if you’re in PORTLAND, OREGON – its the last week to catch:
‘LONG LIVE THE EPHEMERAL’ – CURATED BY RYAN JACOB SMITH / AKA DJ HELLO SHIT
MARCH 5 – 28 2009
FONTANELLE GALLERY – 205 SW PINE ST. – PORTLAND – OREGON
HRS: WED-SAT 12-6PM
“FONTANELLE GALLERY presents ‘LONG LIVE THE EPHEMERAL’, an exhibition featuring prints, drawings, and paintings by renowned artists from all across the US who have created album artwork for punk and DIY bands.
“. . . The close-knit ‘Do It Yourself’ culture spawns creative relationships and friendships between bands, record labels, and artists while also fueling the fire to create other ventures – design companies, printing presses, cafes, and art galleries. A band member might not only play music, but also run the record label and create the art for the record. The importance of album art and the vinyl record is the visual archive it creates to record the history of the movement, proof that the ephemeral will live on.” – PRESS RELEASE
artists included in the show: MELINDA BECK, DEARRAINDROP, BRANDON EVANS, JORDAN ISIP, RICH JACOBS, ADAM JURESKO, ASHLEY MACOMBER, MARK McCOY, SAMMcPHEETERS, CHRISTOPHER NORRIS, BRIAN ROETTINGER, SERIPOP, DREW SPEZIALE and CHRIS TAYLOR.
Curator RYAN JACOB SMITH lives and works in Portland, OREGON. He graduated from the Art Center College of Design in Pasadena, California in 200l. He has exhibited his work in Brooklyn’s CINDERS GALLERY, among other venues. This is his first curatorial endeavor.
~LONG LIVE THE EPHEMERAL |
Posted in The Bomb | By Nancy Smith | March 26th, 2009, 12:58pm
. . . in other recent news – LIPSTICK TRACEZ – posted a wonderful interview with MEGAN WHITMARSH – whose recent show – ‘THE FUCKING CRAP OF LIFE’ – !! – at NEW IMAGE ART, in LA – just closed. The lively interview, IMAGES & WORDS by REGGIE CASAGRANDE – includes some great pix of her work, and concludes with the sweetest photo of her two little twin girls, and even though they look p-r-e-t-t-y identical – we’d have to say, just going on this one photo – oh my, oh my !! one looks totally impish and the other absolutely innocent. YO, Megan !!
see: LIPSTICK TRACEZ/MEGAN WHITMARSH !!
see: artlovers/THE FUCKING CRAP OF LIFE !!
see: artlovers/TRIP DOWN MEMORY LANE !!
PHOTOS: REGGIE CASAGRANDE/COURTESY: LIPSTICKTRACEZ
PHOTO: TOMMY GARCIA/COURTESY: LIPSTICKTRACEZ
FRANCES and RAY !! PHOTO: COURTESY WHITMARSH FAMILY/LIPSTICKTRACEZ
MEGAN HAS A NEW WEBSITE !! – CHECK IT OUT !!
~MEGAN WHITMARSH/INTERVIEWED |
Posted in The Bomb | By Nancy Smith | March 26th, 2009, 12:22pm
MELISSA BROWN, photographed at the recent TOMOO GOKITA OPENING, ‘CHAMPION CARNIVAL’, ATM,
NYC. FRIDAY MARCH 13, 2009.
PHOTO: NANCY SMITH
MELISSA wrote – recently to up-date us on her ARTIST LOTTERY POOL !!
“HELLO FUTURE LOTTERY WINNERS,
We have moved into the prize zone.
Congratulations Xylor for matching three numbers 9, 22, 28 in Wednesday’s drawing (22-32-21-28-19-9 bonus 26 xtra 48) and shifting us in a prize zone. For three numbers we earn $1.
Let’s push that up to four matched numbers, then we can start to earn some $$$$$.
Saturday’s Winning Numbers 2-5-8-29-33-50 bonus 56 xtra 52.
We matched 2 numbers on two games, congrats John O and Erin, for those matches.”
WED 3-18-2009 !!
SAT 3-21-2009 !!
MELISSA also offered up this link – to some r-e-c-e-n-t lottery news ……..
FILE UNDER: this couple seems to be overwhelmed by the excitement !!
and they won …$270 MILLION !!! – OMG !!
