‘FROM THERE TO THERE’ - OPENING - TO-NITE - !! - SAT JULY 26, 6-9pm
featuring NEW WORK by: SAM McKINNISS, JULIA NORTON & ISABELLE RANCIER !!
the show runs: JULY 26 - JULY 31, 2008 - so don’t blink !! it’s just the one week-end !!
BROOKLYN ARTISTS GYM - 168 - 7th ST - THIRD F. - BROOKLYN

for more info/check out: BROOKLYN ARTISTS GYM !!

artwork by SAM McKINNESS/COURTESY: BROOKLYN ARTISTS GYM

artwork by ISABELLE RANCIER/COURTESY: BROOKLYN ARTISTS GYM

artwork by JULIA NORTON/COURTESY: BROOKLYN ARTISTS GYM

BROOKLYN ARTISTS GYM

p.s. if you are wondering where you heard the name ISABELLE RANCIER before - we caught a picture of her and her best pal - KATE - at the summer’s hottest opening - BOBO’S On 27th !! - with none other than - JUSTIN SAMSON !!

from left: ISABELLE RANCIER, JUSTIN SAMSON & KATE CERIGO !!

see more: BOBO’S ON 27TH ST - OPENING NITE/PAR-TAY PIX !!

coming up shortly - like the beginning of the next week - so don’t hold your breathe.

. . . now in production !! text & photos going live - soon, enough.

note:

THIS IS A WORKING/ROUGH DRAFT - WILL GET ONE MORE EDIT !!

OPENING PIX - BEING WORKED ON NOW - WILL GO LIVE: TUES JULY 24 - 10 am !!

ALISON GINGERAS - at the opening of: ‘Pretty Ugly’ - a big survey show - mostly of last ( . . as in … way last !! ) generation ‘blue-chip’ artists - which she curated. GAVIN BROWN’S enterprise/MACCARONE, JULY 10, 2008.
PHOTO: NANCY SMITH

. . . why does the name JANIS JOPLIN come to mind. maybe because that’s just how tough and happening the art world in New York City really is right now - in terms of the work being made & the work being exhibited. but, as this big, yet basically timid, not to say insipid - group show - shows - if, you ain’t walkin’ the streets - you ain’t catching the beat ??

in other words - the exhibit - is way behind the curve - to be polite - to really be a knock-out presentation - no matter the theme - for New York City. For a show with such a pop-worthy title - there’s actually very little ‘pop’ for the money.

. . . you can sense it right off the bat - in the invite/poster - the image is catchy enuf - or should be !!- but - just falls flat. (first of all - why is it matte. if ever an image needed to be ‘glossy’ - this was it)

Same with the show. Gavin’s half at least proves skankworthy - but the MACCARONE portion is flat and full of too many small paintings, hung horribly - or, at least - to little effect - and, which are actually pretty ugly only because they are mediocre examples of some back-in-the day, old hat - and ultimately boring - wannabes - in terms of the art ‘throw downs’ you can see in New York City, including Brooklyn - on a casual stroll - any old day.

It doesn’t help that the twenty-something crew over at BOBO, out of PHILLY - put on a death match show over at FOXY PRODUCTION - and, seemingly, as easily as if - they were flicking on a light switch.

and, right next door to FOXY, on 27th St - at ATM - you can catch a finely expressed group show of diverse small paintings - more or less the ‘PRETTY UGLY’ format - that shimmers and glows in its !! ugliness - as to bring the words - intensity - and - originality - into play as well. and that’s just the atm summer knock-off show !! no big deal.

Yo. what’s PRETTY UGLY - as in: s-c-a-r-y !! is that such a big name curator comes up so empty-handed. and in New York City no less.

That Ms. Gingeras is the ‘personal’ curator for one of the world’s biggest art collectors - FRANCOIS PINAULT - who owns CHRISTIE’S auction house and therefore overseas a collection of over 3,000 art works - with its own exhibition venue - in Venice - only makes her lack of dynamic forward heat seeking - insight - that more more poignant for the denizens of a truly turbulent churning NYC scene - who wish the hell someone out there - could - wake up !! and be a real, on point - trend setter.

to read about one of Ms. Gingeras’ more successful outings, possibly because:

1. it was - OFF-SHORE - that is presented in a vacuum town where there is absolutely no contemporary art alive, kicking, dancing or biting - in the streets - at all - and that would be VENICE - as opposed to our glorious New York F*cking City - where we don’t import art by the bucketload - dude - we send it out !!
This is New York City - we TIME STAMP our art here. and,

