DoNArTNeWs

Jerry Kaba at The Crane Arts Center

DoN had the photos and the interview from a Second Thursday art crawl September 8th, 2011 at the Crane Center for the Arts in Fishtown.  But, DoN could not find the artist’s name!?!  By chance, Jerry KaBa’s business card surfaced and DoN can now share with you the scariest Halloween costume design - ever!

Video & Photos by DoNBrewerMultimedia

The Center for Emerging Visual Artists - Construct @ Crane Arts Center.

Every corner of the mammoth Icebox Gallery in the Crane Arts Center is activated with visual signs, symbols and sensory stimuli.  Last January curator Amie Potsic sent a call for ideas to the Fellows of The Center for Emerging Visual Artists for the huge art space in Fishtown.  Site specific works were encouraged, developed and confirmed by April and last week all the pieces fell into place and Construct, an invigorating, unique, studied look at contemporary art and how assemblage, construction and collage is integral to the new way of seeing.  The photo above looks so Rauschenberg but it’s mash-up of two large installations, one a trippy multiple collage by Jennifer Williams applied directly on the walls and a large assemblage by Don Edler that sprawls across the concrete floor like a drift of entrancing debris.

Don Edler @  The Center for Emerging Visual Artists - Construct @ Crane Arts Center.

Mami Kato in coming to the end of a long relationship with the special Japanese grass she uses to create the sinuous sculptures which take years to make to a new direction using resin for the bio-morphic sculpture in the foreground.  Her work looks so beautiful in the Gray Area, tying up the space in a confounding knot of dense yet floaty tubules.

The Center for Emerging Visual Artists - Construct @ Crane Arts Center.

Laureen Griffin plays with styles, textures, composition and sexual role models - huh?  DoN overheard a comment, “What’s that girl doing in the chair?”  The girl is dressed quite masculine, like a business woman, reading a paper, a strong contemporary image of a black woman set against the grain of an antebellum manor.  Intensely conflicting narratives zipped through DoN’s neural network from stories embedded in the fabric, visual cues in the styling and strangely involving decor.  Gorgeous!

The Center for Emerging Visual Artists - Construct @ Crane Arts Center.

Kimberly Witham was concerned for a moment that the photographs that are so huge in her studio would seem dwarfed by the scale of Icebox, but arrayed salon style, the still life photographs using dead animals, wallpaper and found objects read perfectly well.  The beautifully rendered still life photographs are so bitter sweet, we get to look at beautiful creatures living on after death in a work of art, an exquisite corpse of a different kind.  Witham’s photographs drew a crowd of people who stood and stared a long time; the mixture of repulsion and fascination, ugly and beautiful, cheery and morbid strums a tender nerve.  And the concept that raw steak is not just the color of cabbage roses but can be sexually Dali-nian is genius.

The Center for Emerging Visual Artists - Construct @ Crane Arts Center.

Alison Stigora, Whirlwind, charred wood, site specific installation.  Like a charcoal drawing in space, Whirlwind is a feat of imagination swirling up like a tornado; Stigora and a friend hand-charred the wood, pulling logs from the fire and dousing them with water to preserve the scarred luminous iridescence of the wood for the construction.  Alison wants all DoNsters to know she is not a pyromaniac, having a healthy fear of fire and does not play with matches.  The imposing sculpture continues Stigora’s investigation into the fractal like forms of the natural world, especially trees and all that art owes to them.

The Center for Emerging Visual Artists - Construct @ Crane Arts Center.

Alison Stigora, Whirlwind, detail.

The Center for Emerging Visual Artists - Construct @ Crane Arts Center.

Lewis Colburn was seated atop a 15 foot wooden tower where he typed War and Peace by Tolstoy during a performance at the opening reception; Colburn typed out part of the book relating to a theory about history and calculus, a repetitive process which spilled a long stream of paper into a puddle on the floor.  The Center for Emerging Visual Artists - Construct @ Crane Arts Center.