~MELISSA BROWN/ARTIST LOTTERY POOL |
Posted in The Bomb | By Nancy Smith | March 26th, 2009, 10:47am
TOMOO GOKITA – ‘CHAMPION CARNIVAL ‘ !!
running MARCH 13 – MAY 2, 2009
ATM – 621 WEST 27th ST – CHELSEA
* SATURDAY MARCH 14/TOMOO GOKITA !! *
* the show opened on FRIDAY MARCH 13th !! *
* a brilliant show – how can BLACK, WHITE & GRAY be so R-A-D-I-A-N-T !! *
* tons of the coolest & best artists in the city were at the opening !! *
* name names ? TAYLOR McKIMENS, MATT LEINES, HISHAM BHAROOCHA & DAVID ARON. PETER SUTHERLAND. MELISSA BROWN collected our 6 numbers for her ARTIST LOTTERY POOL !! Her friend LAN TUAZON was with her. between the 2 of them – talk about a photog’s dream date !! a few of TOMOO’S good friends came over, too, with him – from Japan – including CHIBA & JAPANESE lensman: MASAYUKI SHIODA !!
* ERIC SALL introduced us to that other web terror: MARTIN BROMIRSKI !! *
* partied too hard at the after-party, YO, BILL BRADY !! !! which was at BILLY MARK’S WEST – the closest thing we’ve had yet to the legendary RED BAR !! *
* par-tay – on – NEW YORK !! *
* and, OMG X LOL – BROMIRSKI – caught us. and outed us. no doubt about it !! *
* when the hell are they going to invent invisibility cloaks – already !! *
PIX – FROM THE TOMOO GOKITA – ATM – AFTER-PARTY – MARCH 13, 2009 !! Â
street art, paste art – on the way to the TOMOO GOKITA AFTER-PARTY at local bar & hang-out – BILLY MARK’S WEST – on 9th AVE in CHELSEA. NYC.
the paper blocks – hanging on a string between the left figure’s outstretched arms, spell out: S-O-L-A-C-E.
first thing we noticed – TAYLOR McKIMENS (on right) and MATT LEINES, scribbling away in a front booth.
immediately – we got a flashback to the RED BAR circa 1982 !! where a whole generation of young, as yet unrecognized Lower East Side artists – like Basquiat, Rene Ricard, Richard Prince & sometimes Keith Haring, used to convene. among them, as well, Donald Baechler, just arrived in NYC – who had his first show there, on the RED BAR walls !! I believe Jamie Wolf used to curate the shows, as well as run the place and tend bar . . . as well, on any given night – you could find regulars like: comic ROCKETS REDGLARE and then struggling character actor STEVE BUSCEMI.
note: for the newly curious about the way things were back in the day !! – THE RED BAR was located in the East Village – SE corner of 1st Ave. & 7th St. !! things weren’t spread out – like they are now, all over the city, and mostly in Brooklyn. e-v-e-r-y-o-n-e came to the East Village, which was pretty down, raw and wild – to hang out. the other bars, at the time were local joints – real dives – dark and smoky, Polish or Romanian. The RED BAR – was the first new bar/artist gallery. it put on serious art shows. and it was set apart from the rest of the bar scene at that time – because it had bright lights, so you could see the art, and these lights were on all the time. the locals used to wonder at how the kids could drink in the constant bright light.
(thanks to SIMON CERIGO – for the first-hand recollection.)
back to BILL MARK’S & Tomoo’s after-party !! the music came from a lighted-up jukebox.
here’s the site we liked the best on: BILLY MARK’S WEST !!
we first spot TOMOO GOKITA – in his signature, kinda trucker, kinda farm tractor – solid red cap, near the bar.
then he settled into a booth, where he greeted his pals.
Tomoo’s pal – TOMORO – visiting from Japan.
another of Tomoo’s pals in for the opening, CHIBA – who looked to be a little jet-lagged.
signature hats, very individual in style, and shape – crisp and clean – with strong colors, as opposed to say logos for example – seem to be really big in Japan !! very cool.
Chiba’s says: PHILADELPHIA. and note Tomoro’s distinctive blue plaid one, above.
TOMOO GOKITA celebrates the opening of ‘Champion Carnival’ – a show of brand new work at ATM, NYC.
with an after-party at BILLY MARK’S. March 13, 2009.
