FROM DISTRESSED, FAKE FLOWERS – to – CARVED & INCISED REAL TREE WOOD.
in other words;
FROM LIGHT SWITCHES – to – BAR TABLES.
AND, FINDING BOTH TO BE . . POETIC & POLITICAL CREATIVITY – on UTILITARIAN OBJECTS /
MY FIRST STEPS – into a NADA House, on GOVERNORS ISLAND.
looks to be a great !! weekend !!
to visit the NADA House 2021 presentation . . on Governors Island !!
see: NADA House 2021
it is . . quite the lovely – staycation.
it’s so pleasant / the ferry ride is fun, easy to book & cheap.
see: FERRY TICKET INFO
this is on the way, to the several residential / historic military houses, which NADA has taken over / with multi-disciplinary, varied exhibitor curations / until . . . Aug 1st.
leafy, green-ey, & not too city, at all / open & spacious.
a little world all its own.
calm & delightful.
but, I got to tell you – the art is world class & fresh, fresh, fresh.
but, none of it is screaming at you, oh happy day. seriously.
except maybe to say: hey . . . look at me.
it’s like walking into a book, and the pages are mighty fun to turn.
and, so are the . . . old, wooden staircases !!
a DAVID KENNEDY CUTLER LIGHT SWITCH / TURN ONZ, DETROIT
greets you, as you enter NADA House 404A / it is so well-made, and so well integrated !!
you might just take it . . for granted, so,
I’m just letting you know, again / look out – for those light switches !!
they be popping up, and rocking !! through-out . . the houses.
I don’t know why I picked this particular NADA house to check out, first.
but sure enough – it was personally relevant, I’ll just hold onto that secret for a post or so /
but sure enough . . the archival staircases led to many enchanting surprises, and it was all so much fun.
QUINTIN RIVERA TORO, presented by ZAWAHARA ALEJANDRO, SAN JUAN.
wooden, functional sculptures – in the ‘cloak room’, on the first floor, NADA House 404H
see: ZAWAHARA ALEJANDRO, SAN JUAN
of course, the cloak room is the first space that greets you as you enter / thus this was the first ‘exhibit’ I saw,
and, it just stopped me in my tracks, literally. it was so imaginary, narrative, full of skill & beauty / yet functional. the wood was incised to perfection, and burnished to a deep hues.
it definitely caught my eye and apparently, that of other reviewers, as well.
detail, QUINTIN RIVERA TORO, previous photo.
this looked to be a table, or shelf.
there was something about riding a ferry, over water . . and waking among huge old trees, that really made this word ‘work’ resonate – for me. that it held a message ?
very acceptable, actually. very cool. deeply meaningful, & within full embrace of the skills, context / and, concept.
a little sad. a bit hopeful. it went heart-to-heart, but, it also made a point.
QUINTIN RIVERA TORO, bench.
note . .
the honey tones of the wood, called out like a chorus, by the natural sunlight streaming in through the windows.
PHOTOS: NANCY SMITH, MAY 8, 2021
Photo via NADA / CATALOG / QUINTIN RIVERA TORO
this is the installation photo of the work, published in the NADA House catalog.
so, I hope you can begin to see the total ‘magic’ of the NADA project, sparked by the historic Governors Island architecture: including staircases, ceiling fixtures, old world spatial layouts, pane glass windows, old plastered (?) walls, & wood. wood. wood.
on a persona note,
I think, the small ‘distressed’ elements, like the old peeling paint, etc adds much depth to the overall experience, and to the visual richness. making the modern city explorer, just that much more aware – in a very subtle way, of the underlying historic – beauty. and architectural, as well as cultural story.
404A was a . . Colonel’s house. it was large, spacious and designed for entertaining as well as living.
it’s really nice, that these buildings haven’t been torn down, and that they have been re-imagined & filled with art / so superbly.