Lewis Colburn @ The Center for Emerging Visual Artists - Construct @ Crane Arts Center.

Maggie Mills has five paintings included in the exhibit, each artwork representing a bit of the anxiety she feels about the political and ecological environment her young daughter is growing up in.  Mills’ paintings incorporate compressed narratives, coupled with coming of age incidents and rituals.  In each of the paintings, young people are involved in a manner of play that involves constructions like kites but in a dream state haunted by angst, danger and fear for the future.

The Center for Emerging Visual Artists - Construct @ Crane Arts Center.

Swim Team, oil on panel, Maggie Mills @ The Center for Emerging Visual Artists - Construct @ Crane Arts Center.

Panoramic shot of the Icebox Gallery,  The Center for Emerging Visual Artists - Construct @ Crane Arts Center.

Artists exhibiting are: Noah Addis, Arden Bendler Browning, Lewis Colburn, Don Edler, Laureen Griffin, Jordan Griska, Ana B. Hernandez, Mami Kato, Allison Kaufman, Daniel Kornrumpf, Maggie Mills, Tim Portlock, Alison Stigora, Jennifer Williams, Kimberly Witham, and Bohyun Yoon.

Construct is on view through June 29th, a short run for such a big show but exhilarating in it’s scope, direction and audacity.

Photos by DoN.

Rebekah Wilhelm, VIII - 2011 MFA Thesis Exhibition, University of Delaware Department of Art @ Crane Arts Center.

Rebekah Wilhelm, Untitled, detail

Rebekah Wilhelm, Untitled, VIII - 2011 MFA Thesis Exhibition, University of Delaware Department of Art @ Crane Arts Center in Fishtown.

Rebekah Wilhelm’s most excellent print display @ UD Crane is filled with information, tightly packed into clever, spare prints like an art lesson on less is more.  The prints of swirling words explains how viewers interact with vision, her chain link fence prints are confounding and restrictive and the reams of paper spread in a long swipe across the floor is provocative yet simple and easy. Wilhelm already has plans to go to work teaching at the University of Delaware and is considering studio space in Philly.  DoN chatted with UD Crane curator Anthony Vega, he highlighted how there was more focus on craft and skill in traditional media and no video this year.  C. Grant Cox, III includes multimedia and mechanics in his sculpture but there was a noticeable absence of flat screens and projections in the gallery.

Tara Russell,  VIII - 2011 MFA Thesis Exhibition, University of Delaware Department of Art @ Crane Arts Center.

Jacob Smiley, VIII - 2011 MFA Thesis Exhibition, University of Delaware Department of Art @ Crane Arts Center.

Tia Santana, VIII - 2011 MFA Thesis Exhibition, University of Delaware Department of Art @ Crane Arts Center.  Tia Santana’s performance/installation anchored the lower gallery by the stairs with the artist studiously braiding what looked a lot like hair into long dreads.  Dressed in white, Santana focused on expanding the mound of braids, weaving memes like “roots”, “identity” and “work” into a fascinating presentation of a simulacra-like archetype that a week later is still vibrant in DoN’s mind.

Daniel Jackson, VIII - 2011 MFA Thesis Exhibition, University of Delaware Department of Art @ Crane Arts Center.  Check out Jackson’s web site for a good look at his work, his paintings exhibit not just vibrancy and virtuosity but thoughtful content, decorative panache and strong painting science.  The glossy panels thick with layers of saturated color and ancient technique are mashed up with a contemporary sense of irony; Jackson’s paintings illustrate Vega’s observation of skill being penultimate.

Congratulations to Matt Giel for his desirable photographs, Leontien Rotteveel’s beatific objet trouve-like sculpture/installation and the entire class of UD 2011 for a refreshing look at the endurance of art.  The gallery is University of Delaware’s outpost away from school, offering students a really cool space to show their work, creating an aspirational vibe and a real clarity of vision of who artists can be after college.

Photos by DoN.