Tomoo really does have twinkling eyes like gemstones and he is as animated in person – and as deep – as an ancient character straight out of – one of those those archetypal – ancient Japanese – MONKEY – myths and fables !! no disrespect, just a straight-out gut feeling, in a nutshell.
further – a little research shows, his cap is right on !! – color-wise – the color red often being associated with the monkey, in early Japanese folklore and religion – and who, along with the fox, another apt animal descriptive for Tomoo, was considered very potent, very magical – specifically, they were both considered very powerful guardians against evil.
start here: MONKEY DEITIES IN JAPAN !!
back to real time NYC SPRING 2009 – everyone is rolling their own cigarettes. it’s too expensive otherwise.
some more of Tomoo’s friends, who came over from Japan to be at his opening.
including at right, fashion designer, YASUKO.
on the left, MASAYUKI SHIODA.
Japan-based editorial photographer – MASAYUKI SHIODA.
he does a lot of work for ESQUIRE/JAPAN.
HIROSHI IGUCHI.
HIROSHI IGUCHI, has a great cap, too.
well Americans are into headgear, too. esp in winter.
DAVID ARON drops by.
HIROHISA YOKOYAMA and KOICHI SATO.
KOICHI SATO.
ELVIS was in the house.
so were the BEATLES.
so just what were TAYLOR McKIMENS, and buddies MATT LEINES, and HISHAM BHAROOCHA doing
at that front booth – under the direct gaze – of JOHN LENNON ?
TAYLOR McKIMENS, and HISHAM BHAROOCHA (at right).
they were making small collaborative drawings !! and in multiples, using 2 pieces of carbon copy paper, one pink and one blue !! so they could vary the color effects.
(the only other time we saw anything like this – except on a much larger scale – was the KRAMERS ERGOT COLLECTIVE BOOKPLATE SIGNING !! at DESERT ISLAND.)
MATT LEINES, TAYLOR McKIMENS and HISHAM BHAROOCHA – hard at work.
looks like Taylor started off this sketch.
MATT LEINES started off this head – Hisham is putting in the details.
John Lennon would have approved.
HISHAM BHAROOCHA at work.
TAYLOR added his signature flies !!
meanwhile, all along MARK, aka THE WIZARD, one of the two brothers that own BILLY MARK’S was behind the bar.
there’s a full color OBAMA FAMILY – PRESIDENTIAL calendar – beside the phone !!
MARK aka THE WIZARD
HOUDINI – the unofficial, or was it official – ? – host of BILLY MARK’S digs the drawings, and asks the boys
to make one of: MARK – THE WIZARD !!
not only that – but he and MATT LEINES look like they sprung from the same tree !!
and, note – that US of A – headgear !! Americans seem to favor one style – baseball.
just some wear it backwards, and some down low in front.
long story short – MARK – THE WIZARD !!
up close you can see MATT LEINES did the eyeballs, and the lettering.
HOUDINI was pretty pleased with the likeness – a natural art critic – he just thought it was a little off in the jowls, a little too wide in the cheeks, and he was actually dead right. but, we all rushed to tell him – well that is their (cartoon) signature style !! and all things considered – it was actually pretty accurate & fairly tamped down !! as opposed to as really far-out these guys can get.
MATT LEINES hands over the drawing to HOUDINI – to bring to MARK. they’ve all signed it.
(I’m so jealous – I could start a spontaneous forest fire, right then and there.)
I’m not sure what Mark, exactly thought of his collective portrait !! he did slip it into the side of the BEATLES frame. but it looked like it could fall out at any moment. onto the wet bar counter !! couldn’t help admonishing him, not to let it fall – and get wet !! maybe I should have offered him $50 bucks for it. just to tip him off to its value !! I’m sure you could get a couple of hundred for it, no sweat on eBay this very moment, if not more !!
recession, be damned.
TAYLOR McKIMENS was cool enough, to notice, and even – soothe my burning envy – by inscribing one of his earlier solo starts, and presenting it to me. wow. nice. very nice.
(but see, what I mean Mark – they can get scary !! your’s is pretty tame !!)
(though on second thought, looking back at his, it’s pretty far-out, f-u-n-n-y too !!)
it says: keep on truckin NANCY, – TAYLOR.
(but I can just hear those little voices back home – going – but mom, can it pay the rent ?)
wait and see. I bet !! just hopefully – not in another life-time !!
so – we’ll let HISHAM BHAROOCHA – have the last word. thumbs up !!, headgear and all !!
