‘THE GARDEN of FORKING PATHS’ – ORGANIZED BY ADAM MARNIE
JAN 8 – FEB 12, 2017
MAGENTA PLAINS, 94 ALLEN ST, BTW DELANCEY & BROOME, LOWER EAST SIDE
TODAY, SUN FEB 12 . . is the LAST DAY to see the show.
the gallery is open from . . 11 am – 6 pm
see more on this exhibit: THE GARDEN of FORKING PATHS/gallery website
PETER SUTHERLAND, ‘SAN ARCO’, 2017.
inkjet print on perforated vinyl, 91 x 244 in.
PHOTO: COURTESY MAGENTA PLAINS
if you get to the gallery too late in the day, like after 5 PM as I did, when it’s darker outside in the street / than it is in the gallery . . you can’t see Peter’s storefront window photograph !! so you kind of have to move the door a bit to change the exterior light / to catch a glimpse of it, which is pretty fascinating, in and of it’s own ‘technical’ narrative.
the shiny metallic vinyl ‘perforations’ become the ‘subject’. it’s just really strange to wonder about the static vs mutated photographic image, properties of light, a multitude of holes, and the . . whole.
it’s an image shifter, depending on the light. & we usually consider photographs so: indelible.
CHRIS DORLAND . . one of the three co-directors of MAGENTA PLAINS,
with THATCHER KEATS, ‘Honey Shelf’, 2013, to the right.
detail, THATCHER KEATS, ‘Honey Shelf’ . . Tupelo Honey.
detail, THATCHER KEATS, ‘Honey Shelf’.
RONI SHNEIOR, ‘Cheers’, 2017.
ceramic, paper, glue, epoxy, steel mesh, spray paint, nail polish, beer can, flashlight.
54 x 24 x 12 in.
HEATHER BURSCH, ‘Hinge: Periphery to Mark an Interior’, 2016.
marble, brass, brass leaf, magnets.
installation: dimensions variable.
detail, RYAN FOERSTER & HANNAH BUONAGURO, ‘and the people sat down to eat and’, 2017.
wood, glass, paint, linoleum, c-prints, duct tape, string, wax, paper, plastic, fabric, wire, polyurethane, tomato plants, bagel.
EDUARDO ALFONSO, gallery associate at the desk downstairs,
where there are more artworks, interesting original architecture, and . . a selection of magazines and artist zines, including . . the new issue of F.
PETER SUTHERLAND and MAIA RUTH LEE, ‘WOOZY’ . . in the new F magazine, pg 8.
F . . is a biannual magazine published and edited by ADAM MARNIE.
PHOTOS: NANCY SMITH, JAN 20, 2017 – unless otherwise noted.
~’THE GARDEN of FORKING PATHS’, incl PETER SUTHERLAND . . MAGENTA PLAINS: LAST DAY |
Posted in The Bomb | By Nancy Smith | February 12th, 2017, 7:40am
“SCREENING EVENT” . . .
VIDEOS BY: PHILLIP BIRCH, NATHANIEL LIEB, MAYA MANVI, MORGAN PEARSE, DEIRDRE SARGENT, NICHOLAS STEINDORF
IN CONJUNCTION WITH:
‘THE SPUTTERING, HUMAN-SHAPED MACHINE’ – curated by JERRY BLACKMAN
SAT FEB 11, 2017 – starts at 7 PM
GOOD WORK GALLERY, 1100 BROADWAY, BUSHWICK, BROOKLYN
~NEW VIDEO SCREENING . . GOOD WORK GALLERY, BROOKLYN / TO-NITE / SAT FEB 11 / 7PM / incl NICHOLAS STEINDORF / PHILLIP BIRCH . . + show curated by JERRY BLACKMAN |
Posted in The Bomb | By Nancy Smith | February 11th, 2017, 5:19pm
10 DAY SHOWING . . .
‘PERENNIAL SHADOWS’ – a film by TOMMY MALEKOFF
DEBUT SCREENING: THURS FEB 9, 2017 / 8 PM
the exhibit will run thru SUN FEB 19, 2017
JEFFREY STARK, 88 EAST BROADWAY #B11 / basement level / / LOWER EAST SIDE, NYC
HRS: see gallery website
‘Perennial Shadows’ features original music by JOE WILLIAMS & a reading by PROJECT PAT.
from the press release:
“‘Perennial Shadows’ is a film that surveys kudzu, a plant native to eastern Asia & which is considered an invasive species in the United States.
