely more to the show than a simple homage to winter. It brought to my mind a sense of landscape, especially here in our region with its hills.

Unfortunately, this is the exhibit that closed last weekend. However, Terry Boyd has documented many of the works in neverlands on his website.

Masks at Shaw Galleries

I stopped in Shaw Galleries while I was downtown. The gallery had its usual store of historic maps and small statuary. But installed above eye level was this great collection of masks. These are part of Kurt Shaw's collection that he has been amassing over the years, brought to Pittsburgh from South America, Northwest America and Africa.

Toby Atticus Fraley The Secret Life of Robots

You've probably seen Fraley's Robot Repair on Sixth Ave. Toby Atiicus Fraley has brought his robots to Space Gallery with the The Secret Life of Robots. The gallery is filled with several installations of robots in their everyday life.

At first blush, I expected to be amused by this exhibit. It does lend itself to kitsch, with its assemblage of thrift store objects and 50s style furnishing. Although the scenes reflect several stages in life, there were a few that spoke about the travails of the elderly, like the one above of a robot that is struggling to get to the phone after suffering a fall. The installations were illustrative, and seemed to hang on a Rockwellian view of common life experiences Even when the installation was more somber than is common in Norman Rockwell's work; maybe it was the details of the installation furnishings that brought this to mind.

Toby Fraley has documented many of the works on his site. The exhibit has just opened and will be on display at Space Gallery through April 27, 2014.

Rock, Paper, Scissors @ AIR, Space And FE Gallery: Opens Friday

Chances are I will only be able to glance at this multi part show at best on Friday.

Great to see a collaboration with AIR, a place far too few people know about.

Also great to see Jill Larson curating a show outside her own space, FE. I find it pretty shocking and boring how rarely new guest curators are used. Seems like some of this insular clubiness is breaking down.

Downtown Pittsburgh in January

The last Gallery Crawl of 2009 was on New Year's Eve. I did go downtown, very briefly, for the crawl. I wanted to head out of town before the "festivities" started. I did get into several venues, thinking that I would return the following Wednesday with camera in hand to take a real good look at the work.

Only a handful of galleries were open, however. Future Tenant, 707 and 709 Penn Avenue galleries were closed for installation. Some, unfortunately, were only open for the crawl. My first stop was the Stories exhibit, at 925 Penn Ave.



Stories is a first-time exhibit of Emphasis Interiors. The concept for the company is to incorporate art into the interior design process. Christine Dregalla plans to produce more of these exhibits in different locations throughout the city. From the show statement --

Stories is an exhibit of art-filled interiors inspired by the narratives of our lives and the meaning we assign to the places we call home. Whether one is a thrilling mystery, an epic saga or an esoteric poem, a customized home reflects the lives unfolding there.

As you can see from the above image, Ms. Dregalla has admirably combined art as well as fine crafts into an interior presentation. Stories is available for viewing Wednesday - Fridays, through the end of January. There is a closing reception planned for February 1 as well as other events and artists talks throughout the month of January. Check here for details and contact information.

One of the venues that I visited on New Year's Eve was 937 Liberty Ave. The third floor was open, with an interesting mix; there was a gospel band, tables of books and a collection of Teenie Harris' photographs. I have seen some of Teenie Harris' burlesque and cabaret photographs before, but never such an extensive collection of them in one place. These were particularly wonderful images,mostly take at the Little Paris Club in the Hill District. I checked the online database for some of the images from this exhibit, but only found the tamer ones. I don't have any images to show you, but the venue is open every Friday for Reverand Deryck Tines' Lunchtime Gospel at 12:15. If you are downtown, try to swing by. It was an amazing collection of drag portraits.

My last stop for the day was SPACE gallery for the Behind Our Scenes exhibit. From the show statement --

Our goal for Behind Our Scenes was twofold. We wanted to both give the artists working 'backstage' in Pittsburgh's art scene their own chance in the spotlight as well as provide an opportunity to celebrate and further unite this community of artists.

I know a lot of artists in the Pittsburgh area. For the life of me, I can't think of a single soul that is supporting themselves solely on their pursuit of the creation of art. All of them are engaged in activities, including teaching, sales, construction or working in a non-profit, in order to pay their bills.