PHOTOS: NANCY SMITH
the ATM AFTER-PARTY for TOMOO GOKITA – in celebration of his new show: ‘CHAMPION CARNIVAL’.
at BILLY MARK’S WEST – BAR & LOUNGE, 332 9th Ave – CHELSEA, NYC.
with thanks to BILL BRADY – for a great time, all around.
FRIDAY, MARCH 13, 2009
~TOMOO GOKITA’S AFTER-PARTY/BILLY MARK’S !! |
Posted in The Bomb | By Nancy Smith | March 19th, 2009, 1:51pm
and the really big opening to-nite:
TOMOO GOKITA – OPENS – ‘CHAMPION CARNIVAL’ !! – FRI MARCH 13 / 6-8 PM
the show runs: MARCH 13 – MAY 2, 2009
ATM – 621 WEST 27th ST – CHELSEA – NYC
PIX FROM THE OPENING – TOMOO GOKITA – ‘CHAMPION CARNIVAL’ – ATM – MARCH 13, 2009 !!
TOMOO GOKITA came in from Japan – where he is based – for the opening.
TAYLOR McKIMENS drops by to pay his respects to his friend, Tomoo.
believe Taylor introduced TOMOO GOKITA’S work to NYC, and the wider international audience with his landmark curatorial survey show, of 2005 – ‘STRANGER TOWN’.
see: ‘STRANGER TOWN’/JAN 2005
also at the opening, CAROL BOVE and daughter, THEA !!
DAVID ARON in town for his show at MOUNTAINFOLD.
MICHAEL LAZARUS – he has a show up at ELIZABETH LEACH GALLERY, in OREGON.
see: ELIZABETH LEACH GALLERY, PORTLAND, OREGON.
MICHAEL LAZURUS shows his card, with ‘push’, 2008-09, acrylic, collage & mirror on wood. 36 x 23.5 in.
TOMOO GOKITA – ‘NEVER SAY DIE’, 2009. acrylic gouache on linen, 76.4 x 63.8 in. ($25,000)
we catch BILL BRADY, ATM’S founder/director – with an array of TOMOO’S 3-D all-black figurine multiples – an over-the-top medium-sized female figure at top, and, a much smaller crouching male series – in the ATM front office.
TOMOO’S – ‘Night and Day’ – is the big canvas that greets you – when you enter ‘Champion Carnival’ !!
TOMOO GOKITA, ‘Night and Day’, acrylic gouache on linen, 2009. 63.8 x 63.8 in. ($25,000).
Tokyo-based fashion designer, YASUKO, was among the several close friends that accompanied Tomoo over from Japan for the NYC opening.
a smaller, but equally striking canvas !! very ambivalent, m-y-s-t-e-r-i-o-u-s !! – until you check the title !!
TOMOO GOKITA, ‘Shower Time’, 2009, acrylic gouache on canvas. 18 x 21 in. ($4,500)
TAYLOR McKIMENS, MATT LEINES and KATHY GRAYSON – luminaries of the human canvas, as opposed to the Tomoo painted kind !!
KATHY GRAYSON showcased TOMOO GOKITA’S work, in her critically well-received, widely traveled and widely documented curatorial survey show: ‘MAIL ORDER MONSTERS’ !!
In fact, TOMOO’s work graced the poster – for – the show’s debut opening at PERES PROJECTS, BERLIN.
(JULY 1-AUGUST 4, 2007).
see: ‘MAIL ORDER MONSTERS’ !!/PERES PROJECTS
and, for all you detail fanatics, the same great TOMOO GOKITA image, ‘Orthopedic Surgery’ graced the poster – for the NYC installment of the show – at DEITCH PROJECTS (SEPT 6-SEPT 29, 2007) – except in this version, TAYLOR McKIMENS was talked into doing the poster’s lettering !! (Taylor was also in the show.)
see: ‘MAIL ORDER MONSTERS’ !!/DEITCH PROJECTS
TOMOO GOKITA – another large canvas in the show – ‘COMMUNICATION BREAKDOWN’, 2009.
acrylic gouache on linen, 89.5 x 71.5 in. ($30,000).
revered guest, CHUCK CLOSE – gets close-up – to TOMOO GOKITA’S – ‘COMMUNICATION BREAKDOWN’ !!