THE FILM was shot over Fourth of July weekend throughout various small towns in North Carolina and explores different ways in which kudzu can consume the landscape of a town, as it is seen in fields, on roadsides, in parking lots and other affected areas. The plant is ubiquitous, but it is unclear whether it is considered a menace or accepted as part of a regional heritage.
KUDZU was introduced from Japan into the United States in 1876 at the World’s Fair Centennial Exhibition in Philadelphia. It was presented as an exotic, ornamental plant that could decorate porches in the form of a vine. In 1935, as dust storms began to damage American prairies, Congress declared war on soil erosion and KUDZU was hailed as the miracle plant that would combat it. Farmers were encouraged and even offered money to plant the vine on properties in hopes of making Southern farms “live again.”
BY 1946, it was estimated that three million acres of Kudzu had been planted in the United States. The plant thrived in the climate and environment of the American Southeast and began to grow at an uncontrollable rate of nearly a foot per day. Kudzu supports itself by killing and growing on top of other plant species, making it completely capable of smothering anything form small grasses to mature trees. Killing kudzu itself is nearly impossible – it grows back almost immediately after being cut down and it can take up to 10 years for herbicides to effectively contain it. By the early 1950s, promotion for the growth of Kudzu had come to a halt.
THE PLANT that was once regarded as a miracle was now considered “the vine that ate the south”. Kudzu became a staple in southern literature as a way to establish a setting, but also as a metaphor for topics such as racism, politics and poverty. In ‘Kudzu’, a well-known poem by the novelist JAMES DICKEY, the plant provokes horror amongst a community that shuts their windows at night in fear that snake infested kudzu vines wil creep into their homes. Myth began to take over science as southerners speculated a world completely covered in the invasive vine.
KUDZU continues to spread throughout the southeast at an estimated rate of 120,000 acres per year . It consumes buildings, destroys power lines and kills native vegetation in its path. Although the plant is intrusive and not native to the United States, it is well adapted and widely established in the regions where it thrives. Kudzu has settled as a force of nature that remains essential to the landscape and culture of the American South.”
so:
and, I guess it’s inedible, and not a ‘fuel’ source . . . ???
and I guess if it shows up on your property, you have to devote a dedicated amount of labor – to keeping it at bay ??
damn, it’s the veritable terrorist . . weed.
TOMMY MALEKOFF (b. 1992) is an artist from North Carolina. He currently lives and works in New York City.
TOMMY MALEKOFF, at the recent ANDREW KASS / JIM JOE installation,
a downtown pop-up . . . titled: ‘VACANT POSSESSION.
which ran JAN 28 – FEB 4, 2017.
PHOTO: NANCY SMITH
hmmm, Vacant Possession . . to Perennial Shadows, and back again, NO DOUBT !!!!!!
FLASHBACK: FEB 20, 2016
I first really noticed TOMMY MALEKOFF, at his first pop-up NYC screening, which took place just about a year ago, FEB 20, 2016.
the short film was called, ‘THE OUTDOOR WORLD’, and it blew me – away.
check out the artlovers review: TOMMY MALEKOFF – ‘THE OUTDOOR WORLD’ (2016)
musician, composer, & DJ JOE WILLIAMS . . .
who writes & produces the original music for Tommy Malekoff’s films.
at the pop-up screening of ‘THE OUTDOOR WORLD’, Feb 20, 2016. Lower East Side, NYC.