2. URS FISCHER reigned supreme. the one big (NYC) beat - she got right.

see: ‘Pinault & Co’ by BEN DAVIS/artnet/o5/11/07

. . . on the other hand - when you wash up against these artlovers shores - it really is - coming up against - that final barrier reef - its live or, die - and maybe, sometimes we get a little too tough. if you stop, and look around at the rest of the art world offerings, this summer - and esp. the pathetic mainstream media coverage - you have to give her credit - for at least !! - putting on a show - where, in the words of one gallery-goer, overheard at the opening, said: “I have to go back - there’s a lot to see.” - if you don’t take it too seriously, need a wishy washy history lesson, and aren’t looking for cutting edge statements.

so, hey if you just wanna have fun - after all this is the summer - this is kinda like the CYNDI LAUPER vs JANIS JOPLIN show. you know - girls just wanna have fun - well, then its an almost good enough summer beach read - esp. if you aren’t - working - too hard, on cruising through the art scene - yourself . .

well, maybe the best that can be said is: maybe this guest curator sojourn in New York - will expose you to some new stuff. lets hope so. this show definitely veers towards out-of-touch & under-inspired. no rocking the boat here - it’s a pretty lame - PRETTY UGLY - underwhelming production.

that being said. it was worth the whole show’s price of admission - JUST !! - to get to see a f-a-b-u-l-o-u-s - ROB PRUITT - SEQUIN-LIKE WALL PIECE - ‘Prince William Sound’ - an early piece from 1989. the one spark of fast lane fabulosity in the entire show !!

that piece - a - PEACOCK FEATHER WALL PIECE by CAROL BOVE - and a SCOTT REEDER PAINTING - !! - and, ok. the BRUCE LaBRUCE photo of JEFF KOONS giving head - these 4 being - the only truly cutting edge - pieces - in the entire 2 gallery spread. pretty ugly …. or, what. and, o.k maybe that IMMENDORFF, too. just cause its green.

PIX OF THESE WORKS, and A FEW OTHERS & PHOTOS FROM THE OPENING - WHICH WAS PRETTY HOT - I GUESS CAUSE OF HER CONNECTIONS - POST: TUES JULY 28 - 10 am.

ROB PRUITT, ‘ Prince William Sound, 1989′, 2008.
plastic reflecto lights and enamel on board. 64 x 160 ins.
found in the Gavin Brown enterprise part of the show.

CAROL BOVE. wall piece with peacock feathers. enclosed in what seems to be a plexiglas shallow depth ‘frame’ box. in the MACCARONE GALLERY - section of the show.

PHOTOS: NANCY SMITH

further, re: ROB PRUITT and CAROL BOVE - within just this most narrow of subtexts, the show at hand - ‘PRETTY UGLY’ - curated by ALISON GINGERAS - it was interesting to note the differences between these 2 pieces - so similar in essential format - (i.e. over-all use of repeating real, non-art world materials - absolutely abstract, large scale, wall mounted, etc etc). The most telling difference - being the use of a plexiglas box ‘frame’ to enclose the Carol Bove. Not only did it prevent one from getting clean clear photos - but it prevented a true in-depth experience of the piece itself. The CAROL BOVE plexiglas box - cut off a kind of autistic, tactile appreciation of the peacock feathers, completely. what’s the point using them, then?

say, what !! - what I mean is: Although both pieces were made of many repeating rows of small units, one of feathers; one of ‘reflecto lights’ - (they looked more like classic sequins, but anyways) - while you could stand and watch transfixed for hours, the shimmery dance of the many colored sequins of the Rob Pruitt piece - wavering and shifting, and glittering out different light patterns - through their exposure to the gallery’s gentle air currents - esp. at the packed opening !! the plexiglas box around the Bove piece prevented any similar tactile motion - from the rows of almost equally shimmery and luminescent - peacock feathers. which presumably, if set free to the open air - would equally shimmer and dance - endlessly, offering up a (now) missing dimension of magic, wonder, and delight .. to me that qualified Carol’s piece as - truly PRETTY UGLY-IER, than Rob’s - because it was imprisoned. it’s a real time example of what artists, who work with fragile materials, have to do - to make their work - collector friendly, and low maintenance - pop ‘em into a shallow plastic box frame. come on !! - at least for the opening - or - the short life span of a summer - exhibit - set those peacock feathers - free !!