CHUCK CLOSE at the opening of TOMOO GOKITA – ‘CHAMPION CARNIVAL’, ATM, NYC.
FRIDAY, MARCH 13, 2009.
BILL BRADY greets CHUCK CLOSE at the ATM – TOMOO GOKITA opening: ‘CHAMPION CARNIVAL’.
BILL BRADY gave TOMOO GOKITA his debut NYC solo show at ATM in 2006.
see: TOMOO GOKITA-‘DRUNKO’ !!
a smaller, but just as ‘stranger’, piece – TOMOO GOKITA, ‘A CRITICAL DANCE’, 2009.
acrylic gouache on linen, 28.5 x 23.75 in. ($8,000)
‘stranger’ again, a little larger !! TOMOO GOKITA, ‘RIDDLES ARE ABOUND TONIGHT’, 2009.
acrylic gouache on linen, 57.3 x 34 in. ($18,000)
whoa !! TOMOO GOKITA , ‘TROPIN’, 2009 – is actually a shaped canvas, with a shallow bowl-like depth !!
acrylic gouache on linen, 13.75 x 12 in. (SOLD)
TOMOO GOKITA, ‘TROPIN’.
from the side, TOMOO GOKITA, ‘TROPIN’.
opening guest – CAROLINE CHU beside TOMOO GOKITA’S ‘TROPIN’ !!
the big the bad the ugly and the small.
TOMOO GOKITA’S ‘TROPIN’ at left, and ‘NEVER SAY DIE’, at right !!
in front of: TOMOO GOKITA’S ‘NEVER SAY DIE’ – ERIK PARKER, (currently with a show up at PAUL KASMIN), and, NYC-based Japanese independent curator, and art book editor – TAKA KAWACHI.
TAKA’S wife, HIROKO, at right.
TAKA KAWACHI is behind ART CITY LLC – whose first SERIES of LIMITED EDITION HIGH QUALITY ART PRINTS – is by TOMOO GOKITA.
see: TOMOO GOKITA/ARTCITYLLC.COM
see: ABOUT/ARTCITYLLC.COM
the boys !! TAKA KAWACHI, ERIK PARKER & TOMOO GOKITA !!
another meeting of minds !! TOMOO GOKITA greets PETER SUTHERLAND.
behind them the wonderful: TOMOO GOKITA: ‘HEMORRHOIDS’ !! 2009.
acrylic gouache on linen, 89.5 x 71.5 in. ($30,000)
HISHAM BAROOCHA, foreground.
ERIC SAL (left) introduces us to that other web terror – NYC art world look out !! – MARTIN BROMIRSKI !!
MARTIN BROMIRSKI posts: ANABA / SOCIAL SCULPTURE ?
that’s a definite – check it out !!
and, yeah, I agree. SARAH BRAMAN’S work is beautiful.
yur pix on her stuff at MUSEUM 52 – at THE ARMORY – were great.
JUSTIN WALDRON and MISAKI KAWAI. Justin is Misaki’s studio manager.
CECE COLE and JAMIE BOLING.
MELISSA BROWN and LAN TUAZON.
Melissa took down our 6 numbers for her ARTIST LOTTERY POOL.
yep, we’re gonna big time – just you wait & see !!
TOMOO GOKITA – ‘SOLID STATE SURVIVOR’, 2009.
acrylic gouache on linen, 89.5 x 71.5 in. ($30,000)
JAPANESE photographer, MASAYUKI SHIODA, a friend of Tomoo’s – who also came in from Japan for the opening, strolls past – TOMOO GOKITA’S – ‘SOLID STATE SURVIVOR’.
NYC-based painter – QUENTIN CURRY.
ANDY CLARK
collector ERIC FOX jumped on TOMOO GOKITA’S – ‘THE BIRTH OF A ROOKIE MANAGER’, 2009 – right away !!
acrylic gouache on linen, 35.8 x 28.6. ($10,500)
it’s such a great one – gotta show ya – the whole canvas !!
TOMOO GOKITA – ‘THE BIRTH OF A ROOKIE MANAGER’, 2009.
CAROLINE CHO WAVES BYE !! – or – is HI !! from TOMOO GOKITA’S – ‘CHAMPION CARNIVAL’ !!