PHOTO: NANCY SMITH
~TOMMY MALEKOFF . . ‘PERENNIAL SHADOWS’ / JEFFREY STARK |
Posted in Movie Reviews, The Bomb | By Nancy Smith | February 9th, 2017, 3:40pm
RESIST: SEXISM
RESIST: artworld bias vs STREET ART
RESIST: artworld bias vs crafts / KNITTING – is an ART !!
SUPPORT: WOMANS RIGHTS !!
goldloxe: “NYC Lafayette and Prince. Great photo by @artdognyc”
re-post / image via Instagram @goldloxe
for all ya sister quilters out there . .
this is our iconic ‘Sunbonnet Sue’ – re-imagined & updated . . for the contemporary art / street art / 21st C. times.
love how she plasters – the street.
see more: GOLDLOXE . . on tumblr
read: brief history of SUNBONNET SUE & even . . her 70s haters !!
~GOLDLOXE . . gets a PINK PUSSY HAT |
Posted in The Bomb | By Nancy Smith | February 8th, 2017, 1:01pm
one more !!
GRUMPY BERT . . ‘RED ENVELOPE SHOW’ . . up thru FEB 19, 2017.
I think this one is a riot – because:
a) every mass retailer in the USA is trying to flog their mass-produced goods with up-dated ‘Brooklyn’ branding, lol. but this one seems to be – so genuine. because it is !! hand-made & one-of-a-kind.
& therefore its both tongue-in-cheek & authentic – at the same time.
b) I spy – a little ole ‘magic’ mushroom, polka dots & all.
watch out: the shrooms are taking OVER !!
c) esp love the photo, it’s hand-held, & the juxtaposition of the small ‘lucky’ envelope vs. the slim drawing ‘markers’ is so, so very . . snappy.
d) it cries out: HOWDY !!
image via Instagram @michaelchsiung
MICHAEL C. HSIUNG is a Los Angeles, California based artist.
see: FIGHT TO THE DEATH / BIG CARTEL
~MICHAEL C. HSIUNG . . GRUMPY BERT – ‘RED ENVELOPE SHOW’ |
Posted in The Bomb | By Nancy Smith | February 8th, 2017, 12:24pm
YEAR Of THE ROOSTER: FIRE AWAY !!
HEYITSMEU . . has some mad crazy white ‘line’ work & graphics going on !!
DINKC . . has also got, some super great / black & white ‘line’ work & even some $$ ‘deals’ !!
in this . . even more huge & always fantastical celebration of the CHINESE LUNAR NEW YEAR.
this year, is YEAR of the ROOSTER . . time to get ‘woke’ people – !!!!
RED ENVELOPE SHOW #2 – WITH 100 ARTISTS
OPENING RECEPTION: SAT FEB 4, 2017 / 7-10 PM
the show runs: FEB 4 – 19, 2017
GRUMPY BERT, 82 BOND ST, BROOKLYN
WITH . . SPECIAL ‘LION DANCE’ PERFORMANCE at 9 PM
HEYITSMEU – YEAR OF THE ROOSTER
image via Instagram @grumpybert
DINKC . . !!!!
image via Instagram @dinkc
DINKC . . even has an exclusive ‘offer ‘going on – for this show:
“I will be giving away my original sketches for the RED ENVELOPE SHOW – with any purchase of (one of my) envelopes, which are also filled with custom goodies.”
DON’T BLINK !!!
and, check out: DINKC’S WEBSITE
lordy, lordy . . he has the most excellent video – UP on the homepage !!
DINKC IMAGES: screen grab / DINKC – WEBSITE – HOME PAGE
DINKC – LOGO
~DINKC & HEYITSMEU . . GRUMPY BERT – ‘RED ENVELOPE SHOW’, YEAR of the ROOSTER – OPENS TO-NITE |
Posted in The Bomb | By Nancy Smith | February 4th, 2017, 8:03am
YES, BRING REALISM . . back !!
speaking of MERCER TULLIS . . .