I’ll leave you, with this description of the work, from the NADA catalog:
~QUINTIN RIVERA TORO / ZAWAHRA ALEJANDRO, SAN JUAN PRESENTATION / DAVID KENNEDY CUTLER, TURN ONZ / NADA House 404A |
Posted in The Bomb | By Nancy Smith | June 18th, 2021, 6:20pm
FORGET ABOUT, CRY ME A RIVER !!
START ME … A FIRE !!!!!
SO, NADA . . . .
recently published the (full) artist credit list for: TURN ONZ, DETROIT / NADA HOUSE 2021 / GOVERNORS ISLAND.
but, unless you are a dedicated puzzle solver / a first grader, or just a regular-to-super web stalker !!
it’s a bit hard . . to find – so, here’s the links info !!
OPTION 1: For a complete list you can scroll easily . . .
try for: Turn Onz / exhibition check list
apparently, there’s no technical way I can provide a direct link /
so use your intuition – it’s your . . best hope.
start here: Turn Onz, NADA / scroll down past the paragraph text, and then hit: EXHIBITION LIST
-> you will see thumbnails of all the participants, example:
JOEY FRANK, presented by Turn Onz, Detroit / NADA ARTIST LIST
PRETTY, PRETTY – SPECTACULAR.
GREAT NARRATIVE . . . in a row.
or,
just go to: that LINK / TURN ONZ / NADA & see . . . large installation shots / with artists’ credits.
-> so you will see, for example:
JOEY FRANK, presented by Turn Onz, Detroit / NEW ART DEALERS ALLIANCE
PRETTY . . SPECTACULAR, For sure.
JONNY COMPOLO, presented by Turn Onz, Detroit / NEW ART DEALERS ALLIANCE
of course,
it’s not just the images of the light switches themselves, but their on-site installation, that really gets this process – on FIRE !!!!!
ABOVE PHOTOS: VIA NADA HOUSE 2021 / DIGITAL CATALOG
DAVID KENNEDY CUTLER, presented by Turn Onz, Detroit
Photo: NANCY SMITH
the very first light switch, I saw . . . !!
when I visited opening day / Sat May 5, 2021 . . . was this one by DAVID KENNEDY CUTLER !!
it graced the entryway of NADA HOUSE 404A / and it hit me with such unexpected force.
it was, placed as it was – on a strange, but superior / ‘vintage florist’ green light switch cover –
as plain-spoken, and everyday ‘un-spectactular (!!) . . . as a left-over bouquet / from last night’s date.
until you realized . . in quick succession:
1. wow, this was a Turn Onz !!
2. it was ‘dead flowers’, about to turn to dust, literally
3. until you realize that they are . . fabricated !!
4. and so deadly Romantic !! and Final !! and REALISTIC.
5. all-in-one-breath.
6. plus, the gorgeous sense of historic architecture, just behind . . somehow went so hand-in-hand.
historic gestures, all around.
last night’s dead flowers, and all.
and, still !!
greeting you !! – none-the-less / at the ground floor entryway – to Nada House 404A !!
and no doubt, turning on . . the ground floor electric lights.
detail, DAVID KENNEDY CUTLER / Turn Onz light switch
Photo: NANCY SMITH
it was like, kissing the Nada Info Graphic / it was so great to see art in real life.
and, all the light switches have to be 3-D, even if shallow, by nature.
something hard to convey – in a photo.
I’m not sure exactly how these flowers are fabricated, but after scanning his IG page, I think they involve:
inkjet transfer, acrylic, armature wire, etc. etc. something like that.
see: @davidkennedycutler Instagram
detail, David Kennedy Cutler – Turn Onz light switch
Photo: NANCY SMITH
could anything be, more . . . breath-taking ?
both in beauty, concept / fabrication, utility & downright: poetry !!
NOTE: ABOVE 3 DAVID KENNEDY CUTLER LIGHT SWITCH PHOTOS – TAKEN ON-SITE / NADA HOUSE 404A
SIDEBAR:
DAVID KENNEDY CUTLER . . recently had a comprehensive exhibit of his work,
at HALSEY McKAY GALLERY,
79 Newton Lane, East Hampton NY 11937.
it was titled: ‘Shadow Metier’ . . . !!!! / METIER: A TRADE / A PROFESSION
for more info & pix see: ‘Shadow Metier’ . . on the gallery website
here are 2 installations shots from the gallery archive:
DAVID KENNEDY CUTLER, ‘Shadow Metier’ installation shot
Photo via: Halsey McKay
DAVID KENNEDY CUTLER – Check out / the vases !!