Artists don't create in a vacuum; their art is influenced strongly by their experiences. In some ways, it is more difficult to express your own aesthetics and themes when your day is spent surrounded by the works generated by other artists. In some ways, working for a non-profit arts provider and still creating your own work is one of the most difficult things that you can do as an artist. Many of the artists in this exhibit are surrounded by strong work by masters for a majority of their time.

Another general note about the exhibit: There were a few works that incorporated audio, all of which were playing at the same time. It was a little distracting and difficult to isolate those works so that you could appreciate them on their own merits.



The above work, Nathan Hall's Stalactite, is beautiful. It is this softly glimmering work, with a subtle sound component. I won't try to project a philosophical interpretation on this. For me, it was purely an aesthetic enjoyment of a beautiful object.



Nicole Rosato displayed a series of portraits, If you were a place you'd be..., for this exhibit. There were twelve of these little gems. They are lovely.



This was a very energetic work by Jim Dugas.



Curt Riegelnegg Housing Plans for the New Fiscal Year, Page 1

Mr. Riegelnegg had three works in this series. There was something very appealing about them.



Loved this Exquisite Corpse. It was created by Katherine Young, Jocelyn Horner and Molly Weaver, all of whom work at the Mattress Factory.

Space
Behind Our Scenes
December 11 - February 13, 2010

*Behind Our Scenes artists represent the following Pittsburgh art museums and galleries:The Carnegie Museum of Art, Oakland
The Mattress Factory, North Side
The Andy Warhol Museum, North Side
Fe Gallery, Lawrenceville
Future Tenant, Downtown
Wood Street Galleries, Downtown

Pittsburgh Weekend Events: 6/12-13/09.

I realize that most prideful 'Burghers are likely to focus on the fortunes of their beloved Pens this weekend, and believe me... as far as vicarious pleasures of the sporting nature, I can think of few better than NHL hockey. Having said that, don't forget that you have many opportunities to engage in much more direct amusements, and on a much more intimate scale. For instance...

Friday

Local arts collective Unicorn Mountain is having the reception for a group show of participating artists, featuring many stellar works including those of rising star Elina Malkin. It all goes down at the Steve Mendelson Gallery (5874 Ellsworth Avenue, Shadyside) between 5:30-8:30. Participants include Jon Carling, Bill Wehmann, Jeff Schreckengost, Masha Vereshchenko, Ian Finch, David Grim, Christopher Kardambikis, Jenifer Cooney, Ben Kehoe, Beano, Christopher Cornwell, Tom Hall, Katherine Young, Amy Conroy, Brian Holderman, Laura Jean McLaughlin,
Paul Roden, and Valerie Lueth.

Continue the swank by making a hop to the North Side for the Urban Garden Party fundraiser at the Mattress Factory. Gourmet food, drinks, entertainment, artwork, and this year's "rock theme" should justify the exorbitant admission price. Besides you'll just feel cooler if you are there, rather than sitting at your local neighborhood bar doing whiskey shooters and talking about how great it feels to piss in a public sink (not that I know anyone who has ever done such a thing).

If you feel some pressing need to head downtown, stop by the SPACE gallery for "Smoke and Mirrors". Check out this roster- Cory Arcangel, Matt Barton, Chris Bearegard, Robin Brasington, Jacob Ciocci, Olivia Ciumo, Thad Kellstadt, Ladyboy, Guthrie Lonergain, Spencer Longo, Eileen Maxson, Jesse Jamaica McLean, Alex Miller, Jae Ruberto, Mike Smith, Scotty Vera, Jeffrey Vulture, John Daniel Walsh and David Wightman. Too bad I'm gonna miss this one. Also see ArtUp's "Homeland Insecurity" (937 Liberty, 8PM, $10).

And in the South Side (for the real masochists), Sam Thorp will be showing her latest work under the title "Adjournment" (7:30-11PM) @ The Rex (1602 East Carson). I've always enjoyed the clean lines and bright pallette of her portraits.