PHOTOS: NANCY SMITH
UP-DATE: WED MARCH 18 2009 – HIROSHI IGUCHI – WAS ALSO AT THE OPENING !!
the opening was so crazy great with artists !!
almost forgot – JAPANESE-based artist/designer – HIROSHI IGUCHI – was also there, visiting from Japan.
he had his new book: ‘CULT JAM’ !!
HIROSHI IGUCHI – ‘CULT JAM’
a look inside: HIROSHI IGUCHI – ‘CULT JAM’.
HIROSHI IGUCHI – ‘CULT JAM’
HIROSHI IGUCHI – ‘CULT JAM’.
I believe he was signing this copy for PETER SUTHERLAND !!
HIROSHI IGUCHI at the TOMOO GOKITA – ‘CHAMPION CARNIVAL’ opening. ATM, NYC.
MARCH 13, 2009.
PETER SUTHERLAND with his copy of: HIROSHI IGUCHI – ‘CULT JAM’ !!
with HIROSHI IGUCHI’S – ‘CULT JAM’ – PETER SUTHERLAND and QUENTIN CURRY.
at the openign of: TOMOO GOKITA – ‘CHAMPION CARNIVAL’ – ATM GALLERY, NYC.
FRIDAY the 13th of MARCH, 2009
PHOTOS: NANCY SMITH
and for all you graphic designers – esp. FONT FREAKS !!
this is the “Z” – HIROSHI IGUCHI – composed for: DESIGN TIDE/TOKYO 2007 !!
~TOMOO GOKITA/at ATM !! |
Posted in The Bomb | By Nancy Smith | March 13th, 2009, 1:51pm
THE MULTI FACETED FEMALE – OPENS TO-NITE – FRI MARCH 13 / 4-9 PM
DJ and LIVE PERFORMANCES
the show runs: MARCH 13 – JULY 1, 2009
BARAT FOUNDATION – 765 BROAD ST – NEWARK – NEW JERSEY
FEATURING THE ART WORK OF:
LIZ RYWELSKI
RENATA MANN
LIZZIE FITCH
KATHERINE BERNHARDT
HANNAH HOOPER
LOGAN WHITE
MOLLY LOWE
KATIE MILLER
LINDSAY BEEBE
MIKKI OLSON
CALLIE RICKARDS
ANNIE PEARLMAN
ING-ON VIBULHAN WATTS
LINDSAY KOVNAT
RAUL DENIEVES
directions from NY:
From Penn Station take NJCL in direction of Long Branch arrive at Newark Penn Station.
Walk west on Raymond Blvd., take left on Broad St. BARAT FOUNDATION 765 Broad St. Entrance on Bank St.
~THE MULTI FACETED FEMALE/opens to-nite !! |
Posted in The Bomb | By Nancy Smith | March 13th, 2009, 1:40pm
FACTORY FRESH ANNOUNCES IT’S CLOSING WEEKEND PERFORMANCE:
‘ANXIETY TUNE’ !!
JIM AVIGNON AKA NEOANGIN – PERFORMS LIVE – FRIDAY MARCH 13, 2009 / 7:30-10 PM
Jim Avignon will play songs from his last 9 albums including a few very new ones about that obscure anxiety thing and also some that have Jon Burgerman samples in them !!
. . . also word just came in – that JIM AVIGNON – has been in the gallery “working tirelessly” on painting the stage backdrop !!
also – last weekend to see: ‘ANXIETY ROOM’ the exhibit – with JON BURGERMAN & JIM AVIGNON !!
show is up thru this SUNDAY MARCH 15, 2009
see: ANXIETY ROOM !!
FACTORY FRESH – 1053 FLUSHING AVE – BUSHWICK – BROOKLYN, NY
. . . several JIM AVIGNON/NEOANGIN CDs are available at the gallery. they cost all of: $7.
. . . guaranteed to be the the best $7 – you’ll ever spend !!
this is: NEOANGIN – ‘UNHAPPY HOUSE’ !!
the CD comes with a (b-e-a-u-t-i-f-u-l) illiustrated booklet insert !!
the CD itself – has a high quality – hologram detail – in the figure.
a random page in the CD insert – booklet.
JIM AVIGNON – at the opening of ‘ANXIETY ROOM’, FACTORY FRESH, BROOKLYN. FEB 12, 2009
PHOTO: NANCY SMITH
visit: JIM AVIGNON/NEOANGIN !!
where, you can sample: ‘UNHAPPY HOUSE’ !!