Elaine M. Erne, “Mr. Bunny Misses His Friends” @ Nexus Foundation for Today’s Art

Mr. Bunny Gets Screwed, graphite on paper, 90 x 60″.  Elaine Erne lost her toy bunnies with return instructions throughout Philly and May 12th many people returned what they found to the Nexus Foundation for Today’s Art, the Crane Arts Center in Fishtown.  If you returned a bunny you could exchange it for a numbered print and the bunny is hung on the wall, if you want to keep the bunny you found it cost you five bucks.  Elaine told DoN Mr. Bunny Misses His Friends causes the finder to decide whether to return the lost toy and participate in an interactive experience or just keep it and live with your conscience.  Many participants exchanged their finds for a signed, numbered print and took pictures of themselves with the installation and the artist.  Erne’s installation is anchored by two of her heroically scaled drawings facing each other across the room allowing the viewer to take in the scope of the drawing then move in close and feel the energy it took to complete the masterful drawings.

Elaine M. Erne, “Mr. Bunny Misses His Friends” @ Nexus Foundation for Today’s Art.

Elaine M. Erne finding one of her numbered prints to match the returned lost bunny at “Mr. Bunny Misses His Friends” @ Nexus Foundation for Today’s Art.  Erne’s interactive idea showcases her image making skill and innovative public interaction and social networking, adding a layer of sophistication, thoughtfulness, liven-ess and fun to Elaine’s art.

Elaine M. Erne, “Mr. Bunny Misses His Friends” and Leah Reynolds, “Bee Life” @ Nexus Foundation for Today’s Art.

The two artists share the space with Leah Reynolds Bee Hive themed installation cross pollinating Elaine Erne’s toys in peril with exquisite corpse-like dynamism.  Leah Reynolds told DoN she based her show on the lives of bee’s and the symbolism surrounding them from hives to queens to hair-dos - Super-Kawaii!  Reynolds’ photography is off the chain with dynamic hair portraits interspersed with interstitial abstracts, the environment enlivened by the whimsical paper sculptures and swathes of lace like being in a magical dream.

Leah Reynolds, “Bee Life” @ Nexus Foundation for Today’s Art.  Queen for A Day, the hanging fabric forms the shape of a cartoon-ish crown, an homage to the creepy early TV show which made home-making the pinnacle of being an American woman.

Leah Reynolds, “Bee Life” @ Nexus Foundation for Today’s Art.

Photos by DoN.

Kimberly Witham @ Introduction 2011 - Center for Emerging Visual Artists New Development Fellows @ Moore College of Art & Design Widener Memorial Foundation Gallery, Feb 2nd - 19th, 2011.

Kimberly Witham told DoN people presuppose she Photoshop’s her work but her mise-en-scène photographs are real still-life compositions, elements of which have a limited shelf life.  The pictures of pretty headless birds in cups and on plates dredge up memories of dead birds on the street and questions of why they fell from the sky.  About half of the photos included in this ground-breaking exposition are film, half digital, a seem-less transition between mediums made transparent by Witham’s virtuosity, she’s a professor of photography at Bucks County College, a school with a long tradition of excellence in photography education.  The road kill element is shocking and beautiful, a sweet, sad commentary on urban wild life.

Maggie Mills, Crops, oil on linen.  Maggie and DoN got into an animated discussion about”fracking“, another painting in the show is titled Frack, the practice of injecting noxious chemicals into the Earth’s crust to break it up and release “natural gas“.  This clean fuel puts unknown dangers into the families and communities who live where fracking takes place by releasing toxic chemicals into the water table, scary shit, Mills’ painting shows an adolescent crouching, head to knees, while visions of matrix-like drills descend from the sky.