Photo via: Halsey McKay
~JOEY FRANK, JONNY CAMPOLO, DAVID KENNEDY CUTLER / TURN ONZ, DETROIT / NADA HOUSE 2021 / & ARTIST CREDIT LINKS |
Posted in The Bomb | By Nancy Smith | June 4th, 2021, 12:50pm
YEP !!
CREATIVE WORK – ON UTILITARIAN OBJECTS
NANCY SMITH – LIGHT SWITCH for ‘TURN ONZ’
CURATED BY JEFFREY TRANCHELL / DETROIT
INSTALLATION SHOT / NADA HOUSE 2021
TAKING PLACE – ACROSS SEVERAL HISTORIC MANSIONS / GOVERNORS ISLAND, NYC / distressed, peeling paint & all !!
I’m so – happy to be included in this show !!!!
all the work is so crazy innovative & cutting edge.
it’s also interesting to be in that visual ‘sphere’ of immediate ‘dimension comprehension’ . . !!
a standard plastic light switch cover – anchors pretty much every piece.
NANCY SMITH, ‘Maybe…’, 2021
Light switch cover, vintage photocopy of an early ink drawing of mine /
‘Self-portrait as an Edo Period woodblock print’, vintage photocopies of
vintage red & white woven embroidery ribbon, Mylar, multi-colored & metallic binder hole reinforcement stickers.
push pins. 27 x 12 in.
($450.)
kind of realize now, that the ‘Turn Onz’ / NADA House contribution,
is also: site-specific !! utilizing the electric light outlets – already in place.
& for decades, apparently.
so . . .
does that make my piece: ‘vintage upon distressed’ … ?!!
and, is that – a bona-fide art category ?!!
the title, ‘Maybe…’, is up for – interpretation !!
Photo: via Turn Onz / DETROIT
~NANCY SMITH . . ‘MAYBE…’, TURN ONZ LIGHT SWITCH / FOR JEFFREY TRANCHELL / NADA HOUSE |
Posted in The Bomb | By Nancy Smith | May 8th, 2021, 9:18am
TURN ONZ, DETROIT . . !!
GAME ON . . !!!!!!!!!!!!!
OPENS – THIS SAT, MAY 8th !!
NADA HOUSE / GOVERNORS ISLAND HRS: FRI, SAT & SUN / 11 am – 5 pm
click here: visitor information – Governors Island
‘TURN ONZ’ – an experimental / artist-run, curatorial project / out of DETROIT,
run by JEFFREY TRANCHELL . . . will be participating in this year’s NADA House . . !!
JEFFREY . . a dynamic, hard-to-define guy with many friends, and many interests, including stained glass, and light fixtures . . of any and all kinds,
asked some 21 artists, or artist groups (Hamtramck Ceramck) / to make some light switches / or light switch covers, to show at this year’s . .
NADA House, on Governors Island !!
MAY 8 – AUGUST 1, 2021.
Interestingly, the light switches will be installed through-out the exhibitions / on real (and, maybe a few fake ??) outlets – in common areas, hallways, & entry ways, etc. / not sure about the functionality – except pretty sure !!
that’s a pretty big part – of it.
they will – add to the cutting edge ambience / one turn-on, at a time !!
that’s for sure. the buzz – is already: AWESOME !!
and, they are all – very, very different.
apparently . .
‘CRAFT CREATIVITY’ – is like the night sky: FAR-OUT & . . INFINITE !!
and in this case: very much, & truly . . LIT.