MERCER . . has an amazing sultry mysterious painting – in an amazing sultry minimalist, but luxury high end / mysterious space.
the space is the home / studio / exhibition space of the very notable American painter – NEIL JENNEY, who shot to prominence in the 70s.
the eclectic group show is still up – and, well worth a visit, and includes a great overview of Neil Jenney’s work, too. all the various stages.
‘AMERICAN REALISM TODAY’ – GROUP SHOW / WINTER 2017
WEST BROADWAY GALLERY – 383 West Broadway – 4th Floor / Soho
HRS: SUNDAY 11am – 8PM & by appointment
except for this weekend: open Sat Feb 4, 2017 / closed Sun Feb 5, 2017 – due to Super Bowl / football’s big endgame !!
MERCER TULLIS – with his {REALIST} painting, sweet !! dark, & strange.
MERCER TULLIS, b. 1994.
‘Nothings going on’, 2015-2016.
49.5 x 29 x 2.5 inches, fixed graphite on gessoed plywood.
with artist’s frame.
($14K- SOLD/private collection)
oblique . . transparency ???
dark symbolism, erotic heat – new ‘goth’ realism ?
but also very very . . American / re; the history of American painting.
gold gilt detail, bottom of the hand-made frame.
the frames in general, throughout the loft – were amazing, skills skills skills.
Neil Jenney’s bedroom – in the midst of his work & sparse furniture / I was allowed to walk back into the full floor Soho loft, behind the formal gallery / exhibition space.
I’m guessing, Jenney must have purchased it, back in the late 70s ?
oh, lucky day !! \ for me. for him.
NEIL JENNEY lives like a modern day . . Shaker.
austere, and . . FUNCTIONAL.
archival posters of his past shows – are on display.
he seems to be very much into antique American chairs – just like a Shaker, at heart.
those are some his ‘ugly’ paintings, that launched his career – in the background.
the space is huge & very traditional – in its own way. very respectful of the arts & ‘skills’ in general.
NEIL JENNEY, later . . hyper-realist / nature – work.
NEIL JENNEY also took time to converse with the masters, interestingly here is a Pablo / Pablo Picasso riff.
back in the gallery space, the space is huge. light-filled, quiet.
my son Theo (Cerigo) . . came along, with our American Akita puppy: Zora.
very well-behaved & loving . . her art. and of course, people !!
gallery associate, writer JASMINE LOBE, in front of her parents’ collaboration.
KATHLEEN GILJE & ROBERT LOBE, b. 1945
‘Appalachian Forest’, 2010.
87 x 87 x 9 inches. oil on canvas & hammered aluminum.
($140K)
detail, ‘Appalachian Forest’, KATHLEEN GILJE & ROBERT LOBE.
LEONARD DUFRESNE, b. 1941.
‘Sweeping’, 2011.
11.25 x 14.25 x 2 inches. acrylic on panel.
($16K)
feeling both very contemporary, and very turn of the century . . , Americana too.
I bet this guy is due for a . . big revival !!
just like WALTER ROBINSON.
collectors, pull out your checkbooks. that’s a very low ball price.
and a sweet series of paintings, no doubt. American realism – at its folk art heart / best.
last shot, just to show you how big, and awesome – the space is.
esp for viewing art.
Theo and Zora . . gaze on Mercer’s painting.
to the left:
LARRY KAGAN, b. 1946.
‘The Candidate’, 2016 – inspired by the recent presidential elections, no doubt.
55 x 40 x 13.5 inches. steel and wood.
($38K)
at extreme left:
KATHLEEN GILJE, b. 1945.
‘L.H.O.O.Q.’, 2015.
30.75 x 21.5 x 1.5 inches. restored oil on panel.