‘PRETTY UGLY’ - CURATED BY ALISON GINGERAS
JULY 10 - AUGUST 29, 2008
GAVIN BROWN’S enterprise and MACCARONE
GREENWICH ST at LEROY in the WEST VILLAGE - NYC

GBE
MACCARONE

PHOTO: TOD SEELIE/COURTESY: CINDERS GALLERY

PHOTO: TOD SEELIE/COURTESY: CINDERS

TOD SEELIE - ‘SLOWDANCING TO SLAYER’ - OPENS To-NITE - THURS JULY 17 7-10PM
the show runs: JULY 17 - AUGUST 9, 2008
CINDERS GALLERY - 103 HAVEMEYER - BETWN HOPE + GRAND - BROOKLYN, NYC
GALLERY HOURS: WED-SUN 1-7 PM

CINDERS is proud to present TOD SEELIE’S first solo show in New York.
“This show brings together different aspects of Tod’s diverse body of work that features stunning landscapes, enigmatic portraits and rousing events from his extensive travels that have taken him to 15 different countries, gotten him kidnapped in Brazil, and most recently a seat on a veggie-oil converted tour bus for the ‘Fuck Yeah’ fest.”

they have a great selection of his photos - already up and running on their website.

check out: CINDERS GALLERY !!

. . . . if you missed that great group drawing survey, ‘DON’T PAINT YOUR TEETH’ at CINDERS, which ran MAY 9 - JUNE 8, 2008 and was curated by RICH JACOBS … they have put together a portfolio book at CINDERS which has a great selection of some of the best of the original 8 x 10 drawings - that haven’t been sold, yet !!
ask STO or KELIE to bring it out !!
the drawings are in ballpoint pen, pencil & sharpie !!

here’s a little selection of our faves.

portfolio cover artwork by STO.

1st selection - right off the bat - MATT LEINES !!

two more by MATT LEINES

morphing into totally abstract faces - MATT LEINES

MATT LEINES

on the left, MATT LEINES; on the right: DANIEL DAVIDSON’S ‘ALPHABET OF SELF-DESTRUCTIVE BEHAVIOUR’.

a ‘classic’ RICH JACOBS drawing. RICH JACOBS also curated the show as part of his ongoing - ‘MOVE’ series. this is ‘MOVE’ #16 !!

a two part drawing by DIANE BARCELOWSKY

believe it !! count on MAYA HUYAK - to do something totally off the wall - and absolutely great !!

the ALLYSON MELLBERG / JEREMY TAYLOR touch.

‘FUN DAD’ by the unbeatable - TRAVIS MILLARD

‘ELECTRIC COMB’ - TRAVIS MILLARD

PORTRAITS by STO !!

dig this piece - by ERIC WHITE !!

another piece by STO !!

wow !! STEPHANIE DAVIDSON !!

‘LOVE MY DOG’ - DAVID HERMAN DUNE

last, but not least, JULIEN LANGENDORFF

CINDERS

. . . talking ’bout TAYLOR McKIMENS . . . . seems like his work was chosen to be the cover - artwork !! for the new SPRING 2008 - ‘MAIL ORDER MONSTERS’ catalog !!

MAIL ORDER MONSTERS … a traveling exhibit curated by KATHY GRAYSON was presented last year at: PERES PROJECTS in BERLIN, DEITCH PROJECTS in NEW YORK, and ANDREAS MELAS PRESENTS in ATHENS, GREECE.

Some of the artists featured in the show: apart from TAYLOR McKIMENS, are MAT BRINKMAN, RY FYAN, TOMOO GOKITA, JOE GRILLO, EVAN GRUZIS, BEN JONES, WES LANG, DAN McCARTHY, EDDIE MARTINEZ, TAKESHI MURATA, CLEON PETERSON, AUREL SCHMIDT, FRAN SPIEGEL & DENNIS TYFUS.

apparently the catalog is now !! available.
and, there will be a book signing to-nite !! - THURS JULY 17, 2008 - 7-9 PM !!
at DEITCH STUDIOS in LONG ISLAND CITY, QUEENS !!

many of the artists will be there, and there will also be screenings of videos by TAKESHI MURATA, BEN JONES, TAYLOR McKIMENS, and …. “many others.” !!

DIRECTIONS TO DEITCH STUDIOS:
via subway - take the E or V train to 23rd & ELY, then walk down 44th Drive to the river.
The gallery is open THURS - FRI 4-10PM and SAT+SUN from 2-10PM.
DEITCH STUDIOS is located at: 4-40 44TH DRIVE (ON THE EAST RIVER), Long Island City.
more info: 1-212-343-7300

note: A shuttle bus will run between P.S.1, DEITCH STUDIOS, and the 23rd & ELY subway station from 8-11 PM on performance nights !!

the ‘MAIL ORDER MONSTERS’ catalog is co-published by DEITCH PROJECTS, AMP & PICTUREBOX !! and is distributed by DAP.

you can get the ‘MAIL ORDER MONSTERS’ catalog online at PICTUREBOX - its $35.
see: PICTUREBOX !!
. . . where the description on the catalog repeats the press mantra bandied about, when the show first surfaced: ” ‘MAIL ORDER MONSTERS’ - explores the new trends in ‘fucked-up figuration’ !! ”
and further states: “this unique portfolio/catalog features a 26 page booklet containing an essay by curator KATHY GRAYSON, as well as 20 frameable !!
prints by MAT BRINKMAN, TOMOO GOKITA, BEN JONES & TAYLOR McKIMENS, among others …

. . . and clarifies the cover business - apparently both !! BEN JONES and TAYLOR McKIMENS each contributed “spectacular” wrap-around covers . . . for the catalog !! - that’s definite gonna be a hard call to make - which wrap-around cover you want around your copy !! though haven’t seen the BEN JONES cover, yet - it’s sure to be pretty great, too.