Daniel Kornkrumpf uses fiber like colored pencils for his portraits of on-line social network profie pics he’s found over time - a long time since the densely embroidered portraits may take months to produce, unlike a drawing which may take an afternoon.  The isolated faces floating in large blank fields of fine linen examines the connection of the isolationism of social networks and the self-portraits that make you think, “Really?  That’s their best look?”  Instead of attracting attention, ridicule and mockery may result, by the way Plenty of Fish often advertises in the DoNArTNeWs sidebar, please, click through, Valentine’s Day is coming up.  Kornkrumpf will continue his unique fiber portraits but is pursuing drawing and painting for the upcoming show at the Ice Box in late spring.

Daniel Kornkrumpf

Mami Kato created these futuristic sculptures by unraveling rope she imports from her home, Akita Japan,creating domes of fiber reminiscent of the rice fields at home after harvest and clumps of stems line the horizon.  Kato surprised her audience by picking up the light weight, yet densely compact, domes, revealing the Trompe-l’œil. 

On the left is Alison Stigora, represented in this show with a magnificent drawing of a giant cosmic crystalline flower in mixed media including drawing, prints, chalk and wax but is also in an awesome show at LGTripp Gallery in Old City through February 26th. Next to her is Maggie Mills, behind Mami is a collage of digital prints by Jennifer Williams that is a totally steal-able idea - who knew, collage could be so cool.

Lewis Colburn, The Pursuits of a Gentleman, mixed media installation with ten photographs and steamer trunk.  This assemblage was a fave of Spike Howard, Philly’s finest wind farm engineer, for it’s sense of time travel, irony and elegance.  DoN loves how CFEVA treats photographers as true artists who belong at the table with painters and sculptors.

Arden Bendler Browning @ Introduction 11

A Fishtown native who’s studio is in the Crane Arts Center, Browning obviously takes full advantage of the large work space to create massive paintings, this color field of speeding urban images, like you see out of the corner of your eye as you zoom down the Expressway, is abstract expressionist yet a kind of contemporary cubism with obtuse angles and cracked spacial warps.  DoN easily sees Arden Bendler Browning taking the opportunity of the fellowship that CFEVA offers and running with it, her work is complex yet accessible, perfect for contemporary collectors.

DoN inquired of new fellow Don Edler as to how he came to win the CFEVA fellowship and he generously explained how he meticulously researches grants and awards, looks at winners of previous competitions, discovers which other awards or grants they’ve received and applies for them, too. By making applying for grants part of his business plan, Edler makes it almost sound easy and is proof that persistence, patience, targeted yet broad research into funding, exhibition and publicity works like a charm.

Congratulations to the new fellows!

Zoe Cohen - Wind and Weather @ The Crane Arts Center in Fishtown.

Zoe Cohen’s site specific painting/drawing continues her exploration of the symbolic power of line by taking on Mother Nature.  First the surface of the long, high walls of the main hall (which is changed out regularly with installations) was prepared like one would for a fine painting, then long, strong strokes of muted color is heroically applied in swirls, curls and stretches of balanced lines.  DoN truly sensed the mythology of the elements signified in the simple line and color palette chosen by Zoe to delve deep into symbolism and communication.

The Hall @ the Crane Arts Center in Fishtown, with Zoe Cohen’s Wind and Weather, connects all the venues and is an important space for artists to activate since everyone passes through; Zoe Cohen s contribution to the legacy of the space is a simple, direct connection to a hive mind memory of simple shapes informed with complex ideas, capturing the imagination and stirring memories.

Philadelphia Photo Arts Society presents Philly Photo Day, 10/28/2010 - the concept is shoot & upload one image shot that day to their site, they then printed out groups of submissions on huge sheets of photo paper in alphabetical order.  Sarah Stolfa is a PR genius with the show in the fabu Gray Area @ the Crane Building, the raffle of great door prizes, the opportunity to meet other artists, the populist view that people in Philly have taste and can participate in grass roots projects with great results.  Martin McNamara of Gallery 339 told DoN he hopes next year’s project will be even bigger; the current show has over 300 submissions.  Read about the unique purchasing opportunity @ Philadelphia Photo Arts Center’s website - $20. for an 8 x 10″!!!

DoN Brewer, #28, Philly Photo Day, 10/28/2010.