Saturday

If you want a window into the vast diversity of celebratory options in Pittsburgh, consider visiting the Cultural District on Liberty Avenue in glorious downtown for "Pride in the Streets"- a block party featuring DJs, food, and fierce fun. That gets underway at 7Pm, and costs a mere $20. Jennifer Holliday headlines, and while I don't know who that is, I am assured that she is famous, and honey... that's all that matters.

Or for a completely different scene, check out the free opening for Warhol Live at the Andy Warhol Museum (competing at the 7PM slot). This show focuses on the themes of music and dance in the great one's work. Also, you get a chance to see Dean and Britta (of the band Luna) for a very reasonable $10.

'In Full Bloom' thru May 12th

There's still time to see the downtown group show, "In Full Bloom," at SPACE Gallery, 812 Liberty Avenue, and I recommend it highly. Seen here are details from: (top two) Laura Jean McLaughlin, "Little Red"; Ashley Hodder, "Here Comes the Bride"; and Tim Kaulen, "Steel Heron #1" and "Steel Heron #2."

Through May 12th.
412.325.7723
Tues-Thurs. 11am-6pm
Fri/Sat 11am-8pm
Space Gallery Online

Can We Try A Little Harder ??

I went this evening to the wonderful show at Space Gallery to take the nice long look that I didn't get at the gallery crawl, only to find that they now close at 6pm most weekdays. I guess I should have checked. The artist/curator, Thad Kellstadt and all the artists involved put a lot into this elaborate, personal, trippy extravaganza which Kurt Shaw rightly called one of the best shows in the two and a half year history of Space Gallery.

The show includes Jacob Ciocci of Paper Rad; The North Carolina collective: Team Lump; Brooklyn artist Maya Hayuk; and amazing works by Pittsburgh artists like Thad himself, Jenn Cooney, Matt Barton, Ladyboy and Jae Ruberto.

But this rant isn't really about that show. It's about the fact that people don't seem to care. Thad said they had to cut the hours back because not many people come in. To my knowledge, the mysterious- Cultural Trust which controls most of the exhibits downtown never told people they planned to cut the gallery hours. Did they ever ask if volunteers would help sit those spaces to keep them open or try to raise money from the businesses and property developers who should have an interest in breathing life into the downtown or try to raise money from people who love art?

This sadly relates to all the other small things that people have never bothered to do here like listing in the regional gallery guide or having a local one; creating an online cultural map and guide to the whole city. Providing low cost or free links and a guide on the city's convention website. Putting together some type of meager indoor art fair to showcase regional galleries or perhaps having a city wide art blog.
Most of these things would not take a lot of effort and might find willing sponsors.

Looking Back on the Keny Marshall Show

Keny Marshall has great artist's talk about his Apophenia show on the Arts in Pittstbugh blog. I was glad that this show got some good attention from both inside and outside Pittsburgh. All three major papers here did something, as well as an impressive array of blogs.

City Paper By Adam Grossi

Post Gazette By Mary Thomas

The Tribune Review By Kurt Shaw

Online Media and blogs

Digging Pitt

We Make Money not Art

Structural Patterns

Arts in Pittsburgh

Brass Goggles

Go Flying Turtle

Abulia

Freakuency I think this guy is in Turkey!

This may have lead to a mention by Wired ??

And this guy on Myspace

A Taste Of The Gallery Crawl : Crowds

This post is to here to prove that there was good art -- I mean good crowds at the crawl downtown.

Review Of The Keny Marshall Show @ Space

Adam Grossi has a review of the Keny Marshall show that both me and Merge love @ Space, downtown. It was originally printed in the City Paper and is now on the Pittsburgh Art Review website.

"This level of access into ordinarily inaccessible technology is a driving force for Marshall’s work, an aesthetic of transparency he shares with contemporary DIY technicians like L.A.- based artist Tim Hawkinson. Marshall is motivated, to quote his artist’s statement, by a critique of the “increasingly invisible world that technology inhabits.” For Marshall, the unveiling of high-tech mechanisms also provides insight into their ideological constructions: the framework of thought that propels their creation. In a world hell-bent on microchips, nanotechnology and deceptively smooth plastic shells to conceal it all, Marshall’s approach is a playful protest against our rarely questioned immersion in man-made environments we can’t attempt to understand."