($80K)
PHOTOS: NANCY SMITH. NOVEMBER 20, 2016
~MERCER TULLIS . . new Realism !!? hyper-surrealism ?!! bring it – on !! also feat: NEIL JENNEY, LARRY KAGAN, KATHLEEN GILJE, ROBERT LOBE & LEONARD DUFRESNE, |
Posted in The Bomb | By Nancy Smith | February 3rd, 2017, 10:21am
VACANT POSSESSION: JIM JOE / ANDREW KASS – A DOWNTOWN POP-UP
51 MERCER ST, SOHO, NYC / JAN 28 – FEB 4, 2017 / 3-7 PM VIEWING HRS.
the show opened last SAT JAN 28, 2017 / 7-9 PM
PIX – FROM THE OPENING:
yep, the monster light machine was part of the install . . .
the journey begins.
the dark journey into night.
Vacant possession . . can mean many things. here it’s about taking over a (vacant) storefront.
but the possession – is anything but . . ‘vacant’.
yes, it is minimalist – it is mostly black & white / or: literally – electric light vs. black.
silent, profound, it’s meanings are stealth ‘invaders’. aka metaphors.
the landmarks inside are stark. it’s a huge mind-set – ‘set’ in reverse.
the black curtains, the theatrical drapes, are pulled aside yet obscured with bright, stark . . light.
what turns out to be NYC landmarks are small, and smaller – but the possession of the space – is ‘large’ – and larger. visually, conceptually, art-wise . . .
well, one could even say: like Alice In Wonderland – this relatively ‘small’ show by 2 indie artists – gets . . LARGE.
it is a vacant possession – with goals.
while the inverse:
the huge Trump apparatus – is a ‘vacant’ possession – of a ‘huge’ land by / ‘small’ . . minds.
the narrowness of the room – enhances the artificial aspect of . . ‘possession’.
inside-out. as you move inside & look back: the scene grows.
as you realize the industrial-sized light machine’s impact on the interior space / accentuated by the theatrical drapery.
this drapery / light install – is the work of . . ANDREW KASS.
mostly known as a photographer, of people, though I’ve seen other 3-D installations of his, he has a photographer’s understanding of light, and . . dark.
it was very much a kind-of optical . . illusion, like a fun house, like a magician.
you were inside. b-b-but you were always looking, back, and forth. the narrowness of the space worked to an extreme advantage.
vacant – NOT !!!!
b-b-b-black: there was such a somber feel, to the ‘fun’.
Don’t look back. caught between extreme & opposing . . poles.
b-b-b black, and white.
oppositional / singularity, of black & white . . direction / elasticity.
no gray areas, except for the space – YOU, the viewer inhabited.
the full-on . . Alice in Wonderland effect.
yes, they did – hand-paint that black and white checkered floor.
game of chess anybody ?
moving backwards, into the room.
it’s: your . . ‘move’.
‘spatial’ possession / intervention ?
which brings us to that – hanging, half draped-in construction material / glittering disco ball, also by ANDREW KASS.
here, it’s more of a . . ball and chain.
the next century, of our city’s urban growth / is not the city of 1980 night clubs.
glittering mirrored illusion, urban reality.
ANDREW KASS.
PARIS VENTURE.
TOMMY MALEKOFF.
ELISE GALLANT, taking photos for PURPLE MAG.
SPENCER & MERCER TULLIS.
Spencer at 26, is the older bro, he is a ‘realist’ sculptor.
Mercer 23, is a ‘realist’ painter. I caught his work recently at the NEIL JENNEY space, West Broadway Gallery, in Soho. – in a show titled: ‘ American Realism Today’.
in a way, this show, VACANT POSSESSION . . was very literally, REALIST . . too.
albeit, stylized, and theatrical.
SPENCER TULLIS showed me his newest work, on his phone.
it was also a matter, of moving . . back and forth. and around.
TRISTAN HUGHES-FREELAND.