The Icebox @ Crane Arts Center in Fishtown is an enormous white, cavernous space with high walls and no columns, it actually used to be a huge refrigerator.  Now it’s one of the premier art spaces in Philadelphia and through 11/22 will be hosting “40,000 Feet” by Su Tomesen, five huge projections of clouds viewed from an airplane with mist drifting across the floor and the low hum of jets, bleeps and bloops of seat-belt signs and the grind of lowering landing gear.  The effect is that of the perfect flight, the magic of riding high in the sky finally restored without having to take off your shoes.

Su explained to DoN there are several variables: time, movement, imperfection and the human hand.  The movie is not perfect, it’s not shot with five movie cameras somehow suspended from the underside of a plane, it’s the same clip playing at five different intervals.  But the illusion of clouds drifting endlessly by is mesmerizing like flying on a magic carpet with the mist drifting through room creating a veil of mystery.  Tomesen is thrilled with the space, the show previously was exhibited in a restaurant in Amsterdam above a row of windows abbreviating some of the magic.

40,000 Feet time-warped DoN back to cloud-watching with Grandma, looking for animals and faces in the sky while lying on the ground, only this time the view is from Heaven.

There is an artist reception Wednesday, 11/18 @ Crane Arts, 1400 American Street.

Ashley Pigford & Troy Richards, Vanishing Point combines computer graphics, motion sensors and robotics in the Information Translated exhibit in the University of Delaware’s art department adjunct gallery in the Crane Arts Center curated by Anthony Vega.

Troy Richards, The Hoarders II - Information Translated @ Crane Arts Center.

The University of Delaware faculty exhibit, Information Translated, is a futuristic trip into an art world where video projectors follow the actors around the room on a robotic platform (a movie called Knock by Lance Winn & Toronto artist Simone Jones), Legos and computers work in conjunction with movement and sound to create an experience design and normal appearing prints reveal underlying messages as if a computer memory kernel has exploded.  The show restores DoN’s appreciation of how video can be incorporated into an art show without seeming like a knock-off of Warhol.  By utilizing off-the-shelf components combined into innovative new forms, the UD faculty have created an inspirational, aspirational show that is sure to trigger new neural pathways for UD art students.  The space is an adjunct gallery for University of Delaware artists to display their work away from campus in the heart of one of Philly’s vibrant, emerging art centers.  The downstairs space is especially exciting with several video/robot installations that excite the eye and confuse the senses.  Check out the UD website for a statement about the show, but really, this show has to be seen to be believed.

Joshua Lanzara, Mary, pigment on paper, Felicia Perretti, Car Seat Fight & Charlie Getting Dressed.

According to the Philadelphia Photo Arts Center website their mission states:“The Philadelphia Photo Arts Center is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization devoted to the study, practice, and appreciation of photography in the Philadelphia region. The organization fulfills this mission by offering educational programs, photographic exhibitions, lectures by practicing artists, and affordable access to high-end digital equipment for the creation of photographs. PPAC is a resource for both practicing artists as well as individuals interested in learning about all aspects of contemporary photography. PPAC provides needed technical services and instruction and promotes the relationships and connections that will lead to a more vibrant photography community.“

This really says it all but when DoN & Jed Williams walked into the bright space in the Crane Arts Center we were both overwhelmed by the potential laid out before us, the kind reception by the informative staff, the top shelf equipment, the thoughtful art space and of course, the great photography.  The founder Sarah Stolfa, is a Yale MFA grad, an alum of Gallery 339, the creator of the art show & book,”The Regulars” and just a wonderfully cool, unpretentious artist who came up with a really great idea to give back to the community.  DoN can’t wait to get his hands on one of those Epson printers that can produce images up to 64″ wide!

The exhibition space @ The Philadelphia Photo Arts Center in the the Crane Arts Center in Fishtown.

The Philadelphia Photo Arts Center - Jaime Alvarez - Next Emerging Philadelphia Photographers.