‘LIGHT SWITCH’ BY JONNY CAMPOLO / STAINED GLASS
JONNY . . . ALSO MADE THE ‘FLYERS’.
images via Instagram @jonnycampolo
NADA HOUSE 2021 – The New Art Dealers Alliance (NADA) . . is pleased to present the 3rd edition of NADA HOUSE,
in an expanded format, with exhibitions presented in over 50 rooms of 3 neighboring historic houses.
GOVERNORS ISLAND, NYC / OPENING THIS SAT – MAY 8, & running thru AUGUST 1, 2021.
see: NADA HOUSE – 2021
note: you need to reserve & pay for the FERRY TICKET in Advance /
admission is FREE & OPEN / social distancing & masks, of course.
see: FERRY TICKETS & SCHEDULE
~’TURN ONZ’ . . DETROIT / CURATED BY JEFFREY TRANCHELL / NADA HOUSE / LET THERE BE . . LIGHT SWITCHES !! |
Posted in The Bomb | By Nancy Smith | May 6th, 2021, 1:49pm
don’t miss this . . beacon of LED LIGHT / at FRIEZE
LUKE MURPHY, ‘BENT FIRE WALL’, LED LIGHT SCULPTURE
CANADA NEW YORK BOOTH C1 / Level 4 – FRIEZE ART FAIR, The Shed.
image via Instagram @lukemurphy49
~LUKE MURPHY . . ‘BENT FIRE WALL’ / CANADA / FRIEZE / LET THERE BE . . LIGHT !! |
Posted in The Bomb | By Nancy Smith | May 6th, 2021, 12:45pm
PROLIFIC BROOKLYN STREET ARTIST, BAST . . HAS LEFT & DEPARTED.
& WILL BE . . SADLY MISSED BY HIS MANY FRIENDS.
FLASHBACK:
from left:
LANCE de los REYES, JOE GRILLO, and . . . BAST.
at the closing party for TAYLOR McKIMENS’ 2015 exhibit – at THE HOLE, The Bowery, NYC.
PHOTO: NANCY SMITH / Oct 14, 2015.
~BAST . . . OCT 14, 2015 |
Posted in The Bomb | By Nancy Smith | May 4th, 2021, 8:47am
all that being said:
the bio of it / as in both: (virus) / (human) biology -&- (self) (future/survival) (climate change/world) biography
recycling & small gestures / pictorial scaling . . . .
BILL BRADY – HAS RETURNED TO NYC & PRESENTS:
KYOKO HAMAGUCHI / ‘LONG STAY’
OPENS THURS APRIL 29 / 4 – 8 PM
and runs thru . . . MAY 30, 2021.
ATM GALLERY NYC / 54 HENRY ST / CHINATOWN / LOWER EAST SIDE / NYC 10002
hrs: WED – SUN / 12 – 6 PM
see: ‘template’ to make an appointment / gallery-contact
looks to be a ‘simple’ / as in: anything but simple pictogram !!
– our collective bio-future – is at hand. . . !!
a simple diagram / drawing / pictogram of a home,
on a (recycled) well-designed / industrial design / transparent / commercial . . hand sanitizer dispenser.
but, still made of . .. plastic. so hard to figure this stuff out.
but, still better to find a home on your wall – than in the ocean, or a landfill, eventually.
hopefully, after much long, good use, sanitizing !!
plastic & plastics & plasticity – all of them / is/are such an irony.
don’t get me started.
Ms. HAMAGUCHI was born in Tokyo, Japan in 1989 / and currently lives & works in NYC.
she has an MFA from Hunter, NYC (2002), & a BFA from TOKYO UNIVERSITY of the ARTS (2015).
see: KYOKO HAMAGUCHI – ARTIST PORTFOLIO WEBSITE
see: KYOKO HAMAGUCHI on Instagram @kyoko.hmg
~KYOKO HAMAGUCHI . . ‘LONG STAY’ / ATM GALLERY, NYC / OPENS THURS APRIL 29 |
Posted in The Bomb | By Nancy Smith | April 29th, 2021, 10:38am
‘BAD BOY BILLY’ . . might not exactly be . . your cup of tea,
but, 2021 – isn’t the year to be . . shy.
in fact – that might actually be . . a YOU PROBLEM.
or: BILLY MAKES – LIKE A SQUIRREL !!