CARLO McCORMICK.
also a matter of literally moving back and forth, Tristan is Carlo’s son.
from a rough & tumble street critic / a beautiful artist kid is born.
tell me about it, Kate & Theo. RIP Simon Cerigo. must have been that inner city water – they drank / growing up on the Lower East Side in the 80s & 90s, surrounded by the now, art history legends . . of urban grit.
tip of the ‘most excellent’ / downtown iceberg: SPENCER TULLIS, SEAN VEGEZZI.
ok, we will show some generosity to ‘outsiders’.
DANIEL DURON, an artist from Mexico, now NYC-based.
not an ‘outsider’ to this crew, but maybe to the world-at-large, and then again, maybe not !!
@theonewhoknows showed me some of his new murals.
this one was painted somewhere in South America, specifically Santo Christo, Rio de Janeiro.
this country was made by . . outlaw ‘thought’ rebels.
and, come on.
get real: unless you are a native first peoples & therefore indigenous . . you ARE AN IMMIGRANT, from somewhere else.
stop the false / fictional / delusional APPROPRIATION.
unless you are a Native American tribes person – you are claiming: Vacant possession. (!!)
but, back . . to the show !!
walking the walk, right on that sharp edge of the . . underground.
talking the talk: in the other direction, of the space: JIM JOE.
3 sharply stylized paintings of . . NYC landmarks.
a very Alice ‘n wonderland, effect. the floor – helps !!
but, yeah: in these paintings, the city seems razor sharp, cold. and full of bad bad habits.
ah, LADY LIBERTY: give me . . ?????
ah, LADY LIBERTY, you’ve grown so ‘spikey’ over time.
well, what did you expect, 3 words: WORLD TRADE CENTER, 2 words: TWIN TOWERS, 1 word: down.
JIM JOE . . also presented this mini-spectacle on the floor, in like a collapsed kid’s swimming pool, sort of, but not exactly.
the visual richness of the ‘small’ – can never be . . under-estimated.
One World Trade Center.
I was . . kind of surprised, knowing this crew, that there were no World Trade Center / doomed Twin Towers, maybe you can’t find them as souvenirs any more ?
I have a bunch.
but, maybe, this was: NOW.
another kind of vacant cultural . . ‘possession’ ?
ending . . without: words.
r-e-a-d . . my art.
make my day !!
JIM JOE.
a wondorous, intelligent . . collab.
PHOTOS: NANCY SMITH
~VACANT POSSESSION: JIM JOE / ANDREW KASS . . OPENING PIX |
Posted in The Bomb | By Nancy Smith | February 1st, 2017, 11:45am
note: the viewing hours have been extended – thru SAT FEB 4, 2017 / 3 – 7 PM
VACANT POSSESSION: JIM JOE / ANDREW KASS
51 MERCER ST, SOHO, NYC / JAN 28, 2017 / 7 – 9 PM
NEW WORKS BY: ANDREW KASS & JIM JOE. THE OPENING WILL BE TODAY, SAT JAN 28, 2017 / 7PM – 9PM.
51 MERCER ST, IN SOHO, NYC.
THE SHOW WILL BE UP FOR A COUPLE OF DAYS FOLLOWING – FOR THOSE WHO CAN’T MAKE THE OPENING.
~VACANT POSSESSION: JIM JOE / ANDREW KASS . . opens to-nite SAT JAN 28 / extended thru SAT FEB 4 |
Posted in The Bomb | By Nancy Smith | January 28th, 2017, 4:17pm
NICHOLAS STEINDORF – ‘ZACH_VERSION_1.1’
OPENS TO-NITE: THURS JAN 26, 2017 / 6 – 9 PM
EXO EXO GALLERY, BELLEVILLE, PARIS – FRANCE
the show runs thru FEB 2, 2017
don’t blink !!!!!!!
PHOTO: courtesy NICHOLAS STEINDORF & EXO EXO GALLERY
~NICHOLAS STEINDORF: ZACH . . sets PARIS on FIRE !! |
Posted in The Bomb | By Nancy Smith | January 26th, 2017, 1:25pm