~ANXIETY TUNE/NEOANGIN/JIM AVIGNON/to-nite !! |
Posted in The Bomb | By Nancy Smith | March 13th, 2009, 1:21pm
JESSE ROSE VALA – THE TORTUOUS VEIL – BOOK LAUNCH PARTY
FRIDAY the 13th of MARCH, 2009 / 7pm to 10pm
CINDERS GALLERY – 103 HAVEMEYER ST. – WILLIAMSBURG – BROOKLYN
check out: JESSIE ROSE VELA
check out: MOTEL GALLERY
~JESSE ROSE VALA/to-nite !! |
Posted in The Bomb | By Nancy Smith | March 13th, 2009, 1:19pm
NICK KUSZYK – ‘JAMMER SLAMMER’
MARCH 6 – MARCH 29, 2009
McCAIG WELLES – 129 ROEBLING ST. – WILLIAMSBURG – BROOKLYN
. . . while in BROOKLYN, decided to have another look at the NICK KUSZYK show.
curious to see if it held up to the initial excitement of the opening. and, guess what – yes – it did !!
a beautiful, intriguing – how about: entrancing !! show, of over 100, mostly small but highly detailed, carefully painted canvases of various sizes. over 40 had already sold, in the short of span of days that had passed since the opening last weekend. Prices range from $9,800 for ‘Jammer Slammer’ the largest and most detailed work, a horizontal piece which rests on a platform against the wall; to $3,000 for ‘Interdimensional Preritualscape Assemblage Moment’; onto a couple in the $1,400 range; on thru $700 and down thru $450 to a whole bunch of really great, really small ones for $40, $50 and $60. There is even one for $20 !! They are all storytelling in nature, color saturated, and strangely haunting. Not one repeats. The big ones just tell more complex stories and have more details, within larger overall compositions. The little ones can still pack a punch.
And, they are all – futuristic or imaginary landscapes – peopled by worker Robots !! Though the scale of the works vary, the scale of the Robots themselves pretty much remains the same. There’s whole cities, or communities, usually at war !! within the more complex narratives & landscapes of the bigger ones; and single robots – in the smaller ones. What’s also so interesting about the assortment on the wall, giving it an animated quality, apart from the animated tableaux – is that the depth of the individual canvases varies, some are shallow flat boards, others are on wooden stretcherbars – a couple of inches in depth.
Several aspects of the work absolutely captured my attention. Starting with capital C – Color. the intensity and variety of hues is amazing. Another capital C – Composition, esp. of the large pieces was riveting. The details were delightful. And best of all, a sense of storytelling – even in the small single frames – animates the visual goings-on. What’s with these little Robot guys, anyways ? they aren’t quite the hi-tech predator hardware of a scary sci-fi future. what’s so neat about these little worker guys, is that – they are like the loser tribe of robots !! pretty much just like us humans. at the mercy of both their degenerating, often garbage dump surroundings, and the bigger scarier meaner smarter guys from some other galaxy, who spaceship has just landed !! They scavenge among the garbage, they explode in the hands of their tormentors, they shield their children, and they spill their inner guts.
wow, . . . . looks just like Planet Earth. and real time, coming up fast, not the future, dude.
. . . at first I saw this as a Victory dance !!
but, now I’m thinking – maybe its a – surrender ?!!
say what – about: c-o-l-o-r !!
say what, about c-o-m-p-o-s-i-t-i-o-n !!
PHOTOS: NANCY SMITH
see: PIX FROM THE VIP OPENING !!
see: more works/gallery website
check out: Rrobots !!
~NICK KUSZYK/JAMMER SLAMMER !!/again !! |
Posted in The Bomb | By Nancy Smith | March 13th, 2009, 11:29am
. . . while at CINDERS we caught one of the last few copies of a sweet little silk screen poster made by JO DERY, for her book release party last week (Sunday March 8, 2009) at CINDERS. The book, ‘a book of stories’ is called: ‘QUIETLY SURE-LIKE THE KEEPER OF A GREAT SECRET’.
it’s available at CINDERS. ($10.95)
see: littleotsu.com
the poster, at 5-3/4 x 12-3/4 in. – was a little too large for our scanner – so here it is in 2 parts !!
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~JO DERY/BOOK RELEASE |
Posted in The Bomb | By Nancy Smith | March 13th, 2009, 11:07am