BILLY GRANT at SPIDER GALLERY / WITCHITA, KANSAS
BILLY GRANT . . makes like a squirrel / video
see: BILLY GRANT VIDEO at SPIDER
BILLY GRANT, drawing of a baby in flour.
so, flour baby . . . !!
I find this simple image so frighteningly compelling.
first off, I had to ask – what is this ?
there’s no knowing right off the bat / i.e. Instagram, but any digital image in general.
so there’s a big potential for fear – right there.
real, fake ? appropriated ? constructed . . photographed, etc etc.
are we on another planet, or just looking down – on ours from outer space – a huge site specific man made land/work ?
and, that brings us to – scale / dimension.
today – there is just really: 2 scales.
one: you know it’s a pants pocket lining, so, no matter how big the digital image / you get, as in you can comprehend & factor in the – the actual reality dimensions.
two: there is no way to know the dimensions – unless you ask.
which is where Billy’s image lies, and, I’m pretty sure – that’s by design. by deliberation.
plus, it’s so damn surreal & of science fiction, and not actually so much pretty – as formative.
what if this was drawn, huge – on the dark side of the moon ?
so I asked.
and was told, “it’s a drawing of Conner’s baby, I did in flour.”
which again, brings several thought to mind.
in end times, or at the very least . . any stressful present / future times – well, you mind has got to go human survival, biology & babies.
for example: how will socially-driven human babies / survive enforced social distancing, and school closures, viruses, vaccines, etc etc.
is it ?
also all about artists today – responding to climate change challenge by scaling down, and using / recycling simple materials.
is it about: not holding on / not making art to frame and archive and hold ‘forever’ in museums.
will there even be museums, or will they all crumble too, eventually. like they always have. ancient cultures / civilizations.
is the whole point ?
creativity, not the resultant creation.
is it . . an outsider vs insider war / esp re the status quo art world.
is it: a kind of unwritten poetry ? a thought ?
just ask the ancient Tibetan scrolls – how powerful a thought / can be.
just think on: how far away we have come from the Impressionists, the Expressionists, the Hudson School of Landscape painting ?? . . the Jackson Pollocks, and Rothkos – with their heroic statements on manknind, choice, the m-o-m-e-n-t.
the profiund moent.
have we reached: the ultimate profound singularity / moment.
in effect, a point of unity – before the great cell divide / of life.
the moment of the living organism – the baby.
all images via Instagram / courtesy @spider.gallery
~BILLY GRANT . . SPIDER GALLERY / some images & thoughts |
Posted in The Bomb | By Nancy Smith | April 29th, 2021, 10:09am
oh yeah, bubble bubble & trouble !!
the eternal rebel child . . is outta state !!
BILLY GRANT OPENED . . a solo show at the very indie, rebel
SPIDER GALLERY, a “domestic exhibition space in Wichita, Kansas”.
images via Instagram @spider.gallery
follow: @spider.gallery on Instagram
~BILLY GRANT . . at SPIDER GALLERY / WICHITA, KANSAS |
Posted in The Bomb | By Nancy Smith | April 25th, 2021, 10:38am
one of the interesting facets of this solo show, besides its startling originality,
and . . pocket poetry !!
is seeing the images of the work posted up large, yet still comprehending the true scale /
knowing that they are comprised of old linings torn from denim jeans pockets.
TIM JOHNSON – ‘TRANQUILIZER’ / at . . A.D.NYC /
thru . . . MAY 22, 2021
HRS: SAT 12 – 5 PM / OR BY APPOINTMENT
TIM JOHNSON, ‘Butterfly 40’, 2021
sharpie on pants pockets
image via Instagram @qd.nyc
watch: a video of the installation on Instagram / @ad.nyc
~TIM JOHNSON . . ‘TRANQUILIZER’ / A.D.NYC |
Posted in The Bomb | By Nancy Smith | April 25th, 2021, 10:19am