Read the whole review here. The web site is trying very hard to get more contributors.

Apophenia continues through December 31st at SPACE Gallery , 812 Liberty Ave., Downtown. 412-325-7723

Some More Thoughts About Isolation

This is sort of a follow up to my "gestures have meaning", post.

Since I have been here, I have been trying to explain the level of cultural isolation and the circular dead end nature of most art careers here. What happens in Pittsburgh stays in Pittsburgh. First, I want to acknowledge that the only other place I know well, first hand is NY and that is a tough comparison. But, from what I can see, when compared to most mid sized cities, and certainly to cities with as many major cultural and educational institutions- the level of isolation disturbing. I don’t think that this is something that can be explained by lack of exhibition spaces or lack of funding because, for a city of it’s size, there is a lot of money spent. I also don’t think that a general lack of nice exhibition spaces is a major factor. In fact on a relative basis, getting into some type of show here is much easier than in most places for local artists.

The spread out and inconvenient nature of things explains a lot, as does the basic lack of marketing to people out of town ( look at how few institutions list themselves in the Mid Atlantic Gallery guide and how few images and info is on most cultural websites and the lack of web links or any kind of city wide guide. ) But, I think the “separate but equal” situation in which there are relatively few spaces that regularly mix, Pittsburgh and non Pittsburgh artists is one of the biggest factors. When, you look at exhibition spaces in most cities ( and I have looked at a lot online as well visited some ) what you see is a lot of shows – some of which are touring- that mix local and non local artists. This creates links with other cities – artist’s come to see and install their shows, and critics, writers, collectors and other artists who follow those artists pay attention to what’s going on. This interaction often leads to press attention and the chance that local artists will be invited into shows in other cities and all kinds of “buzz”. If I ask people in the art world in other cities, which places they have heard of here- they almost always know the ones that regularly show out of town artists. Quite a few NY dealers seem to know Wood Street Gallery, but few know about Space or the Center For the Arts ( though they are kind of better exhibitions spaces and bigger )

Artist’s here have to question whether this “separate but equal” system is really in their interest and what it’s full effects are. There is no doubt that on some level it may mean more exhibition space available to local artists than there might be otherwise. But, it also undermines the whole purpose of showing ones work and having it taken seriously on more than a local level.

Keny Marshall @ Space

Here are Merge's thoughts about the Kenny Marshall show at Space Gallery downtown.

After I escaped the congestion at the Mattress Factory, I made the short drive downtown to have a look at Keny Marshall's opening at SPACE Gallery downtown. A look through the glass plate exterior of SPACE hints at the antiquated industrial wonderland inside. A conglomeration of pipes, gauges and joints coalesces into a large free-form mazelike structure reminiscent of a particularly dangerous playground "jungle gym". As impressively foreboding as the piece is, it merely hints of the magic contained at the rear of the gallery.

"Apophenia" is a confounding and playful installation centered on a large glass sphere aquarium. The movements of several fish (successors to the trail-blazing, but now unfortunately-deceased creatures involved during the project's initial conception) are videotaped by unobtrusive cameras that feed into two stacked monitors nearby. Motion-detectors attached to the screens monitor the movements of the aforementioned fish, and send electrical charges to towers with plastic slinky-like respirators. The resulting discharges of air are directed into beat-up brass instruments that announce the activities of the marine life.

Keny Marshall must be some sort of mad genius to have dreamed up such a scheme. As the piece's title suggests, it is a commentary on "patterns or connections in random or meaningless data." Yet it elicits a consideration of the very nature of concepts like "random" and "meaningless". Such carefully orchestrated harnessing of instinctual animal behavior suggests an intricately manipulative plan, whereby the artist has become the divine arbiter of fate. Through his contraption, Marshall articulates a dialogue between chance and creation. And it's all accentuated by an aesthetic reminiscent of the post-industrial tableus of Jean Pierre-Jeunet and Marc Caro (City of Lost Children, Delicatessen).

But why rely on my rather heavy-handed attempts to describe "Apophenia"? You may have missed the opening, but the exhibit continues until December 31st. Make it a point to come out and see this wildly inspired grand design.