. . a selection of earlier/archival posts on ‘MAIL ORDER MONSTERS’/on artlovers !!

check out: ‘MAIL ORDER MONSTERS’ !!/AUG 1/07

check out: ‘MAIL ORDER MONSTERS’ !!/AUG 1/07

check out: ‘MAIL ORDER MONSTERS’ !!/OCT 16/07

A.T. COMPLEX
JUNE 26 - AUGUST 2, 2008
JOHN CONNELLY PRESENTS - 625 WEST 27TH ST - CHELSEA - NYC

. . . a strangely quiet, almost empty, but very focused - small group show - curated by FREDERICK JANKA. The four featured artists - RASHAWN GRIFFIN, AMANDA ROSS-HO, JUSTIN SAMSON and JOSHUA SMITH - are given a nice serious stage to walk across.

according to the gallery press release - the exhibition is “defined by the intrinsic role of the artist’s muse, studio and living space in their artwork.” !!?
. . . further: “The ‘T’ in the title stands in for tellurian, underlining the uniquely earthly and human qualities under investigation by these artists. ‘Complex‘ is used in two senses, to both suggest the complexity of elements involved in an artist’s practice, and a reconfiguration of the Jungian psychological state of being bound excessively to these objects, spaces, and people.”

I think the artists break it down - a lot better than the press release does !! In fact, Justin Samson sent us a nice little note when we asked for more background on the mysterious title. “A Tellurian Complex refers to daily everyday activities, according to Fredrick (the Curator). The press release explains it better. I think it is a cool title, for me it sounds more Sci-Fi. A Tellurian is an inhabitant of the earth. John convinced Fredrick to just call it A.T. Complex . . . .” - JUSTIN SAMSON

JUSTIN SAMSON (at right) with GENEVIEVE K. of STONE DESSERT & ORGY AZTEC.
you can check out Genevieve k’s music on myspace - it’s pretty good - mystical, gentle dreamy freak folk - sort of !! - Genevieve K & the spectacular times
see: more pix of Genevieve & ORGY AZTEC/JCP: A New High in Getting Low !!

JUSTIN shows us his ‘medallion’ - it’s one of JESSE GREENBERG’S plastic “touchables” (see below: BOBO’S on 27TH!!) - apparently Jesse gave one to Justin, BRIAN BELOTT and ANNIE PEARLMAN when they recently attended one of his art shows in Philadelphia. Justin turned his into a ‘pendant/medallion’. - whoa - YO !! - heads up, dude - JESSE !! - artlovers wants one too !! send an email & we’ll send out our P.O. Box. no joke. we’re so into plastic. and low-fi collectibles, too. double whammy.

JUSTIN SAMSON in front of one of his best pieces so far, titled ‘UFO Encounter’, 2008 - acrylic paint and neon.

another actually, rather arresting painting by JUSTIN SAMSON - ‘Mother’, 2008 acrylic paint and neon, 84 x 90 ins. - definitely makes you look back, twice !!

JOSHUA SMITH contributes some, much more enigmatic work in the show. here he is flanked by JENN BREHM (left) and JENN TEETS.

JOSHUA SMITH, ‘Untitled’, 2008 - yoga mat !!

JOSHUA SMITH, ‘Untitled’ 2008 - C-print - rolled up & standing on end !!

looking for Godot - oops, I mean, JOSHUA SMITH’S extreme response to the curator’s mission statement !! . . . .

his .. JOSHUA SMITH, ‘Untitled’, 2008 - a Brass double headed hook !!

we meet RASHAWN GRIFFIN, for the first time.

RASHAWN GRIFFIN, ‘A Suit (there was nothing we could do)’, 2008. Fabric, wood, foam, plaster, paper, ink. 77 x 85 x 12 ins.

RASHAWN GRIFFIN, a detail on the back of ‘A Suit ..’ .

RASHAWN GRIFFIN, private musings - made public. a detail on the back of ‘A Suit’ .. .

RASHAWN GRIFFIN, close-up of the hand, on the back . . . ‘A Suit’ . ..

in front of RASHAWN GRIFFIN’S freestanding ‘wall’ assemblage piece - ‘A Suit’ .. GHURRON BRISCOE. Ghurron is the BF (boyfriend) of Katherine Bernhardt - he says she is on vacation in